Tomtom One GPS

TomTom ONE

Posted Dec 27, 2006 - I purchased the TomTom ONE because I have used other TomTom GPS units before. Like the other TomTom products it is great but has its quirks. Some of the reviews listed complain about items that can be easily configured via the preferences options. These preferences are sometimes deep into menus and not always where you would believe them to be. Spending 15min going through the preferences menu will save you from a lot of unecessary grief. For those who are complaining about the lack of POIs, many GPS suffere from the same problem and there are plenty of sites where you can download and setup more more POIs. The unit is small and compact. After the initial setup, you can aquire sats in about 20secs or less depending on if you are in the country or city. In city canyons it will take a up to 50secs. The 3D view and the ability to automatically change over to night mode is excellent. The voice prompts are load and clear and is speed sensitive so the faster you are traveling the loader the voice. You can download a whole range of voices for the unit some free some not. TomTom just released the latest maps this past week and many of the new construction roads in my area can be found. Re-routes are quick and unlike in previous versions of the unit, should you know a better route it will eventually give up telling you to go its way and can figure out which way you want to go with very little fuss. All the Maps are on an a 1 gig SD card which you can easily make a backup. Maps are available for Europe but USA and Canada are included with the USA unit. The screen and what it displays are very configurable. While the unit comes with both an in-car charger and a USB cable that lets you charge off of your computer, its still only has about a 2hr to 3hr battery. If your plugged in and in the car, its great. If you are using it on travel and in walk mode or want to tell the cab driver where you want to go, the limited battery time is not so good. I wish it had an 6 to 8 hour battery. The suction cup of the past is gone with the newer unit released in the Nov/Dec 2006 time frame. The new unit is slimmer and the suction cup while still strange works very, very well. The unit has not fallen from the wind screen once in my 20+ usage thus far. This is strictly a Nav point-to-point unit. Know where you are going before leaving and then plug in all your stops before you go. You can easily add upto 38 Favorites and 100+ of your own POIs. If you want to use this for GeoCoding if you are into photography, then other units may be better suited. If you want something that will get you around in unfamiliar places, this will do the trick. I have used the TomTom ONE on holiday and on recent business travel including: Napa, Chicago, Dallas, New York, New Jersey and Mass and I have been able to get around without problems.

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Unbeatable for the price

Posted Jan 23, 2007 - I chose this model because of its capabilities, nice minimalist size for the big screen, and compatibility with maps in Europe (where I will relocate next year). So far, spot on choice. After 1 month and 6 000 miles of use - mostly around New England (Boston based) but with over 2000 miles in Upper NY state and southern Ontario - my One has never once lost its bearings. The quality of the maps is very high, the GPS is powerful and the calculation and recalculation of routes is very quick. I sometimes ask it to show me a route around an area I know well, then try to defeat it on purpose, and at every wrong turn it just reroutes me in less than a few seconds. The device was very easy to set up and I find the software that comes with it easy to use and powerful. The map and firmware on-line updates are easy to get, and the collection of languages that can be downloaded is amazing. Truly international - one can see it comes from Europe. The hardware is good quality, both the unit and the accessories. It was easy to mount it in the car, as the suction mount is very strong. I wiped the glass with some glass polish, applied the mount, and that was it - never had to touch it again since. I was worried about positioning, since I drive a large SUV, but I placed it to the left near the bottom corner of the windscreen and it sits out of the way but very visible, with a large and bright screen. The map database is so far 100% complete: it contains all the streets where I have looked for addresses so far. The menu system is logical enough. The system for setting up routes, planning, etc, is easy to learn and very complete. If I happen to turn it on at a different location from when I last turned it off, and if that happens to be in the middle of tall buildings (as in downtown Boston), then it takes between 30 secs and one minute to find out where it is. I am told all GPS's are like this or worse. In any case, it really is no big deal, as I've never been in a situation where that minute was crucial. As the unit is so light and slim, I have even used it outside the car. Mostly, the small size makes it easier to fit on the dash, to conceal it if I leave it in the car, or to bring it along when that's not a good idea. All in all, the $ 300.00 I paid for it (with the Christmas rebate) were a bargain for what it is. It totally beats (by a really long way) the $1800 optional that a friend has paid for his Lexus system. Full marks.

