Magellan Maestro 4050 review

UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide or check out our other Magellan auto GPS reviews.

The Magellan Maestro 4050 is one of the first GPS navigators to feature voice recognition, allowing you to speak commands. The available commands aren’t limitless though, and this is new technology, so there are bound to be a few bugs due to ambient noise, etc. Nevertheless, it certainly is very cool to be able to issue commands just by speaking to your GPS.

Before we go any further, let’s take a look at the rest of the feature set. Like its sibling, the Maestro 4040, the Maestro 4050 has a 4.3" wide-screen, the SiRFstar III chipset, Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use and preloaded maps of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Both units also have 4.5 million points of interest (POIs) and they both call out street names for upcoming turns.

What separates it from the 4040 is the that the Magellan Maestro 4050 has live-traffic included (an option on the 4040) and the previously mentioned voice-recognition feature.

To see how the 4050 stacks up against other units, check out my Magellan auto GPS comparison chart.

Compare prices on the Magellan Maestro 4050

Before we hear from others, here’s a snippet of Amazon’s Magellan Maestro 4050 review:

"Re-engineered for easy use, the Magellan Maestro 4050 Portable Auto GPS System is the first portable vehicle navigation device to offer drivers the convenience of voice command capabilities. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road as you direct the Maestro 4050 with voice commands. Say "Nearest Restaurant", "Chinese Food", and select the restaurant of your choice."

More Magellan Maestro 4050 reviews

• The first consumer-authored Magellan Maestro 4050 review has been posted at Amazon.
• Gizmodo has posted a Magellan Maestro 4050 review, including the video below.
• GPS Magazine has posted their typically in-depth Magellan Maestro 4050 review, pronouncing it "HAL 9000′s dumber, less evil cousin."
• PC Magazine gives 3.5 out of 5 stars in their Magellan Maestro 4050 review.

I’ll be posting more hands on GPS reviews as they appear, but in the meantime, here are some…

Other Magellan Maestro 4050 resources

• A PDF version of the Magellan Maestro 4050 owners manual.
• There is a Magellan Maestro message forum at GpsPasSion.
• There is also a Magellan GPS message forum at Yahoo, and an alt.satellite.gps.magellan UseNet group.
• Our other Magellan Maestro reviews.

Compare prices on the Magellan Maestro 4050 at these merchants:

• Check the current Magellan Maestro 4050 price at Amazon.
• Buy the
  Magellan Maestro 4050 Portable Bluetooth Automotive GPS System with Voice Recognition
  at TigerGPS.
• Get the Magellan Maestro 4050 for an amazing price on eBay.

From the official Magellan Maestro web page:

Magellan® Maestro™ 4050 offers the most satisfying navigation experience ever, in a symphony of elegance and simplicity with LIVE traffic updates, Voice Command & Control, Bluetooth® hands-free calling, SayWhere™ text-to-speech and millions of
pre-programmed points of interest. Use Voice Command for hand’s-free outing to your home and points of interest from three popular categories. For example, say "Nearest Restaurant", "Chinese Food", and select the restaurant of your choice.

Enter virtually any destination on the freshly-designed graphical touch screen and get turn-by-turn voice guidance to anywhere in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Smart touch-icons and Magellan’s unique QuickSpell™ function enable error-free spelling and minimize steps, so you get a customized route to your destination with just a few touches of the screen.

Plus, integrated travel information from AAA TourBook® guides gives you instant access to service details and Diamond ratings from the world’s leading travel expert. Quickly find AAA approved lodgings and restaurants, member roadside assistance1details, and discounts available through the AAA Show Your Card & Save® program¹.

Touch the tow truck icon to quickly connect to AAA member Roadside Assistance¹ using your compatible Bluetooth® phone. The screen tells you where you are to quickly direct reliable AAA help to your location.

Maestro is designed for those who enjoy precision technology with style! It has been created by Magellan; the first name in navigation™, and built on years of experience providing the best in GPS navigation and feedback from among the over 400,000 users of the Magellan RoadMate and Hertz
NeverLost systems.

¹ Requires AAA Membership. Click here to join today.

Related posts:

• Our GPS reviews
• Auto GPS buyers guide
• Top ten auto GPS