Magellan RoadMate 3065 Review

In May 2010, Magellan announced 10 new RoadMate models that all have one feature in common - Lifetime Traffic Alerts. This is a very significant addition because real-time traffic reports in many other devices have subscription fees. Stop paying these subscription fees and the whole real-time aspect is eliminated. Free lifetime traffic isn't anything new, but these 10 devices have it and all 10 devices target specific audiences with specific budgets. The Magellan RoadMate 3065 is the most expensive of the pack, but carries a lot of attractive features.

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Magellan RoadMate 3065 GPS Navigator

Design

The Magellan RoadMate 3065 falls nicely between the common 4.3-inch GPS devices and the increasingly popular 5-inch models. The 5-inch models can be pricey and do not offer as many features so the RoadMate 3065 should fit the needs in a balanced manner measuring 4.7 inches diagonally. Some visual improvements were made to the bezel too making it a fresh upgrade for existing RoadMate owners.

User Interface

Magellan's OneTouch Menu

Users can begin with the OneTouch^TM favorites menu where they can add any points of interest they like. The advantage of doing this is that whenever a route needs to be calculated to that destination, all the user needs to do is bring up the OneTouch Favorites Menu by touching the button on the upper-right of the map screen. Then the icons will be listed there and a single touch calculates the route instantly from the current location.

When other routes need to be planned, the QuickSpell does the rest. It features an onscreen QWERTY keyboard which should be large enough since the RoadMate 3065 features a larger display. As the user types, keys will begin to highlight guiding the user on what to press next to complete the name of a destination stored in the database.

Key Features

• Automatically receive traffic alerts with Traffic Wakeup.
• Hands-free calling with advanced Bluetooth technology.
• Free Lifetime Traffic Alerts.
• Extra-large 4.7" screen with maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Navigation

There are more than 6 million POIs in the database so you can expect a lot of results from QuickSpell. Combined with the SmartCity search, results are narrowed down according to the current location to avoid confusion. Maps covered include US, Puerto Rico, and Canada so most travellers should be covered.

The RoadMate 3065 supports several route options including routes that favor time, distance, or number of freeways used. Once drivers get used to the routing features, they can plan advanced routes using the multi-destination routing feature. Although it is an advanced feature, it is easy to use since the key points are conveniently listed with their estimated times.

Highways can be troublesome for drivers because they need to stick in the right lane in order to make a proper turn to exit the highway. It assists in doing this with the useful Highway Lane Assist feature. Indicators will tell the driver to stay in this particular lane to prepare for an exit. In addition, the Highway Exit POI search can optionally be used to find important places like gas stations and ATMs that may be found near the highway exits.

As mentioned earlier, free Lifetime Traffic Alert is the main highlight here and the RoadMate 3065 turns it up a notch by offering some exclusive features that cheaper devices lack. One of them is the traffic wakeup feature which turns on the GPS automatically to deliver these real-time traffic updates. A custom schedule can be set using an easy touchscreen interface. To further save money, the RoadMate 3065 also offers periodic reporting of mileage to better manage expense reports.

Other Features

The RoadMate 3065 also features Bluetooth functionality so it can synchronize phone numbers with other phones and doubles as a hands-free device so phone conversations can be initiated without touching the phone so drivers can stay focused. The same microphone can also be used to initiate voice commands to change routes remotely. Tourists can also make use of the exclusive AAA TourBook guide to find out good places to stay and eat while saving money.

Bottom Line

The Magellan RoadMate 3065 is packed with features putting it in-line with some of the Maestro offerings by Magellan. The only difference is that this device is new so the latest maps and POIs are there and it features free lifetime traffic updates.

List Price : $299.99

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