Magellan Intros New Entry-level GPS Models

GPS maker Magellan has taken advantage of CES to bring in five new models in its entry-level range, including a widescreen version with a 4.3” screenthat’s set to retail at $229.   Its RoadMate 1400 series is aimed at those new to GPS, but come well equipped. Even the base model, the 1400, comes with maps of the Continental UnitedStates, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, plus 1.3 million essential points of interest, such as gas stations, ATMs, and airports with contact details such as location, phone number and travel distance.  Moving up, the 1412 adds maps for Canada and Alaska; text-to-speech announcements of street names; and points of interest totalling more than 6 million, including retail, dining, health service andother local business information, while the 1430 includes real-time traffic update information to display traffic incidents along the driver’s route, suggests alternative routes when "fastesttime" to destination is selected, and recalculates the expected arrival time based on the monitored traffic.   The 1200 series is smaller, but offers similar features.   "We’redeveloping products at Magellan that are designed to exceed consumer expectations in price, content and connectivity. The RoadMate brand is an exceptional example of a value-priced line that deliversgreat GPS performance, unique and compelling features at an introductory price," said Christian Bubenheim, vice president of product marketing, for Magellan.