TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Reviews

• Want to install other maps? You're in for a suprise.

  
  By A2OIK6YAK5EA4W on 2007-09-25
  Okay, you must be thinking... Wow, a one-star review for this new TomTom GO 720... why is that? Let me summarize first, then I will explain in more depth later.
  
  Currently, you cannot install ANY additional maps (other than the factory-installed ones) onto a TomTom GO 720 device.
  
  So, if you wanted to download some European maps from TomTom, copy them to your SD card and bring your new baby to Europe - that's not going to happen.
  
  This is a major oversight by TomTom for two reasons; 1. Many people buy new portable GPS's only because they are planning a trip to an unknown country and 2. the European maps are already available for the TomTom GO 720 - they come preinstalled on the GO 720's sold in Europe (I've used them).
  
  I purchased my GO 720 in Wash. DC before a recent move to Italy. My sales 'professional' at circuit city said that I could download all the European maps I needed from TomTom's website. Once I arrived in Italy and got high-speed internet, I tried buying additional maps from TomTom. Well, TomTom's US website does not sell downloadable maps (at this time) - I switched to the UK website, which had all the maps available. I purchased the maps from the UK site, downloaded them and tried to install them to my GO 720. The new TomTom Home software (v2) would allow me to purchase the maps, download them and transfer them to the device - but the final step, the activation of the maps, it would crash and give an application error. I know my way around computers, but this was a major issue. I phoned US customer service - they said that they would write a ticket for the event but offered no solutions. I then phoned UK customer service and after 20 minutes of juggling reps - I finally got the news bomb....
  
  TomTom has not yet released downloadable maps for the GO 720 or 920. That's right, they released hardware (for 3 months now) but did not 'update their website' to allow purchases of additional maps. Even though these 'updated' maps come pre-installed on the GO 720's sold outside of North America... hmmm?
  
  Be aware that none of this important information is available on TomTom's website - even a Google search turns up nothing. This is critical information to those who travel to Europe or any other part of the world.
  
  Others have reported on this piece of hardware (with rave reviews), which I mostly agree with. However, the map software is currently another issue altogether.
  
  UPDATE NOVEMBER 15, 2007:
  
  TomTom has updated all of their websites except the US version to include the 720 compatible maps (v7.10 for Western Europe). I again, spent several hours attempting to install new maps, still to be met with consistent software restrictions and confusion. TomTom customer service, while polite, were completely incapable of providing any answers. I am a tech-literate consumer and I am not easily dissuaded, but I have reached my limit with this product and TomTom.
  
  Please be aware that I am far from the only person to have experienced these types of issues with TomTom. Look elsewhere for your GPS Navi needs.
  
  NEW UPDATE DECEMBER 6, 2007:
  
  Alright. Finally after all these months, TomTom has released v10 of their Maps for download. And after several attempts at downloading and installing, I can now say that my GO 720 is no longer just another expensive toy collecting dust in my electronics cabinet.
  
  So, the title of my review is no longer accurate - you CAN now install additional maps to this device - please be advised however, that you may only do this using TomTom's Home software and it must be updated to the latest version and because it's a 1.7 G download, you need a long time to complete the process.
  
  I suggest you bring your patience and be thankful that you didn't suffer as I have.
  
  Otherwise, all of the positive reviews about the hardware, mapping and routing are accurate. This is still a quality product and without the Map issue, I would have been a happy camper from the beginning.
  
  NEW NEW UPDATE SEPTEMBER 22, 2008:
  
  After nearly a ten month span of relatively trouble free and constant usage, another issue has arisen with my TT GO 720. But first, I will report a few other minor issues that occurred since my last update.
  
  In the winter, while the unit was plugged in to the auxiliary port in my car (a Peugeot 308), the screen would go blank when the unit was touched. As you can imagine, when every time you touched the screen of a touchscreen device, it blacked out, this is a minor inconvenience. The only way to revive the unit was to a hard reset (using the little pin hole in the bottom). This method erased all our favorites and add ons and left us bummed out.
  
