Jump to content

New Magellan


JABs

Recommended Posts

Touchscreen, MicroSD-Slot, Windows CE based and compatible with Vantage Point (new VP-Update comes also).

Pretty much close to the Garmin Oregon.

Nothing known about the chipset yet.

 

But ...

Garmins Colorado and Oregon had terrible bugs in the first half Year out in the market.

Lowrances Endura are still no good deal, they are in their first months on market too.

Remember the first year of Magellans Triton?

The last update, one and a hlaf year later make it a good functioning thing but it still misses some promised features they never make it into the Triton now.

 

Do we see a bright light now?

If there is a new Magellan out before summer, dont think about to buy one until its christmas.

 

Not even one new GPSr in the last two years was as good as marketing said before so you better wait until some dorks bought the first hundreds and start real beta testing with their new toys.

Link to comment

Touchscreen, MicroSD-Slot, Windows CE based and compatible with Vantage Point (new VP-Update comes also).

 

Already off to a horrible start, if this doesn't turn out to be vaporware. NO ONE likes VantagePoint. Use the protocol the Explorist and Meridians had.

 

And yea, like someone said, wait 6 months or a year.. The price will also drop like a stone by then...

Link to comment

This below is a reply I recieved from a letter writen.

 

I really can’t tell you much at the moment but Magellan has something in the pipeline that you will be interested in, it is due to be released around the 22nd March so keep an eye on our website.

 

 

*********************

 

(contact details removed)

 

************ (name removed)

 

Customer Support & Sales Supervisor

Link to comment

One of the advantages of the Mitac acquisition is that Magellan appears to have been given some additional resources. Their latest generation auto units have improved significantly (although I still a fair amount of support issues). Hopefully the next generation handhelds will have improved as much.

 

Interesting is the March 22 date, which coincides with the start of the CTIA Wireless show. I hope they aren't releasing a cell phone! <_<

Link to comment

 

Already off to a horrible start, if this doesn't turn out to be vaporware. NO ONE likes VantagePoint. Use the protocol the Explorist and Meridians had.

 

 

I don't see why such a negative reaction ?!

Btw, what horrible start ? Your heard/saw somewhere Magellan announcement ??? For now all of this is a hear-say ...

 

As for VP, it's not perfect but working, and it's far better then BaseCamp in any way ...

 

At least we could wait for first units before any reactions, or not ?

Link to comment

I've been happy with my Triton 400. Easy to use, get's me to the cache.

 

I only use VP to transfer caches and maps to and fro. I sometimes upload tracks and watch them. Easy enough to use.

 

I've never needed customer service, so I can't comment on that.

 

If they are coming out with something new, I'd look at it.

Edited by SkellyCA
Link to comment

NO ONE likes VantagePoint

 

You just happen to be NO ONE, and I am SOME ONE who happens to like Vantage Point and it's easy use. Magellan needs to come out with a new handheld unit or that part of their market will wither away.

 

Try loading A PQ with 500 caches with vantagepointt and see how well you like it.

And their handheld market has pretty well withered away already.

And this is from a longtime Magellan user

Link to comment

My personal experience after using a Triton 500, Delorme PN-40, and Garmin Oregon; The Triton setup is indeed the clunkiest around. From Vantage point to the units menu setup, everything screams for refinement that Magellan (MiTaC) obviously doesn't have the resources for.

 

All that said, Magellan units work, they turn on, get a position, load geocaches and get you there, so for many users that would be ok. BUT after using the aforementioned brands I'll have to say the Triton and Magellan is way behind in innovation and useability. That's not to say it's not useable, it's simply inferior.

 

Getting back to the original OP - I used to use the old Meridian and loved it. I would definately look at what any new offerings Magellan had BUT through the stained lens of my views of the Triton.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment
Try loading A PQ with 500 caches with vantagepointt and see how well you like it.

 

Been doing that for over a year now. No problems

 

Your right no problems, but when I can load a Oregon 300, a Explorist 500, and a Nuvi 255w in less time then it takes to load the Triton with vantage point. Then maybe you can see why I'm down on vantage point

like others have said it's just to clunky

Link to comment

Magellan needs to come out with a new handheld unit or that part of their market will wither away.

 

You can always tell the newbies. Magellan's market has already withered away. In 2002, Magellan's market share was equal if not ahead of Garmin's. The Magellan's units especially the Meridians were the envy of everyone. We older generation geocachers remember the well beloved Meridians well.

