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Magellan Vs Garmin


aka Monkey

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Let me start by saying I haven't used a Magellan. Let me continue by saying I probably won't, based on what I read in these forums.

 

Just in the past month, I've read complaints about Magellan not filling rebates, about them lying to customers about cracked cases, about firmware updates that add stupid features to units.

 

I'm beginning to think Magellan is the Wal*Mart of GPS (with Cobra being the fleamarket). Aside from price, can anyone who has used both units tell me what they prefer about the Magellen over the Garmin?

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I have a Magellan 315, and Platinum (I have at one time owned a Gold, and a 330), I also own the Garmin V.

 

I like that Magellan is not quite as limiting on their units. They are the first company with expandable memory (Garmin only had one handheld (in the late 90’s) that used their special memory, although most of their newer car units have expandable memory). I pretty sure Garmin will never do something like Magellan did with Directroute (If you currently have a Garmin unit that does not autoroute, you will have to buy a new one to get it). Magellan also made their Map 330 WAAS compliant back 2001 (with Garmin you have to buy a new unit). The 3-axis compass on a meridian is easier to use since you don't have to hold the unit completely Horizontal.

 

Although Magellan does not release as many updates as Garmin they still do, and often times it add new functionality (example of meridian updates:. switching maps with a meridian, unlimited waypoint/tracks/routes with the meridian, routing, new customized fields, etc...).

 

I have good results with Magellan technical support; they always answered the phone in a timely matter, polite, and helpful. If you need repairs done they are quick, and usually include free items. I also had out of warranty work done free, and received a free new power/data ($40 at the time) cable for my 315 when I mentioned there might be a small problem (it was not powering a gold-I told them this).

 

I have not had much experience with Garmins customer support, but when I did call and ask about the status of a shipment I was lied to twice (along with a few misleading emails).

 

Overall I am thinking of selling the V, and purchasing directroute for my Platinum.

 

Wyatt W.

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The funny this about tech support people is they are very unlikely to “give you information” unless you know exactly what to ask for or tell them.

 

When I contacted Magellan about the stress cracks in my SporTrack series, the first thing they offered me was to send it to them and have the case replaced for free. This was a fast, courteous, and understanding answer. After learning that others who have done this, experienced the same cracks very soon after receiving the new case. I called Magellan and informed them that I was not going to get involved in an endless loop of sending the unit in to have the case replaced, even if it was for free. After I told them that my unit was less than 30 days old, they suggested contacting the retailer and exchanging it for a meridian Gold. Completely different design but has almost the exact features. They even contacted the retailer so I would not get hit with the usual 15% re-stocking fee.

 

Once Magellan had the “whole” story from ME, they were able to take care of the problem. Sorry about the long post, but it is the only example I could think of. In short, people only know what we tell them or ask of them.

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tell me what they prefer about the Magellen over the Garmin?

 

 

I have a Magellen & friends that use Garmin. It seems like Magellen gets & holds on to better coverage in areas with a lot of trees. Due to the location in which i live this was a deal maker for me.

I've only owned the STM for a few weeks but i'm very pleased with it. My only wish was that i had enough budget to upgrade to the STP or STC.

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I recently posted a question asking which was easier to use........the Garmin Legend or the Magellan Sportrack Map. Most replied that the Legend was best. We then had the opportunity to use both and liked the Sportrack Map much better. It had better instructions, bigger and easier to read screen, easier to use buttons, found the satelites much quicker and more of them also. We haven't used it to actually track anything yet :D but we like the Magellan much better so far.

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I agree with everything the Magellan people have said. My first GPS was a Sportrak Map and I really liked it a lot. The size and weight were fine, and it was very easy to use. I have used a Garmin Vista before, and while I was impressed with the high resolution, that was about it. The size was great, but I disliked the button layout a lot. It felt like it was made for the left hand. Also, something I noticed, Garmin's EMap 76 (I think that's what it's called) and also their new 60 series has a button layout much closer to the Sportraks and Meridians. Obviously, they would put their "best" layout on their newest machine, which seems to say, that even they think the eTrex's button layout may be a bit annoying to use.

 

My experience with the Vista was that it did not hold a signal nearly as well in the car or under even light tree cover. The person who owned the Vista that I used, could not believe how horrible the reception he was getting was, compared to my sportrack. He finally turned it off because he was too frustrated. While the resolution on the screen is great, the size of the writing makes it more annoying to me. The click stick is a neat feature, but it is only a 4 directional stick which is a big problem. The pad on the sportraks and meridians also have diagonals, which makes it much easier to navigate the map screen.

