NaviGadget

Magellan RoadMate 860T is out!

Apr 21, 2006 gps navigation, magellan

Even though Magellan’s website doesn’t confirm any of this yet several resources have reported that the RoadMate 860T is officially released. So here you go:

Make way for the new Magellan RoadMate 860T portable vehicle navigation system. Packed with an MP3 player and photo viewer, the 860T is bundled with a 15-month subscription to traffic service allowing drivers to take necessary detours when the system detects abnormal traffic on your current route.

MP3s and photos can be stored on a 10 gig partition available on the internal 20GB hard drive, and I suspect that in the future the RoadMate series will be much more than just a multimedia travel companion. With the traffic service, you can either ask the system to re-route your journey or simply be alerted of traffic ahead – this is great if you deliberately want to run in to traffic and give the usual excuse “Oh, you won’t believe how the traffic was!” (unless the other person knows you have a Magellan RoadMate 860T).

The screen, a big 3.5″ TFT color screen, has enough visibility even in daylight and offers higher resolution. It’s also a touchscreen – very convenient when driving, so you don’t have to search for those little buttons all over the place.

Voice prompts are possible too, and you have to option to choose a 2D or 3D bird’s-eye view of the map. Maps of the US, Puerto Rico, Canada and the US Virgin Islands are preloaded, but if you’re traveling to Europe, you’ll need to shell out additional money for the relevant maps.

A useful feature is the display of traffic incidents – whether it’s an accident or road work or any other condition for slow traffic, it’s clearly displayed on the map screen.

Priced at US $799, the Magellan RoadMate 860T will be available in May 2006. Access more details at Magellan’s website. The package includes Magellan TrafficKit, a windshield mount and enhanced cradle, USB cable, AC adaptor, vehicle power adaptor, headphones and pouch for protection. Check the extended entry for features.

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