Portable GPS Units Review – Magellan Roadmate 1440

My TomTom One died on me last weekend, just as I needed it. Isn’t that just like technology?

Because I have started a new job I felt I needed to get something in my car. While my iPhone Google maps works great, it is a hassle to use while driving, especially when I am alone.

So my wife talked about getting a new one. Price was especially important. We paid about $140 for our TomTom 3 years ago. It worked great until this year when we started having problems charging it.

I looked online at the usually reviews. TomTom still got the highest rating in customer satisfaction. I didn’t want to deal with the hassles of plugging it into my computer every so often to update.

The features my wife and I wanted were:

1. Voice directions
2. Access to AAA ratings.
3. Big screen
4. Easy to plug in addresses or zip codes

We went to Walmart and Sears to look at various units. TomTom, Garmin, and Magellan all caught our eye. We decided to go to BJ Wholesale and say the Magellan Roadmate 1440 (http://www.magellangps.com/products/product.asp?segID=354&prodID=2175) which had all the features we wanted. In addition, there was a sale going on so we were able to get the unit for $120.

I have been using the device now for a few days. I must admit I am pretty impressed. It was easy to use and the voice directions were clear and accurate.

Overall I am pretty satisfied with my purchased. Maybe in 3 years, technology will march on and I will upgrade again.

My Affair with My iPhone

It has been a year since I have been having an affair with my phone – my iPhone. I have been using cellphones since the mid 90s. I remember when battery life was nonexistent and they weighed more than most toasters. My how technology has changed…

I was in the market for a phone since I moved to an iMac two years ago. A phone that I was able to synch my contacts and calendar with – reliably. This has always been a unicorn among cellphones. How do you get your information on a mobile platform and be able to synch successfully each time.

I was able to accomplish this through the iPhone. I migrated my contacts and calendar to Microsoft’s Entourage. I am not wild about Entourage but it does the job I want. 

The iPhone has become more then my cellphone. It has become my mobile assistant. I use it to check my email. Yes I check all my email automatically every 15 minutes. I need real time gratification.

I am not big on purchasing apps from the store because I get bored pretty easily but there are a few free apps that have become indispensable. 

All Wall Street types should have the Bloomberg app. It keeps me up-to-date on financial news. The Wall Street Journal is also another great app for news.

Google maps has been great in finding my way around. I stopped using my bigger GPS device because it has become easier to use the iPhone. 

With the new OS, Apple has made the device faster and battery life last longer. I now get a full day of usage before I have to plug in. Kudos to Apple for listening to their customers.

The only issue I have with the phone is typing. My fingers seem a touch to big to type. So I am constantly retyping. I could only imagine what other people with larger fingers must go through.

Any forward thinking professional should get one. Trust me, within the first week you cannot live without your iPhone. 

Don’t tell my wife – but my iPhone and I are going out to dinner tonight. 😉