 

Deadelm, there's a reason why Magellan's handheld marketshare is down to almost zero. It's their products and their horrible customer support. And mix in they've had at least 3 if not 4 or more different owners.

 

And it's not just VP... it's the very slow transfer rate of the Triton, the non-standard USB cable, the lack of updated maps, lack of file management on the unit, and the cost of the maps. With a Delorme for example, the streets are totally free. With the older Magellans, the file management is what made them shine, with the Triton, they took that away.

Link to comment

I have a 210 & a 400 Explorists along with a newer 500 Triton. The Triton will only hold a 1000 geocaches and if you have a 1000 loaded then there is no way to mark any caches found. It eats batteries and doesn't have a built-in charger like the 400. Must have the backlight on in order to see the screen. I like to cache all day and don't like to bring an extra vehicle to just carry batteries.

 

Currently using a PN-40 is much better but has a battery problem but does have a built-in charger. I still use my 400 as back-up.

 

Thinking about a Nuvi 500.

Link to comment

You can always tell the newbies

 

Is there a set criteria somewhere? I must have missed it.

 

I'm not one to bash something that no one really knows about yet. I'm also not an easily frustrated person. I stay a fan of only a couple of professional sports teams and stay with them even in the down years. I tend to look forward, not backward. I am well educated on Magellan and getting very familiar with Delorme. If Magellan is coming out with a new handheld unit, it's probably not planned to turn even more buyers away. Their ownership changed along with their resources to produce something that will hopefully satisfy more users. However, it is impossible to satisfy everyone.

Edited by Deadelm
Link to comment

I'm not so sure it about "newbieism", but some historic perspective is important. Long time readers of this and related groups will recognize that Magellan has vaporized a lot of bridges of customer love.

 

It's not inconceivable that they could announce a GPS tomorrow that'd set the world on fire. But after things like closed protocols, years of proprietary cables, the WAAS problem, unfixed firmware defects, and an inability to exchange/repair repair units *that are in warranty* with the same model, and the launch failure of Triton, they find themselves in a deep hole.

 

I'm just trying to explain the cynicism you're seeing here. Maybe they can turn it around and be widely loved again. I wish them luck. Competition is good for the consumer.

Link to comment

Actually Mio, who owns Magellan has a very affordable handheld GPSr unit they haven't pushed in the United States at all that looks really good. It already comes with preloaded maps of the US and/or Canada and 64mb of memory, which would be easily enough to hold several 1,000 caches in Gpx format. It's designed to be a handheld BTW.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mio-DigiWalker-H610-...r/dp/B000KBBNC8

review

http://reviews.cnet.com/pdas/mio-digiwalke...7-32068851.html

 

Mio DigiWalker H610

 

The downside I see is it only has a 4.5 hour battery life and you can't stick AA or AAA in it. But it would be a great base to work on the next generation.

 

Don't know if it is geocaching friendly at all but it looks like a product they certainly could build around for a new line of handheld GPSr units.

 

Personally, Mio probably be best by just taking a car GPS and giving it full geocaching capability w/o all the bull involved. Something all GPS makers seem to miss on. Would be very easy to take a roadmate and do this, and they would sell a boatload of them.

Link to comment

I've to possibility to test the new Magellan GPS as part of the "Magellan Insiders Programm". Magellan will re-launching the "eXplorist" with a new modell, especially dedicated to geocaching.

It's a small handheld device (comparable with the Dakota) in a rugged case, without touch-screen, but four buttons and a joystick below the display.

 

One important thing first: You wil able to load many thousands of Geocaches (ex. from pocket queries) including description, hints, attributes on the device and...

..tata: It should be possible to also load images from a cache-description which can be displayed when reading the cache description (This funcionality is already not available on my test device).

 

Also HTML-Descriptions will be shown as on the website what's nice, but also can result in very small, bad readable characters (perhaps this will be improved in the next firmware version).

The device does not has an magnetic compass.

 

Actually I can't publish photos from this nice device before the official launch (soon!).

Link to comment

I have also tested the new model soon to be released. Quick to gain satellites, even when first powering up in a new location. Screen has good visability, but font is small. You can mark caches as found. Drag and drop a .gpx file will give you all information on the cache to include decoded hints and logs. You can load multiple .gpx files and all caches will show, as long as you do not exceed the limit of 10,000 caches. About the size of the eXplorist 500.