  The screen black-out issue only happened when you touched the screen and did not happen when the unit was not plugged in while driving and it did not happen when it was plugged in on its base unit, powered by USB. The best we could determine was that unit receiving an electric shock from the power cord once we touched it, thus grounding it and closing the circuit. The problem was resolved when I sold the car and bought a different one. In the new car (Honda Jazz) and my wife's car (Volvo V40), the black-out issue has never resurfaced.
  
  There have been some minor issues like varying times to lock into the satellite - one day it takes 60 seconds, the next 5 or more minutes - same exact route, same exact time of day... ?
  
  It's also important to note that I have kept the device up to date using the TomTom Home software (which still is buggy and unpleasant).
  
  Ok, now on to the current issue. Recently, the mini USB power cable (the end that plugs into the unit) has stopped working - or so I thought. Basically, the unit will not receive power from the power cable. So, I thought that the cable had gone bad and I tested plugging it into the USB base and it had the same problem - not receiving power. I tried a new TomTom power cable (from an electronics store), but still not getting power. So, it looks like the female end of the power in slot (on the bottom of the unit) has become defective. At this point, I have not received any positive response from TomTom - the unit is just a few weeks out of warranty (ironically) and I'll keep trying to find a solution.
  
  I will update when there's more to report.
  
  One last note: Some commentators have asked why I still show one star on my review, even though I would surely raise it now. Well, Amazon.com does not allow users to change their initial star ratings - so, until their policy changes; we'll be stuck with this issue as well.
  
  

• The king of automotive GPS

  
  By A3V7RG5GTWYCJA on 2007-08-08
  I really love the 720. I have tried the Garmin Nuvi and just didn't like the software nearly as much as the TomTom. Entering addresses is really fast and you only see towns in the state you are looking in. This means no more having to scroll through 30 different Springfields to get to the one you are searching for. You can hide the keyboard to see a long list of close matches so instead of having to type out the full city or street name you can just hit the first few letters and then pick from a list.
  
  Mapshare seems like it will be a huge advance in the world of automotive GPS devices. Is a street marked as open when it should be blocked? Just correct the error with a few quick taps on the screen and it's fixed. What's really the big advance though is the ability to share my corrections with all other TomTom owners. I connect the 720 to the TomTom HOME software and it downloads corrections that other users have submitted.
  
  What you see on the screen can be fully customized so that if you want the status bar on the side then you can put it there or you can leave it on the bottom. You can also decide what information is shown in the status bar. You can show or hide the time of day, remaining time, remaining distance, current heading, and your current rate of speed. If you subtract items from the status bar the other items automatically get bigger to take up the remaining space. You can also select if you want to show the current street you are on and the name of the next street you will be turning on to.
  
  Text to speech quality is very good and will say the directions so for example it might say "in 250 feet keep right, then take the exit right, 204B towards Westview." Or "in 200 meters, turn right South West Madison Avenue." You can choose from multiple voices although I think the Dave voice sounds the best of the bunch. If you don't want to hear the "keep to lane" instructions you can disable this feature although I personally like to have it on. You can also record your own spoken instructions so for example you could have your kid's voice tell you to turn left in 200 feet. I haven't tried this though.
  
  The screen is very bright and easy to see even when I have my sunglasses on. The 720 can be set to automatically turn the brightness down as it gets dark thanks to a built in light sensor on the front of the unit.
  
  The mount is pretty clever and super easy to use. Just push it up to the windshield and it sticks right on. The 720 then just slides right on and is held solidly in place. You can turn the 720 in any direction to get it exactly where it's easiest for you to see.
  
  With all the great features of the 720, I think what will really set it apart even more from the other GPS units out there is the Mapshare feature. Being able to fix your own map and download updates automatically to keep the map up to date is one of those things that is so fantastically great that you wonder why on earth it took so long to make to a shipping product. Whether or not it can live up to the expectations remains to be seen. Even if you took Mapshare away it's still the best car GPS I've ever used. With it, there's just no contest.
  
