Product tests

Adult life is full of difficult questions, such as “who am I?” and “Why am I here?”  Folks much smarter than you and I have been working on those for centuries, and they aren’t much closer to finding the answers.  On the other hand, TomTom is happy to provide the answer to what is often an equally difficult query:  “Where am I?”  If that is the burning question in your soul, TomTom’s compact handheld navigation system can quickly consult the satellites and tell you the exact answer.

As navigation systems have proliferated in new cars, a market has sprung up for retrofittable GPS units as well.  We’ve got a lot of places to go and things to see, and while half the fun is getting there, it’s still no fun getting lost.  Fortunately, we’ve got a TomTom GO 730 along for the ride.  Our electronic navigator features a large, easy to read touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity, TomTom’s Map Share technology that enables editing of its internal maps, and has already served us well when seeking out obscure antique stores, the local recycling center and a nearby furrier (don’t ask).  In fact, during our stay in Nashville, TN, we went out without consulting the TomTom twice, looking for a Blockbuster Video the first time and a laundromat the second.  Nashville’s streets are a tangled web, and we got lost both times.  As we traveled farther into the Mid-south, into Atlanta, Knoxville and Savannah, the TomTom proved to be an indispensable tool, locating nightly campsites and points of interest with reasonable reliability.  It’s portable enough to carry in a pocket, as well, which made it a useful friend when we toured downtown Savannah.
The TomTom’s touch screen is very easy to use, and switching between modes is quick.  We like the scroll and zoom feature, which zooms in closer for better imaging of important intersections when it’s giving directions, and TomTom’s “Advanced Lane Guidance” even gives a three-dimensional, multi-lane view of the more complicated highway intersections (Atlanta, Georgia, we’re looking at you!) showing you exactly which lane to be in.  The multi-color display is easy to read in all but direct sunlight.
The TomTom isn’t without its quirks.  It doesn’t always cancel navigation once you’ve reached your destination, resulting in an occasionally psychotic attempt to take you back to the place you just left.  And, like any static map, it can be stymied by a business whose address has changed since the map was updated.    There’s a section of Hendersonville, just north of Nashville, that drives the TomTom completely batty; a number of new developments in the area are not on its map, and it gets lost and turned around.  We’ve found that overall, about one in ten destinations entered results in a misdirection due to a changed address, so the TomTom’s Map Share system is a vital tool to prevent obsolescence.
The online system also allows users to upload novelty voices, so if you’d like to get directions from Mr. T or C-3P0 from Star Wars rather than the computerized standard voice, your TomTom can be customized.
We also approved of the TomTom’s multiple-destination feature, which allows entry of several addresses or points of interest and eliminates the need to add information while driving.  The feature does not offer sufficient notification when you’ve reached a waypoint, allowing you to drive right past some of your stops.  Additionally, it does not always tell you which side of the street your destination is on, in the case of large retail stores.
Gripes and grumbles aside, it’s rare that we leave home without the thing, as we explore the unfamiliar roads of our temporary homes.   The TomTom GO 730 retails for $450, but sells for up to $100 less at most of the online outlets we checked out.