Magellan Crossover GPS Mount (by 2 users)

<snip
Okay, that would be a nice thing. The Garmin zumo 550 has a nice mount
that the GPS snap into and mates with a multi-pin connector to pick of
the power, XM receiver, and other optional at extra cost peripherals.
That is a nice unit and is getting good reviews from buyers. The MSRP
on the zumo 550 is $1,076, street prices are down around $700 now.

The MSRP on the Crossover is around $600 but amazon is already selling
it for $419 so it is going to be getting quite a bit of attention. The
mapping it comes with will be an attractive selling point. But Magellan
really need to be presenting the details and info in a manner that makes
it easier to figure it all out.

Garmin had two StreetPilot models (2620 and 2660) that used 2GB
microdrives to store the map data. But they had a lot of problem with
them failing in service and most people seemed to think that they simply
weren't up to the vibration and temperature extremes. Both models were
discontinues pretty quickly.

I was a long time Magellan user on the Meridians and liked their topo
mapping very much. If you're familiar with the USGS 1:24k Quad maps,
thee Magellan Topo 3D mapping came out to about 1:40K in comparison.
Garmin's package is 1:100K (some Garmin 24K mapping is available for
some National Parks).

The USGS maps have always shown most older paved roads and highways on
them. They were normally just shown as two parallel solid black lines
so that is probably what you are seeing. The roads on USGS maps will
lag way behind the proprietary street/highway mapping packages as far as
completeness and accuracy.

Garmin's topo packages have been embellished some in that major roads
and highways are show as heavy red lines. And I think on some packages
(the 24K packages only?) those roads and maybe even trails are vectors
and can be used for autorouting.

<snip
The Magellan accessories page shows two mounts. A "Replacement Mount"
and a "Rugged Windshield Mount". The latter is a RAM mount and that is
a very well made and much more rugged mount. There is only about $5
difference in the prices on the two, if you have to replace your mount
I'd highly recommend the Rugged Mount.

<snip
I can see it as an attractive unit, I'm looking forward to hearing more
about it here as time goes on. I don't want to own one of every kind
but am mildly addicted to things GPS and like to read the feedback from
people that are using them.

Yep, there it is. I just had to jump through about four hoops and I
could read all about it. Interesting unit as I read about it.

It is a MP3 player and also a photo viewer.

It seems to have some of the essential navigation features. The manual
does not have an index, that is kind of silly.

It will record tracks in the marine and topo navigation modes but not in
the automobile navigation mode? What's up with that? Car drivers like
to see the when and where details later too.

Magellan gives you a desktop application that does some things like
managing MP3 files and POI but it does not appear to have the mapping on
it and cannot be used for planning routes and uploading them to the GPS.
Maybe there are fewer people now that want to do that but many of us
consider having a companion software and the same mapping on your PC an
essential part of using a GPS.

You're a lucky guy. You had lain the groundwork for what could have
turned into a tragedy there. And the GPS helped bail you out. You
ought to tell Magellan about it. "My new Crossover saved my life the
second day I had it...".

And tell them about the software glitches too.

One of the things that haunted Magellan users under the ownership of
Thales navigation was the general lack of development and updates on the
unit software. If it did not get fixed in a few years it would never
get fixed.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA (jackerbes at adelphia dot net)
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine dot com)