 

The SD card capability of the Meridians is great. I have a Meridian Gold with Direct Route, and I love it. It's great to be able to load a bunch of very accurate (surprise!) maps and have it tell me great routes all over the city. The size of the Meridians can be cumbersome, but nothing to complain about too much.

 

To comment on the firmware updates, all of the new features are great, except for the automatic backlight when an alarm goes off. That is my only gripe.

 

Lastly, (finally) while Magellan seems to have some customer service problems on occasion, Garmin does as well, and it doesn't seem like one is better than the other service wise.

 

So, I like Magellans. :D

Edited by SBPhishy
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I don't know if I would go with durability excuses from Garmin, I really don't remember anyone having a problem with the SD card or slot (well at least after they get a good card, and the right firmware). Its more likely Garmin did a little survey to figure out the smallest amount of memory they can put into a unit to make people get rid of their old units, but not to much that they won't look at the new ones coming out in a year or two (maybe they may even add 128mb next, yep ehh! :blink: ).

 

I think Garmins is a smart company and have pretty good engineers, so I think they could have overcome most problems if they really wanted to add external memory.

 

Wyatt W.

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I don't know if I would go with durability excuses from Garmin, I really don't remember anyone having a problem with the SD card or slot (well at least after they get a good card, and the right firmware). Its more likely Garmin did a little survey to figure out the smallest amount of memory they can put into a unit to make people get rid of their old units, but not to much that they won't look at the new ones coming out in a year or two (maybe they may even add 128mb next, yep ehh! :blink: ).

 

I think Garmins is a smart company and have pretty good engineers, so I think they could have overcome most problems if they really wanted to add external memory.

 

Wyatt W.

the problem to solve is one of waterproof which Magellan may have solved. There is also the problem of keeeping the card seated. I use my iPAQ daily and while it's no GPS I do manage to keep knocking the card loose enough to have to reseat it becasue the PDA forgets the card is installed.

 

I haven't heard complaints from Magellan users on this so maybe it's a non issue, or maybe it's been solved much better than Compaq did (not hard to believe)

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Just how durable is good enough?

 

In any photo of current military operations, you see many Garmin units in use. Ain't seen one magellan yet. My son is on his third Garmin now, having had the first two destroyed in combat. The second one is now home. Seems the concussion from a near-by mortar hit busted the display. I was still able to download his waypoints and tracks when it arrived. The first Garmin somehow got crushed. Most of us are not as hard on our equipment as an Armored Cavalry Scout is - or so it would seem. :blink: I don't believe the soldiers will even give a Magellan the opportunity to be tested for durability like this!

 

For me (and my son in Iraq) it is this simple.

 

Garmin is owned by Garmin, with the headquarters in Kansas, USA. :D

 

Magellan is owned by Thales, headquarters in France. :D

 

I believe in buying American. Furthermore, I don't believe I care to give france any of my business. :D

 

As a side note, Thales got its start from Thomson Houston International Corp, an American company, in the very late 1800. Too bad.

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Just in the past month, I've read complaints about Magellan not filling rebates, about them lying to customers about cracked cases, about firmware updates that add stupid features to units.

 

I'm beginning to think Magellan is the Wal*Mart of GPS (with Cobra being the fleamarket).

You've been around here for a while. I'm surprised that you have not seen all the snivelly threads about the Etrexes. Last summer there were a lot of complaining about the GPS V. I remember those because I had to refrain from jumping in those threads and flaming all the GPS V zealots.

 

The complaint threads about every GPSr out there come and go. You should know this. Unless you just don't visit the forums very often. Just taking the opportunity to jab at the Magellan users?

 

I've had my Platinum for two years. The only problems I've had were caused by myself not doing firmware upgrades properly.

 

I have a Rino. Which has the same menus as the Etrexes. It is very clunky. Menus hidden in menus. Not very intuitive. You can't just scroll through them. :blink:

 

There is no way I would waste my money on a Garmin 60c. Everything that is being praised about the 60 has been available in the Meridian Color for nearly two years. Although Directroute is new, it brings it up to the GPS V and leaves it in the dust due to it's unlimited memory.

I don't want to hear about aesthetic details either. More pixels on a small screen is not a benefit. My friend is getting rid of his GPS V because the text is to small to read, unless you lean forward to squint at the screen.

