GPS Navigation System: TomTom START 45M 4.3-Inch GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps and Roadside Assistance
TomTom START 45M 4.3-Inch GPS Navigator wіth Lifetime Maps аnԁ Roadside Aѕѕіѕtаnсе
- 4.3-Inch Touchscreen
- Lifetime Maps іn US аnԁ Canada – Outsmart road changes
- Fuel Prices – Find thе lowest gas bу location аnԁ price
- TomTom Roadside Aѕѕіѕtаnсе – Reliable roadside аѕѕіѕtаnсе уου саn trust 24/7
- Advanced Lane Guidance – highlights thе сοrrесt lane
TomTom START 45M 4.3-Inch GPS Navigator wіth Lifetime Maps аnԁ Roadside Aѕѕіѕtаnсе
Other Products You May Like
GPS Navigation System: TomTom XXL 540M 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Maps Editi...
GPS Navigation System: TomTom XL 350 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished...
GPS Navigation System: For Toyota Corolla 2007-2010 in Dash Car DVD Player with GPS Navigation Syste...
GPS Navigation System: Valor Multimedia DDN-888W Navigation System
GPS Navigation System: Power Acoustik PTID-8920B In-Dash DVD AM/FM Receiver with 7-Inch Flip-Out Tou...
Decent GPS Unit with a few things to be aware of,
This is a pretty good GPS unit, there are some things to be aware of.
First, the positives:
The unit feels sturdy which I like. It’s also quite simple to use and the interface is easy to understand and it has a large easy to read screen (larger than smartphones). It also comes with free lifetime traffic alerts and map updates as well as user-generated map updates.
It tells you the speed limit as well as recommended lane to be in in many circumstances.
There are TONS of voices you can download via the TomTom app on your computer however many of them cost $12.95. There are many free user-submitted ones however not many of them are good. Also, only the built-in computer voice can speak street names (although your next turn does display on the screen with the name of the street). The downloaded character voices (which include characters such as Homer or Marge Simpson, Yoda, Darth Vader, etc) will not speak the street names and only tell you things like “prepare to turn right in 200 yards”. This makes sense if you think about it because it would not be possible for TomTom to synthesize each voice actors voice such that it could pronounce all the street names. They are only able to record a limited number of directions.
The built-in suction cup mount works quite well and is a nice design that seems to stick to the windshield quite well though I’m not sure how long it will hold up over time.
Now the negatives:
-If you are on a Mac, the TomTom software that comes preloaded on this unit does not work under OSX Lion (the current OS). Further, it took me a very long time to locate where on the TomTom website I could download the latest sync application. I finally found it, but using their website to locate it was almost like pulling teeth! I ended up doing a search on their homepage for the word ‘Home’ and was able to get the download link there.
-The gas station fuel prices service is only free for one year, then it turns into a paid service. But I could not for the life of me figure out how to get this feature to work. Even after downloading and installing it I could not find it on the unit whatsoever.
-There is only one included voice that can read the street names. TomTom should include several different voices that can read the street names so we can have more options.
-The downloaded voices seem much quieter in volume than the built-in voices.
-It comes with no case nor even a cloth bag! How am I supposed to store this when I’m not using it? The answer is you have to buy a separate case/bag for it or just store it loose, as is. It really should come with a case or at the very least, a cloth bag.
-The roadside assistance costs anywhere from $30. and up each time you use it. It may be okay for emergencies but if you already have an AAA card or equivalent that you pay annually for, you would be better off using that since that does not charge you per incident. This is not made clear in the product description nor on the TomTom website.
In all this is a good unit in this price range but if you have an iPhone you could purchase a software GPS app instead which maybe likely be fairly equivalent. You could even use a free GPS app such as Waze.
The competition with smartphone GPS apps is increasing and dedicated GPS units are going to have to be a lot more competitive in terms of included features and usability to remain relevant.
Was this review helpful to you?
|Great features and priced right!,
This is my fourth GPS unit, the other three are Garmins which are still working except two have outdated maps. Only one of my old GPS has a lifetime maps updates. This is my first Tom Tom and one of the first things I needed to do is get used to the interface. I still miss the physical volume knob control on my two oldest Garmins. This unit and my newer Garmin require you to go through the touch screen to adjust the volume, not very convenient when you are on the wheel.
My first task is to make sure it has an updated map. I plugged the USB (by the way it came with a USB cable, car adapter and dash/windshield mount) to the back of my iMac with Lion OS. It seemed to start the process but stalled. I then went to Tom Tom website and downloaded their software for Mac. This time it worked. Just make sure to set your computer not to sleep or it will result into an error. You will need to register first with your email and create a password. At first it looks like you would need to pay for the update, but click the PromoCode button and enter the code number from one of the insert papers that came with the unit. It was an hour download.
The quickest way to download the software is to type “Home” in their search button. The Top 5 questions and Answers will show no. 1 as “How to install HOME”, click that and you will be given choices for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac. For Lion you would need TomTom HOME 2.8.2
I bought one celebrity voice as I like a little fun when on long drives. One thing I noticed is that it cost more than my Garmin when I bought Dora and SpongeBob (that was three years ago though, price may have changed). I chose Homer for $12.95 and installation is quite easy. One caveat, Homer is stupid and doesn’t know the names of the streets, he just tells you to, “Turn right ahead!” But it is not Homer alone, most celebrity voices are like that. If you want the name of the streets to be announced, there are three built-in voices that do that, but only one in the English language. The other two are Soledad (Spanish) and Charlotte (French-Canadian). You also have the choice between male and female voices.
Pros:
+ Fast satellite connection on boot
+ You can select to put the current time on the screen so you can have comparison with the arrival time. The difference (time left before arrival) is also displayed.
+ It tells you the speed limit on the road where you are. The part of the screen that tells you the speed turns RED to warn you if you are over the speed limit. It happens when you reached 5 miles over the limit. Just watch out for roads under construction where the speed limit is lower than the regular speed limit.
+ When you are about to turn, it will show you the number of lanes at the bottom-middle of the screen. Some are grayed out and one (or a few) in white. It tells you to take the lanes that are shown in white.
+ Lifetime maps and traffic
+ The price is right.
Cons:
- No physical volume control
- The gas feature is only free for the first year
Was this review helpful to you?
|