TomTom XL 330 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Clam Shell Packaging) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So far I had owned 3 GPS devices: the Tomtom One 3rd edition, the Garmin nuvi 350 and this latest Tomtom 330s model. Before owning, I have used the Garmin Streetpilots given by many car rentals.
By far, this is the best of the three:
Pros:
- Wide screen
- Text to speech
- LOUD speaker (I've read some reviews of a soft speaker - I guess either it was a bad batch of devices, or you didn't read the instructions on how to change the volume. With mine, on 80% it's blasting over the radio AND road noise.)
- Volume adjusts to driving speed
- great GPS reception (even in NYC, although sometimes because of tall buildings can have a little trouble finding current position, but that's the problem with ALL of the GPSs I've had, including the very highly reviewed nuvi 350)
- The new Easyport mount that eliminates the need to carry three things for your trip: the Device, the mount (sometimes more than one part) and the car charger. This new mount is a blessing and a small nuisance at the same time since it makes it slightly more difficult to fit snugly into a pocket or a pouch, but is definitely more of a pro than a con because of its simplicity of use and the eliminated extra plastic thing to carry. This little issue can be solved either by buying the Tomtom carrying case (the one made specifically for the models with the easy mount for an extra ~$28 on Amazon), or simply by detaching it from the back since it is detachable. Though detaching it, some would say, is defying its purpose...
- "Tomtom Home" software is a breeze to use and lets you add user updates to the maps when roads get blocked or other changes take effect to the preinstalled map.
- Device SOFTWARE SOFTWARE SOFTWARE: The best software of a device I've had the pleasure of using. Explanation follows:
The software allows much more intuitive handling of the device than any Garmin I've found.
It's quick, it's easy, and the most important, when you search for a name of a POI, it uses the more modern approach that allows you to type any letter or word no matter where it appears on the name of the POI and it'll show you the results on the list.
There are dozens of advantages in the software over the one of the Garmins I've used but I can't possibly list them all.
Some important features to note are that the actual Navigation Screen View gives you so much more clear information (which one can, of course, tweak to one's liking) such as current time, time of arrival, total trip distance, remaining time to destination, GPS signal strength, next turn's street name, current street name, direction of and distance to next maneuver (which nuvi 350 garmin only tells you which way to go right before the turn), and to that you can add a compass, change the car symbol and even more impressive - the color scheme of the map!
I have to say this is just a SHORT list of software features I absolutely love and think are on a much higher level of sophistication than what I've seen of Garmin.
Cons:
I really have to strain to think of any, but there are some minor ones (after all, nothing's perfect)
- As I said the Easyport mount can be a little problematic when fitted into a pocket, but it CAN be removed from the back (see pros).
- The car charger takes a little practice to insert it easily.
- The "Password" feature when powering on the device seems more fluff than a hindering threat. It doesn't really lock the device if for example you enter the wrong password three consecutive times or so, it just won't let you use the device until the right combination is entered.
- No bluetooth capability. For some it's a con, but for me personally it's a pro (because I don't really need it anyways, and if any corner should be cut to make the product less expensive, this is it!)
- The map isn't as pretty as on the garmins. It has a little more jagged lines but, if visual beauty is important to you in a map representation of a GPS, you're really looking in the wrong direction...
In other words, warmly recommended for the people who are interested in getting the best GPS for their hard-earned dollars.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom XL 330 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Clam Shell Packaging)

The TomTom XL 330-S is easy-to-use widescreen navigation. TomTom's award-winning software means effortless navigation from point A to point B. Switch on and go right out of the box. Just enter the address on the touchscreen and start driving anywhere in the United States or Canada. TomTom guides you door-to-door with turn-by-turn spoken instructions including street names. And 3D graphics help guide you to your destination.


An extra-wide touchscreen helps you find your way, worry-free.

The XL 330-S is preloaded with millions of points of interest to enhance your traveling experience--easily find your favorite gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and more.