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Garmin is owned by Garmin, with the headquarters in Kansas, USA. :D

 

Magellan is owned by Thales, headquarters in France. :blink:

Wasn't Magellan an Australian company before Thales bought it?

 

The Etrex line is so popular with the GIs probably due mostly to size and weight.

When I was in the field that meant everything.

 

I generally give my business to USA companies, even if the price is a little higher, but at the time, no US company had a color unit which is very good for driving and hiking in unfamiliar territory.

 

At the time, I was considering the Map76S, but the color and the memory won me over to Magellan. I loved the size of the Garmin.

 

Now that the Map60C has arrived, there finally is competition for the Magellan Color. If I was starting caching now, instead of one year ago, I would be buying the 60C or 60CS for a couple of reasons, one being the USA HQ of Garmin is an hour's drive from my house. (One hour, given today's ice storm. Normally closer to 1/ hour.)

 

BTW - Friday I got tangled in some barbed wire, nd dropped my GPS, which bounced and rolled all the way to the bottom of the hill I was on. When I finally got to it, it was dead. Ack! I felt sick. When I pressed the power button it came back to life.

No problems (so far)

No rattles

I think it is of decent quality.

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.....the problem to solve is one of waterproof which Magellan may have solved.  There is also the problem of keeeping the card seated.  I use my iPAQ daily and while it's no GPS I do manage to keep knocking the card loose enough to have to reseat it becasue the PDA forgets the card is installed. .....

The SD card slot is in the battery compartment.

The cover is forced against a gasket, so it is pretty much waterproof. (I wouldn't test this by holding it under water, but rain and a quick drop in water hasn't hurt mine.)

 

Perhaps having the card slot in the battery compartment keeps the card from being knocked loose, as well.

 

If Garmin added an SD card to the Map60CS, i would have to seriously think about switching brands, even though DirectRoute is the Bees Knees for me.

Edited by DustyJacket
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For me (and my son in Iraq) it is this simple.

 

Garmin is owned by Garmin, with the headquarters in Kansas, USA. ;)

 

Magellan is owned by Thales, headquarters in France. :P

 

I believe in buying American. Furthermore, I don't believe I care to give france any of my business. :D

 

As a side note, Thales got its start from Thomson Houston International Corp, an American company, in the very late 1800. Too bad.

Isn't it strange that so many people I know have German and Japanese cars, and yet tell me to buy North American? I have a GM car, which they try to convince me to get rid of for some inferior foreign product, and an eTrex Legend, and one of the best GPSr's around, a (French?) Magellan Meridian Platinum.

 

Maybe we should practice what we preach.

 

Proud to be Canadian, and born to keep the peace.

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For me (and my son in Iraq) it is this simple.

 

Garmin is owned by Garmin, with the headquarters in Kansas, USA.  ;)

 

Magellan is owned by Thales, headquarters in France.  :P

 

I believe in buying American.  Furthermore, I don't believe I care to give france any of my business.  :D

 

As a side note, Thales got its start from Thomson Houston International Corp, an American company, in the very late 1800.  Too bad.

Isn't it strange that so many people I know have German and Japanese cars, and yet tell me to buy North American? I have a GM car, which they try to convince me to get rid of for some inferior foreign product, and an eTrex Legend, and one of the best GPSr's around, a (French?) Magellan Meridian Platinum.

 

Maybe we should practice what we preach.

 

Proud to be Canadian, and born to keep the peace.

 

Last time I checked the Manufacturing & Logistics center for Magellan (which is located in Tulsa, OK a mere 5-10 miles from my house) paid their employees in US Dollars.

 

But I guess I should support Garmin instead, put those American guys out of work becuase it was their fault they got bought by the French.

 

I could care less what GPS you own but proudly use my Magellan. Why isn't anyone mentioning Lowrance also headquartered in Tulsa, OK.

Edited by beatnik
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Qutes from three different posts in this thread:

I believe in buying American.
Isn't it strange that so many people I know have German and Japanese cars, and yet tell me to buy North American? I have a GM car, which they try to convince me to get rid of for some inferior foreign product, and an eTrex Legend, and one of the best GPSr's around, a (French?) Magellan Meridian Platinum.
Last time I checked the Manufacturing & Logistics center for Magellan (which is located in Tulsa, OK a mere 5-10 miles from my house) paid their employees in US Dollars.

