Getting lost is no fun, especially when it happens in a questionable part of town or you waste more than an hour of your life driving in circles around Atlanta (true story). While GPS is certainly nothing new, Magellan has managed to offer consumers something different and better with their new smarter navigation option, appropriately named SmartGPS. I was fortunate to receive a new Magellan SmartGPS device to review and am excited to share a few of it’s features that have proved to be very helpful.
As I had expected, the navigation of this device works very well and is comparable if not better than other GPS devices I have used.The wireless sync capability is a huge bonus. The accompanying SmartGPS app makes this GPS especially user friendly. This feature is great when you have a passenger who can dial up an address on their phone and then instantly send it to the SmartGPS.
Helpful Features:
I am a planner, especially when it comes to things like shopping and running errands. Before heading out the door, I have a list that includes all of my stops for the day and everything that I need to buy or accomplish while I am out. If you’re a planner like me, you’re going to love that you can send preplanned trips to SmartGPS, straight from your computer or smartphone. It totally eliminates the car waiting-in-driveway or car waiting-in-parking lot scenarios.
Get location-based information. Included is a library of over 7 million points of interest (POIs). SmartGPS gives location-based traffic and weather updates, but there is so much more information available. SmartGPS integrates information from social networking sites like Yelp and FourSquare to provide local recommendations for restaurants, hotels, attractions and other points of interest. It is nice to have easy access to available deals and get recommendations and reviews from real people. This is especially handy while traveling. You can also get nearby fuel price information – where, price, and brand name. The location based content can be personalized. For example, if you prefer a specific brand of gas you can set the device to only share that information.
The large 5” touch-screen display is customizable. But if you’re just driving around, the SmartGPS touchscreen offers a default split-screen view, with a live map on the left half of the screen, and four tiles on the right half. The top two tiles show you information about any traffic delays or safety alerts, while the bottom two display data from Yelp and Foursquare. There are up to 8 different content squares available, but during your navigation only 2 will be visible which I think is a great safety feature. You don’t want to be distracted by too much information while driving.
You get free lifetime maps and traffic alerts. You do not have to pay extra to update your maps or view the traffic along your route, it’s included, free, for the life of your GPS unit. This is a huge bonus in my opinion.
Much like those fancy in-dash systems, this device offers a speaker output to plug directly into the vehicle audio system for enhanced audio. With the Bluetooth hands-free feature, you can speak freely and not worry about getting a ticket for cell phone use while driving.
SmartGPS really stands out against other GPS devices. I think there are many useful features that make it worth the $250 price point. Visit the Magellan SmartGPS website to learn more about this great product.
* Magellan provided a product to review. No compensation was received. All opinions are our own.
I like the free smartphone apps.
Hands free blue tooth
I love the hands free bluetooth
I’m excited that it works. My Magellan just broke about a month ago
sibabe64 at ptd dot net
I like the free lifetime maps and traffic alerts.
I really like that this GPS provides location-based traffic and weather updates.
I like the Bluetooth Hands Free Feature.
Love the updates.
hands free blue tooth hands down
Hands free blue tooth is my fave
I LOVE that it comes with free lifetime maps and traffic alerts! The one we have now doesn’t and it’s way too expensive to buy the new ones every year for the one time we will use it!
I love that it integrates with Yelp and FourSquare.
I like the restaurant recommendations.
the large 5″ touch screen display is a great feature!
I like the wireless sync
I like the free lifetime maps
The free lifetime maps and traffic alerts…my mom’s gps is always telling her she needs to buy the latest map updates and it can really get expensive and increases the cost of a gps.
I like that it will give you a wide variety of real-time location-based information
I like the large screen.
Love the hands free feature and the free lifetime maps and traffic alerts!
Thanks for the chance:)
I love the idea of traffic alerts – that is an awesome thing to have 🙂
My favorite feature is that is shows any traffic delays or safety alerts.
I love the hands free feature.
I like the SmartGPS app.
I love the enhanced audio system!
I like that you can download preplanned trips to it.
I really need one
I like lifetime maps and traffic alerts
Hands free blue tooth & I won’t get lost so much factor!
I like the lifetime maps
I like the lifetime maps and traffic alerts. The traffic alerts are great when you need to find an alternate route, it can save so much time.
Traffic alerts – no more listening to the news
I love that it has Bluetooth capability!!
I want lifetime maps. Our old GPS doesn’t have them, and the maps are all outdated now. It’s not worth updating!
I love that it’s customizable!
5 inch screen
I love the traffic alerts….nothing worse than getting stuck in traffic when your in a hurry. 🙂
the hands-free bluetooth is my favorite feature.
I love that it plugs directly into the vehicle audio system for enhanced audio.
I like the free maps and traffic alerts for life.
The lifetime updates for mapping and traffic alerts!
