TomTom ONE Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator
by TomTom
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Our Price: $409.44 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $35.00 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of TomTom ONE Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator
Customer Review: TomTom ONE a great help
Summary: 5 Stars
The TomTom ONE is the first GPS navigation system I've used much. After trying it out in my neighborhood, I used it on two trips - one from MD to FL and back again, and another where I flew to the Dallas/Ft.Worth area and drove a rental around for several days. Actually, a few weeks GPS rental would cover the cost of the unit. (The cost of getting a GPS nav system with a rental car is relatively high, considering the cost of the GPS unit compared to that of the car.) In each case the TomTom ONE operated as well as I could have expected. In general I've found that I can rely on it so much that I have to remind myself to pay attention to where I am and learning the route.
It sometimes takes a while to get a GPS fix at startup, but I've noticed this is much less when clear line-of-sight to the sky is available in all directions. GPS satellites send out some data required for a 'fix' on a 30-second cycle, so getting that from multiple satellites (at least 3 required) will rarely be much less than half a minute.
I found I-95 blocked at one point, and was able to instruct the unit to find an alternate route. This involved a trip through back roads and tiny communities, and was way more interesting (though slower) than the highway. Of course, it would have been a major inconvenience to have the GPS unit become unavailable at that point. The rechargeable battery lasts for long enough that I could recharge the unit at night and then drive for close to two hours with no power cable before battery life became critical.
The only feature I'd like added (or that I couldn't find, since I didn't study the manual) is the ability to indicate a blockage of a road segment that you are NOT currently on. I could tell the unit that the current road was blocked so it would find an alternate route, but I could find no way to do that for a road that I knew was blocked but hadn't turned onto yet.
The touch-screen works well, the volume and display brightness were adequate at the default settings, and it recalculates directions quickly. The options for changing its settings were generally intuitive, and I didn't need to refer the manual for anything. I had no problems attaching it to the windshield as long as I gripped the suction-cup mount firmly and applied pressure. I have some directionally-challenged friends who could greatly benefit from one of these, and the refurbished models should be great deals. Overall, I'd say this is a great product at a good price.
Customer Review: Excellent portable customizable GPS at the right price
Summary: 5 Stars
After a great deal of research into similar models at a comparable price (Garmin SP330, etc.), I decided to go with the TomTom One. I must say that I have been nothing but pleased with the purchase. I found the TT1 extremely intuitive to use, and using the Tomtom Home application makes updating, backing up and customizing my TT1 very easy. Within an hour of opening the box, I had already downloaded and installed additional Points of Interest (Dunkin Donuts, Retail Stores such as Best Buy and Walmart), Voices (the celebrity voices make driving directions fun) and Map Colors (there are a variety of uniquely colored map schemes available) - I found all of these customizable features to make an already solid unit even better and tailored to my specific tastes. In terms of actual use, I find the TT1 to be pretty spot on with mapping and navigation - about 99% of the time. Occasionally it will plot a less direct route than I would have personally taken, but the great thing is I can just ignore it and it will adjust the route (in seconds) based on which direction I turned. I love the feature where you can simply tell it to avoid part of the route and it will recalculate (i.e. don't take me on the highway). Granted, many say the POIs are outdated which they may be, but will a POI database ever be truly up-to-date with all of the changing restaurants, stores etc.? I think this criticism of the TT1 may be a bit harsh given all that you get for under $300 - I find the major attractions (parks, beaches) and "critical" POIs (gas stations, police/fire dept.) are all there. As a basic GPS unit, it does the job. I had a "How did I live without this moment" last weekend, where I was driving through a remote part of CT and where I would have likely second guessed directions and gotten lost before, I was able to push forward with confidence knowing I had my TT1. I am extremely pleased with the features, ease of use and value I am getting out of this unit and would recommend to anyone looking for a solid GPS unit. I would also recommend, in terms of accessories, a carrying case and a more flexible mounting unit (you can find ones online that allow you to either mount to windshield, dashboard or vent and are easier to place the unit in). As Tomtom is a growing company in the US, I can only expect the POIs, Maps and Customizable Features to get better in the future.Customer Review: Very good inexpensive GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
I got my TomTom One Limited Edition (with SD card slot) on Black Friday sale and I really like it. I have used Garmin Nuvi 350 for a while and liked it too. Both units are comparable in size and in performance, except that the TomTom One is 2.5x cheaper than Nuvi 350. I tested TT and Nuvi to see how they perform in a new housing subdivision in my neighborhood. They made exactly the same mistakes not recognizing new streets and telling me to drive into the same house where both units showed a non-existing road. This wasn't a major setback for me. Maps do need to be constantly updated, but in real life situation these minor errors wouldn't stop me from eventually finding my way around.
I compiled a list of more important differences I found between the two units. I listed them as someone who just needs a basic, solid, intuitive and accurate navigation while driving. I don't need the GPS to be a telephone, MP3 player, portable shower, etc.
