Magellan is showcasing a new line of RoadMate GPS units this week at CES that feature a widescreen display and optional traffic integration in the higher end models. The new 1400 series RoadMate models use a larger 4.3-inch widescreen touchscreen with three new models varying in features and price from $299 at the low end up to $399 with all the bells and whistles.

All the new models feature the widescreen view, 3D mapping, trip planner, QuickSpell for fast entering of addresses and an SD card slot for maps. The 1400, which is the $299 base model comes with maps of the continental US, Hawaii and Puerto Rico along with points of interest. Moving up to the RoadMate 1412, Magellan tacks on text-to-speech, maps of Canada and Alaska and another $150 to the price of the 1400.

Magellan is breaking GPS ground at CES by unveiling what it claims is the first GPS model to enable users to search for local events - from concerts to local library events - as well as local businesses and services. The Magellan Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS is set to price at around $1,300.

The Magellan Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS makes use of a wireless GPRS connection to let one search Google for businesses in a specific neighborhood, providing detailed, Internet-based information about those businesses. This connection will also deliver to users real-time traffic information, local weather forecasts, and makes it possible for users to wirelessly send addresses and notes to the GPS device directly from a PC with an Internet connection.

We can never get enough of GPS units here at Slippery Brick, especially when they are priced at what we consider to be a cheap price for the features offered. Enter therefore the Magellan RoadMate 1200, priced at around $230.

The RoadMate 1200 is considered a “pocket-sized form factor” with Magellan, which we find a little funny unless you have a huge empty cargo pant pocket available. It’s got a 3.5-inch touchscreen with an interface designed to cut down on input. It’s well loaded with data, containing the “latest NavTeq maps, which cover the 48 contiguous …