TomTom has the most accurate maps, and with TomTom Map Share technology, you instantly can modify street names, street direction, points of interest, and more on your own device. And with the "Help Me!" menu, added safety features enable you to easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.

The Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car.

Go confidently.

XL 330-S Features
Maps of United States and Canada with TomTom Map Share
Spoken Street Names
Fold & Go EasyPort Mount
4.3-inch Touchscreen

All TomToms Feature
Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.

Preloaded Points of Interest--Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more on your route.

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.

TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.

Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.

TomTom HOME--Always up to date.

Traffic Ready--Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.

Fuel Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.

Why TomTom? TomTom believes that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. TomTom develops smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.
Easy to Use

Award-winning navigation software
Plug & go

Best Maps

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee
Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share

Best Routing

QuickGPSfix
Traffic ready

Leader in Safety

Help Me! emergency resources menu
Safety preferences menu

What's in the Box XL 330S GPS device, EasyPort mount, USB cable, adhesive disk, car charger, and user guide
About TomTom Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high-quality products and services.
TomTom is a leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further its commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so that the company can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.

TomTom has its own mapping company!

Did you know that every year, roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about TomTom XL 330 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Clam Shell Packaging)

Read More...

TomTom XXL 550T 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Traffic Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got TomTom550TM about two weeks ago. It replaced my TomTom Go 730 with 4.3" screen.
This will be my 5th GPS device so far. I consider TomTom Go 730 a pretty modern GPS with a lot of good features, so I will review TomTom 550TM in comparison to that one.
Let me start with the cons:
- No Bluetooth hands-free, FM transmitter, SD reader, etc. But, I disabled the BT and FM in my Go anyway and I do not miss them at all.
- Fewer menu options; mostly due to missing extra functionality, and some regarding what is displayed on screen. I find displaying the current speed and the speed limit on the screen redundant, it would have been nice to have the choice to display perhaps the compass instead.
And the pros:
- Simple menu! Who cares about 8 things when you are trying to just enter a new address?
- Large screen is a relief to your eyes. Driving in summer is enough strain on the eyes.
- Clever interface. The lanes are clearly displayed on the screen at critical times.
- Reads names of streets just like the Go does (though this is a standard feature now).
- Last but not the least lifetime traffic and map updates. Traffic updates are a nice to have, though I never was in a situation that they were critical with my older TomTom GPS. However, map updates are a must. I found myself looking for non-existent ramps and exits more often in the last year, so 550TM with its lifetime map updates will hopefully get rid of such annoyances.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom XXL 550T 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Traffic Edition)

Outsmart traffic with the TomTom XXL 550·T. With complete 5-inch widescreen navigation plus Lifetime Traffic Updates* you'll always outsmart traffic and avoid delays with real-time information via your TomTom. TomTom automatically updates you with the latest traffic information, recalculates your trip time, and suggests alternate routes. Since TomTom has the industry's most accurate and dependable maps you'll have access to one million more miles of roads than you would using other GPS brands. Navigate to any location in the US, Canada or Mexico--or directly to one of 7 million preloaded points of interest. Finding your way has never been easier, using TomTom's new EasyMenu and spoken turn-by-turn instructions including street names.


Only TomTom has IQ Routes*. This exclusive technology evaluates routes based on actual traffic speeds, rather than posted speed limits, and will recommend the fastest route for the time of day. You'll always be directed to the quickest, most efficient route. Advanced Lane Guidance** provides extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions by showing you which lane to take, so you won't miss your turn or have to make dangerous lane crossings. Photorealistic images and a pulsing green arrow indicate exactly which lane to use.

Eighteen percent of the nation's road information changes every year. With TomTom's exclusive Map Share On-Demand Updates, you have the ability to update your own map instantly or download verified updates from other drivers. Update your TomTom daily or whenever you wish.