The issue of "country of origin" is quite complicated, but here is some interesting info: My Nissan, which is considered Japanese, was built near my home in Tennessee by US workers. By contrast, the very "American" Dodge Ram is built in two cities in Mexico, as well as in Missouri. PT Cruisers are built in Mexico. Chevy Silverados come from Canada. The list goes on and on, and changes with every model year. Of course, where a car (or GPS, or anything else) is built is only part of the story. Final "assembly" doesn't provide nearly as many jobs as the manufacturing of all the individual parts that go into the product. These come from all over the world, and often the same manufacturer provides parts for competing companies. For those who are interested in details on where cars and car parts come from, check out the American Automobile Labelling Act, which is an act of Congress designed to address these very issues.

 

Of course, where something is made is only part of the story. Another question is who profits from it. Nissan's headquarters are in Japan, but lots of their stock is owned by American's. Don't think you have any Nissan stock yourself? Have you checked into every company that your mutual fund company invests in? Likewise, lots of GM stock is owned by people and investment companies in other countries. And, of course, no matter what brand of car you own, 90% of the gasoline you use in it comes from oil from the Middle East. Then the oil is refined by Exxon, BP, etc which are owned by stockholders in hundreds of countries...

 

On a final note, a customer of mine who happens to be a US Army recruiter stopped in the other day and after chatting for awhile left some ballpoint pens to give out with the "Army of One" logo on them. A close look at the pocket tab reveals that the pens are made in China.

 

It's easy to get caught up in sentiments about "us versus them," especially in today's political environment. But in the real world of global investements and worldwide manufacturing, believing that we are making a difference or supporting any group or nation simply by basing our decisions on the name of a company is at best ineffective, and at worst undermines the very things we hope to achieve.

Edited by Karma Hunter
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I have alot of GPS's Magellan and Garmin Alike. I seem to be partial to the Magellan Platinum with the Garmin GPS V next in line. I can load 256MB of files to the SD card in a matter of a few minutes for the Platinum(using a standard digital card film reader), the Garmins with built in memory takes 45 minutes or more to just load 19 megs of memory. The Garmin does have a little bit better display, than the Magellan. If you get either one of the above mentioned you can't go wrong. One other thing, my third in line in my GPS collection is the Garmin 76S, fourth is my Magellan Meridian Color. I invite anyone in the Charlotte NC area wishing to test out a GPS Garmin or Magellan to email me, and you are welcome to do your own testing with any of my units, just leave me your a copy of your Drivers licencse and a phone number you can be reached. I hope to soon have a Garmin 60CS in the future.

Edited by RockyRiver
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i don't have any issue with where stuff is manufactured or who owns what and where but i do have this to say:

 

I've always thought you get more for your dollar with Garmin. They are built with a degree of fit and finish second to none. Magellan sells largely because people think they've got a better antenna/reception (and expandable memory of course) but compared to a Garmin quad helix their reception is so similar that it doesn't matter. Where Garmin excels is in the day to day operability of the gps itself - the user interface is more straightforward and definitely intuitive once you understand the key button ("menu"). The range of capabilites/functionality is first-rate and generally they are very multi-functional devices. some will say bah to this but consider how many of their gps's integrate calendar/calculator, as well as yards mode for example and many other essentially esoteric settings/functions which frankly have been added based on user feedback (the key point). Their autorouting systems autoroute on the basemap, not just because there is some accessory software and related detailed maps that have been loaded. As well their screens support higher resolution which makes for a more pleasant viewing experience. To me this all indicates higher-end technology - both hardware and software. frankly Garmin provides a wider range of products that lend themselves to a more application-centric concept - to use an analogy you don't need to wear the same shoes each and every day (Garmin) - are you going to wear those army boots again (Magellan)... :o

 

Magellan should be thanking Garmin they didn't integrate an sd slot into the 60... ;)

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For me (and my son in Iraq) it is this simple.

 

Garmin is owned by Garmin, with the headquarters in Kansas, USA.  :D

 

Magellan is owned by Thales, headquarters in France.  :o

 

I believe in buying American.  Furthermore, I don't believe I care to give france any of my business.  ;)

 

As a side note, Thales got its start from Thomson Houston International Corp, an American company, in the very late 1800.  Too bad.

