October 2007
Magellan Maestro 4050: First Look
Voice-controlled portable GPS navigation system speaks to the technology's potential
Navigation systems that can respond to voice commands have been offered by automakers on factory-installed units for years,
but the recent introduction of the Magellan Maestro 4050 marks the first time that this feature is available to shoppers looking
for a portable device. Nevertheless, we have found other portable GPS navigation systems without voice recognition to be better
buys.
Beneficial as a convenience and a real safety feature, the best built-in voice-activated systems can guide you to your destination without requiring you to take your eyes off the road, or hands off the wheel. Just tell the system where you want to go, and it can provide turn-by-turn directions to the destination.
As much as we welcome Magellan's move to add this voice-recognition capability to portable navigation, our testing revealed
some shortcomings, including:
On the plus side, the Maestro 4050 has a large screen, sturdy mount, and relatively intuitive touch-screen controls. It offers
the ability to pronounce proper street names (text to speech capability), and it can be used to make and receive hands-free
calls when paired with a compatible Bluetooth telephone. The 4050 can also alert you to traffic problems ahead and reroute
around them. It comes with a free three-month subscription for that service. After the three months are up, a subscription
costs $60.00 per year.
Another nice feature the Maestro gives you is an exploded view of an intersection as you approach it, with a clear arrow indicating which way to go. It also verbally alerts drivers of the next turn well in advance. An unusual feature is access to AAA listings of restaurants and hotels, with information on everything from menus, amenities, dress codes, price ranges, and ratings of establishments. If you see a hotel or eatery that looks appealing, the system will route you to it with the push of a button on the screen.
One annoying glitch we encountered is that sometimes there is a lag after you tap an instruction, say, to go back to a previous screen. If you get frustrated and tap it again, the 4050 could end up backing through two previous screens. That can be frustrating and a dangerous distraction.
In the end, as much as we applaud Magellan's efforts to take portable navigation to the next level of safety and convenience, the 4050 falls short as a voice-controlled device. There are better options available to buyers looking for a portable navigation system in the Magellan's $555 price range.
See our complete Ratings (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers) on portable GPS navigation systems.
Beneficial as a convenience and a real safety feature, the best built-in voice-activated systems can guide you to your destination without requiring you to take your eyes off the road, or hands off the wheel. Just tell the system where you want to go, and it can provide turn-by-turn directions to the destination.
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Magellan Maestro 4050 |
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- The 4050 can be hard of hearing. We found it was often necessary to shout commands at the unit at highway speeds, even with
closed windows and the radio off. Sometimes no amount of yelling would be enough for it to respond.
- It is still necessary to tap the screen to enter some commands, which limits the benefit for the feature. Unlike the best
factory systems, it is impossible to enter a house or street number by speaking it, for example. You can only use voice recognition
for things like nearest coffee, gas, current location, or your home, if you've pre-programmed your address.
- Once a route has been programmed, the only way we found to search out a gas station, restaurant, or other point of interest
along the way is to cancel the route, ask for the POI, and reprogram the route after your stop.
Another nice feature the Maestro gives you is an exploded view of an intersection as you approach it, with a clear arrow indicating which way to go. It also verbally alerts drivers of the next turn well in advance. An unusual feature is access to AAA listings of restaurants and hotels, with information on everything from menus, amenities, dress codes, price ranges, and ratings of establishments. If you see a hotel or eatery that looks appealing, the system will route you to it with the push of a button on the screen.
One annoying glitch we encountered is that sometimes there is a lag after you tap an instruction, say, to go back to a previous screen. If you get frustrated and tap it again, the 4050 could end up backing through two previous screens. That can be frustrating and a dangerous distraction.
In the end, as much as we applaud Magellan's efforts to take portable navigation to the next level of safety and convenience, the 4050 falls short as a voice-controlled device. There are better options available to buyers looking for a portable navigation system in the Magellan's $555 price range.
See our complete Ratings (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers) on portable GPS navigation systems.