The "Help Me!" menu lets you travel with peace of mind. It provides added safety features so you can easily access local emergency providers such as police, fire stations, and hospitals. The "Where Am I?" feature pinpoints your exact location so you can accurately communicate it to emergency resources.

The award-winning Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds neatly onto the back of the device, so both are small enough to fit into your pocket or bag.

Maps of US, Canada & Mexico TomTom is known the world over for the accuracy and extensive coverage of its maps. TomTom maps include 1 million more miles of road than other GPS brands and have been rated highest in terms of quality and reliability.

Lifetime Traffic Updates* Always outsmart traffic and avoid delays. View live, real-time traffic information on your TomTom. You receive non-transferable traffic data until the product's useful life expires or TomTom no longer receives traffic updates from its suppliers, whichever is shorter. Details and terms at www.tomtom.com/legal.

EasyMenu Easily access all of TomTom's powerful features through its simple and intuitive two-button menu. Just a tap gets you started, and easy-to-follow commands and recognizable icons lead you through a quick start-up process to get you on the road in no time.

7 million Points of Interest Comes preloaded with more than 7 million points of interest in over 60 categories. Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels and more on your route. Or, seek out a new tourist attraction, nightlife spot or shopping center and navigate directly to it. Customize by adding your own favorites.

IQ Routes* Despite posted speed limits, traffic traveling along a road at 8 a.m. moves at a different pace than it does at 2 p.m. Actual traffic speed is affected by rush hour, traffic light changes, pedestrian traffic, day of the week, and more. Only TomTom offers exclusive technology that evaluates routes based on actual traffic speeds, rather than posted speed limits, and will recommend the fastest route for the time of the day.

Advanced Lane Guidance** TomTom provides extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions by showing you which lane to take, so you won't miss your turn or have to make dangerous lane crossings. Photorealistic images and a pulsing green arrow indicate exactly which lane to use.

Announces Street Names Keep your eyes on the road while your TomTom announces turn-by-turn directions, including street and place names.

5-Inch Touchscreen Expand your horizons with a 5-inch extra-wide touchscreen. A wide screen allows an expanded driving view and easier menu operation.

Fold & Go EasyPort Mount The award-winning Fold & Go EasyPort mount provides maximum portability. It folds neatly onto the back of the device, so both are small enough to fit into your pocket or bag and can be taken with you wherever you travel.

*Feature available in the US and Canada only **Feature available in the US only

All TomToms Feature
Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.

30 Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.

TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.

Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers such as police, fire stations and hospitals.

TomTom HOME--Always up to date.

Fuel Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.

What's in the Box TomTom XXL 550T device, EasyPort mount, USB cable, adhesive disk, car charger with integrated traffic, and user guide

About TomTom Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high quality products and services.
TomTom is the world's leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further our commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so we can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.

We have our own mapping company! Did you know that every year roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.

Why TomTom? At TomTom, we believe that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. We develop smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.

Get 28% OFF

Click here for more information about TomTom XXL 550T 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Traffic Edition)

Read More...

TomTom XL 340S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Bundle) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)just received my new GPS today, plugged it into my mac, and installed tomtom's mac version of their home software. everything has worked well so far and the free map update installed fine. there are two main things that purchasers need to know:
1) space is very limited on the device. there is only 2 GB of internal flash memory and out of the box there was less than 50 MB free. the very first thing you should do is to delete voices in languages you don't use. this will free up a couple/three hundred MB. they can get backed up to your computer so you could always put them back in the future. once a bit of space is freed up you'll be able to update the device without issue. after removing spanish and french voices, running update which installed a new dave voice, and then installing the free map update i was left with 89 MB free. when i tried to run update before removing the voices, the unit warned me about lack of space and aborted without creating any further problems. maybe the mac version of home is more robust than the windows one in this respect.
2) the device only supports USB 1.1 transfers which max out at a bit over 1 MB/sec and can be slower. so doing a full backup or a map update will take quite a while (1-2 hours) and this is normal.
for me, those limitations are more than offset by the large, bright screen, text2speech capability, crowd-sourced map/route updates, and cheaper southern africa maps (we're moving there soon). especially given the cheap sale price i found. i will provide updates as i put unit through paces on cross-country trip and then intercontinental move.....