  My biggest complaint is that there's no case in the box. You need to buy one separately although I've been using the plastic holder it shipped in so far which is OK.
  
  

• Two thumbs, way up

  
  By A1VXQW4UQTLDQM on 2007-08-24
  When I received the 720 from Amazon, I was impressed with the packaging. It was boxed and padded quite well and arrived in excellent condition. Before doing anything I decide to read the Quick Start Guide, a dark gray pamphlet included in the 720 box. It advised me to charge the unit at least 2 hours before proceeding. So without even turning the unit on I plugged the base unit into a USB port on my computer. This base unit is used, via the USB, to connect to the computer as well as recharging. My regret here was that I would not be able to recharge the unit in my house unless the computer is on.
  
  While the unit was charging I went ahead and installed the software using the CD which was included in the package. The installation went smoothly on my computer which runs on Vista Home Premium. After the recommended charging interval of 2 hours I activated the 720 and it immediately connected to the software, Tomtom Home, which I had just installed. Almost instantly I was informed that there was a software update for Tomtom Home. I told it to continue and my computer downloaded an updated Tomtom Home version 2 point something and proceeded to uninstall the version I had just installed using the CD and to install the new version. I was mildly annoyed, but I was grateful that the update downloaded and installed without incident.
  
  My 720 then asked permission to download some updates into itself, which I allowed it do. Everything went smoothly and I continued by setting some preferences in the 720 by using Tomtom Home. I then spent about an hour with the unit, unplugged from the computer, to get familiar with the menu structure. The last GPS that I had was a Garmin IQue 3600 and I found the 720 structured very differently. Nearly every choice in the menu structure of the 720 is graphically based using pages of icons with which to make your selections or set your preference. I found it very intuitive and comfortable.
  
  Later, when I took the 720 on its "maiden voyage", I found that using the unit was very simple. Choosing a destination and creating a route was easy and the unit calculated the route very quickly. Generally the unit selects routes that are nearly identical to what I, as a local, would also pick. Only once has it routed in what I would consider a round-about sort of way but after I considered what it had done I realized that its chosen route would be nearly identical, in travel time, to what I would normally use, so I can't really criticize it.
  
  Since then the 720 has performed consistently and dependably. The map data had some minor errors, most of which, incidentally, I have already corrected and shared with the Tomtom database using Map Share while connected to the internet. It even uses the 2 road name corrections I have made for a couple of local streets, using them in route calculations and even pronouncing them correctly when making navigation announcements. I have had no technical glitches at all.
  
  I have interfaced the 720 with my cell phone using Bluetooth. Making and receiving phone calls using the 720 works flawlessly. It downloaded my entire list of telephone numbers from my Starcom and can easily recall them and place calls. The 720 internal speaker sound quality is good considering its size.
  
  The 720 locates and locks on to the GPS satellites and provides a position with a speed I would have thought impossible a couple of years ago. It is exquisitely sensitive to the satellite signals and I am routinely able to lock on to 6 or 7 satellites sitting in front of my computer, near the center of my house. Amazing! In my vehicle I have installed an external antenna and the 720's performance using this is phenomenal.
  
  I have recently downloaded several songs and pictures into the unit and it plays and displays these without any hitch. I use the FM transmitter, built into the unit, to play music over my vehicle's radio. I have discovered that I need to turn up the 720's volume slide to 100% in order not to turn up the radio's volume too much; this helps avoid an annoying hiss that you hear when an FM radio is turned up too loudly. Incidentally, the 720 politely mutes the music when a navigation announcement is made and then resumes. The quality of this sound is reasonable for casual listening in my pickup. The color of the screen when viewing pictures is good (not great) and the display resolution is acceptable for this purpose. Using the slideshow option to view the pictures gets rid of the aggravating gray bars which I otherwise have with pictures. I have added a 2 GB SD card to provide storage for these files. I am adamantly against using my internal storage for this. For me the 2 gigabytes are more than adequate. However, I can easily understand that 2 GB would seriously limit some people. The unit will interface with an Ipod although I have not done this since I don't own an Ipod.
  
