TOMTOM GO 520 530 720 730 920 930 CAR FRICTION HEAVY DASH GPS Mount Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd recently purchased a TomTom(TT)720 and decided I wanted a friction/dash mount for it to use on an upcoming vacation. You know, less evidence that we have a GPS unit and reduce the risk of having our rental broken into.
First I purchased a Bracketron UFM-100BL Nav-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad which is a round, doughnut shaped, beanbag dash mat. While fine for other GPS units, it was not compatible with my TT720. The doughnut is just too thick. When you stick the standard short suction cup mount to it, my 720 could do little more than face almost straight up (okay, more like a 30° angle). At the time that I'm writing this, there is a customer photo that shows you what I mean at the link above. I considered keeping it and modifying it to make it work, but my wife convinced me that I should just return it and get a proper mount. I'm glad she did!
This mounting kit is perfect! This kit included both the horseshoe shaped mat/friction mount, and a longer (and better in my opinion) suction cup mount. The horseshoe shape solves the problem of the weighted beanbag portion of the mat getting in the way of your GPS unit and the upgraded suction cup mount is much more adjustable than the little one that came with the unit. The nonslip bottom combined with the weight keeps this thing stuck to the dash even without installing the "safety hook" that comes with it. When I park, I just put the GPS in my pocket and tuck the mount and charger under my seat.
Two things about the safety hook. I guess someone didn't think this thing was secure enough on the dash, so they decided they needed to add a plastic hook that you can (semi)permanently mount to your dash with double sided tape, just as an added precaution. First, we had a rental, so I wasn't going to mount this hook to it's dash. Second, if thieves notice the little ring left on your windshield from a suction cup mount, wouldn't they notice this hook mounted on your dash? Well, in any case, mine didn't move at all without the hook. You'd have to really be doing something extreme to get it to move, and if those extreme forces aren't coming from a traffic crash, then maybe you're doing some offroading. And if THAT is the case.. I'd bet you'd be looking for a different kind of mount anyway.
In short, I couldn't be happier.

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Portable, Non-Skid Friction Dash Mount for the TOMTOM GPS UnitsCompatible Units: TomTom GO 520 530TomTom GO 720 730TomTom GO 920 920P 930Included w/ your purchase today1x Mini Suction Mount1x TomTom GO x20 Adapter Plate1x Heavy Friction MountOne Year Warranty.

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

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(More customer reviews)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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