Review on 🧭 Effortless Navigation with the Magellan RoadMate 700 3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator by Tina Price

I have had several Garmin units over the years and have always been happy with them. This was my first Magellan and I have to say I was very impressed. The screen quality is incredible. Regardless of the lighting conditions, it is always clearly visible. It is also the largest display among portable devices. I particularly like it when all US maps are integrated into the device. No more loading or changing memory cards on long trips. I found the voice prompts to be clear, audible, and meaningful most of the time. It has some special features such as For example, the message "Turn left" when the road you are driving on has a large curve or similar change. Again. Play with it a little and you'll learn to spot the quirks. Suggested routes, even on back roads, aren't always ideal, but are usually pretty close to what a knowledgeable traveler would do. At least he always gets you there, and he never tried to send me one way or the lake like some of the other units. In some cases, an increased "information capability" about certain roads would be desirable. There are several so-called highways in Pennsylvania that are more like parking lots with stoplights every 1/2 mile. In these cases, RoadMate isn't always smart enough to know that there are roads that can hardly be called the "fastest route". In some cases, a parallel "backroad" is a better choice than a "freeway," but Magellan doesn't know that. I like the ability to exclude the current street from the route. It has rescued me more than once from a traffic jam in an unfamiliar area. I agree with the criticism that it should be easier to add a waypoint to the address book and I hope this can be fixed in a future software update. The database of restaurants, attractions etc seems very complete and thorough as I have found in many states. Even local pizzerias are listed. The device seems to pick up the signal quickly and holds it well. Most of the time I'm in the blue signal showing WAAS. Yes, WAAS was another big plus for this device in terms of accuracy. I agree that the device should come with more than one vent mount. Depending on the vehicle, the vent mount either works very well or not at all. A quick call to tech support and they shipped the windshield mount ASAP just as I was mentioning issues with the air vent mount. Yes, it should also come with a PC cable, just like the 500. Finally, while the touchscreen works well, the remote control is a welcome accessory when you're cruising down the road at high speed. The bottom line is that this is probably the best portable GPS out there right now. Maybe not as good as a $3,000 custom install, but maybe better in other ways. I demand a lot from my electronic toys, but I have no regrets about this purchase. UPDATE: It's been a few years since I wrote this review and the RoadMate is still hanging in there for a lot of rides. What really impressed me were the software updates. Magellan updated the UI, added voice announcements of street names, etc. I think this is real proof that they support their products and aren't forcing them to be obsolete so you can buy the next model. If you bought one of these and never updated the software, you're missing out. I have tried several other brands and newer models. While features like Bluetooth are good, I have yet to justify the cost of a replacement. One of my new cars has a built in GPS. I still use the RoadMate on really long trips, as it often finds roads that aren't shown on the DVD-based system.