I love that you get free lifetime maps and traffic alerts!
I like that it reports traffic delays, which seems to be a way of life in Michigan right now
I love that you can send preplanned trips to it from the computer!
Free lifetime maps and traffic alerts.
i like that it has free maps and traffic alerts for life.
I love that it includes free lifetime maps and traffic alerts. That can get really expensive. Thanks for the chance to win!
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com
The hands free bluetooth
That it can tell me about nearby places. My current one can’t do that!
I like the fact that you can customize it, that plugs into your existing sound system and the best feature is that it is Blue Tooth- hands free.
Definitely the free lifetime maps and traffic alerts and the wireless sync!
I love the Lifetime Maps and traffic alert
I really like the 7 million points of interest and the fact that it integrates with Yelp!!
its hand free for riving
The Dynamic Navigation Content that will tell you about gas prices and speeds in the area.
I’m most excited about the the Bluetooth hands-free feature.
lifetime maps and traffic alerts ! Wow that’s really cool!
hands free blue tooth!!!!
I would have to say a lot of the features but i love that it syncs to the smartphone/laptop
I like the free lifetime maps and traffic alerts. I don’t like to have to pay for something once I’ve already bought it!!!!!
i love that you can send it preplanned trips from your smartphone! this is a total timesaver! i often forget to get the address and spend time on our way looking up addresses. what a cool feature!!
I like the hands free blue tooth and the traffic updates. When you have to travel around D.C. you want to have updates
The Feature I’m Excited About Is The Touch Screen Display!
Love that it plugs into the car audio so I can hear it above my screaming kids 😉
The Lifetime Maps is always good.
Dynamic Navigation Content with lowest gas price info sounds neat!
I love the screen size and that it’s customizable.
Thanks for the giveaway! =)
Hand free bluetooth is amazing love to have one
I have to agree with the others, The hands free bluetooth
I am most excited about getting free lifetime maps and traffic alerts with the GPS!
I don’t know what I like the best. Perhaps the lifetime updates. I would really use those.
I like that it has over 7 million points of interest.
I am excited over the whole thing! Especially the Lifetime Maps and Traffic Alerts. I have wanted to get one of these for my Dad, but they are expensive.
Thanks for the awesome Giveaway!
The hands free definitely!
I like you get free lifetime maps
I love that it’s touchscreen. Makes it so much easier to use and navigate.
I love that it’s hands free and the touch screen looks great!
I absolutely love the speaker output that you can to plug directly into the vehicle audio system for enhanced audio. Didn’t know GPS’s were doing this now!
Really like so many things about this new model… the traffic alerts.. the handsfree audio & sound system… the large touch screen… and so much more! Our gps broke last year and havent replaced it yet.. would LOVE to review this!
cathy b*****y pbprojecthope at yahoodotcom
I love that its hands free.
I love that the large 5” touch-screen display is customizable. I also like the traffic alerts feature.
I like that you get free lifetime maps!
[email protected]
My area is ALWAYS in some phase of road repair and construction so the Traffic Alerts feature would be great for me.
Love the free updates idea. This would be great to give to my mom.
I like that you get updates for life, FREE!
I love that it has a hands free feature for taking calls on my cell phone.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I love that I could send preplanned trips straight to the GPS, it would make travel much easier I think 🙂
Definitely the free lifetime map updates!
I like that it includes free lifetime maps and traffic alerts. My current GPS is out of date
THe free lifetime map feature and that it can be hands free!
I like that the screen is large – 5 inch screen
I like the free Lifetime Maps and Traffic Alerts features, thanks!
free lifetime maps and traffic alerts
The speaker output to plug directly into the vehicle audio system for enhanced audio
I had one GPS that I could never hear over traffic noises.
Thanks for the contest.
I really like the nearby fuel price information
Spoken Street Names would be a great help
I like that the screen is bigger so that I don’t have to wear my glasses to see it since I can’t drive with them on. I also love that it is hands free
thanks
I like that its customizable
free lifetime maps and traffic alerts.
I really like the traffic and weather feature that the GPS uses to find the best route.
traffic and weather
I like the traffic alerts.
It is really cool
I really like the free lifetime maps and traffic alerts since my old gps doesn’t offer that.
I like how you can preplan your trips if you have multiple ones.
I like that the location based content can be personalized.
I like the hands free blue tooth and the traffic updates.
hands free top of the list
Free lifetime maps and alerts is my favorite feature. Thanks
love the lifetime maps. Its a must!
brich22 at earthlink dot net
I love the tiles showing the traffic alerts
I think my favorite is free maps for life
I am excited about the Bluetooth hands-free feature
I think the free lifetime maps and traffic alerts are a nice feature. Thanks for having this contest.
Lifetime map updates
Dynamic Navigation Content !
Traffic alerts are my favorite feature.
I think the safety alerts are the best feature.