Magellan, established in 1986, is a company specializing in GPS products. It is a direct competitor of Garmin, another GPS company. Where does the difference lie between Garmin GPS products and Magellan GPS products? It mainly lies in the number of GPS products produced. Garmin has GPS products available for all types of consumers including mariners and pilots, while Magellan GPS products are designed for the average person. This means that Magellan GPS tend to be a simpler, more affordable choice for everyday navigational needs. This article will discuss the different Magellan GPS brands available for purchase.

The first Magellan GPS brand to be discussed is one designed for vehicle navigation: the Magellan Maestro. Among the Magellan Maestro are: the 3100, (which costs $299.99), the 3140, (which costs $399.99), the 4000 (which costs $399.99), the 4040, (which costs $499.99) and the 4050, (which costs $699.99). The least expensive Magellan Maestro model, the 3100, does not offer voiced directions, while the more expensive models do. The most expensive Magellan Maestro model, the 4050, offers voice-activated controlling, traffic information and voiced turn-by-turn directions. The mid-priced Maestro models, (which are the 3140, the 4000 and the 4040), only offer voiced street names. All of the Maestro models except the 3100 offer Bluetooth calling.

The second Magellan GPS brand is also designed for vehicle navigation: the Magellan Roadmate. Unfortunately, the only Magellan Roadmate available for sale on Magellan's website is the 2200T, which costs $399.99. This model is designed for both outdoor use and vehicle navigation. It is waterproof, offers turn-by-turn directions and it can easily fit in one's pocket. If one is interested in the other Magellan Roadmate brands, (which would include the 2000, 300, 3000T, 3050, 360, 6000T, 700, 800 and 860T), they will have to find them through an alternative dealer.

The third Magellan GPS brand is the Magellan CrossoverGPS, designed for navigation on water and land. Only one model is available for the CrossoverGPS, which is the 2500T. At a price of $399.99, the 2500T is waterproof, offers voiced turn-by-turn directions and traffic updates.

The fourth Magellan GPS brand is the Triton series, all of which are handheld navigation systems. These are another brand that for one reason or another are not featured on Magellan's website. To purchase them one will have to go through a separate dealer. As far as their features, they offer colorized maps, touch screens, voice recorders and, (depending on the unit), an electronic compass and barometer.

The fifth and final Magellan GPS brand is the Explorist series, which are also handheld navigation systems. The Explorist models available for sale on the Magellan website include: the 100, (priced at $109.99), the 210, (priced at $149.99), the 200, (priced at $169.99), the 500, (priced at $199.99), the 600, (priced at $349.99) and the XL, (priced at $399.99). The features available on these models include: colorized screens, barometers, thermometers, track-plotting and USB access.

In conclusion, there are all kinds of Magellan GPS products available for one's GPS needs. For the car the Magellan GPS products include the Maestro and the Roadmate. For those who want to venture on land and sea the Magellan GPS product that would need to be purchased is the CrossoverGPS. Finally, for individuals wanting a handheld Magellan GPS product, there are the Triton and Explorist series. Through a Magellan GPS product, people can always know where they need to go.

About the Author

James Kesel, MS is the Publisher of GPS Auto Tracker providing information on the latest GPS Tracking and Navigation systems.