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The Magellan Maestro 4350 with OneTouch boasts one of the best-looking and most usable touch screens of any GPS device we tested. But that's not its standout feature: The Maestro 4350--currently number one on our Top 5 chart of GPS devices--delivered some of the best routes of the GPS units I tested; its excellent navigation features were on a par with the TomTom GO 930, which came in second overall.
The Maestro's 4.3-inch screen features 800-by-480 resolution, resulting in crisp, clear images and text that's easy to read. Launching the navigation features from the well-laid-out home screen is simple. You can see an overview of your calculated route as well as possible alternate routes; clicking a button shows you the estimated travel time and distance for three different possibilities (fastest time, shortest distance, or economical). This is a really nice touch, as most GPS devices make you select one type of route calculation in the settings menu before you begin navigating.
Like the TomTom GO 930, the Maestro 4350 includes lane guidance and realistic views of road signs and intersections. These views on the 4350's crisp screen look great--and really help you find your way.
The Maestro 4350 features Magellan's handy OneTouch feature, which allows you to create shortcuts on a dedicated screen. You can access the OneTouch screen by clicking a small icon that's always present in the upper right-hand corner of the display. You can also set shortcuts either to specific addresses, certain points (like restaurants, gas, or hotels), or even features on the Maestro 4350. You could, for example, create a shortcut to a search for Starbucks in the points-of-interest (POI) database; then, wherever you are, you click on this shortcut to search for all of the Starbucks in the area. You could also set a shortcut to the Maestro 4350's music player to instantly launch it.
The Maestro 4350 comes with a traffic receiver and three months of traffic service. After that, you'll have to pay $60 per year for a subscription. Traffic incidents are automatically factored into planned routes.
Other features include hands-free calling with Bluetooth-compatible cell phones, FM transmission so you can hear turns and directions over your car stereo, an audio/video/photo viewer, and even the ability to send and receive text messages. In short, there's not a lot the Maestro 4350 can't do.
--Liane Cassavoy