  My overall experience with the 720 has been great and I think the Tomtom 720 is surely one of the acme products in the GPS market. I congratulate Tomtom for coming up with a product like this and give the 720 an enthusiastic round of applause. Two thumbs up! Forgive my rather lengthy post.
  
  
  

• Very Different from a Garmin

  
  By A4HMU24JJHSCB on 2007-08-31
  After using a Garmin Nuvi 350 for a while, it finally was ready for retirement and I started looking for something new. The 720 seemed like a good way to go. Unfortunately for me, I have become fluent in Garminese so switching to Tomtom has been somewhat of a challenge.
  
  The Garmin interface was simple and clean. This Tomtom does alot more so there are more menu choices and more clutter. For instance, if you want to cancel a route, Garmin had a STOP button on the screen. Tomtom requires you to go down 3 menu levels to cancel. Not that hard to do once you know where to go.
  
  Garmin would tell me "In 500 feet, turn left on Main Street". Tomtom tells me the street I need to turn on sometime before but the actual command will be "After 200 yards, turn left". Different especially if you are used to something else. One good thing though is where Garmin said "turn left, then left" Tomtom says "turn left then make third left", better!
  
  Routing seems better on the Tomtom so far. Garmin had a habit of routing me on small, winding, unlighted, hilly roads instead of main roads and highways. If you don't know better, you follow these backroads and it can be dangerous. So far, Tomtom has consistantly taken me to the highways which is one of the main reasons I left Garmin.
  
  Now the bad. Favorites on Garmin are stored by name. When you select a favorite, you are shown the complete address as well. Tomtom by default stores a favorite by address. That doesn't help with a restaurant or store that you will never remembor or recognize the address. You can rename a favorite like "My Restaurant". Thats ok but then the actual address is hidden. There seems to be no way of displaying the real address of the favorite. As a work around I have just appended a name to the address so the name of a favorite will be something like "100 Main Street, Anytown, NY - My Restaurant". Its long,wordy, makes for an ugly favorites page but it works.
  
  The Garmin graphics were generally higher resolution looking but that comes at a price. Garmin updates the screen approx once a second giving a jerky motion to the animation. Tomtom has more jagged graphics but it is smoother. Haven't decided which is better yet.
  
  All in all I am pleased so far with the 720. Only time will tell but so far, it has done better with routing than the Garmin and thats what is most important in the end.
  
  

• Best of the New GPS Offerings, But...

  
  By A15TYEW9AG6SN on 2007-12-08
  I own and actually have used (each, during thousands of miles of auto travel) a Lowrance iWay 350, Garmin 60Csx handheld, Garmin Nuvi 200, Magellan Maestro 4040, a 2007 Chrysler OEM in-dash navigation unit, and now a TomTom 720.
  
  The TomTom 720 is one cool unit. I just finished a 4000 mile cross-country test trip. It has features that stand out: Blazing fast satellite acquisition, as instant as the superb Garmin Nuvi 200; a status bar that is complete (with variables such as ETA, Distance to Destination, Time to Destination, Time of Arrival, current time, and current speed) and is customizable as to map screen location and data inclusion/exclusion. I consider the status bar an important feature of any auto GPS and never have understood why the Magellan and Garmin units lack key trip data displays on their map screens. Perhaps it is a design consideration by these makers in weighing Highway use versus City Driving use. I suspect most GPS units are bought and used by local-area drivers with little need for these trip data.
  
  The TomTom720 graphics are as colorful and bright as the Gamin Nuvi series' with one additional feature: superb highway interchange and exit graphics that actually depict bridges (driving under overpasses!) and all surrounding ramps. The TomTom features the best highway ramp information and guidance of any unit I have used (above). The excellent 3D graphics' flow is smooth, and doesn't digitally blotch up going around curves. The graphics are simply superior. By the way, voice guidance is detailed, suitably anticipatory, and redundant, again superior to any of the other brands I have used.
  
