For everyday navigation the Magellan Roadmate Portable GPS System is just superb. I've been doing a bit of research and have concluded that for the money, it's just about the best one around. But prices vary a lot and it's important to ensure you get the best deal. That's why I wrote this article.
Why does the Roadmate Portable represent such a great step forward? GPS technology has been around for a few years now. It was developed from military spy technology which was kept secret for many years then finally released for civilian use in the early 1990's. Even today whenever I switch on my portable GPS I marvel at the way it finds and then locks on to the satellites and works out exactly where I am - to within about ten metres. It's truly fantastic. But, like the cell phone technology and the Internet, all of this has become commonplace to most of us and we don't even spare a thought for what's going on behind the scenes.
Early models had small screens that were a little difficult to read and many people found it hard to change their length of focus from road to small screen and back again. Now Magellan have brought out the 5045-LM which has a five inch widescreen that really does make a difference. There are two elements to this: for some people changing their focal length (that is the distance at which hey are focusing their eyes) changes quicker than others. And it gets slower as you get older. So, not only is the map a good deal easier to focus on because it is bigger but the extra width gives you a bit more of the map to see so you can often get a better feel for exactly where you are.
The other feature where I think the Roadmate 5045-LM really does address a niggling issue is the method of supplying power to the unit. Obviously you want to be able to remove it from its screen mount when you've finished your journey to avoid its being stolen but usually you have to fiddle about with the power cable then reconnect it when you next want to use it. This new model has the power supply cable connected to the mounting, so whenever you fit your portable GPS to the screen, the power is connected automatically. This is a much improved method and makes the unit a whole lot easier to use.
Why does the Roadmate Portable represent such a great step forward? GPS technology has been around for a few years now. It was developed from military spy technology which was kept secret for many years then finally released for civilian use in the early 1990's. Even today whenever I switch on my portable GPS I marvel at the way it finds and then locks on to the satellites and works out exactly where I am - to within about ten metres. It's truly fantastic. But, like the cell phone technology and the Internet, all of this has become commonplace to most of us and we don't even spare a thought for what's going on behind the scenes.
Early models had small screens that were a little difficult to read and many people found it hard to change their length of focus from road to small screen and back again. Now Magellan have brought out the 5045-LM which has a five inch widescreen that really does make a difference. There are two elements to this: for some people changing their focal length (that is the distance at which hey are focusing their eyes) changes quicker than others. And it gets slower as you get older. So, not only is the map a good deal easier to focus on because it is bigger but the extra width gives you a bit more of the map to see so you can often get a better feel for exactly where you are.
The other feature where I think the Roadmate 5045-LM really does address a niggling issue is the method of supplying power to the unit. Obviously you want to be able to remove it from its screen mount when you've finished your journey to avoid its being stolen but usually you have to fiddle about with the power cable then reconnect it when you next want to use it. This new model has the power supply cable connected to the mounting, so whenever you fit your portable GPS to the screen, the power is connected automatically. This is a much improved method and makes the unit a whole lot easier to use.
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