Brad Jensen returns to help Tim critique the Magellan RoadMate 2230T-LM portable GPS. This completes our series on portable GPS for the car and provides a fascinating look at how three manufacturers have designed similar solutions. The strengths of the Magellan include
* Text entry is spoken by the unit to confirm input
* Dynamic rerouting around traffic problems works well
* Effective use of corners for touch points
* 4.3 inch size is not ungainly as the 5 inch Garmin was

Usability problems with the RoadMate could be summed up as bad color choices in the UI. The garish display and the difficult to read road names, plus general clutter that is unnecessary to help the user, are unfortunate negatives.The update software is also poorly designed and confusing to use.

Melissa Smith joins us for another Human Factors News Desk segment. Citations to follow as soon as I find them…