  TomTom routing was generally excellent. Only one time did the unit get confused about the location of a segment of Highway 80 in Wyoming, which did appear to recently have been resurfaced and perhaps relocated. The Garmin Nuvi 200 ranks absolutely last (of all my units) on routing, constantly recalculating a route that should have been and is a straight interstate highway shot. This to me indicates out-of-date maps. In the Garmin Nuvi 200 there is no way to stop the constant rerouting in these instances.
  
  Finally, the menus and POI's. The TomTom 720 suffers from too many layers of menus for routine items (brightness of screen, for example). The menu items are somewhat confusing as well. The POI's are adequate, their listings complete. Although the POI's on the Magellan unit, whose database is tied to AAA information, was far superior; and in fact the entire POI feature set of the 4040 is superior to that of any unit listed here. Unfortunately, my Magellan Maestro 4040 crapped out after 10 hours use.
  
  The TomTom unit has one of the fastest and easiest to use address-find systems. And, its calculation and routing computational feature is very quick and robust. Certainly, it is as quick as the Garmin Nuvi unit which is also lightning fast.
  
  I do not and did not use or test any of the Bluetooth and MP3 features. To me, their inclusion is feature bloat.
  
  After I attached my unit to the internet and to TomTom Home, it automatically updated current software and MapShare information to my unit, although it is difficult to determine from the download what was actually corrected, if anything. MapShare is not a web site as you might think, but merely an upload process descriptor, and the user data are apparently treated and vetted by TomTom in some manner before actually being broadcast downloaded to all users who ask for the corrections (you can opt out or in a number of ways).
  
  I found the speedometer readout on the map screen very useful, because on my return trip I had switched to snow tires that were 65R18 instead of the specified 60R18. This resulted in an erroneous odometer reading that was actually too high since the tire was rotating too many turns per mile for the car`s computer setting. As a result, I was driving too fast and not knowing it; I slowed down a couple of miles per hour from 75 to 73 (as indicated on my odometer) until the TomTom read 75. I would never have realized this problem without the speedometer readout on the TomTom. This feature probably saved me a speeding ticket or two.
  
  Negatives: Compared to the Nuvi series, which I consider among the best of the units I own, diminished only by the constant and annoying rerouting during highway driving, the fonts on the map screen of the TomTom are small and wording can be somewhat hard to read, especially considering the short mount provided. (Buy an optional longer windshield mount to bring the unit closer.)
  
  More troubling is the algorithm that computes Time to Arrival (therefore 4 stars). The TomTom 720 was consistently 15% higher on estimated Time to Arrival, compared to all of the units above, except the Magellan 4040, which was about 5% high. These numbers are based on a trip that is standard for me and whose distance and time I have verified many times with actual numbers. The TomTom's displayed Distance to Destination (miles) figure, however, was spot on with the actual distance traveled. It should be noted, that just like the Magellan 4040, the TomTom will shorten up its Time to Arrival as you approach your destination. So, at your destination both units will read accurately (that is, show no time remaining).
  
  All in all, if you don't do a lot of long distance driving then the overstated times are of little concern. Then, the TomTom 720 should be among your top choices for a vehicle GPS unit. TomTom got it mostly right. Now if only it would automatically display the correct time for whatever time zone you are driving through. Still, the TomTom 720 is the very best of all of the GPS units I own or have used.
  
  
  Update: Yesterday, December 24, 2007, I completed a 600 mile roundtrip to the Monterey, CA area, typically a five to five and a half hour trip one way (elapsed time, no stops added in). The 720 indicated this would be a 7 hour trip, an estimate 30%-40% high. It turned out to be a 5 hour 45 minute trip with a gas stop. At the midway point (150 miles) it was estimating three and a half hours. However, as we got closer to home, the time of arrival approached the actual time.
  
  Perhaps I am too obsessive about trip computer data, but the other GPS units cited above seem to get it right and, frankly, it frustrates me on long drives.
  
