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Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review from Jerry D Stevens jdsppl. Magellan Roadmate 1340,

SEE 8-29-09 UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF REVIEW:

I recently purchased a Magellan Roadmate 1340. This is one of the first new releases by Magellan since they were acquired by MiTAC (parent company of MIO)

I am using the Magellan 1212 as a basis for comparison, since I have been using that for the past 3 months and been very pleased with it, other than some occasional routing quirks.

The 1340 is very similar, but does add some significant extra features and improvements, for relatively little price difference:

1) “One Touch” Favorites menu offers quick access to many of the most used features and shortcuts.

2) Customizable route method lets you instantly view and compare and select the shortest distance, fastest time, most use of freeways, or least use of freeways to customize your route.

3) The AAA TourBook is a nice addition that provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.

4) Several other features such as Highway Points of Interest have more conveniently positioned shortcut buttons.

5)A new “Highway Lane Assist Signs” feature show highway signs to point you in the right direction when approaching interchanges and exits, and ensure that you’ll choose the correct lane well before your next turn.

That being said, the 1340 has 2 “glitches” that need to be corrected by Magellan:

First, in any kind of sunlight, the screen is very difficult to see! The 1212 is very visible in all kinds of light, but the 1340 almost seems as if there is some kind of coating on the screen that makes viewing very challenging in sunlight. I contacted Magellan support, and they indicated they were aware of this issue and would hopefully have a fix available at some point.

Second, of less importance but still a step down from the 1212 is the voice clarity on text to speech. When the voice announces the street names, the names are slightly “fuzzy” or “garbled”. This is not a “deal breaker”, but definitely does not have the excellent clarity of the 1212.

I tried 2 different units, and they both have the same problems in these 2 areas. In summary, I think the added features make the 1340 a better unit than the 1212, and an excellent value for the money. However, if these shortcomings could be corrected, it would be a GREAT unit!

UPDATE (5-19-09)

I contacted Magellan support about these issues a couple of times and they said they were aware of the issues and that hopefully a “fix” would be issued. Yesterday, a firmware update (to version 1.10) appeared on the Magellan website and I downloaded and installed it, thinking it was to correct the brightness and sound issues. However, I did not notice any difference in either problem, so I emailed Magellan support. They said that the update was to correct another issue, and did not address the brightness and sound problems. They acknowledged that “you are correct that there is a significant difference between” the 1340 and 1212, but could not tell me for sure when or if another update will be issued to correct these known problems!

UPDATE (8-28-09)

After it became apparent that Magellan was not going to do anything to correct the visibility and sound problems (which have also been stated by many others here and on other review sites), I decided to return the 1340 and go back to the Magellan 1212. True, the 1212 does not have some of the new features that the 1340 has, but to me, the screen brightness and very clear text to speech makes up for it! (There are also several features that I like better on the 1212 than on the 1340.) I got a recertified 1212 on another site for $65 (Dell just had it for $80) Then, there was a firmware update on Magellan’s site…..and you can order the spring 2009 map update for just $10 shipping. So, for $75 total, I have a great GPS that is totally updated, and although lacking a few features, more than makes up for it in quality of performance!

I noticed that a couple of people indicated that they did not noticed the sunlight visibility problem. I cannot understand that, but when I got the 1212, I compared the 2 units side by side and the difference is VERY evident. Even in the shade, when I previously thought the 1340 was “OK”, it had a much more faded, dull look than the 1212!

To check price or purchase Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

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