After trying the Garmin StreetPilot c330 Navigator GPS, I decided to try a unit that was a hybrid between the car directions GPS and the handheld outdoor/trail GPS.
While a car directions GPS gives turn by turn guidance to get you to your destination, a handheld would provide tracking, a compass, waypoints, ...etc.
So, I decided to try the Magellan Crossover Roadmate 2500T GPS, which is the only unit on the market today that has these feature combined.
The cost is $599 retail, or $430 plus shipping on eBay.
Although the unit does most of the features combined, it suffers from some severe flaws.
What is good?
- The unit does outdoor mode, with tracks plotted.
- The unit has a compass, with the sun direction showing super imposed.
- The unit pronounces street name, not just "next right" and "next left". They are sometimes mumbled, but still acceptable.
- It comes with both a car charger and an A/C outlet charger.
- It comes with a manual.
What is bad?
- The user interface is very poorly designed, tedious to navigate, and hence it very hard to use. You get lost in the context too easily.
- There are way too many levels of menus.
- Searching points of interest is hierarchical only, and very hard to do.
- The unit is not smart enough. When I turned it on and asked for the nearest gas station, it was not smart enough to detect that the current coordinates are in Canada, and hence select the nearest one. Instead it told me that the nearest gas station is in Lewiston, NY (some 100 miles away)! I had to go and select Region and say I am in Canada! The Garmin never had that issue.
- The unit does not have Canadian topographical maps by default. They are downloadable for $50 per region (e.g. Ontario, Western Canada, Eastern Canada, each is a region).
- There are many non obvious features, such as when I needed to use two hands for something, so put the unit between my legs for a few moments, only to discover that it switched to some obscure menu with loads of information on it! I could never go back to that screen again.
As you can see, the Magellan has powerful features, but where it fails is usability because of the hard to use User Interface.
So, I returned that unit too. I guess I will have to wait for the perfect hybrid unit or buy two separate ones, one for the trail and one for driving directions.
Update: In April 2008, I bought the Garmin Nuvi 260W, which has a wide screen, text to speech, and is much slimmer. It is very intuitive to use and I am happy with it.
Comments
Cr@sh Override (not verified)
Terrible Review
Mon, 2007/11/26 - 20:39Hello There. Lets get some things straight right now. Your review of this product is not very indepth, and it is totally bias. It seems to me you were dissapointed with some of the features, and decided to give it an overall bad review.
First of all there is no totally smart GPS available on the consumer markt, unless your military. Second, all you did in your review is complain about the menu system, and hidden features, and the fact that it did not come preloaded with maps for Canada. lets look at those.
Any normal consumer who owns a cell phone, should be familiar with menu systems. Afterall, they are all different from product to product. Weather you have a Cellphone, MP3 Player, GPS, or Digital Camera dosen't matter. The fact is that all the menu systems in theses products are all different, and take getting used to. Just because your getting lost, does not mean that it's the products fault. I find that if I learn all I can about a product, It gets easier to use. To judge a product on it's menu system just because you don't like it, does not mean it's a bad product. For example, I just purchased a Cannon S4 Digital Camera. The reviews on the setup and menu systems were very bad, only because the person reviewing the product gave up on it and never gave it a chance. I found the menu system to be very organized and easy to operate, but it took time to learn, as WITH ALL ELECTRONICS. The next person I see give a product a bad review based on its menu system is gonna get stabbed in the eyes!
Now what about those hidden features. Try reading the manual. I have this GPS and the manual mine came with does not leave anything out.
Oh and wah wah wah..Boo Hoo! The gps did not come with maps of Canada and you had to tell it you were in Canada. Well if you would have read the contents of your shipment when you purchased the GPS you would have seen that it came preloaded with street maps of the 50 states only. Canada and Mexico are only covered in the topographical features of the GPS.
Don't give the GPS a bad rating just because you did not pay attention to the specifications of the product. The product is actually very intelligent, which is more than I can say for people who give bad reveiws on great products. Next time keep your closed minded views to yourself, or don't post them.
Khalid
Grow up ...
Mon, 2007/11/26 - 23:08This was not a formal feature by feature review. It was relating personal experience with the product, specially after having used the Garmin a few weeks prior.
You said : "Canada and Mexico are only covered in the topographical features of the GPS."
Wrong!
The maps for Canada are included, but NO topographical features. The latter are available for $50 or so for each part of Canada.
The point was not about whether the maps are available or not. The point is that it is not smart enough to switch the map based on the position it gets from the satellite. It is stupid for it to say that the nearest gas station is across the border (and I am about 1.5 hours north of Niagara Falls).
The main problem here is usability, and that it is far less usable than the Garmin which does not even come with a manual! This is a pity, since the Magellan has a lot of features. It is just that the interface stands in the way.
When you say "The next person I see give a product a bad review based on its menu system is gonna get stabbed in the eyes!"
This does not make you look intelligent or funny.
And when you say "The product is actually very intelligent, which is more than I can say for people who give bad reveiws on great products. Next time keep your closed minded views to yourself, or don't post them."
Same for you. Next time you don't like a review, just don't read it, or don't comment on it.
--
Khalid Baheyeldin
Anonymous (not verified)
This was a terrible review,
Sun, 2008/01/20 - 11:35This was a terrible review, but the criticism should have left out the personal attack. I think anyone reading this review would either dismiss it or look to see if the info about Canadian maps was true, even if all the adverts would already tell me that CA was not going to be there :-)
Macgregor_sailor (not verified)
Crossover does a Good Job!
Thu, 2008/10/09 - 20:41Hmmm.... easy guys.
Here's some points to ponder.
I've had the Crossover for about a year. The interface has been updated and works better. A new map upgrade is available and has always included Canada. I've purchased a Topo map of Ontario as well as a marine chart and all work well.
8 hr battery life is a real plus when away from the car.
Text to Speech is a great feature. It I'll play music and show pictures but i've an Ipod for that stuff.
It's a versatile unit that is designed to fit a diverse range of uses. I've become comfortable with all the menu options and can find what I want pretty easily.
Refurb units are going for good prices .... I think its worth the investment.
Anonymous (not verified)
Where can you get the new map upgrade?
Mon, 2008/11/03 - 16:13I am interested in the refurb units listed on ebay but would love to know if there is a street map that can be downloaded with all the latest road upgrades and changes for USA (lower 48 states). I have used my sons Magellan Crossover and it works great except when I found a new road that had been open about 5 years but the map did not reconize it and looked like I was driving in the hay field and keep telling me to make the next legal u-turn. I would love to have a unit because of the topo and street in one unit but was not sure you could upload or download (whatever) the updated street maps. As for the topo map it is ok because the lay of the land does not change as much as roads.