Magellan Marine GPS 2010

GPS is a technology that gains more visibility each year as the technology gets implemented in a number of devices like the Magellan Marine GPS.

It is very common for GPS technology to appear on cell phones these days and may even come in the form of accessories that are meant for other portable devices. When these GPS features are added, turning the once average portable devices into powerful multifunctional devices where other features of the device can put the GPS technology to good use.

However, these devices are quite pricey and other GPS features found in dedicated devices may be lacking. For instance, you won't be able to do much with a GPS-enabled smartphone if you want to find fish. The same price of such phone may buy you a more dedicated Magellan marine GPS device.

Company History

Many GPS enthusiasts should be familiar with Magellan since their first devices made their appearance in the late 80s. Magellan created the first handheld GPS receiver called the Magellan NAV 1000. Eight years later to 1997, Magellan also introduced GSC 100 which was the first portable global satellite communicator in the world.

Several devices followed including the Magellan GPS 2000 and GPS 315. A few specialized GPS products like the the 330M Marine and SporTrak Pro Marine were made as well, but are no longer found on Magellan's site. Magellan's website now presents four series - RoadMate, eXplorist, Maestro, and Triton.

Magellan and its relation to Marine GPS Devices

By looking at Magellan's existing lineup of 2010 models, at first glance no Magellan marine GPS devices appear to be found on the product lists. All of the devices in the RoadMate family are optimized for drivers that want to find their way using updatable maps of their city and town surroundings. Maestro models function similarly to the RoadMate models, but have some extra features beyond GPS functions.

While the eXplorist is primarily targeted to hikers and Geocachers, the Triton series can be considered the Magellan marine GPS despite its primary function in assisting hikers. The fact that most of the devices have the IPX-7 waterproof design proves that boaters can take the handheld devices with them and make use of some of the features.

The Triton series becomes an excellent portable marine GPS with the addition of their 'Legacy Outdoor Maps':

*"Enhance the enjoyment and safety of your marine adventures with easy to use BlueNav™ marine charts. Based on highly respected Navionics Gold charts, BlueNav provides a wealth of valuable information including tides and currents (available on most models), depth contours, navaids, port services and more."

*Source--http://www.magellangps.com/products/software.asp

As of July 2010, Magellan is offering five Triton devices so people can make a choice of the features that they want. They are all roughly the same size and have a similar rugged look. This rugged look makes it an ideal handheld device for carrying around no matter how tough the environmental conditions are.

The design also gives each handheld waterproof properties including the most affordable Magellan Triton 300 model. The $125 price tag is a great deal considering its detailed color display. It also comes with maps and waypoints so it can be used right out of the box. The Magellan Triton 400 is still affordably priced at $131 and allows SD cards to be used for adding more maps.

If you need a device with a built-in barometer, you will have to get at least the Magellan Triton 500. This $155 GPS device is also the cheapest device that has a 3-axis electronic compass. This feature makes it a more useful Magellan marine GPS device since the direction will remain constant no matter how the device is held when in the boat.

The Magellan Triton 1500 costs around $200 and adds an extra layer of control by presenting a touchscreen interface. This makes navigation easier to do and the included audio jack means that it doubles as a waterproof MP3 player.

The Magellan Triton 2000 is at the top of the series and only Triton device that has a camera. Although the 2 megapixel specs may not seem attractive at first, the Triton 2000 can attach photos to waypoints for better organization. It also features an external antenna connector that can enhance the signal reception which is useful on a boat.

Magellan did have a Magellan marine GPS device in the past called the Magellan MAP 330M Marine GPS and its database had a variety of marine map details. It may be difficult to find that device in stores, but the Magellan Triton series with Legacy Outdoor Maps should be good for more advanced marine tracking.

*As with all electronics, price changes occur frequently so prices shown may be out of date by the time this page is published.

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