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Do you spend lots of time planning routes and checking maps on the road. You don't have any more with a Magellan RoadMate.

I work in the film industry, scouting locations for possible shooting. These can be in built-up urban areas and remote locations all over California.

I often had problems finding my way, even with detailed instructions. I spent as much time parked and reading maps than I did driving.

Then I bought a RoadMate and within hours I felt I would never get lost again. The RoadMate works right out the box, no complicated set-up and no downloading information - perfect for a technophobe like me!

Now I don't waste time scribbling instructions. I switch the unit on when I get into the car and within seconds it has a fix on my position (even in the car port).

I have my contact give me the address or even a landmark close by, and type it into the RoadMate. Just like that, it finds my destination. And if I'm going to be going to that destination again I can save it in the memory for future use.

It offers 4 modes - the first time I tested it out I chose "shortest route" from home to office, and it displayed almost exactly the route I'd have chosen.

You get yard by yard voice instructions (so you don't have to look at the screen as you drive) and it corrects directions immediately if you take a wrong turning, and there's a handy "Repeat" button to get an instant repeat if you didn't hear an instruction.

If you need a visual representation of where you are, there is a useful "3-d" view, down to lamp-posts and garbage cans. The screen is easy to read, with views designed for use in both light and dark conditions.

The helpful voice will even give you a countdown of yards before you reach your destination, even if that destination is a remote dirt-track.

I can guarantee that the RoadMate has saved me countless hours and frustration from reading maps and getting lost.

When I'm returning home, I choose my address from those stored in the memory, and off I go. If I've noticed any roads I want to avoid on the way, traffic jams for instance, I can specify avoiding them, and the RoadMate has new directions for me right away.

All in all, it's a tool I wouldn't want to be without.