Entered CNET Catalog: 11/14/2001
SKU: 0763357103021
Manufacturer: Magellan Corp.
Manufacturer description
The extremely accurate Magellan MAP 330M is optimized for marine navigation and features expanded memory and mapping database capabilities. Navigate with a 9 MB mapping database containing all major U.S. cities, highways, interstates, waterways and more. The MAP 330M includes detailed street-level mapping, with Magellan MapSend software. The large backlit display has a high-contrast option for navigating in bright sunlight. You'll always know exactly where you are and where you're going to within 3 meters. Save up to 20 routes with 500 waypoints, while the trip odometer tells you exactly how far you've traveled, making it easy to find your way back. MAP 330M gets a precision fix on your exact location, even in heavy cloud cover, by tracking up to 12 GPS satellites simultaneously. Equipped with a super sensitive quadrifilar antenna designed for fast satellite signal locking, and assisted by the U.S. Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), MAP 330M is accurate to within 3 meters or better. An intuitive interface provides easy setup, and dedicated function buttons put the power of GPS at your fingertips. Navigate with 9 MB's of mapping data for major U.S. cities, interstates, highways, waterways, airports and more. Magellan MapSend is included, with street-level maps that can be easily uploaded. World-wide points of reference including lighthouses, harbors, navaids and other nautical features make MAP 330M an indispensable companion for marine navigation. Four graphic navigation screens can be programmed to show you exactly the information you need, including heading, bearing, speed, direction, ETA, and your exact position in a number or formats, including longitude/latitude, Universal Transverse Mercator, Military Grid or simply as a point on the built-in map. You get 10 hours of continuous operation on two AA batteries, while the built-in, dynamic memory backup ensures that you never lose your stored data. 7 MB of rewritable flash memory is available for uploading street-level maps, included on Magellan MapSend software.Product summary
The good: Easy user interface; 16MB of built-in memory; lightweight; competitive price.
The bad: Loses satellite lock in certain areas.
The bottom line: You will be hard-pressed to find a more powerful, more lightweight GPS unit for the price.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/29/2000
Destination Known
Encased in a rugged, seven-ounce, plastic and rubber shell, the Magellan Map 330 has the look and feel of its sibling the Map 320, released in January. Unlike the Map 320, which is geared toward the marine navigator, the Map 330 is suited for the urban traveler. The 8MB, built-in map database includes U.S. cities, highways, and national parks as well as major roadways, airports, and railways. If that's not enough, you can use the additional 8MB of flash (rewritable) memory to load detailed street-level maps from the optional MapSend CD-ROM ($50). Using the CD, you can locate street addresses, back roads, and points of interest such as monuments, waterways, and lakes. Plus, with the CD, you can plan your routes ahead of time on your PC (storing up to 20 routes and 500 waypoints), upload them to the Map 330, and away you go.
The Map 330 boasts a 104-by-106-pixel, high-resolution, backlit LCD screen. A built-in 12-channel receiver and antenna provide quick satellite detection and lock-in (more on that later). There's a nine-button keypad mounted on the face of the unit that makes single-handedly moving through the various screens easy, which is ideal when driving. The red power button not only turns the unit on and off but also turns the back light on and off. The unit runs on two AA batteries, and we managed to get the company's rated 10 hours of usage.
Looking for a Sign
Once powered up, the Map 330 begins to obtain a position fix by locking on to satellites. However, while navigating through the streets of downtown Manhattan, we lost track of our satellites two or three times. We were able to lock on again within a matter of seconds, but a self-proclaimed "urban navigator" should be able to handle the big city. That said, the unit's strong points far outweigh its limited weaknesses.
Five different navigation screens are accessible by pressing the Nav key. The map screen displays your location in two graphical modes: position or cursor. The compass screen displays bearing, heading, distance, and speed along your route, as well as showing a graphical compass. You can even see the position of the sun and the moon relative to where you are. A large screen displays the same data as the compass screen minus the compass. This is useful when you need information at a glance, such as when driving. Finally, the position screen provides all nongraphical data in one screen.
Overall, we found the Map 330 to be simple to use, which we attribute to its design and keypad layout. Plus, the device is competitively priced at $280. Despite the few hiccups we had locking onto satellites, the Map 330 will get you where you want to go.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2out of 2 user reviews
It'll take you places that you want to be!
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out of 2 user reviews
Great value for price
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