Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM connects to WiFi, plans your Great American vacation
How do you spice up a standalone GPS in a market that just isn't pining for 'em any longer? If you're Magellan, that's easy -- you take a smartphone, gimp voice and app capabilities and, voila!, you have the RoadMate 5175T-LM. Eerily similar to its Garmin rival, this slab boasts a full WVGA display, WiFi (you know, for that inbuilt web browser) and AAA travel planning. Purportedly, those fine, fine amenities will enable you to "go from the car to the boardroom to the hotel," and maybe even on that cross-country trip, too. Judging by its built-in tour guide functionality and heavy emphasis on the suit-and-tie demo, we'd say Magellan's aiming this one at the fifty and over set. This shortlist of features doesn't come cheap, either -- with a $299.99 price tag, we'd understand if your wallet was eyeing greener pastures. Full PR gush after the break -- you're welcome, GPS enthusiasts.
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Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM with Built-in WiFi is Ideal for Summer Leisure and Business Travel
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether on the road for business or pleasure this summer, travelers seeking the most current local information can rely on the first Magellan RoadMate GPS with WiFi, the new Magellan® RoadMate® 5175T-LM GPS navigation device.
The Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM, available now, is a full-featured GPS navigator with a large 5" high-resolution touchscreen, and includes several unique applications that enable business travelers to locate local favorites for client dinners and vacationers to plan daytrip excursions.
The first thing noticeable about this travel companion is the high resolution 5" screen. While most GPS units have only a Quarter VGA screen, with this RoadMate you'll enjoy a full Wide VGA screen. More than that, this advanced GPS navigator enables viewing in landscape or portrait mode just by rotating the device. Seeing what is ahead or seeing what is around you is as simple as a twist!
The built-in internet browser on the Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM allows travelers to search for destinations on popular social travel sites or points of interest. And anytime you are in a WiFi hotspot a simple press of a button lets you know if there are software or map updates. Software updates can be downloaded right then and there!
Another new Magellan feature debuting in this high end model is the TourDirector. Designed specifically for travelers, TourDirector is your personal guide to help you plan tours to nearby attractions and restaurants. TourDirector opens up a world of details to you about the attractions and events around you. A press of a button gives you the address, phone number, and a detailed description of the attraction. You even get the average time it takes to experience the attraction! This all comes together to give you a powerful tool to create custom tours for business travelers with limited time during layovers or vacation travelers wishing to create spontaneous side trips.
Lifetime maps are included so when a new map update is available (up to four times a year) you get them with the normal charge waived! The Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM comes with premium maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Also included is Magellan's comprehensive built-in directory of more than 6 million points of interest in North America and Canada, from accommodations, coffee houses and restaurants, to gas stations, shopping and ATMs. Additionally, through Magellan's exclusive partnership with AAA, the travel organization's AAA TourBook content is built into the GPS unit, providing Diamond ratings, descriptions of AAA-approved locations, facts about local destinations and tourist attractions, and lists of merchants providing AAA discounts.
Fully featured, the Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM includes subscription-free lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, spoken street names, and Magellan's customizable OneTouch™ menu for favorite places and searches.
"The Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM is designed to go from the car to the boardroom to the hotel, helping to make summer and business travel planning a cinch. At stops or between meetings, the unit's built-in WiFi can connect to convenient hotspots to search for user-rated dining and other destinations. While out on the road, the new TourDirector feature will help travelers plan a perfect day out," said Mike Wagner, Senior Director, Product Marketing at Magellan GPS.
The Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM is available at Best Buy. The unit retails at a MSRP of $299.99.
