The State of North Carolina may force us to close

We dutifully pay income tax on all revenue associated with the site, but that’s not enough for the state of NC, which wants to tax Internet sales. Normally you don’t pay sales tax on Internet purchases unless a company has a physical presence in your state, right? Well, the NC legislature is going to define website owners running ads as a physical presence for Amazon and others, just like they would if they had a warehouse or storefront here. Creative, huh?

This would allow the state to tax all Amazon purchases made by NC consumers, regardless of how they got to Amazon. You might imagine that these e-commerce companies are none too happy about this. As a matter of fact, many (including Amazon) have already ended their relationship with all NC websites to avoid it.

Which leaves us with few and unpalatable options — to move again, sell the site, completely revise our model or shut it down completely. Our GPS Deals site may be shuttered as well.

Changing the very nature of the Web

My wife made an interesting comment. If you’ve ever researched a product online, you’ve likely come across websites like ours. As the sites grow, most people turn to advertising to justify the time spent. Imagine them all going away.

How to help

One thing you can do is sign this petition. If you are a North Carolina resident, please consider calling your legislators and tell them you are opposed to the Internet tax provisions in S202. And if you think this is just an NC issue, rest assured, this is an early salvo in an attempt to tax all Internet purchases nationwide.

Thanks to everyone for four years of fun. It’s been a blast being able to test the latest gear and bring you all the news from the world of GPS. Here’s hoping we can stick around.

• A second screen has been added for the OneTouch menu, allowing you to store a dozen more favorite locations
• A noise-cancelling microphone aims to improve Bluetooth sound quality
• The Maestro 4700 adds “Predictive Traffic,” meaning the unit looks at historical traffic data when determining routes; this is similar to TomTom’s IQ Routes
• “Find your car” remembers your location; handy for those mega-mall parking lots

The Magellan Maestro 4700 lists for $299.99 and is available immediately. And if it’s as good as the RoadMate 1470 I recently reviewed, Magellan could have a winner here.

I’ve got the full news release after the jump:

Magellan(R) Unveils Next Generation Maestro(TM)

Magellan Maestro 4700 Boasts a New Design with a 4.7-inch Display, Voice Command, Bluetooth, and Highway Lane Assist

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 6 /PRNewswire/ — Magellan, one of the leading GPS brands, introduces the Magellan Maestro 4700 GPS device. The ultra-slim device features a wide 4.7-inch color touch screen and includes many premium features to deliver a robust navigation experience for users. In addition to Magellan’s OneTouch user interface, the Magellan Maestro 4700 device also performs advanced navigation tasks with built-in voice command capabilities and hands-free Bluetooth calling.

"The Magellan Maestro 4700 lets you keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel," said Mike Wagner, senior director of product marketing for Magellan. "We have incorporated voice command, Bluetooth, and highway lane assist to help you reach your destination with confidence. The large 4.7-inch screen is easily viewable in all lighting conditions. Thanks to our unique OneTouch favorites menu and our AAA partnership, the Magellan Maestro 4700 makes trip planning and traveling easier and less stressful."

  The Magellan Maestro 4700 features several premium features including:

  --  Exclusive OneTouch(TM) Favorites Menu:  Access favorite destinations
      and searches with personalized bookmarks. Reach your favorite cafe or
      restaurant in any city with a single touch.  To meet consumer
      requests, the Magellan Maestro 4700 now offers an additional twelve
      bookmarks to save favorites.
  --  Bluetooth Compatible Hands-Free Calling:  Make or receive calls using
      a compatible cell phone.  Access your phone's address book to access
      up to 1000 numbers directly from your Magellan Maestro 4700. The
      noise-cancelling microphone keeps road noise down so you are heard
      clearly.
  --  Predictive Traffic:  Analyzes past traffic patterns when creating a
      route to help you avoid known delays. Choose to stay on your current
      route or go with suggested less congested routes.
  --  Instant Access to All Points Of Interest (POI):  Perform one search
      and get results from both the standard POI database and the
      Magellan-exclusive AAA TourBook(R) guide. Results are organized in a
      tabbed format.
  --  "Find Your Car" with Pedestrian Mode: Remembers the location of your
      car in parking lots, airports, malls, universities, amusement parks or
      stadiums. When your day is done the Magellan Maestro 4700 will
      automatically guide you to your car.
  --  3D Landmarks:  Displays visual cues to help drivers perform maneuvers
      and find destinations.
  --  Larger Fonts: Makes viewing easier and safer while driving.
  --  Intuitive, Context-Driven Touch Zones: Provides drivers with a
      completely interactive map screen.
  --  New Address Book: Makes adding an address a snap with smart address
      summary that lets users save complete itineraries.

  --  QuickSpell(R) with Smart City Search: Allows quick, single-address
      entry or convenient multi-destination trip planning, including route
      optimization.

The manufacturer’s suggested price for the Magellan Maestro 4700 is $299.99. It ships with a windshield mount and cradle; 12-volt vehicle power adapter; USB cable, protective pouch, adhesive disk for alternative, on-dash mounting; and quick reference guide. For additional accessories, including cases, pouches, and other mounting options, visit www.MagellanGPS.com.

  Map updates for Magellan products can be purchased separately.

  About MiTAC Digital Corp.

MiTAC Digital Corp. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MiTAC International Corporation and promotes and sells products and services under the Magellan brand name. Magellan assists people to travel, work and play their way with leading portable navigation and positioning solutions across multiple consumer markets. Recognized as an industry innovator, the company is the producer of the award-winning Magellan RoadMate(R), and MaestroTM series portable car navigation systems, as well as the Magellan Triton(R) outdoor handheld navigation devices. MiTAC Digital Corp. is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information on Magellan, visit http://www.magellangps.com/.

About AAA

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its’ founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.

The Magellan logo, Magellan, RoadMate, QuickSpell, Triton are registered trademarks of MiTAC International Corporation and OneTouch, Maestro are trademarks of MiTAC International Corporation and are used under license by MiTAC Digital Corp. All rights reserved. The AAA TourBook, Roadside Assistance are trademarks of American Automobile Association. AAA(C) 2009 All rights reserved. All other trademarks and registrations are the property of their respective owners.

Things were a bit more dynamic on the handheld side, with the DeLorme PN-40 continuing its climb, advancing to the number three spot this month. And a second 500-series nuvi entered the charts, despite dual-use units being saddled with compromises.

As usual, the rankings below are based on the number of times each GPS review has been read here on GPS Tracklog.

Top ten auto GPS

1. Garmin nuvi 255W
2. Garmin nuvi 260W
3. Garmin nuvi 755T
4. Garmin nuvi 265WT
5. Garmin nuvi 855
6. Garmin nuvi 885T
7. Garmin nuvi 775T
8. TomTom GO 730
9. Garmin nuvi 205W
10. TomTom XL 340-S

Top 10 sport / handheld GPS

1. Garmin GPSMap 60CSx
2. Garmin Oregon 400t
3. DeLorme Earthmate PN-40
4. Garmin Colorado 300
5. Garmin eTrex Venture HC
6. Garmin nuvi 500
7. Garmin Forerunner 405Cx
8. Garmin Forerunner 405
9. Garmin nuvi 550
10. Garmin eTrex Legend HCx

New GPS reviews for June 2009:

• Garmin nuvi 1490T review
• Magellan RoadMate 1470 review