Magellan launch 5 handheld GPS in the UK

MikeB

Yesterday in London Magellan re-launched it's brand of outdoor GPS devices in the UK. For those of you who are keen fans of PocketGPSWorld.com you will know that over the years we have reviewed some Magellan products, but they were difficult to get in the UK. Well that has changed now, with major retailers like Cotswold and Amazon stocking and selling the devices there is now some serious competition to Garmin in the outdoor GPS market.

Magellan have introduced 5 GPS enabled devices in 3 different ranges: the eXplorist x10 handhelds, the eXplorist GC handheld GPS and the ToughCase for iPhone/iPad. With recommended prices ranging from £180 to £500 the pricing is roughly comparable (though slightly higher) than the equivalent Garmin Oregon.

Device details and Magellan press release follows:

The Magellan x10 range consists 3 devices: the 510, 610 and 710. All of these share the same form-factor and are differentiated by the mapping data, the 610 and 710 also feature an electronic compass and barometer. All the devices have a 3" touch screen, microSD slot, 3.2M camera, speaker and microphone. The camera allows you to take a georeferenced picture, the microphone allows you to add a voice note to a POI, and the speaker is used for Turn by Turn street routing. The 510 comes with a basic World Edition map, the 610 adds the Summit Series Topographical map, and the 710 adds the Navteq City Series mapping for turn by turn road navigation.

The Magellan ToughCase is an extoskeleton for the iPhone 3/3GS and iPod Touch priced at £180. It has IPX-7 certification for waterproofness (1m water for 30 minutes) and incorporates an internal battery to charge your device. The biggest benefit of the ToughCase though is a SiRFStarIII GPS which enhances the lower performing iPhone GPS. This has been available in the USA for some time and we reviewed it last year. Click here for our Magellan ToughCase review.

This just leaves us with the last device the Magellan eXplorist GC. This is a handheld GPS specifically designed for the GeoCaching enthusiast. It sports a somewhat smaller 2.2" TFT screen which is not touch sensitive. To control the device there are 4 buttons and a combo joystick/action button. Again this is an IPX-7 rated device, essential for use in the British summer. Although the GC can be used as a conventional GPS it has been designed as a dedicated geocaching system and had features specifically for the sport. These include the integration of specific geocaching information, and a seamless (computer) link to www.geocaching.com the World leading geocaching database community. The entire system provides a paperless geocaching experience. The Magellan eXplorist GC is priced at £180.

Full details of the Magellan Handheld GPS on the Magellan Outdoor Navigation site.

All the above prices are recommended retail prices, if you shop around you can find discounts and offers. Cotswold Outdoors are offering a £150 mapping bundle for just £50,

The Magellan press release:

Magellan brings outdoor adventure to the UK with next generation eXplorist GPS devices

Magellan marks return to UK with launch of five devices for the great outdoors

London, UK, May 12th 2011 – Global GPS brand Magellan today makes its return to the UK market with the launch of a new range of high quality handheld GPS devices for all kinds of outdoor adventure.

Whether hiking, climbing, backpacking, geocaching, hunting, fishing, mountain biking or sailing, the eXplorist series has been designed to allow adventurers to navigate to outdoor destinations worldwide, capture geotagged photos along the way, and share their experiences online when they return home.

Each eXplorist model combines high-sensitivity GPS, an intuitive user interface, easy-to-read mapping and accurate navigation. The eXplorist GC device is also dedicated to the outdoor GPS treasure hunting phenomenon of geocaching. The devices, along with the Magellan ToughCase for iPhone 3G and iPod Touch, are available in UK stores, including Cotswold Outdoor, now.

“We’re thrilled to mark Magellan’s return to the UK with the eXplorist range, which brings a range of advanced features to the world of outdoor GPS,” says Natasha Bartlett-Twivey, Marketing Manager UK & Ireland, Magellan. “The devices are an ideal solution for all outdoor audiences, whether a novice geocacher or an experienced hiker. With the huge popularity of social networking and sharing experiences with friends, they’re also are the perfect way to plan adventures, record and share them with the world.”

The Magellan eXplorist 510, 610 and 710

Whatever the adventure, the Magellan eXplorist 510, 610 and 710 have something to offer. Key features across the range include:

• 3 inch touch-screen
• 3.2 mega-pixel camera with auto-focus, microphone and speaker to record geo-referenced images, videos, and voice notes
• Magellan’s World Edition map, which includes a complete road network for the U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Australia, as well as water features, urban and rural land use, and a realistic shaded relief background
• Magellan’s award-winning OneTouch™ favourites menu, enabling users to instantly access bookmarked locations, searches, and functions

In addition, the eXplorist 610 and 710 feature a 3-axis electronic compass and a barometric altimeter that provide precise orientation, accurate elevation information, and enables for weather pattern tracking.

The eXplorist 710 meanwhile combines the best of on-road and off-road navigation, including both Magellan’s highly detailed Summit Series topographic map and its City Series turn-by-turn map which allows users to navigate their vehicles through busy city streets on their way to their outdoor adventures.

The Magellan eXplorist GC

The Magellan eXplorist GC is the company’s first dedicated GPS device for geocaching – the high-tech “treasure hunt” game where adventure seekers use GPS technology to hide and find physical objects, solve location-based puzzles, and share experiences online. Key features include:

• Out-of-the-box paperless geocaching, with the world’s most popular geocaches pre-loaded
• Brilliant colour screen, rich graphics and an easy to use interface
• Highly-sensitive SiRFstarIII GPS chipset that provides 3-metre accuracy
• Common outdoor GPS features such as waypoint creation, a worldwide basemap, active tracking and trip odometer

The Magellan ToughCase for iPhone 3G and iPod touch

The Magellan ToughCase is a refined yet rugged protective case, giving iPhone and iPod touch enhanced GPS and waterproof capabilities, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor professionals. Features include:

• Built-in high sensitivity SiRFstar III GPS chipset to enhance the accuracy of location-based and GPS applications
• IPX-7 waterproof standards, enabling the device to be submerged at a depth of 1-metre for up to 30 minutes
• Integrated 1840 mAh battery to double the life of the device (based on normal usage)

The ToughCase is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (second and third generation).

Pricing / availability

Recommended retail prices for the eXplorist range are as follows:

• Magellan eXplorist GC: £179.99
• Magellan eXplorist 510: £299.99
• Magellan eXplorist 610: £399.99
• Magellan eXplorist 710: £499.99
• Magellan iPhone ToughCase: £179.99

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Mike Barrett

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