Isn't it strange that so many people I know have German and Japanese cars, and yet tell me to buy North American? I have a GM car, which they try to convince me to get rid of for some inferior foreign product, and an eTrex Legend, and one of the best GPSr's around, a (French?) Magellan Meridian Platinum.

 

Maybe we should practice what we preach.

 

Proud to be Canadian, and born to keep the peace.

Dodge van and AMC-Jeep here. And your point is???

 

It isn't so much about buy American as it is don't support French. Well, that isn't right either. We should show them the same level of support as we have recently gotten from them. I think that is fair.

 

BTW, you should have seen my wife's face when I told her that because of the boycott, I was sending her home. She is German! :P

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I've always thought you get more for your dollar with Garmin. They are built with a degree of fit and finish second to none. Magellan sells largely because people think they've got a better antenna/reception (and expandable memory of course) but compared to a Garmin quad helix their reception is so similar that it doesn't matter.

 

I Usually don't say anything about reception since it fairly subjective, but I find that the Magellan units do hold a lock better. In a car my GPS V has to be placed really near to a window, while a Magellan unit could be happy to report a correct location (unit hooked to a laptop running USAphotomap) in most places inside the same vehicle where the V looses lock (further testing needed to be done out side when the trees have leaves).

 

the user interface is more straightforward and definitely intuitive once you understand the key button ("menu").

 

I suppose this depends on what you started on first. If your first unit was a Garmin you would think the Magellan system is weird, and vice versa.

 

The range of capabilites/functionality is first-rate and generally they are very multi-functional devices. some will say bah to this but consider how many of their gps's integrate calendar/calculator, as well as yards mode for example and many other essentially esoteric settings/functions which frankly have been added based on user feedback (the key point).

 

I personally think the Magellan units are more multifunctional. Lets say you have a Platinum you could load mapsend topo to do outdoor activities, then switch to mapsend Directroute and use the unit in the car, and you can use the same unit with Mapsend bluenav (and the marine firmware) to access marine data (including tides). The unit also includes most screens need for these activities: map screen for driving, road screen for marine navigation, compass screen for finding caches, etc…

 

Yes I agree Garmin does have more customized field, but main of the items are really aimed at a specific group of users so the average geocacher will have no need for them. Also Magellan seems to be adding more customization each firmware released (e.g. total distance, Max speed, Average speed, a selectable EPE field).

 

I know Magellan listens to their customers because the people in the Yahoo meridian group had a say in how they wanted the power button guard to be implemented, and the unlimited waypoint/routes/track was also a suggested by a geocacher, I also helped to fix an error in the basemap/firmware when the meridian series first came out.

 

One more thing, you can use yard with Magellan units

 

Their autorouting systems autoroute on the basemap, not just because there is some accessory software and related detailed maps that have been loaded.

 

Lets see one of Garmins top line of units (76s, vista, legend, map 76, etc..) autoroute at all. All the Magellan units the benefit from DirectRoute were never designed to autoroute, so the fact that they can is a bonus (also you can fit in most of your trip on a meridian, so there is less need for it). However it would still be nice if Magellan released a basemap that autoroute (uh yeah, we can change our basemaps), or at least include one in future products

 

As well their screens support higher resolution which makes for a more pleasant viewing experience. To me this all indicates higher-end technology - both hardware and software.

 

The higher resolution screen is defiantly a big plus for Garmin, I hope Magellan follows suit. Although, this seems to be less important to me after owning both for a while.

 

frankly Garmin provides a wider range of products that lend themselves to a more application-centric concept - to use an analogy you don't need to wear the same shoes each and every day (Garmin) - are you going to wear those army boots again (Magellan)... 

 

Not quite sure what you mean by this.

 

Magellan should be thanking Garmin they didn't integrate an sd slot into the 60... 

 

As consumers I think we all should be mad at Garmin, they could have raised the bar and forced Magellan into making even Greater machines, and themselves into adding more functionality into future handhelds.

 

Wyatt W.

Its late, I am tired, so sorry if this is rude or just does not make sense.

Edited by phantom4099
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All that I can add here is that my MeriMarine bundled with BlueNav was a great deal and has worked flawlessly on foot, on the water, in a plane, and in the car. I get great reception, even in my house and in the parking garage at work. I have contacted Thales tech support several times with questions and received fairly decent answers.

 

I looked at the Garmins. They seem to have comparable features, but I hated the button layout and heard complaints about the rubber seals over the buttons tearing (making them un-waterproof).

