Magellan RoadMate 1212 Review:
The Magellan RoadMate 1212 offers consumers a feature-packed auto navigation device at a great price. Its stylish, pocket-size design includes an easy-to-use interface that guides drivers to their destination via voice and on-screen prompts. Designed for simple, efficient and reliable vehicle navigation, the affordable Magellan RoadMate 1212 offers full navigation function and an amazingly easy and uncluttered interface. Unlike other navigation devices with complicated lists that require scrolling through menus you can find virtually anywhere in seconds without reading the instructions.

The 3.5″ color touch screen provides instant access to navigation features. Exclusive QuickSpell™ technology searches available destinations and corrects spelling so you can enter addresses and select Points of Interest with just a few touches of the screen.

Sleek, thin, rugged and compact, it’s easy to take your Magellan RoadMate 1212 with you wherever you travel. The integrated rechargeable battery provides up to 3 hours of navigation when power is unavailable.

Maps of the 48 contiguous United States, Puerto Rico and Hawaii are included on a pre-loaded SD memory card. 1.3 million pre-programmed Points of Interest make it easy to select gas stations, restaurants, ATM’s, hotels and more, and get an instant route. Turn-by-turn voice directions and customizable routing methods guide you on the most direct or quickest route to any destination. Choose to travel by Least or Most Freeways, avoid toll roads, or exclude streets from your route. The convenient Tow Truck icon gives you your precise position for easy communication when in need of rescue.

New 3.5″ QVGA, color, anti-glare touch screen

Pocket-size form factor

Easy-to-use touch-screen menu

Centrality Atlas™ III processor: provides superior GPS performance and navigation

QuickSpell™: intelligently searches and checks spelling when entering addresses

SmartDetour™: prompts drivers to route around heavy orstopped freeway traffic

SayWhere: Announces the street name and direction of each turn.

6 Million Searchable Points of Interest: Customers can easily search for restaurants, hotels, airports, gas stations, and more.

Built-In Navteq® Maps: Includes maps of the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada loaded onto an included SD card.

Integrated Rechargeable Battery: Enables drivers to operate the Magellan RoadMate 1212 for up to three hours while away from their vehicle. Recharges while driving via the included vehicle power adapter.

Magellan RoadMate 1212 is very easy to use and the interface (Windows CE Core 5.0) is easy to use and the voice direction is clear and easy to understand. There are a few quirks though….
1. Sometimes the system lags when you press a button and you have to press it again or wait.
2. If you enter into a submenu from the map or route screen it is difficult to get back to the original map menu. Though the system seems to still keep you on track and let you know about turns etc…
3. The included software link and software on the installation package are not very useful. You get a standard PDF version of the user manual which contains a good amount of information on the operation of the product and was useful. The software POI (Points of Interest) editor allows you to enter additional points of interest and upload them to the GPS. Only one problem with this software. Unless you know the longitude and latitude coordinates of the place you want to add you won’t be able to and the software is very basic in that you can only enter known information and there is no way to look it up or select it. Other software Vantage Point and Mapsend and mapsend manager are not for this unit and therefore do not work.
4. This may not be a problem with the routing algorithms of the software but it insist that I take a turn into a oneway street to get to my house which is not possible. On the upside is that if you turn around and go another direction the unit quickly calculates a new route for you. Same thing it does if you miss a turn. As a side note: the maps for this unit according to the magellan site are from 2007 and the site lists the unit as a new product and there are no updates for it. I have not contacted magellan asking them about an update but the other products seem to have one so eventually we’ll see one for this one.
In the box:
The Magellan RoadMate 1212 comes with a suction cup windshield attachment kit and a power cord to plug into your car lighter. If you want to connect it to your PC you will have to purchase a separate usb to usb mini cable.
Some other neat features it has..

-You can edit (from the unit) and add your own points of interest.
-The Magellan RoadMate 1212 contains a SD card that you can backup and restore saved information on.
-the Magellan RoadMate 1212 can be carried with you around town and so if you are walking it will tell you where you are, direction etc…
- the screen has “+” and “-” buttons to easily adjust the topview detail. again the lag sometimes hits here.
-It is sensitive to where I am moving and even vertical direction when moving around just inside my home office here.
-If you touch and drag your finger on the screen it will move the map accordingly though with a slight lag.

When purchasing Magellan RoadMate 1212 I also looked a the comparable Tom Tom 130, I chose this unit because the text talk (where it speaks the street, destination and road names). The tom tom unit had that as an add on for ~$100
All in all for the less than $200 that I paid for this unit I think I got my money’s worth and I like the unit so far. Only time will tell if my needs out grow or the maps become dated too quickly.
I you are looking for a unit under $200 and are willing to put up with its little quirks then you will be quite happy using this little gem.

One thing you might consider before purchasing any GPS unit is to figure out where you want to install it. I have not found the perfect position but I am thinking that on the drivers side near the door on the windshield near the dash. So I would have to operate it left handed. But that seems the most out of the way. I also tried installing it way up by the rear view mirror but it seems a little close to my head to read easily. The windshield attachment is fully adjustable and is about 6 inches long fully extended.

Magellan RoadMate 1212 Features:

Sleek & pocket-sized: The take-with-you-anywhere personal navigation device combines style and functionality in a rugged pocket-sized design.

Innovative easy-to-use interface: Amazingly easy-to-use, find almost anywhere in seconds without even reading the instructions.

3.5″ QVGA color touch screen: The large touch screen shows your position, Points of Interest, route, ETA and more on the interactive map.

Built-in U.S. maps: Travel the 48 contiguous United States, Puerto Rico and Hawaii with all your maps pre-loaded on the removable SD memory card.

1.3 million Points of Interest: Preprogrammed POIs make it easy to find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee and more. Search by name or category near your position or near any city.

Interactive POI icons: Touch an onscreen icon for a nearby destination to see name, address, phone number (when available), and get an instant route.

QuickSpell™: Exclusive auto-complete feature makes it easy to enter destinations with just a few touches of the screen and even corrects spelling.

SmartDetour™: Automatically prompts you to route around sudden slow freeway traffic.

Bird’s-eye 3D view: Clearly see your surroundings in 2D or 3D. Choose between Map View, TrueView™ 3D split screen, and Maneuver List.

Rechargeable battery: Navigate for up to 3 hours when power is unavailable.

Automatic re-route: Never miss a turn and quickly get back on track whenever you take a detour.

Customizable route method: Select Fastest Time, Shortest Distance, Least or Most Use of Freeways, and Avoid Toll Roads.

Address book: Create and store personal Points of Interest for easy reoccurring trips.

Auto night view: Adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing.

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