20. AAA Travel Information

Figure 54: Accessing the AAA TourBook

To access the AAA TourBook, tap on "Points of Interest" from the Main Menu, and then tap the "TourBook" icon from the "Search by Category" screen, shown above. (Main Menu -> Points of Interest -> AAA TourBook

Figure 55: Choosing the AAA TourBook Category

This screen is the AAA TourBook menu. From here you can search the AAA Tourbook by tapping on "AAA TourBook Information". If you have a AAA membership, you can also tap on "Show Your Card & Save" to view special discounts available to AAA members, find authorized repair shops ("Approved Auto Repairs"), find the nearest AAA office ("AAA Branch Offices"), or search for AAA rated campgrounds ("Campgrounds").

Let's take a closer look at the TourBook:

Figure 56: Choosing A TourBook Category

AAA's TourBook includes five categories to choose from:

• Accommodations
• Restaurants
• Destinations
• Attractions
• Events

Figure 57: Selecting an Item from the AAA TourBook Results List

Figure 58: Viewing TourBook Information - Restaurant Review

I was surprised how much detail is available for each POI in the AAA TourBook. For example, when looking up a restaurant, you'll see a good description of the restaurant, the hours of operation, the parking situation, and what (if any) credit cards are accepted.

Figure 59: TourBook Information - Restaurant Hours of Operation

AAA's TourBook displays detailed information about each entry, such what hours the business is open, the parking conditions at the POI, and whether or not they accept credit cards.

Figure 60: TourBook Information - Restaurant Parking/Credit Cards

AAA's TourBook also includes detailed information about local events, festivals, parades, etc. You can search the TourBook to find local events happening nearby -- a great feature for exploring new cities/towns.

I found myself frequently using the AAA TourBook in place of the POI database whenever possible. The only downside is that the POI database and AAA TourBook are not linked, so you have to toggle back and forth to do a complete search of nearby restaurants, for example, take a look at the following comparison between AAA TourBook's data and Magellan's own POI information::

Figure 61: AAA TourBook Search vs. Magellan POI Search

Searching for restaurants in the same area shows slightly different results between AAA's TourBook data and Magellan's POI content.

I wish Magellan would integrate the two data sources into a single, unified POI search function - perhaps showing a AAA icon next to POIs that have AAA TourBook information associated with them.

Also, Magellan's QuickSpell text entry system does not work within AAA's TourBook database, so when you search the AAA TourBook POI database all keys on the keyboard remain selectable.

21. Multi-Destination Routing & Route Optimization

Figure 62: Using the Trip Planner

The Trip Planner is used to create a route with multiple destinations. Magellan calls this type of route a "Trip". To access the Trip Planner, from page 2 of the Main Menu, tap the Trip Planner icon.

Select New from the Trip Planner Menu to start creating a new multi-destination trip. Once a trip has been saved, you can start the trip by tapping "Guide Me", delete it by tapping "Delete, Rename", or change the trip by tapping "Edit".

Figure 63: Naming a New Trip

You'll need to enter a name for the trip. Like previous Magellans, Maestro only allow a maximum of 11 characters when entering a trip name, a limitation I found...limiting.

Figure 64: Adding A New Destination to the Trip

To add the first destination to the trip tap on "Add".

Figure 65: Adding a Stop to the Saved Multi-Stop Route

Stops can be added to the saved trip by one of four methods:

• Enter Address - Enter an stop using standard address entry
• POIs - Enter a stop by searching the POI database
• Address Book - Use a saved address or previous destination from the Address Book
• Intersection - Enter two cross streets as a destination

Figure 66: Ordering the Stops on A Multi-Stop Trip

Stops can be added, removed, and re-ordered until all the desired stops, or destination addresses, have been entered into the "trip".

Figure 67: Optimizing the Stops

Many Magellan fans were disappointed when the most recent RoadMate and CrossoverGPS units removed the route optimization feature that was so popular on Magellan's previous GPS units. Thankfully, Magellan has added this powerful feature back to the Maestro 3140.

Optimizing a route re-orders the stops in the most efficient manner, sorting each stop by distance so that you are not driving back and forth in circles. Maestro 3140 allows you to select a stop on the trip itinerary and tap "Optimize" to have Maestro automatically order the destination in the best order.

Figure 68: Activating a Saved Multi-Stop Route

Once all the addresses have been entered and are in the desired order, you can begin navigating by tapping on "Guide Me" from the Trip Planner Menu and choosing the saved trip.

Multi-stop routing with optimization capabilities are powerful routing features not typically found on GPS devices in this price class, and Magellan deserves credit for adding this oft-requested feature back into the Magellan offering.