Magellan Maestro 3200 Review

The  Magellan Maestro 3200 and its sister product the 4200 were revealed to the industry at the SEMA show in Las Vegas on the 31st of October 2007. The 3200 is the latest model in Magellan's Maestro line of portable GPS devices.

Since its release in 2006 the Maestro line has garnered some rave reviews, not least because of its intuitive interface which is accessible even by those unused to such devices.

The Magellan 3200 Maestro has brought some great new features to the table. Within the 3200 lies the SirfStar III chipset which is capable of providing an ultra-fast satellite lock. The 3200 boasts an industry leading position acquisition time.

The SirfStar III chipset also allows the 3200 to be thinner than its predecessors. Indeed, measuring a mere .7 of an inch, the 3200 is the thinnest portable GPS device available. The power of the chipset also makes route recalculation when you miss a turn extremely fast.

The 3200 incorporates a 3.5-inch, anti-glare, touch screen, which presents the user with an intuitive list of options. The screen displays the position of the user and can offer the user a myriad of information such as distance to destination, the distance to the next turn and the estimated time of arrival.

Also incorporated into the 3200 is visual turn-by-turn guidance. 

Built into the 3200 are maps of the 48 contiguous United States as well as Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The innovative inclusion of 1.3 million points of interest also allows the user to easily find services or even tourist attractions when they are in an unfamiliar area. The Points of Interest are interactive, the user simply clicks on them to gain access to the desired information. Phone numbers for these services are also included in case, for example, you need to check ahead and find a hotel with rooms free.

Color and contrast are auto-adjusted at night to provide a seamless experience when driving. 

The 3200 also features SD card compatibility so that the user can easily back-up their address book.

One can even listen to MP3 or WMA files through the 3200 via the integrated speaker or the headphone jack.

Whilst most of the time the 3200 will be powered by the supplied vehicle power adapter, the user also has the option of going cable free. The supplied rechargable battery allows a user to go cable free for up to 3 hours at a time.

The box contents are:

The Magellan Maestro 3200 GPS receiver device itself

An Adhesive disk for mounting the device on the dash

A basic cradle

A Vehicle power adapter (12-24 watts)

A Quick reference guide and CD

A handy Windshield mount

The price of the 3200 makes it a must have purchase for people who make frequent business trips and have to pay the rental company for a GPS system. Hertz, for example, charge at least $10 for their Neverlost system, which soon mounts up.

The 3200 is also ideal for people who make a lot of sales calls to customers homes. Simply input the customers address into the address book and be directed right to their door. It's a great time saver, and allows the user to put their time to better use during the course of a day.  The aforementioned  SD card slot also allows for easy back up of address books.

In conclusion, the 3200 is a thin, ultra-stylish, portable Auto GPS system which is crammed full of innovative, and above all useful, features. It is also cutting edge, having been released on the 31st of October 2007. The 3200 also offers features which other GPS devices don't have.  The 3200 is undeniably a helpful little companion when out on the road.

The 3200 is currently available from Amazon.