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A strong little performer

Posted Dec 19, 2006 - I bought this for my wife. I have a Navman iCN630. I can't help but compare these two since the Navman is the only other GPS I've used, even though the Navman is over 3 years old. She was always borrowing my Navman so it was time for me to get her a GPS of her own. She complained that the Navman was too bulky and heavy to carry around in her purse so I was looking for something light and compact. There are several now on the market that fit that description. She was also annoyed by the power cord so a rechargeable one narrowed it down a bit more. I wanted something that had a reputation for being reliable so that only left a couple of brands. Of course price was important and ultimately the deciding factor when I found this TomTom One with a $100 instant rebate plus $100 mail in rebate. The TomTom One is light and compact yet feels very solid and well made. It is very slim with a built in antenna. I was concerned about the antenna at first but after it picked up 5 satellites from inside my house, I was no longer worried. Even though the unit is so small it still has a nice large 3.5” screen. I guess to keep the size as small as possible there are no external buttons except for power. It fits nicely in my wife’s purse. My concern is that without a protective case the screen can easily get scratched up. My Navman came with a case. I guess I will have to buy a case before it gets to badly damaged. The unit is ready to use right out of the box. Just put the SD card in, follow the set up instruction, and you are on the way. Way easier than my Navman was. It has a car charger and windshield suction mount. Anyone with a Blackberry will be familiar with the charger, mini USB. I used my Blackberry home charger to fully charge it from the house since TomTom doesn’t include a home charger. One thing I don’t like is there is nothing to indicate when it’s fully charged. A green LED turns on when it’s plugged in, but it stays on even when charged. The windshield mount may seem flimsy and cheap at first, but with this unit being so small and light it holds very securely with no shaking. The menu is intuitive and easy to use. The touch screen is the only thing that annoys me. I have fat finger syndrome and I like the button interface on my Navman better. The battery life seems to be pretty good. We have not needed to re-charge it. We have only used a few times and it has not always used what we believe to be the shortest route. Not uncommon. It has always gotten us to our destination though. So far my wife is very happy with it. Once we put a few more miles on it I will update this review.

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Absolutely Wonderful!!

Posted Feb 23, 2007 - I have been searching around for a GPS for a while now, and I was finally able to get my hands on a TomTom ONE last weekend. I was thrilled when I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood and the ONE guided me back on course. I've never used a GPS before, but now I think I'd have trouble going somewhere new without it. It has tons of Points of Interest and was able to locate my destinations easily and quickly. One of my favorite parts about it was that right out of the box, it was simple setup and really easy to use. I also LOVE how tiny it is - so easy to take from place to place. I absolutely recommend the ONE.

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TomTom

Posted Nov 22, 2006 - I have been using TomTom Products for over a year and I still say it's one of the best! The simplicity to setup and use plus the options available are like none other... Prices have come down but the quality never changed!

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Tom Tom One

Posted Jan 18, 2007 - I really like how easy it has been to learn to use,and to add in planned stops along a trip route. I am still figuring out the "avoid roadblock" feature, but it just doesn't seem safe to fiddle with it at 60 mph. I recommend tom tom ONE - it hasn't steered me wrong yet!

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TomTom One

Posted Dec 2, 2006 - TomTom One is very portable and very easy to use. It is pretty much plug and play. The power button is a bit hard to turn on. Overall, a very solid product.

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TT ONE Unit

Posted Jun 19, 2007 - I love this GPS unit and would recommend it to anyone who gets lost easily! It's very easy to use and the latest maps from Tele Atlas are preloaded and come with the device. I haven't looked at the directions once because the device is so easy to use. I haven't had any problems with accuracy and the POI's are very handy in unfamiliar areas. It is one of the less expensive gps devices, but it works as well as any!