  Also, the 720 designed a route that called for traveling through the East Bay to get to US 101, and I usually take Interstate 280 and the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately the 720 would not let change routes on the fly, and even though it recalculate routes very quickly it called for me to get off at every exit on 280 and head east, losing hours in the process. The 720 finally stopped reroute directions and calculations after I passed over the Golden Gate and was back on US101.
  
  
  
  
• I love it but...
  By A3RDEHUYD1HQZE on 2007-08-12
  I love the options and all that it comes with... Had a magellan and I am much happier with this unit. I like that if we are on the way somewhere it can tell me if if something is off the route we are taking or on the route. Like food!
  
  I was torn between the One XL or Go 720. I chose this for the map share. WHICH, I called MULTIPLE times to find out if there is a cost and if it is free. WELL, I was told that it was free.... Until those of you who know after purchasing it there is a cost after a year. I do feel like I was mislead and not happy about that. However I like the unit to much to get rid of it! However they have no clue what the cost will be!!!! It being a new product it seems that the customer service team doesn't seem to have all the info... Or from what I was told knew it but it changed.
  
  So, they give you a year to use the map share. I'm concerned about what the pricing will be... The maps to update is $130 or so... For Garmin or Magellan they are around $60-$70 for an updated map. So I hope worse case it is at least and not more then those map updates.
  
  
• A top-notch GPS unit!
  By AJCZ3WPY0T4SQ on 2007-08-06
  I spent a fair amount of time researching the seemingly hundereds of GPS units out there, and finally settled in on those in the $450 - $500 range. After comparing the Garmin nuvi 350, the Magellan 4040, and the new TomTom GO 720, I opted to purchase the latter. Although I've only owned it a short while, I am very impressed.
  
  The best thing about Tom Tom -- and the GO 720 -- is the flexibility it offers. Chief among these, to me, is the MapShare technology, which allows you to correct maps, block streets, rename roads, add POIs, etc. -- and share them with other TomTom users. The software (TomTom HOME) you install on your home PC is easy to use, as is the unit itself. Don't like the text-to-speech voice? Change it with one you download -- or even record your own voice!!
  
  The list of neat features is exhaustive -- so rather than blab about them here, I'll let you read the specs yourself.
  
  The one feature I wish it did offer was a direct link to traffic -- yes, you can get traffic updates via TomTom traffic, but have to do so through a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone. Unless you have a Blackberry or a phone with a data service contract, that means you'll have to pay not only TomTom for the traffic subscription, but also your cell-phone company for the data usage. Plus, my phone's Bluetooth is reserved for my wireless headset, which I'm not willing to give up. It would be much nicer if the 720 received TomTom Traffic updates directly.
  
  Of no real issue, though, as I was unwilling to spend the $60 or so per year for the service (similar prices for Garmin as well).
  
  Beyond this, I haven't found a single thing I dislike about this unit -- and am finding it head and shoulders above the rest. If you're considering the TomTom GO 720, compare the Garmin nuvi350 to it -- the latter is a top-notch, high quality, and well-received unit. I think you'll find, as I did, that the GO 720 beats it.
  
  
  
  
• Poor navigation in a nice package
  By A1DDQCYVLZIYTK on 2007-11-19
  Loved the features but returned it after one day.
  
  I bought a Tomtom 720 last week and traded it in for a Garmin Nuvi 750 the next day because of the poor routing performance. The features were great--easy to enter destination, display screen thoughtfully designed, good satellite locking.
  
  However:
  1. The routing was poor.
  Freeway choices were good (but there are not a lot of choices along my routes), but on surface streets, the device suggested strange paths.
  
  2. Estimation of distance to destinations or turns was very poor. The 720 would tell me to turn in 100 yards when in fact the true distance was 6 yards (a problem at 6 way intersections and roundabouts), and strangely would continue telling me to continue driving straight for another 100 yards even when I had arrived at the proper turn.
  
  Similarly, it would tell me to keep driving for another 100 yards or so once I had arrived at a destination.
  