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom XL 340S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Bundle)

The TomTom XL 340·S Bundle includes the TomTom XL 340·S device plus a Soft Quilted Carry Case. The XL 340·S is complete navigation, in a widescreen device. Switch on and go right out of the box. Spoken turn-by-turn instructions including street names will guide you to any address in the US, Canada and Mexico--including more than 7 million preloaded points of interest. And, with the protective Soft Quilted Carry Case, you can easily transport and store your XL 340·S device.

IQ Routes Technology* gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel on your route to calculate your trip rather than only posted speed limits, so you'll always travel the smartest route. Advanced Lane Guidance** provides extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions by showing you which lane to take, so you won't miss your turn or have to make dangerous lane crossings. Photorealistic images and a pulsing green arrow indicate exactly which lane to use.
TomTom has the most accurate maps and with TomTom Map Share technology you can instantly modify street names, street direction, POIs, road speeds and turn restrictions on your own device. With the "Help Me!" menu, there are added safety features so you can easily access local emergency providers.
The award-winning Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car.The XL 340·S Bundle is complete, widescreen navigation plus a Soft Quilted Carry Case.
Maps of US, Canada & Mexico with Map Share Preloaded with maps of the US, Canada and Mexico. TomTom has the most accurate maps and with TomTom Map Share technology you can instantly modify street names, street direction, POIs, and more on your own device and receive daily verified updates from TomTom. Spoken turn-by-turn instructions and 3D graphics will guide you to any address in the US, Canada and Mexico, worry free.
7 Million POIs Preloaded with more than 7 million points of interest in over 60 destination categories. Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs and more on your route. Or, seek out a new tourist attraction, nightlife spot, or shopping center and navigate directly to it. Customize by adding your own points of interest.
IQ Routes Technology TomTom IQ Routes Technology puts the driving experience of millions of TomTom users into your maps to shave time off even the shortest trips. Calculates the fastest route possible based on time of day.With TomTom IQ Routes you'll always drive the smartest, most efficient route. IQ Routes saves you time, fuel and money.
Traffic isn't the same during Monday morning rush hour as it is on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Heavy traffic, rotaries, traffic lights, and even pedestrians can slow you down. The route you need changes depending on the day and time, so the shortest route isn't necessarily going to be the fastest. With TomTom IQ Routes you'll always drive the fastest route.
Advanced Lane Guidance* TomTom Advanced Lane Guidance gives you extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions by showing you which lane to take, so you won't miss your turn or have to make sudden, dangerous lane crossings. Photorealistic images and a pulsing green arrow indicate exactly which lane to use, so you can go confidently.
Spoken Street Names Announces turn-by-turn directions aloud, including street and place names.
4.3" Touchscreen Expand your horizons with a 4.3" extra-wide touchscreen.An additional 20% in size allows an expanded driving view and easier menu operation.
Fold & Go EasyPort Mount The award-winning Fold & Go EasyPort mount provides maximum portability. The EasyPort mount folds neatly onto the back of the device, so both are small enough to fit into your pocket or bag. The EasyPort mount makes your device even more portable so you can take it with you wherever you travel.
Traffic Ready Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.
*Feature only available in the US and Canada**Feature available in the US only
All TomToms Feature
Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.
30 Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.
TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.
Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers such as police, fire stations and hospitals.
TomTom HOME--Always up to date.
Fuel Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.
About TomTom Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high quality products and services.
TomTom is the world's leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further our commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so we can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.
We have our own mapping company! Did you know that every year roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.
Why TomTom? At TomTom, we believe that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. We develop smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.

Get 13% OFF

Click here for more information about TomTom XL 340S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Bundle)

Read More...