 

David

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I have used a Magellan (Map 330) at work. It was just "OK". I bought a Garmin GPSMAP 76S & I love it! I recently had to return the 76S back to Garmin because a firmware update got hosed, and they had to restore the software. The unit was out of warranty, but not only did they restore the firmware, they also replaced the entire case, LCD screen, and never charged me a red cent! That's what I call customer SERVICE. I don't have any Magellan customer service story to relate...

 

Bassmedic

 

:lol:

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I have owned a Sportrak Pro and Meridian Platinum for a year and a half now, and just recently purchased a 60c.

 

My best analogy would be to compare the Magellans to Fords, and the Garmin unit to a Cadillac. The Magellan is dependable and serviceable, as is the Garmin, but the Garmin really does it in style. Just seems like a much more refined unit to me.

 

Rod

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the problem to solve is one of waterproof which Magellan may have solved. There is also the problem of keeeping the card seated. I use my iPAQ daily and while it's no GPS I do manage to keep knocking the card loose enough to have to reseat it becasue the PDA forgets the card is installed.

 

I haven't heard complaints from Magellan users on this so maybe it's a non issue, or maybe it's been solved much better than Compaq did (not hard to believe)

The cards but right up against the battery, so "knocking" it out would take one [edited] of a jolt - one that would do more than just misseat the SD card. The barreries have to be taken out for the SD card to be taken out.

 

I have the Meridian Platinum and cannot find a thing I do not like about the unit that wasn't designed in on purpose. There are times I wish that the SD card was easier to get in and out, but I would rather take the few extrs seconds than to worry about the card jumping out of the slot on its own.

 

This Garmin vs. Magellan argument is way too old. The whole thing comes down to personal preference. Buy what you like.

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Garmin is owned by Garmin, with the headquarters in Kansas, USA. :lol:

 

Magellan is owned by Thales, headquarters in France. :lol:

 

I believe in buying American. Furthermore, I don't believe I care to give france any of my business. :lol:

They are all made in China and I am sure Garmin has its headquarters on some Caribbean island like so many other "American" companies.

 

French are people too.....

 

Just because George and his Oil cronies are morons, should I stop driving my cars? Since when did Americans car were their stuff is made? Last time I checked we get most of our products from a Communist country that is currently surprising over 1 billion people.

 

BTW.

 

I like Magellan just fine mine has never failed me and I am sure Garmin make a decent unit also that we have choices to each his own. Time for a nice bottle of French wine......

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I have owned a Sportrak Pro and Meridian Platinum for a year and a half now, and just recently purchased a 60c.

 

My best analogy would be to compare the Magellans to Fords, and the Garmin unit to a Cadillac. The Magellan is dependable and serviceable, as is the Garmin, but the Garmin really does it in style. Just seems like a much more refined unit to me.

 

I agree with this statement, but there is one important thing to remember. The top of the line handheld Magellan has been out for a while. The top of the line Garmin has JUST come out, and they are still waiting for even newer ones. While the Garmin's are more refined etc, think about how it was before the new Garmin's were out. I think Magellan is due for a new "amazing" unit, but they have done quite well for an older unit like the Plat.

 

I personally think the Magellan units are more multifunctional. Lets say you have a Platinum you could load mapsend topo to do outdoor activities, then switch to mapsend Directroute and use the unit in the car, and you can use the same unit with Mapsend bluenav (and the marine firmware) to access marine data (including tides). The unit also includes most screens need for these activities: map screen for driving, road screen for marine navigation, compass screen for finding caches, etc…

 

I agree with this also.

 

Just remember that the new Garmin's are BRAND NEW! The Meridians have been around for a while, so they shouldnt be expected to have all the cool new stuff in them. Hopefully, Magellan will release some new awesome unit soon, and then we can really compare Magellan's newest, with Garmin's newest (like it matters anyways...)

 

Magellan should be thanking Garmin they didn't integrate an sd slot into the 60...

 

As for that. You are completely right. Magellan should be thanking Garmin in a big way. Garmin customers however, should be pissed off (if they are the type of customers who need the mapping area). It would have been great to force Magellan into creating something new.

 

Thanks for listening! :lol:

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I think Magellan is due for a new "amazing" unit, but they have done quite well for an older unit like the Plat.

I would like to hear from some of the GPS retailers that frequent these forums.