  Even worse, it would give me very bad instructions at destinations; at a confusing intersection near near the Portland airport, it had me turn the wrong way, onto a one way street that forced me back onto a highway. Very bad!
  
  3. Route recalculation was horrible
  When I overrode the 720's more bizarre instructions, it would ask me to do a U-turn and continue along the previously suggested, incorrect route, rather than recalculating based on my new position.
  
  
  The Nuvi 750 has the basic features you'd expect from a higher-end GPS. It also offers 6 million POIs, speaks street names and has a (poor) FM transmitter. But the Tomtom outshines it in the features department: it has bluetooth and can download map and POI information from other Tomtom users. It also costs less than the Garmins--the comparably equipped Nuvi 760 costs around $ 250 more than a Tomtom 720.
  
  However, the Nuvi is much more accurate and has a very bright screen. It recalculates routes faster, and chooses the new routes well. I tested the Nuvi on all of the routes that the Tomtom couldn't handle, and it performed flawlessly.
  
  So the Tomtom was cheaper and more fun, but it didn't cover the basics: telling you how to go, with accurate and easy-to-read instructions. Without that, a GPS isn't really very helpful, regardless of its extra features.
  
  
• Great first GPS!!!
  By AYV79VNTA5OFU on 2007-08-30
  After wishing I had gotten factory-installed GPS on my '08 Toyota Highlander, I started shopping around for a portable unit. I looked at the Garmin 660, but didn't want to spend that much(even the $550 you could find it for online). When I became aware of the 720, that seemed like a good prospect. Circuit City had for $450 last week and with a 10% coupon, I was able to get it for $430 out the door, so I was very pleased with the price.
  
  Anyway, for my first GPS, I'm very happy with the 720. Here are the features I like best:
  
  Accurate routes and very quick reroutes
  
  Great graphics - nice-looking day/night colors - very current-looking icons.
  
  If you have an auxilliary input in your car, you can choose to ouput instructions and/or music through your car stereo without having to use the fm transmitter. With the optional cable you can buy, I like being able to use the 720 as an interface for my ipod while I leave the ipod in my glovebox.
  
  Very clear and pleasant audio - the computer voice for text-to-speech really doesn't sound that robotic and the internal speaker has pretty decent sound quality. As mentioned above, you can output the instructions through you aux input if you have one, which sounds great, but it can be a bit much if you have your stereo cranked.
  
  Was able to get it connected to my AT&T Samsung Sync's bluetooth, even though this phone is not one listed on the TomTom website and am able to use it for traffic also. Even though the traffic is activated, I have yet to see how valuable this feature is.
  
  TIP: If your vehicle has built-in bluetooth, and you want to be able to use it, as well as the bluetooth functionality of the 720, try this:
  Turn on the GPS and let it connect to your phone before you turn on your car. Then, when your car links up with your phone, you'll be able to make and receive calls on your vehicle's system but also make calls to POI's on the GPS, if you have occasion to do so.
  
  In conclusion, this is a really cutting-edge GPS with a lot of great features for the money, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it.
  
  
• Not bad, could be better....
  By A3C6Z6LAR5BF3Y on 2007-09-23
  
  
  Preface- I recently took a new job which required me to move from Colorado to California. I decided I wanted to get a GPS for the trip and for the time while I was in CA, since I didn't know anyone and have never been. I felt it might make my trip easier. Based on my research I decided to purchase the newly released GO 720 from TomTom.
  
  How I came to decide on the TomTom Go720. Initially I was going to get a Nuvii 350 from Garmin. Here is what sold me on the TomTom:
  
  * Text-to-Speech -- to me this should be standard on any GPS in any price range. For the first part of my trip I had actually set up the TomTom in an incorrect voice and I didn't get the text-to-speech. I will say that this is NOT perfect, as pronunciation of some words is hard to make out exactly what she is saying.
  * Hands-Free / Bluetooth Enabled -- I liked this feature, I will admit that I did not set my phone to connect to the Go 720, but my phone is recognizable by the TomTom so I imagine it would work. Maybe I'll play with this later.
  * Map-Share -- How great is this, to be able to share maps with other members. I personally have not shared any maps or explored shared maps, but I think it is a great idea, and was an idea that sold me.
  
