Magellan RoadMate 1445T Review

Finding the right Magellan RoadMate device will take some additional research because many of the devices that are being offered cost the same and the model numbers vary slightly. The Magellan RoadMate 1445T is one of the newer models available and although many of the features should be familiar to most Magellan GPS enthusiasts, the new design takes the spotlight here and with some minor enhancements under the hood, the 1445T is a competitor amongst the other new models offered by other top manufacturers.

Magellan RoadMate 1445T GPS Navigator

Design

Older RoadMate designs lacked in style and looked more rugged, but the 1445T looks shiny and sleek with a smooth black frame maintaining the large 4.3-inch widescreen display providing good visibility of the maps whether it is 2-D or 3-D mode. It is also thinner than the preceding models, yet none of the internal components are downgraded.

User Interface

Using the RoadMate 1445T is a lot more comfortable than the previous models because of the OneTouch favorites menu. This takes a lot of the work off of finding favorite navigational points because a simple menu can be brought up showing a list of the bookmarked locations. After an item is selected, the optimized route is generated immediately and the navigation begins from there. All of this happens after a single touch. Route planning takes a single touch of the destination as well.

The QuickSpell which made the entire Magellan series famous can still be used to access cities and other points of interest using the onscreen keyboard. The QuickSpell makes this feature easier to use by highlighting certain keys after a few have been entered to make it easier to complete the name of the destination. It is even easier to head back to the home location as there is a dedicated button for route back home.

Navigation Features

The Magellan RoadMate 1445T is a convenient routing device because several routes can be planned together forming a short trip where stops can be customized. Then the RoadMate does everything else according to the driver's preferences. By default, the fastest route is laid out, but the shortest route can also be shown as well as the routes with or without freeways. So many kinds of routes can be made as there are millions of points of interest available ranging from restaurants to gas stations in cities and highway exists. Certain points of interest have branded icons for easier identification. All of this is possible as long as the driver is in United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico as all of these maps are preloaded in. Mexico maps can be activated too if they are purchased from Magellan's site.

Driving with the Magellan RoadMate 1445T is just as convenient since it has the Text-to-Speech technologies that allow the device to say the street names along with the directions so focus stays on the road. People travelling on highways can benefit even more with this particular model because it has a built-in highway lane assist feature so turns are less likely to be missed since the device points out which lane the driver must be in to stay on route. Even if turns are missed, re-routes are automatically calculated.

Because this is a T model, the Magellan RoadMate 1445T comes with the Traffic Link accessory which needs to be purchased separately for non-T models. This gives free live traffic updates without a subscription so quick routes can be better planned using the data.

AAA subscribers also get some added bonuses including the AAA TourBook which gives ratings to some of the popular points of interest including hotels, restaurants, and areas of entertainment. It shows which places that are good for budget and have the AAA approval. The AAA Member Roadside Assistance is another useful service that provides contact to a toll-free service number that gives information to any nearby AAA approved repair shops and tow truck places within the current position which is given by the device.

The slim profile makes it compact and taking it out of the car can have its uses as the RoadMate 1445T has a built-in Address Book for storing important contacts.

Summary of Product Features

Personalize OneTouch search icons with your favorite places
Announces street names and directions at each turn
Access AAA TourBook guide and Roadside Assistance menu
Traffic Link delivers free, real-time traffic alerts for life
Highway lane assist helps you navigate the interstate

Bottom Line

People that live in busy cities will benefit greatly from the Magellan RoadMate 1445T because it contains the lane assistant and Traffic Link. The new compact design is a refreshing feel and the price remains affordable at $230.

List Price : ~~$229.99~~

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