 

I called the shop I bought my Meridian Color from. I was asking about his stock of Colors. He said that the Meridians were no longer available because new models were coming soon! :lol:

 

What are they going to be?

39197_4700.gif

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They are great units. It seems people who have a color screen, love them, but you can get a Meridian Gold for around 200, which is a great price considering what you get for your money. If you are considering a Color, I would like to reccomend the Traveler pack. It ends up saving you a lot of money for stuff you would buy anyways. It comes with Direct Route, so, if you want autorouting, it would be a great buy.

 

I have a Meridian Gold and I like it a lot. The color is exactly the same, but it's in color. It has been very accurate, and fast to lock on, etc. etc. If money isnt an issue, Garmin's new units are definitely very cool, but with the Meridians you definitely get many of the same cool features, for a cheaper price. Also, the SD cards are a "make or break" selling point for many people. For people who travel a lot, they are invaluable. For others, they are cool, but nothing amazing. It is cool to be able to use an SD card reader though, to load everything on the card.

 

Overall, I would recommend one.

Edited by SBPhishy
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I'm beginning to think Magellan is the Wal*Mart of GPS

 

You might want to check with Wally world and ask them what they have in their new display. ( which gps units they carry) From what I have heard they're only going to be carrying Garmin. Knowing W~W they probably cut some kind of deal with Garmin

Edited by vagabond
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For what it's worth:

 

I've owned a MeriPlat for about 1.5 years and I find it to be a truely great unit.

 

What I like the most about the unit:

 

1. the SD card capability for maps, routes and waypoints (works great with GpxSonar and my PDA :o )

 

2. the MapSend topo maps are great and even though they could be more accurate in some instances, I still find them invaluable.

 

3. the unit supports auto-routing with a firmware upgrade and some new software. That's a good way to extend the life of your investment.

 

4. the unit locks on satellites (and holds the lock) even under thick tree cover where most regular patch antennas give up.

 

Otherwise, when I cache I don't have much use for most of the sensors of the Platinum (barometer, temperature, altitude) but I would definitely appreciate them on mountain hikes or ski runs.

 

One thing that I never use is the electronic compass screen of the unit. I find it totally useless. Instead, I rely on my trusty lensatic compass and the bearing provided by the GPS.

 

Overall this handheld GPSr deserves a 9/10 rating.

 

Regards,

Fabien.

 

PS: I also have a Gecko 201 as a backup GPSr that I often use as the on-board computer for my mountain bike. It gets the job done for caching as well but that's it.

Edited by -=(GEO)=-
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I've been very happy with my Platinum. My friends also seem happy with their Garmins.

 

Although on one of my last hunts, my partner posted this to one of our finds...

 

"Found this with MtnSteve - good thing too, as my GPS was WAY off......"

TrackerGma"

 

She's using a Garmin :o

Edited by mtnsteve
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My favorite Geocaching device is the Meridian Platinum, and it's electronic compass was near perfect. I only used the compass near the cache or to determine which path to take. It performed better than any garmin I used, mainly when I was patient with it and stood still with the electronic compass ON, and I would usually find the cache, as long as it was in the right place.

 

Why I choose Garmin over Magellan, and sold the Platinum:

 

I use GPS units for Tracklogging, where the segmenting of the garmin tracklog tells me where the GPS actually tracked, not a single messy tracklog after a day's caching.

 

I like to use the GPS for hiking and running, and I like Total elasped TIME, Time Moving, Time Stopped, etc. I had to use a Stop watch with the Meridian Platinum to keep track of how long I was running. I love the 60C for my running now, and I do like the buttons on the bottom.

 

The GPS Map 76 series have been out quite awhile, so I wonder why magellan does not have improved Meridians simular to the Map 76S resolution.

 

IF Magellan came out with a Meridian Platinum Plus, I would get the thing, but It would have to have the best features of what I mentioned above.

 

The GPS units I don't like: 37231_300.jpg

Edited by GOT GPS?
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They are all made in China and I am sure Garmin has its headquarters on some Caribbean island like so many other "American" companies.

Yes. Garmin's HQ is in the Cayman Islands.

Really? Do you have the reference for that?

 

I thought the HQ was somewhere in the plains states, like NB or something.

 

I proved Magellan was French, so would you please show the link to Cayman Islands? I am not calling you out, just want to see it.

 

Thanks. :o

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Yes. Garmin's HQ is in the Cayman Islands.

