TomTom GO 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

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(More customer reviews)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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Garmin GVN 53 North American Remote GPS Navigation System Review

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(More customer reviews)For quite sometime I was looking for a way to show the screen of my Nuvi 770 on a big screen for the passengers to see. I considered hacking the Nuvi but discovered the GVN 53. I hooked it up to a 40" plasma screen in our mini bus but the picture is a bit pixelated but still very usable. I wouldn't say that the product is faulty since I beleive it was not meant for such a large screen. I'm sure it will work well with smaller screens.
It worked well and the functions and menu is very similar to the Nuvi. For others who might be wondering, you cannot control the unit by touch screen that's why it came with a RF remote control. Navigating the menu using the remote was easy but entering data is not very convenient. The remote being RF doesn't have to be pointed to the unit like an IR remote. The signal of the remote is strong anywhere in the mini bus. The only problem I encountered was the unit sometimes hangs. Shutting the engine and restarting would reset the unit. I find it expensive considering it has no touch screen LCD like the Nuvi but a good solution to what I need.

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20 Channels - Warm Start 1 Second(s) - Proprietary, Headphone, DC Power Input, Antenna, Mini USB

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Garmin nüvi 2460LMT 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map & Traffic Updates Review

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(More customer reviews)We owned a Garmin Nuvi 760 for years and were very happy with the unit. Solid features and solid construction. Had no plans to upgrade till the unit was stolen from a rental car. I considered other manufacturers but kept coming back to Garmin. Reviewed their products, relative features, and written opinions, did my feature and cost comparisons and settled on the 2460LMT. Why?
1. I wanted the larger 5" screen. When you are driving your attention should be on the road. Larger features are easier to read and understand. Even the difference between a 4.3" and 5" unit is important and helps when you are driving in an unfamiliar city.
2. The voice command feature allows you to operate the unit hands free. The voice recognition performance of the unit is excellent and the menu structure is thoughtfully formulated. This is a great feature.
3. The routing/navigation feature-sets are the most current available since this is a new unit release. The auto zoom on the map is a nice addition. The lane assist feature that Garmin implemented is also very helpful when you are in heavy traffic in an unfamiliar city.
4. The construction of the unit seems solid. Having dropped my 760 onto the pavement on occassion I was very concerned with the vulnerability of the glass screens on the 3760 and 3790 units - an issue reported by some users. If you are going to own a GPS (or cell phone) you are going to drop it, so having a durable unit is important.
5. The Garmin touch screen has good sensitivity, good brightness and contrast, and limited glare (a bigger problem for capacitance type glass screens like the 3760 and 3790)
6. This unit has bluetooth for hands free calling - as did my 760. This is a nice feature that allows you to keep your hands on the wheel and attention on road - where they belong.
7. I chose the LMT variety because I travel often for work, and all over the country. The lifetime maps and traffic are a great deal compared to buying a unit and then paying for map updates and a travel subscription. Map updates do matter. If you are buying a GPS, buy one with the lifetime maps and save yourself some money.
8. My old unit had MSN direct for online traffic, weather and gas pricing and I had purchased the lifetime access. MSN Direct is ceasing operations on Jan 2012 and only two current production Garmin units have a comparable feature using a different service provider - called NuLink. If you buy the NuLink unit, after the first year you have to pay an annual subscription fee to continue your online access. I didnt want that hassle and so picked the LMT for the lifetime traffic. As noted elsewhere, this comes with pop-up adds that appear when the vehicle is stopped. These are small banner ads that appear at the top 20% or so of the screen. They are far less intrusive than I feared when I read the alarmist horror stories written in some reviews. I spent last weekend visiting/driving in Chicago and my travel was not impeeded by these adds. The traffic alerts are clearly presented and understandable - but note that they are limited to major Metro areas. So you should look at the coverage area map link from the Garmin web site to ensure your city is covered if this is important to you.
So to summarize, this is a well built and very functional unit that matched my needs and performs better than I'd hoped. Certainly 5 stars.
And my final thought. Be sure to register your GPS with your manufacturer and use the locking feature if available (e.g. Garmin-lock). This will prevent a thief from ever being able to use your unit if it is stolen.

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The voice-activated 5-inch large screen nuvi 2460LMT is so easy to use you just talk to it. It's hands-free calling compatible and comes with free lifetime maps and traffic. A multi-point route planner automatically sorts multiple destinations into an efficient route. Includes lane assist with junction view, trafficTrends historical traffic, myTrends predictive routing, and speaks street names.

