New From Magellan: RoadMate 1340, 1440, and 1470 GPS Navigators

A few months after Magellan was bought by MiTAC, they release three RoadMate GPS receivers with some interesting features, with screen sizes of 3.5-inches, 4.3-inches, and 4.7-inches.

Magellan RoadMate

Magellan 1340

from $132.00

Magellan 1440

from $155.76

Magellan 1470

from $169.95

Last month, Magellan introduced three new GPS receivers to their RoadMate line, their first releases since their acquisition by MiTAC. MiTAC is a Taiwanese company that owns a subsidiary called Mio, which produces GPS for mostly non-American markets. These three new RoadMates give some indication of what the future might hold for the Magellan brand under the new regime.

The Magellan RoadMate 1340, 1440, and 1470 have 3.5-inch, 4.3-inch, and 4.7-inch displays, respectively. Magellan has spaced out each model well enough to provide low cost, middle of the road, and high-end luxury options for consumers, without over-complicating things.

The Feature Set

The feature set of the 1340, 1440, and 1470 are identical. They all are standard navigators, providing driving directions with advanced guidance features like "Highway Lane Assist," which gently points drivers toward the proper lane in anticipation of turns and "Highway Exit Points of Interest," which lists sights and important stops like gas stations and restaurants by highway exit so you know what's coming up.

All three models also feature information from AAA's TourBook listings, and AAA members can utilize a special "Roadside Assistance" menu to acquire help should it become necessary.

These models seem relatively simple, which could be good for users who aren't interested in spending lots of money on unnecessary feature and adornments that have no real bearing on road travel or navigation.

The Only Difference: Screen Size

As the features on all three models are the same, that leaves only screen size (and price) as the differentiating factor among them. The Magellan RoadMate 1340, as mentioned, features a 3.5-inch screen with a square, standard aspect ratio. It has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $179.99, which puts it in a very good position to attract bargain-hunting shoppers looking for a high-quality GPS receiver. The RoadMate 1440 has a 4.3-inch display, and a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $249. The 4.7-inch RoadMate 1470 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $299.

All three models are rather modestly priced, and the 4.7-inch RoadMate has an above-average display size. In contrast, the Garmin nüvi 1490T, which is coming out this June, has a 5-inch display, and an MSRP of about $500.