 

AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

Finally... After getting into a "dont hate Magellan war because the French are people too" I have some satisfaction against Garmin. Not that it matters, but nothing seems to be 100% American anymore.

 

Dessert Warrior, we meet again. :D If he proves that Garmin is in the Cayman Islands, are you going to buy a Magellan? Haha... :o

Edited by SBPhishy
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I proved Magellan was French, so would you please show the link to Cayman Islands?  I am not calling you out, just want to see it.

 

Thanks.  :o

Here is the proof:

 

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040115/cgth199_1.html

 

Through its operating subsidiaries, Garmin Ltd. designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information electronics. Garmin is a leader in the general aviation and consumer GPS markets and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit the Investor Relations site of Garmin Ltd. at www.garmin.com or contact the Investor Relations department at 913-397-8200

 

They have subsidiaries in the US, Taiwan and the UK

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I'm thinking of investing in Garmin (GRMN) so I've looked into the company a bit. They are based in Olathe, Kansas....that is right in the heartland of the good ol' USA. The Cayman Islands is used as a tax shelter only. Take a look at this link:

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stor.../15/focus2.html

I don't think the CEO would be living there or they'd be building a new office building if the HQ wasn't there.

 

In my opinion Garmin is better as a whole and will continue to be the best because of their entire product line. That starts at the top with the aviation units. Someday my handheld is going to have 3D terrain rendering and and a weather radar display because of the work being done right now on their top aviation units. Also, Magellan has made no effort to make their units smaller...Garmin continues to come out with new and better products in this segment: i.e. geko, forerunner, foretrex. I haven't even mentioned the marine units. It's really hard to even compare the two companies...Magellan really only overlaps a handful of Garmin units.

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Yes. Garmin's HQ is in the Cayman Islands.

 

AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

Finally... After getting into a "dont hate Magellan war because the French are people too" I have some satisfaction against Garmin. Not that it matters, but nothing seems to be 100% American anymore.

 

Dessert Warrior, we meet again. :o If he proves that Garmin is in the Cayman Islands, are you going to buy a Magellan? Haha... :D

Actually, I carefully read that article. Nowhere did it say HEADQUARTERS in Caymen Islands.

 

However, read THIS .

 

Guess this is proof enough for me that Garmin had its beginnings, and still maintains its headquaters in OLATHE, KANSAS.

 

As far as buying Magellan, NEVER! I will not send one penny to a country that would sit still and allow American soldiers and civilians be killed after the number of Americans who died saving France. TWICE!

 

I respect your views on a number of other things, including CCW. Really I do! But you are wrong on this one.

 

The kindest think I can say about France is UNGRATEFUL. Until Afghanishan and Iraq, all we ever asked of them was a place to bury our dead. Even after 9-11, we didn't ask them to join the fight, but just to stay out of the way. They instead opposed us. When the true reason was discovered, it was for greed. Lots of big $$$ deals with the enemy. Yep - UNGRATEFUL.

 

For me... if Garmin didn't exist, and all I could own was a Magellan, I would go back to MAP and COMPASS. Maybe I spent too many years wearing the uniform of this country, but I have little stomach for people who would put profit over lives.

 

I do not mean to start another flame war here. This is my opinion, but echoed by many here. And you will not change it. I am right on this, and I know it. However, I say again... I do truly respect your opinion on most matters. :D

 

Can we co-exist on that note? I think so!

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Can we co-exist on that note? I think so!

 

Of course! I was just throwing a little gas on the fire. :lol:

 

I know many of the French suck, and I definitely agree with you. I was hoping that some evidence was brought up in my favor, but alas, I am wrong again. So, since I don't have the money to switch to another GPS, I guess I will have to keep using the HUGE one that I have, made by a bunch of stinky, cheese eating cowards. :lol:

 

On a side note, if you would like to spread your patriotism, I will gladly switch to a new Garmin 60, with the proper funding. :o

 

Oh yes, and I'd like a side order of Freedom Fries, with my Liberty Burger.

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The kindest think I can say about France is UNGRATEFUL.

 

I know many of the French suck

 

made by a bunch of stinky, cheese eating cowards.

 

Being French myself, such generalizations make me puke.

 

You can bash the French government all you want, I couldn't care less.

Just don't lump all things 'French' together.

 

By making blanket statements like these, you only demonstrate your ignorance.

 

I do not mean to start another flame war here.

 

Really? Did you expect a medal instead?

Edited by -=(GEO)=-
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