THE FIRST PLUG’N DRIVE PORTABLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH BUILT-IN EUROPEAN MAPS

Thales Navigation’s innovative new Magellan 700, the first plug'n drive portable vehicle navigation system will make its CeBIT debut this week at Booth #D39D47. The groundbreaking new Magellan RoadMate 700 provides an intuitive user interface for unrivaled ease of use; voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions; a full 32k color, touch-screen display, and WAAS / EGNOS capabilities to ensure the driver is always precisely guided.

In addition to these features offered in the Magellan RoadMate introduced recently in the United States, the European version of Magellan RoadMate has these additional features:

* Detailed European maps covering more than 17 countries

* Multiple language support

* Infrared connection so drivers can transfer address data easily from a Personal Data Assistant or SmartPhone

* Exclusive FlexAddress feature for easy address entry

The Magellan RoadMate is expandable to allow for easy upgrades. For example, the Magellan RoadMate is ready for integration of radio data system/traffic message channel. When available, this option will allow simple, dynamic and automatic rerouting to be done so drivers can avoid road construction and traffic incidents. The innovative design of the expansion cradle will enable customers to download additional extension modules, which will be available in the future.

From the road warrior to the mobile professional to the vacation traveler and multi-car family – any driver can gain timesaving efficiency and peace of mind without purchasing a new GPS-equipped car. With Magellan RoadMate 700, Thales Navigation brings to the automotive market a new standard that clearly rises above any other system.

With the early response we’ve received to the Magellan RoadMate 700 in the United States, we believe we’ve proven again that Thales Navigation is committed to making products that meet real customer needs and lead the way as GPS technology emerges in mass market solutions, said Henry Gaillard, CEO of Thales Navigation. The Magellan RoadMate is the next generation vehicle navigation solution based on the most proven vehicle navigation system in the world, Hertz NeverLost, which was developed by Thales Navigation and has safely guided people to millions of destinations.

Turn It On and Go is the promise on the box of the Magellan Roadmate 700, and it lives up to that promise with seamless maps of Western Europe pre-loaded, so there are no tricky computer downloads. Moreover the device can provide audible turn-by-turn directions in any of the six most spoken languages of Europe.

Drivers can either enter a destination from the 750,000 points of interest database, such as restaurants, parks, petrol stations, hotels, schools and monuments, from their personal address book of up to 100 destinations, or as a street address by using the color touch screen or the keypad. To speed up the data entry process, the Magellan RoadMate 700 uses an exclusive QuickSpellTM feature to reduces the choice of characters as the system hones in on the city, street, and address number.

Route planning is also easy. Navigators hardly need the built-in tutorial. The Magellan RoadMate 700 lets users select a route by the Shortest Time, Shortest Distance, Least Use of Motorways or Most Use of Motorways. In addition, the system automatically recalculates a route after a missed turn. A clearly visible, full-color route is displayed on a moving map to show the driver’s progress. The route is also displayed as text directions and as a graphic showing one turn at a time, at the driver’s selection. In every mode, the convenient turn-by-turn, voice-prompted guidance minimizes the driver’s need to view the display.

The Magellan RoadMate 700 is the first cost-efficient, portable solution to offer simple, yet fully featured vehicle navigation for any driver of any car. Compact and lightweight, Magellan RoadMate sets up for use in minutes by the customer without the added cost and time associated with professional installation. In addition, a wide array of mounting and faceplate options enable drivers to customize the system to suit their needs or taste. For more information, on the latest GPS News see maps gps.

Author Notes:

Alexander Cornvell contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.handheld-gps-reviews.com.  A wealth of information about Global Positioning Systems for commercial or personal use.