Showing posts with label garmin nuvi 1450lmt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garmin nuvi 1450lmt. Show all posts

TomTom GO 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

TomTom GO 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

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Well, I have to admit really falling in love with this device over the last week. The reason I bought it is actually because of third-party software package provided by a company called Equinux that makes the TomTom Go Mac OSX compatible. This software is not included, but it's easy to find on the web.
It's this software packages, callled Tam Tam, that makes the TomTom Go, to my knowledge, the first, truly MAC OSX compatible car GPS. Which in my humble opinion is a far better solution than jury-rigged coding for extreme hackers who try and force Garmin or Magellan to work with the Mac operating system machinse or the truly sad compromise of using Virtual PC, which, as far as I understand, makes your mac vulnerable to all those nasty virus and techno-terrors aimed at PC/Intel boxes.

In deference to the review guidelines, I won't put the Equinux URL here, but it's easy enough to find them on the web. The main reason I bring Equinux up at all is because if it wasn't for their Tam Tam Mac OSX software, I never would have bought my TomTom Go and, Man, I would have missed out on a wonderful device.
Anyway, the device, TOMTOM GO, is fantastic! The 3D map views are clear and easily read and once you switch to a map section that applies to where you are the TomTom has no problem getting a GPS connection - I'm making this assumption because I live and work in the hills of Tennessee, North Carolina Virginia and if it can get GPS reception here than that's really saying something.
Also, I splurged for the pre-loaded version, and I think I made the right call, just because I didn't want to take too many chances considering the, at the time, compatibility concerns, concerns which have since been fully addressed.
There is one down side, because the US map is sectioned into 6 or 7 maps, even if the maps are all loaded you can't go from a specific address in one section to a specific address in another section. This is a bit of a bummer, but once you get a hang of using the Major US Roads maps, which lack most specific addresses, and see how easy it is to switch maps as you go along, this is soon resolved. It's this flaw and the rather lousy mount that are the only reasons this is a four, and not a five, star review.
On the case of the mount, it too is a problem that is easliy rectified with one of those jell sticky, easy-to-peal off pads you can use on your dash. Better that than the permanted adhessive disc TomTom provides if your planning to attach their mount to your dash instead of your window.
Anyway, aside from the address to address multiple map problem and the dashboard mount problem, this device is great and if, like me, you are a Mac enthusiast who has been waiting for years for a Car GPS complete unit (not just a receiver) that's truly Mac OSX compatible, than it is here... after a fashion.
All in all, the TomTom GO with Equinux Tam Tam software is probably the best investment I made all year!


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Getting directions has never been so stress-free. The TomTom Go meets all your GPS navigation needs and more, offering a standalone, portable, easy-to-use car navigation device that incorporates navigation software, maps, and a GPS receiver in a single device. The TomTom Go also comes preloaded with state and regional maps of the entire U.S. and country-wide and regional maps of Canada, with maps of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam available on CD-ROM. The TomTom Go is easy to mount on any dashboard or windshield and easy to remove if you want to place it in another vehicle. This unit runs primarily off a cigarette-lighter power cable, but includes a long-life rechargeable battery for portable use as well. The TomTom Go offers a vivid 3-D navigation view, which allows you to grasp your current position intuitively in the same manner in which you deal with the real world, which is particularly helpful when navigating junctions and roundabouts. You can also set the touch-sensitive LCD screen to a more simple 2-D display mode that increases the amount of text direction you can have on screen. Both views have day and night variations for easy viewing regardless of the lighting conditions. The modern and sleek design of the TomTom Go assures that it will fit in style with any vehicle, while its many features ensure it will guide you accurately and easily through any situation. This system doesn't require any subscription or start-up fees; you can simply take it out of the box, plug it in to your car, and start driving. The TomTom Go includes thousands of points of interest (POIs) in its maps, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and more. And to help make sure you get where you are trying to go, the TomTom Go provides clear spoken directions in any of its 11 included languages. The TomTom Go comes with everything you need to be up and running in no time. The package includes a convenient carrying case to protect your GPS unit during travel, an easy-to-follow installation poster, all the necessary power and connecting cables, and an installation CD containing PC connection software and extra maps. Simple and convenient for the modern traveler, the TomTom Go will help ensure you always know where you are, where you have been, and where you are going--and, most importantly, the way back home. What's in the Box TomTom Go GPS receiver, Secure Digital memory card with preloaded U.S. maps, TomTom software CD-ROM with Canada maps, universal mains power adapter, 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter, mini-USB cable, and user's manual.