Includes Free Lifetime Map Updates With free Lifetime Map and Traffic updates, you always have the most up-to-date maps, points of interest and navigation information available at your fingertips. Traffic information is updated constantly, and map updates are available for download up to 4 times a year. Both features are ready to go, right out of the box, with no subscription or update fees and no expiration dates.

Speak Commands nuvi 2460LMT not only tells you where to turn but listens to your spoken commands. With its innovative speech recognition, you can control nuvi with your voice--allowing you to keep both hands on the wheel. Simply wake up nuvi with a customizable voice command and begin speaking menu options that are clearly displayed on the screen. Tell nuvi "Find Address" and speak an address to start navigating.

Experience nuRoute Technology with trafficTrends and myTrends nuvi 2460LMT includes nuRoute technology with trafficTrends historical traffic and myTrends predictive routing. With trafficTrends, your nuvi 2460LMT automatically learns daytime trends for traffic flow to improve your routes and better predict your estimated time of arrival based on time of day and day of week. With myTrends, when you save your regular destinations in your "Favorites," your nuvi 2460LMT will, over time, begin to figure out where you're going even without your telling it! It provides time of arrival and relevant traffic information. So whether you're driving to and from work or a regularly scheduled weekly event, your nuvi 2460LMT will help you get there on time.

Receive Free Lifetime Traffic Updates Steer clear of traffic with the integrated FM traffic receiver and free lifetime traffic updates. Receive alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. Next, simply touch the screen on nuvi to view traffic details or detour around the problem area.

Make Hands-free Calls For hands-free calling, nuvi 2460LMT integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 2460LMT while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with its touchscreen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap the screen and speak into its built-in microphone. Enjoy convenient one-touch dialing for contacts and points of interest.

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.

See Even More It's easy to see where you're going on nuvi 2460LMT's 5-inch (12.7 cm) touchscreen display. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. With its big, bold display, you won't miss a thing.

Plan Ahead nuvi 2460LMT includes advanced navigation features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 100 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 2460LMT's large screen. In addition, nuvi 2460LMT automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.

Get Turn-by-Turn Directions nuvi 2460LMT has an intuitive interface that greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator NT street maps for the U.S, Canada and Mexico with nearly 6 million points of interest (POIs) such as stores, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, gas stations, ATMs and more, and speed limits for most major roads in the U.S. and Europe.

Select Fuel-efficient Routes nuvi 2460LMT saves you gas and money with ecoRoute--a green feature that calculates the most fuel-efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. With ecoRoute, you have a "less fuel" option as a routing preference. When selected, nuvi will determine if a more fuel efficient route exists based upon road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route.

Navigate City Transit With its enhanced pedestrian navigation capabilities, nuvi 2460LMT is the perfect travel companion for getting around town. Download optional cityXplorer content to help you navigate city public transit. Know where to walk, where to catch the bus, subway, tram or other transportation and how long it will take to get there. cityXplorer maps are available for select cities throughout North America and Europe. And with prices as low as $9.99, you'll have money left over to spend in the big city.

Go Beyond Navigation Navigation is just the beginning. "Where Am I?" emergency locator finds the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersections. nuvi 2460LMT helps you remember where you parked by automatically marking your position when you remove it from your car. It's also compatible with lifetime traffic alerts (receiver purchase required) adnd includes travel tools, such as JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter and calculator. Photo navigation lets you download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos. The 2460LMT features Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with Garmin Garage where you can download free vehicles and voices. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards.

What's in the Box
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (Preloaded City Navigator NT North America [U.S, Canada and Mexico], Lifetime Maps and Traffic), FM Traffic Receiver With Vehicle Power Cable, Vehicle Suction Cup Mount, USB Cable, Quick Start Manual

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TomTom GO 2535TM 5-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic & Maps Review

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(More customer reviews)I like all the information that is displayed on screen, although I think it can be grouped a little bit better. I like being able to see the POI's on the screen.
Magnetic mount works good, traffic avoidance was great. The unit kept me up to date on whether I was taking the best route to avoid the traffic.
However, I very much disliked having to press a button to activate the voice control. The Garmin 2460LMT lets me say "Voice Command" and automatically comes on. As much as I would like to keep this, the Garmin voice control feature wins out.

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