Bad things about TomTom One in comparison to Nuvi 350:
- Rather cheesy mounting and not as easy to disconnect as Nuvi. This is a big deal if you need to take it out frequently to hide from unethical passersby or to plan new routes in the comfort of your home.
- TT doesn't turn On automatically when you start the car, although it can be set to auto turn Off 10 sec. after the ignition.
- The TT doesn't dim automatically to night mode and back like the Nuvi does; you need three taps on the screen to do it.
Now the good things about TomTom in comparison to Nuvi:
- Two and a half times less expensive, and by that I mean the rock-bottom sale prices for new units ($119 for TT One and $299 for Nuvi 350).
- Less pointless talking. I found the constant "recalculating" announcements of Nuvi quite annoying after a while. Spoken street names aren't necessary to me either, but I can see that someone else may find this feature valuable. I preferred the simple spoken announcements of TT.
- Although the official TomTom support is apparently lacking, there is a huge unofficial support from TomTom groups and forums out there.
- The TT is great for international travel being very popular overseas with maps and new corrections available all over the internet.
Overall it was the price that sold me on TomTom. :D
Customer Review: TomTom One vs. Your Destination (Battle of the GPS)
Summary: 5 Stars
First let's start off by saying for it's price range and features there's no comparison---1:THE CHIPSET used is called SiRFstarIII, in a review of this chipset I would definitely rate It a 10, first off in my use of the chipset in seconds as you go off course, which I have done numerous times it recalculates new directions in seconds and also in comparison to the GARMIN 360 which my good friend and I compare and argue about all the time it does so with out having to continuously state "Calculating new directions" over and over again and it's also FASTER then the GARMIN 360 unit. The signal pick up and strength is also excellent as is the GARMIN 360 unit also---2:THE MAPS used for the American version of the TOMTOM ONE are TELE ATLAS maps as the GARMIN 360 uses NAVTEQ maps (In theory the Tele Atlas maps are not as developed for North America as they are for Europe also it is said NAVTEQ maps in theory are better for use in North America)---3:THE USE in travel from home to work it chose the identical route I use every day but on my return home as I began to exit the off ramp of the highway in which I'm to make a sharp left TOMTOM ONE instructed me to continue straight and go around the block to get back on the same road I could have just made the left on to, also on a trip from Newark NJ to Paterson NJ the exit should be 155P on the Garden State PKWY the TOMTOM ONE had the exit as 156P and on another note if your looking up let's say WACHOVIA Banks that are close to you the TOMTOM ONE will just list the Banks and the distance that are positioned where you are at that moment not the Addresses and Telephone numbers as the GARMIN 360 does (GARMIN 360 announces the street names also) Also the TOMTOM ONE tells you if there are pay tolls involved in your route and sometimes even if you press yes to take the toll road it bypasses it (could be if you have your settings on fastest route instead of shortest route) I have not traveled very long distances yet but I have read in other reviews that a trip of 1 hour or more the TOMTOM ONE WILL NOT get you LOST but MAY take you 10-15 minutes out of your way, with that said I LOVE THIS UNIT and once again NOTHING in it's price range can compare. (In traveling with the GARMIN and TOMTOM mounted on the window shield in short distances it chose the same routes)Customer Review: Love my TomTom One
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this GPS since early December '06 after being introduced to GPS navigating in a friend's car using a Garmin unit. Being familiar with the Garmin over a 3 day period, I decided I needed a GPS to stop the arguing with my hubby as to where we are and when to turn, etc. He's directionally challenged. Anyway, I decided against the Garmin because I disliked the size of it and the nav screen when compared to the TomTom One. Also, you were pretty much stuck with the one female voice who would constantly say "re-calculating, re-calculating", etc. if you made a wrong turn.It would take a long time for the Garmin to re-calculate, whereas with the TomTom One, it doesn't keep repeating that it's re-calculating, but rather, it instantly updates your position and displays the new directions. Much less irritating! And, much faster, too. I have updated to the new free maps for US and Canada and I can already see many new changes that are more accurate. This is the only mapping software that puts my house exactly where it is on the street. Searching on the Web, one can find POI's of all kinds, including red light cameras, speed traps in the US. Very helpful. It's pretty neat to have TomTom tell you that you are going xx above the speed limit in a speed trap zone. I sprung for the John Cleese voice and my husband and I now refer to the GPS as "John", as in "John says to turn right, and so we will". His voice comes up with some cute expressions, like when you need to make a u-turn, or pay a toll or when you've reached your destination.
All in all, I can't imagine a better GPS at this point in time. Sure, there may be a few quirky things, but they are picky in the overall usefulness of the device. There are also new upgrades available thru TomTom, such as the new US maps, a better PC Home interface, a firmware upgrade for the latest and quickest GPS satellite chips. If one takes advantage of all these new updates/upgrades, all at no additional cost, you'll have the best GPS out there for under $500.