Link to comment

I too have been testing this new Magellan. Easy to use, plug unit in, drag you pocket query or GPX file, drop into file folder and walk out the door. You have paperless caching in you hand, description, last few logs, hints, attributes, child waypoints. Then log your finds, your field notes, come home plug it back in and you have them them available. Quick and easy to use. The few of us with it now are reporting to Magellan, there will be a software upgrade soon that way the first buyers are not beta testers, it has been done.

Edited by hidnseek
Link to comment

That's great news for Magellan fans. Can any of you Magellan "insiders" comment on if their (Magellan) customer service quality is also getting a firmware upgrade?

I think the two BIG moves Magellan needs to make in order to draw enthusiasts back to their camp is to come out with some new units, AND overhaul their customer service interface.

Link to comment

I'm really surprised none of you early testers are under NDAs. Good info though.

 

As said earlier, we cannot post pics plus there are some things are not to be discussed yet. Today was the first day to discuss it here in Geocaching Forums only. Its made exclusively for geocaching so you are getting some inside information. Full release 22 March.

Link to comment

A question about the joystick, is it like the exp. and if it is, is it the same material that the explorist used, if so they will wear in about a year with heavy use.

That was the weak spot with the explorist, other then that I loved mine.

I think I'd wait about 6 months before trying this new model

Link to comment

The new GC looks ok. I started out on a Sportrak Map I bought from Ebay for 10 bucks. I now have an eXplorist 600. I use them for Geocaching and hiking. The only problem I have is I like the features of the 600 but I love the joystick/d-pad of the Sportrak.

 

I hope Mitak/Mio improves the website interface. It is all geared to the soccer moms who need a GPS to get them from the house to dance practice.(But these people pay the bills so we can get new development in the handheld units)

 

So release away...then I might be able to afford a high end Triton on ebay!

Edited by fsubartender
Link to comment

Magellan changed their mind. I've removed the post. Should be back up by Monday.

 

Dude. I was reading the post and went to the link. I wrote a reply and went back to the link and it was Error 404 type thing.

 

From what I saw, It is going to aid getting geocaching into the general public without all the technical stuff we have to do to get the gpx files onto our GPS units.

 

On second thought , geocaching in the mainstream...not good. I can just imagine a new Reality TV show about Geocacher...NOT GOOD !

Link to comment

From what I saw, It is going to aid getting geocaching into the general public without all the technical stuff we have to do to get the gpx files onto our GPS units.

 

On second thought , geocaching in the mainstream...not good. I can just imagine a new Reality TV show about Geocacher...NOT GOOD !

The new Magellan GPS is from the geocaching functionality similar to the Garmins: Download geocaches from the website or load pocket queries/GPX-Files by drag and drop from your PC to the connected device.

You have some more informations like attributes or images (announced function) and you are able to load much more caches on it as on the current Garmins.

 

You can not expect that the number of caches increases, but the number of cachers will not.

I think the device is a good device to start: You have a lot of geocaching functionality for an good price (will be announced soon). I'm waiting for an update on Garmins side to top the functionality on their products. The Magellan device has some features, that Garmin owners are waiting now for a long time.

Edited by bonstetten
Link to comment

Yes you will have information on the cache size.

The joystick and buttons are different from the original eXplorist line, I too had worn out the material over the joystick on the 500, I also cache with long nails and that seemed to cut it and it would tear easily. There was a lot of give on that material. These new ones the material is thicker and not as much give, I don't have the same worry about it tearing as I did on the 500 (have both units in front of me and checked now)

Link to comment

I am very impressed with the basemap. I haven't used a Triton or older eXplorist to compair their basemaps. However I think it has a full gigabite of memory dedicated to the basemap. I haven't been on a street yet that wasn't displayed on the basemap. I don't know if I'll need to load additional maps at all.

Link to comment

I am very impressed with the basemap. I haven't used a Triton or older eXplorist to compair their basemaps. However I think it has a full gigabite of memory dedicated to the basemap. I haven't been on a street yet that wasn't displayed on the basemap. I don't know if I'll need to load additional maps at all.

 

I find that too, I even zoomed over in Europe and found street level maps. The explorist 500 basemap had the main highway going into my city and that is it. This units basemap has neighbourhood street level.

Edited by hidnseek
Link to comment

Yes the forum is down until Monday. I'm under NDA through the insider's program, and will not violate this to "leak" the info first. I've closed the forum until Monday because of this.

 

I will have a review of the unit possibly by Monday posted on the site.

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...