
A novel feature in a product usually garners too much attention in reviews, and the Magellan Maestro 4050's voice recognition feature is no exception. Reviewers unanimously agree that it is a great idea that might be workable in future products, but the initial implementation isn't useful. The Maestro 4050 is part of the second generation of Magellan GPS units with AAA (American Automobile Association) Tour Book information, and reviewers think this is a great asset. While the 4050 is a top model from Magellan, reviewers rank it in the middle of the pack among all portable car GPS units.
The Magellan Maestro 4050 is one of the newer car GPS receivers on the market. GPS Magazine.com has the best review by far; it includes everything a prospective buyer might want to know. PC Magazine has a good review that lacks performance comparisons. Amazon.com has detailed user reviews. CNet.com and Gizmodo.com provide partial reviews that confirm some points in the GPS Magazine review.

| Magellan Maestro 4050 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (with 3 month free traffic) | |
(91 reviews) |
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Our Sources
1. GPSMagazine.com
This exhaustive and objective review tests and evaluates every feature and capability of the Magellan Maestro 4050. Reviewer Fletch provides comparisons, illustrations and long lists of pros and cons. He concludes that the voice recognition and traffic features that distinguish the Maestro 4050 do not work reliably enough to be worth the high price of this model.
Review: Magellan Maestro 4050 Review, Fletch, 11-Jul-07
2. PCMag.com
Although Craig Ellison regularly reviews new GPS units for PC Magazine, he makes direct comparisons only of the performance of a few features in this review. Road testing of the Magellan Maestro 4050 is described briefly. The review leaves readers wondering how the Maestro 4050 ranks in comparison with other top GPS units.
Review: Magellan Maestro 4050, Craig Ellison, Sept. 7, 2007
3. Amazon.com
Amazon.com posts about 50 user reviews of the Magellan Maestro 4050. Most owners are generally happy with the 4050, although several note that Magellan should have worked out the bugs before releasing this product.
Review: Magellan Maestro 4050 Portable Auto GPS System Reviews, Contributors to Amazon.com
4. CNET
In spite of the review title, this is actually a review of the Magellan Maestro 4040. Bonnie Cha mentions two feature advantages of the then not-yet-released 4050, but one of them is voice recognition, which needs to be evaluated. Performance of the 4040 is minimally tested, but is sufficient to raise a couple of concerns for prospective buyers. A revision of this review with some specific coverage of the 4050 is needed.
Review: Magellan Maestro 4050, Bonnie Cha, Apr. 5, 2007
5. Gizmodo.com
The centerpiece of this review of the Magellan Maestro 4050 is a Flash video that theoretically illustrates the practical use of the voice recognition feature. At the time of our visit, the video had no sound. The supplementary copy falls well short of what's needed in a review.
Review: Talking to the Magellan Maestro 4050, the First Portable Navigator With Voice Recognition, Wilson Rothman, 5-Jun-07
4 picks including: Amazon.com, PCMag.com…
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