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TomTom VIA 1435TM 4.3-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic & Maps Review

TomTom VIA 1435TM 4.3-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic and Maps
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This is the third TomTom I've owned, so I am familiar with their units going back for about 4 years. When I saw the announced Via units, I preordered a 1435TM, which arrived last week.
The good:
This is the most advanced TomTom I've owned in this price range. Screen is sharp and bright, the built-in mounting is very good, and the device is super thin. The free lifetime map updates are a big plus, as is the free traffic information. They build the traffic receiver into the charging cord, which seems to work well.
The information display is very clean while showing a lot of useful information. Calculation time for routes is fast, and the lane assist feature is helpful, although I have not been through a very complicated unknown interchange. The signs don't match what you see on the road, so you need to trust the lane designation.
The screen aspect rotates automatically depending on whether you mount it from above or below; which is very handy.
Voice recognition is very good, although this was not a big seller for me. The street name voice is noticibly robotic, but again, this was not a big selling point for me.
Little features like auto power-off when the charger power is stopped (IOW when you turn the car off) are helpful, but I would like it to take longer than 10 seconds, the only setting. The auto day/night color setting seems to work fine, but I cannot find anywhere where you can turn this setting on or off.
The not so good:
The touch screen is a tad less sensitive than I'd like. It's not a big problem, but can be annoying at times.
When entering an address, the unit is very laggy. This appears to be due to searching a huge database of city and street names, but it makes the address entry less fluid of a process than it could be. Type a letter or two, then wait for it to filter the available matches before it allows you to type in additional letters. Again, more of an annoyance than a true problem.
Overall I am very pleased with the purchase. It's not perfect, but it is a good value for the price in my opinion.

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TomTom VIA 1505M 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps Review

TomTom VIA 1505M 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps
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I just got my Tomtom VIA 1505TM yesterday, and having just got off the phone with the (easy to reach & very friendly & helpful) customer service here is what I wish I'd known before I bough this: it's still in Beta and isn't supported by a lot of Tomtom's infrastructure yet. For example, as of today (April 5th 2011) you aren't going to find it on most of the drop down menus on Tomtom's website or as an option on the phone menu when you call customer service. More seriously, it can't connect to Tomtom Home which is the software that allows you to do the fun things Tomtom offer like downloading voices or other doodads to your device. I was really looking forward to customizing my GPS with various voices and I'm sad I can't do that. I am assured that over the course of this year Tomtom will send updates to the VIA GPSes that will eventually allow them to join the party but for now there is very little support for this product. I think it's kind of weird to release a beta that has less functionality than the models it supersedes without clearly warning potential purchasers so I'm writing this review today. I also can't buy a carry case sized just to fit my VIA - which is a different shape to previous models because it attaches to my car using a different system. I'm told its a better system but since this is my first GPS I wouldn't know.
Hopefully by the end of the year (as I said, I'm writing this on April 5th 2011) this review will be obsolete but right now, if you purchase this GPS today, you will not be getting a fully supported device. I'm not happy at having been lured into Beta testing Tomtom's new product line, this is my first GPS and I paid $200 for it, I wanted a great experience right out of the box. As it is I'm just feeling a bit sad about the whole thing, and even the charming customer service hasn't made that go away.
The thing is, this is a really nice piece of engineering. It is super easy to set up and use. It works in a fundamentally different way to previous Tomtoms, and you can use it while it is plugged into your computer. A friend of mine has an earlier Tomtom and I know she gets frustrated at not being able to access her Tomtom while it is attached to her computer so that is a definite plus. I'm not complaining about the device itself, it is very cool. I'm told that this model is the future of Tomtom, and that in time it will do everything the other models do and more, but the fact is that it doesn't do that now, today, April 5th 2011.
So. Early adopters and devoted beta testers rejoice! This is definitely the Tomtom for you. Buy one and enjoy yourselves. But those of you who, like me, just want to get where you are going with a bit of fun along the way, and the least amount of hassle, might want to pick something else.

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