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Tomtom ONE

Posted Nov 13, 2006 - Although I just purchased my Tomtom ONE, I have used one belonging to a friend. We recently took a trip in the country....a fairly remote area.....we were pleased to see that the Tomtom ONE did not miss a road or turn on the entire trip. And, we had fun with John Cleese as out guide. After I received my unit...I had some questions and called Tomtom Customer Service....with no waiting...I talked to a real human being that was friendly and very knowledgeable!

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Needs Improvement

Posted Nov 19, 2006 - This is a overal great unit but TOM TOM dropped the ball by now including enought points of interest. I would recommend this to beginner GPS users only. I would rate the unit a 6.5 out of 10.

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TomTom One GPS Navigation System

Posted Jan 27, 2007 - The TomTom was very frustrating at times when you are lost on the road or just want to punch in the closest rest stop/restaurant/gas station, etc. It works like a perfect charm however, if you know the address where you're headed. A little tricky to work with, and definitely a plus for long distances, not so sure how useful others will find it for local distances. We didn't find it very useful locally. It basically works just like a talking map, and maps are a LOT cheaper.

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Tomtom One GPS Ultimately Disappointed

Posted Jan 11, 2007 - This was my first GPS and I really did my research. At first I was a little confused because it came with no product manual. Then I was very pleased as I had practice with it. (E.g. Tapping with my fingers seemed hit or miss which was very annoying. Then I found that tapping the screen with a finger nail worked great.) However, I happened to have an unexpected 300 mile one-way trip from northern to southern VA just after I got it. My One added on an hour to the trip having me reverse direction on the same road for almost 50 miles for no apparent reason. Fortunately, I had made the trip a couple of times and knew by the estimated travel time something was not right. It also had me driving in a circle just as I left my house on a street that doesn't even exist. Neither recalculating nor changing the route parameters helped. Upon even more research, I found that One uses TeleAtlas for its digital database. At least a couple of GPS reviews feel that NavTech (Garmin, Magellan, others) is much better in North America. (TomTom is a UK based business.) Then, I discovered that in the fine print of the warranty (2 years), TomTom specifically disclaims any warranty for reliability or accuracy. What? OK, I get no guarantee of fastest, shortest, optimum route in a portable unit. But first, at $400, I'm not buying a toy. Second, I don't need a map gadget when I know how to get to where I'm going--it's when I don't know that I need reliability and accuracy. (Imagine if the pilot of an airliner you're flying on announces just before departure, "Hey, lots of people love our new radar but just so you know, the manufacturer says our radar is not guaranteed to be either reliable or accurate." The doors aren't closed yet and you only have carry on baggage: Do you stay on or get off?) I thought about resetting my One and reloading the software but after reading the warranty and fearing some reports of weak customer service, I decided not to miss my window of opportunity. Its strong ratings may have merit but I returned it to RadioShack and intend on giving the Magellan 2200T a try. I decided to get off the plane while I had the chance.

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TomTom ONE

Posted Dec 1, 2006 - I just purchased my TomTom ONE, but I have used one before and have traveled near and far without ever getting lost (Thanks to TomTom) otherwise I could not have gotten to the corner on a deadline :) Now That I have my own, I can finally say goodbye to MapQuest.com Right before I made my TomTom purchase I had some questions and called TomTom's Customer Service, there was no waiting and the person that helped me answer all my questions to my satisfaction. Would definitely recommend this product to a friend.

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Decent GPS Unit

Posted Sep 12, 2006 - I purchased this unit in September 2006 and it is decent for the money. I was impressed how the unit retained a satellite signal even in very foresty areas. However, the next time I purchase a GPS, I will buy a Garmin; this GPS was nothing special.

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Wonderful Unit - Terrible Database

Posted Mar 10, 2007 - Don't buy this if you live in St. Louis because the city does not exist. Zip codes for outlying areas are likely to bring up bizarre names. Many streets unrecognized. The unit itself is wonderful, but this wonderful unit is useless when the data is so sparse. Very frustrating experience. I'm returning mine.

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