The Magellan RoadMate 5045 is the largest screen model of Magellan’s 2010 line of GPS navigators. The RoadMate has an excellent range of premium features topped by a truly widescreen 5 inch touch screen display which has Auto Night View for the best color and contrast for easy night viewing. An attractive inclusion with the 5054 is free lifetime traffic updates along with the traffic receiver. Traffic reports and the time savings they can deliver in avoiding traffic congestion can be the prime reason for using a GPS device if you do a regular commute. Other noteworthy features are; multi-destination routing, highway lane assist, built-in AAA TourBook, One Touch Interface and a database of 6 million of Points of Interest (POI).

Navigating with the Magellan RoadMate 5045

Selecting a destination with the Magellan RoadMate starts at the main menu which displays the following buttons:

Address: Enter an address using the on-screen keypad. To speed things along assistance is provided by QuickSpell which narrows your address and city searches as you type.

Points of Interest (POI): Provides access to a database of preloaded POI. There are 6 million POI covering gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee shops, and many more.

Previous List: provides a list of the most recent destinations which can be chosen again.

Address Book: addresses and destinations stored in the Address Book can be accessed to set as a destination

Intersection: Locations are often remembered as being on or near to an intersection and this option allows you to enter these details.

City Center: When travelling between cities this provides a simple way quickly select a city without having to know a specific address within it. When selected the route provided is to the geographical center of the city.

Settings: Provides a sub-menu of functions to customize the Magellan RoadMate to your personal requirements.

Current Location: Displays information about your position including the street name, names of streets forward and behind you as well as the Lat/Long information for your position.

Other Notable Features of the Magellan RoadMate 5045

Spoken Street Names and Directions allows the driver to keep their eyes on the road while hearing spoken navigation instructions to confirm that the car is on route

Highway Lane Assist shows realistic highway signs to make it easier to choose the correct lane.

Highway exit POIs Search an excellent tool for the traveller to finds gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more near upcoming highway exits.

Multi-destination Routing lets you plan your trip with multiple stops. It’s possible to choose the order or have the RoadMate automatically optimize your route.

Route Customization allows customization of route calculation by setting a preference for the shortest distance, fastest time, most use of freeways, or least use of freeways

Automatic Re-route if you miss a turn the Magellan RoadMate will automatically calculate a new route to get you back on track.

Backup and Restore for storing the address book and other data on an optional micro SD card (the restore process replaces existing data so backups need to be kept up to date)

Preloaded Maps covering the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico (vary with the purchase location)

Battery life for the 5045 is not especially long at 2 hours however, given its size it will probably not be purchased primarily for its portability.

Review Summary – Magellan RoadMate 5045 Commuter

Magellan’s RoadMate 5045 is an easy unit to use with a huge 5 inch display contributing ease of reading of the navigation interface. Magellan’s Free Lifetime Traffic Updates inclusion is an attractive offer. There suite of navigation tools is well rounded and key features include; multi-destination routing, highway lane assist, built-in AAA TourBook and a database of 6 million of Points of Interest (POI).

User Reviews and Price Comparisons

Use the following links to check prices and read customer reviews to see what Magellan RoadMate 5045 customers think of their purchase.

Magellan RoadMate 5045 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic

Magellan RoadMate GPS Dash Mount

Essential Kit for the Magellan Roadmate 5045 includes a Car and Wall Charger – uses Gomadic TipExchange Technology

Magellan RoadMate 5045 Automobile GPS

Magellan RoadMate 5045 Large-Screen Automotive GPS System with North American Maps & Lifetime Traffic

Magellan RoadMate 5045 Premium 5 Inch Navigator with Lifetime Traffic Alerts

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