3. What's in the Box

The Magellan Maestro 3100 ships with the following items included in the box:

• Magellan Maestro 3100
• Windshield Mount
• Cigarette Lighter Adapter (12/24 volts)
• USB Data Cable
• Adhesive Disk for Dash Mounting

Figure 1: Maestro's Windshield Mount

The mount consists of a large suction disc that attaches to your car's windshield (you can use the adhesive mounting disc if windshield mounts are illegal in your State), and a dual-axis joint arm that can be articulated into the desired viewing angle. The two large knobs on the mount allow you to tighten the mount once its in the correct position.

Figure 2: Maestro's Windshield Mount, Extended

Once the mount is opened into the desired position, the tightening knobs lock the arm into place.

Figure 3: Maestro 3100 attached to the Windshield Mount

Connecting the Maestro to the mount is simply a matter of sliding the GPS onto the mount. Unfortunately, I found this more difficult to do that one might think. For starters, there are no guides or grooves to line up the mount with the GPS, so you have to guestimate exactly where to position the GPS on the mount. The GPS doesn't "click", or "snap" into place on the mount, meaning you have to just press down until you think its on securely enough. Finally, you cannot see the back of the unit when connecting it to the mount, so you find yourself fumbling around with the mount as you try to line up the mount with the GPS.

Figure 4: Included 12v Cigarette Lighter Adapter

The Maestro 3100 ships with a RoHS compliant 12v cigarette lighter power adapter. RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) basically just means the product is lead free -- I'm not entirely sure why it's worth advertising that on the sticker, but hey -- I'm all in favor of lead-free manufacturing!

Figure 5: Included USB Cable

Magellan includes a standard USB data cable for connecting the Maestro to a Windows PC (which you'll only have to do if you need to update the unit's firmware).

Figure 6: Magellan's Adhesive Mounting Disc

If you happen to live in a State or country where it is illegal to mount anything in the windshield of a motor vehicle, you can use the included adhesive mounting disc to mount the Maestro on your dashboard instead.

I'm personally not a huge fan of this method, as it is a much more permanent commitment than a simple suction cup on the windshield glass. Nevertheless, local laws may dictate that you use this method, and Magellan includes it in case you need it.

4. Hardware Design: Maestro 3100

Figure 7: Magellan Maestro 3100, Front

The Maestro 3100 looks almost identical to the more expensive, wide-screen Maestro 4040. Hold the Maestro 3100 in your hand, however, and the differences become more obvious. The 3100 feels to be much lighter construction compared to the 4000-series Maestro units. Unlike the solid, rugged metal casing on the 4040, the 3100 is constructed of light plastic.

Overall the Maestro 3100 is a relatively good looking GPS. The design is simple and elegant. It's not quite as handsome as Garmin's more sophisticated nuvi series, but the Maestro 3100 is also considerably less expensive than the nuvi's.