Magellan GPS Car Kit goes above, beyond and everywhere

Magellan has offered quality GPS tools for years, so I shouldn't be surprised that their GPS Car Kit for the iPhone and iPod touch is a quality product. Apple's maps app may not be world class, currently, so Magellan offers their own proven Roadmate app.


Regardless of the navigation app you use, their GPS Car Kit works great. It rotates and locks in either portrait or landscape mode. Using a clever vise-like grip, it can adjust to accommodate the thickness of an iPhone or iPod touch, naked or in a case. The bottom of the unit has a traditional 30pin dock, and there is a 12volt charger and cable, perfect for long road trips.


But wait, there's more! There's a audio out jack for sending audio to your car stereo, and the unit acts as a Bluetooth speakerphone.


So far, so good. The Magellan GPS Car Kit offers a lot of features in a well designed package. There are rubber and metal finishes throughout make it a quality add-on for your vehicle.


But Magellan has one more trick up their sleeve. Building on their GPS expertise, the kit includes its own GPS antenna. This makes it possible for an iPod touch, which doesn't have a GPS/cellular chip, to become a GPS device. Even iPhones can expect better GPS reception, thanks to this capability. The only concerning have is that I'd love a version for my new iPhone 5, tht accommodates its taller height and, of course, the Lightning dock, but I expect that to come in time.