At first, I was skeptical that a device could recognize speech without any training, but the 4050’s voice recognition worked like a charm. Commands include Nearest Restaurant, Roadside Assistance, and Where Am I? Front there, the 4050 guides you through submenus and immediately calculates a route once you choose a destination.

In addition to voice recognition, the 4050's features include a4, 3-inch no reflective screen, text-to-speech capability, Bluetooth, and Navteq- based live traffic.

The 4050's mounting bracket integrates the traffic receiver and antenna, making for a very clean installation- much nearer than the LG LN740's. Unfortunately, you can’t click and zoom the map to see the location of traffic incident, but the 4050 will recalculate your route to avoid them. On the road, the Magellan 4050 performed well, with loud, clear turn-by-turn directions.

Though the Maestro 4050 isn't perfect, its voice navigation feature provides a real glimpse into the future of personal navigation devices.

Magellan Maestro 4050: $699.95

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