Magellan’s Magellan Maestro 4000 Vehicle Navigation System series includes the premium 4050, mid-range 4040 and the entry level 4000. All the Magellan Maestro models are GPS navigation units only having no multimedia capabilities. Standout features are the large 4.3 inch diagonal touchscreen, the sensitive and accurate SiRFstarIII GPS receiver, voice recognition operation (Voice Command and Control) (4050 only), live traffic updates (4050 only), text-to-speech capability (reads out street names), Bluetooth enabled hands free phone calling and the integration of AAA Travel Information.
Voice Command and Control provides the ability to control the navigation with spoken demands. However, this is one of the first GPS devices to provide this feature and the fledgling technology only allows for a limited set of spoken commands – you can’t have a chat. That said, it is surprising that unlike word processing speech recognition software, it does not require any voice “training†for voice recognition to function. One point to note is that like children in the back seat it will pick up command words even when you are not talking to it so, you need to be careful what you say. This is a technology that will mature and provide every increasing usefulness for hands free navigation. Have a look at the video to gain an idea of how it works.
All the Maestro 4000 series models have a thin form factor and smooth outline with a 3.5mm jack and power connection on the right hand side and power button, reset button, mini USB port and SD/MMC expansion slot on the left. The 4.3 inch screen is a touchscreen. A useful feature on all the models is QuickSpell which is like auto-complete on mobile phones for speeding up text entry.
The Maestro 4000 models all have touch screen navigation menus which allow destinations to be entered by text or selection of a POI (point of interest). Both 2D and 3D map views are available for onscreen navigation directions. Routes can be calculated for numerous priorities including fastest time, shortest distance, or particular road selection.
As mentioned, the integration of travel information from the AAA Tourbook Guide provides a significant boost to the richness of navigation information such as:
Sony’s NV-U82 and NV-U92T Car GPS Navigators have 4.8 inch widescreen displays (16:9 aspect ratio) with a WQVGA (480×272) pixel resolution. Sony has Gesture Command for abbreviated navigation input.
Magellan Maestro 4050 + TrafficKit, 4040 and 4000 Features
Sturdy high-impact plastic casing
Pre-loaded with 50 United States, Canada and Puerto Rico (4050 and 4040)
of 48 contiguous United States (4000)
Accuracy of 3 to 5 meters (10 - 16 feet) - WAAS/EGNOS, < 7 meters (15 feet) - GPS only
Li-Ion rechargeable battery, 12 V AC or 12 VDC vehicle adapter (sold separately)
Battery life of over 2 hours continuous use
Voice command: Voice command and control enables hand’s-free operation. See video. (4054 only, 4040 option – activation fee applies)
TrafficKit: Provides live traffic incident reports (subscription fees apply) (4050 only, 4040 option – activation and subscription fees apply)
SayWhere text-to-speech - Hear when to make each turn, including the street name (4050 and 4040 only)
Hands-free phone calls - Bluetooth wireless technology and built-in microphone let you make hands-free phone calls using your compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone (4050 and 4040 only)
Graphical interactive maps: Maps and destinations for the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico are built-in, so you can travel all over the US and Canada and always know where you are and where you’re going
Sophisticated and simple: Streamlined touch-screen buttons minimize steps to locate a destination
Sleek design: Integrated GPS antenna provides excellent satellite reception in a slim and compact design
Bird’s-eye 3D view: Clearly see your surroundings in 2D or 3D; also choose between Map View, TrueViewâ„¢ 3D split screen, and Maneuver List
Rechargeable battery: Navigate when you don’t have access to power
Multi-destination routing: Select up to 20 destinations and choose the order that best fits your needs
SmartDetour: Automatically prompts you to route around suddenly slow freeway traffic
Auto re-route: Never miss a turn and quickly get back on track whenever you take a detour
Auto night view: Adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing
QuickSpell: Easily enter addresses with unique auto-complete feature that even corrects spelling
Complete mobility: Transfer to any vehicle with no installation
Millions of points of interest (POIs): Optimized database of gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, and more with smart location search by name, category, and location. There’s even a Coffee category so you can quickly find caffeine whenever you need it.
Interactive POI icons: Touch an onscreen icon for a nearby destination, see name and address, and get an instant route
Customizable route method: Fastest time, shortest distance, least or most use of freeways, avoid toll roads
Route exclusion: Select streets and freeways to avoid so you can get there your way
Address book: Create and store personal points of interest for easy reoccurring trips
Instant locate: One touch shows your location; quickly advise roadside assistance or emergency services
AAA TourBook guide travel information - Integrated travel information from AAA TourBook guides makes it easy to locate AAA approved and rated lodgings and restaurants, recommended attractions, and places to save money
AAA Roadside Assistance details - Touch the tow truck icon on the main menu at any time to get your location details and contact number for AAA to quickly direct reliable AAA help to your location1.
Turn-by-turn voice and visual guidance - Enter virtually any address or point of interest and BE THERE quickly and safely
Precision navigation - SiRFstar III chipset and integrated multidirectional antennae offer superior GPS accuracy using the Wide Area Augmentation System
Graphical interactive maps - Maps and destinations for the entire continental U.S. are built-in so you can travel the country and always know where you are and where you’re going
4 easy views - Map View, 3D map, TrueViewâ„¢ 3D split screen and Maneuver List
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