Skip to main content

Is Magellan Getting Ready to Swallow Mio?

Is Magellan Getting Ready to Swallow Mio?

As you may recall, one of the biggest names in GPS seemed to be on the rocks around CES time this year, since Mio’s parent company Mitec snapped Magellan up in December. And with the umbrella company already having merged the European Navman brand into its homegrown Mio brand, it looked as if Magellan might be assimilated the same way.

Not so, says Raphel Finelli, Magellan’s senior manager of public relations. We caught with him at Magellan’s MobileFocus booth on Wednesday night, and got the details on its mysterious position following the merger. According to Finelli, Magellan is still alive and kicking under Mitec, and if anything, it’s Mio that will be merged into it.

Given the weight and standing of Magellan’s name, that would actually make more sense – and the company has product to show for it. It kicked out its first new units since the merger at CTIA: three new RoadMate units that trickle down features from its more expensive Maestro line. And although they’re manufactured by Mitec, Finelli claims that none of the software inside has been borrowed from Mio.

So unlike the 16th Century explorer it derives its name from, Magellan will keep on sailing. For now.

Editors' Recommendations

Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Managing Editor, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team delivering definitive reviews, enlightening…
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is getting a much-needed battery upgrade
Leaked render of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Battery life on the Galaxy Z Flip series has always been subpar. In fact, we dinged the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for its mediocre battery life in our review, saying: “If I take the Flip 5 off the charger at 7 a.m., it’s not uncommon to have less than 10% battery by 9 p.m. that evening.” We made similar comments about the Z Flip 4 and Z Flip 3, which could only last one day at best and not really a full day at that.

It seems Samsung is finally taking this to heart and is planning on bumping up the battery capacity of the Galaxy Z Flip 6. According to a leak from MySmartPrice, the Z Flip 6 (model number SM-F741U) has passed through Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification, and it will come with a dual cell 1,097mAh battery paired with a 2,790mAh battery, for a total of 3,887mAh (4,000mAh on the marketing material). That’s an increase from the Z Flip 5, which came with a 971mAh cell paired with a 2,620mAh cell, for a total of 3,591mAh that Samsung marketed as 3,700mAh.

Read more
Do you have Verizon? You can now get YouTube Premium for a lot cheaper
Two iPhones showing comparison of YouTube Premium prices.

It's not very often that a U.S. carrier wants to save you money. However, that's the case with the latest Verizon promotions.

Whether you're a new or longtime Verizon user, the company is now offering YouTube Premium as one of its myPlan perks. It costs $10 per month, which is a 30% savings compared to the normal $14 monthly rate. With YouTube Premium, you can watch millions of videos ad-free and gain access to YouTube Music Premium. The YouTube Premium offering goes live tomorrow, May 30. It's the latest of other perks Verizon has added with its myPlan overhaul from a little over a year ago.

Read more
This popular G-Shock watch is getting a $5,470 luxury makeover
Photo showing the G-Shock MR-G B2100B's dial.

One of the most popular Casio G-Shock shapes is about to get a luxury makeover as the octagonal 2100 watch passes through the hands of Casio’s MR-G team to become the very first MR-G 2100. It’s a very big deal for the watch, and as with all high-end, exclusive MR-G G-Shock watches, it comes with a very big price tag, too.

Since its release in 2019, the 2100’s distinct octagonal shape won the hearts of both G-Shock fans and watch collectors, and it has been made in a variety of different colors, with or without Bluetooth, and in different limited editions too. But getting the MR-G treatment is something very special, as this means it’s entirely reworked, and then assembled and hand-finished on Casio’s Premium Production Line by specially certified technicians.

Read more