Magellan Maestro 3100 Review

The Magellan Maestro 3100 is a sophisticated, yet easy to use portable GPS system. It has drawn a lot of attention this holiday season because many retailers are offering it at remarkably low prices ($139 at Amazon for example). These discounts make the 3100 a bona fide bargain.

The Maestro 3100 sports a 3.5" touch screen, which is intuitive to use. This simplicity of use masks a device with a host of sophisticated features. Users can view a 2D or even a bird's eye 3D depiction of their location, route and destination.

Users need only to enter an address within the contiguous United States to be directed there by voice or visual guidance. If the user misses a turn, the 3100 simply re-calculates a new route within seconds.

The 3100 also boasts a customizable route selection feature which allows the user to select routes based on avoiding, for example, freeways or toll roads. 

At the heart of the Maestro 3100 beats the SiRFstarIII chipset which is powerful enough to give the fastest GPS position time in the industry. What this means in practice is that route planning and unforseen changes in route are calculated virtually instantaneously. 

Magellan's QuickSpell technology is another interesting feature of the Maestro series. This feature can auto-complete and correct errors in spelling at the users discretion.

Magellans innovative inclusion of what it calls Points of Interest also allows the user to easily find hundreds of thousands of locations, such as gas stations or hotels. By selecting any of these locations via the touch screen interface the user gains access to a wealth of information. Information such as such as distance, address and phone number are instantly displayed. The 3100 comes with 750,000 Points of Interest pre-installed.

The user is also free to add their own personal points of interest via the personal address book. This is a particularly handy feature when making sales calls or frequent trips to the same location. 

The SmartDetour system allows for the 3100 user to bypass traffic jams, with the 3100 seamlessly choosing new routes to avoid hold-ups.

Magellan have a clear pedigree in providing portable GPS systems for veteran travelers. They are well known for their Magellan RoadMate and Hertz NeverLost systems. Magellan has clearly studied feedback from users of these systems and implemented the ideas into the 3100.

The battery life of the 3100 is good. Users can either use the supplied cigarette lighter adapter, or use the rechargeable battery.

Another useful feature is the auto night view which automatically adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing.

Design-wise the Magellan Maestro 3100 is a thin, streamlined, pocket-sized device, which has an air of sophistication to it. It is a rugged device, manufactured from high-impact materials.

The Magellan Maestro is a sophisticated yet easy to use portable GPS device. The simplicity of use makes the 3100 suitable for people unused to GPS devices. The power user will also be delighted by the 3100s' wealth of innovative features.

The 3100 is currently available from Amazon for $139 which represents a saving of 60%.