  ---
  
  Well over all, I'd call it a success.
  
  When I set the GPS up for the first time, I didn't select a computer voice, which is the only voice that can do text-to-speech, so I was getting the `in 500 yards, turn left' type message instead of `in 1/2 mile turn right on Grant Ave' or whatever. Got that sorted out.
  
  Love the searching for POI's..Made planning breaks for gas very easy. I had a disucssion with a co-worker today, who had actually started about 2 weeks before me and moved from Connecticut. He and and his wife purchased a GPS from Garmin (don't know model number). The two of us basically came to the conclusion that these GPSes were good for getting you in the general area, but with new construction and maps that aren't real-time it isn't 100% accurate.
  
  Only thing I didn't like was I searched for a McDonald's and it actually turned me around and took me back about 5 miles via residential areas..could have done w/o the going backwards part, but we can blame that on my inexperience.
  
  One other thing that I'm not particularly fond of is in a city, around interchanges and what not, it will tell you to keep left, or keep right, etc. What it doesn't say is, are you supposed to keep left to exit or just keep left to not exit? I'd like a clearer view of why I am keeping left, and how far left do I need to be? When there at 6+ lanes here in CA, how far left do I want to be? The work around for this would be the `Zoom-In' and `Zoom-Out' buttons in the upper corners. A + or - sign in the upper corners allows you to scale the map to see your destination in a different view depending on the view you selected.
  
  The window suction cup thing won't hold...I have a sticky foam pad, but for some reason it won't stick to my dash (no real flat place I think). I may try and find a mount for something other than the glass. So I guess my biggest gripe is just the inability to mount this thing in a good location that is easily manageable.
  
  The FM transmitter is nice, until I got to CA where all the frequencies have something broadcasted. Then I just had to turn it over to the internal speaker, which is loud enough for me. I didn't hook it it up to my phone yet to see if it would dial POI's or set it up to do any hands-free dialing and what not.
  
  --Additional Thoughts--
  
  Navigation of the menu system to me seems to be lacking...too many clicks necessary to get where you want, but again this could just be my lack of time spent with the device and over time I may find a quick means to find what I'm looking for. One feature I would like is maybe voice navigation.
  
  So...if I had to do it all over again, I would buy this. In the past I would just Google-Map something and have a short stack of papers for Metro areas and what not to get me around. No more killing trees for me.
  
  Here in my particular area, there is a lot of new construction. With construction, TomTom is not updated. POI's are no longer where TomTom says they are. This is of course new construction only. For most POI's this is not a problem.
  
  TomTom sent me in the wrong direction on a couple of occasions. This is frustrating for me in the area that I'm in, and wish it were more accurate, but understand this is not real-time. Again these particular issues were related to (new) construction where traffic may be diverted.
  
  So my TomTom has become more of a `get me in the general area' tool, more so then how do I get to the door step tool. When looking for a retail store, it'll give you the bulk of the trip, once you can see a sign and what not, I just take over and navigate myself. So initially I was a little more dependent upon the TomTom, now like I said, I'm just using it to get me close, and I take it the rest of the way in.
  
  I still love it for finding me POI's and just general navigation as I get around town. Over time it may spend more time in my glove box than out telling me how to get somewhere.
  
  Still a great tool, and still recommend for someone who travels to new places often. As I decide to travel more throughout Cali, I'm sure it'll come in handy.
  
  
  
• not compatible with verizon blue tooth
  By A2XIOALDUZC07E on 2007-11-01
  I found this item very good with map directions. however, I was just as interested in using it as a handsfree reciever with my verizon phone. I have a samsung phone and tryied several times to connect it. my phone would reconize the tom tom 720, but not the reverse. I finally got a hold of tom tom tech. support and they told me that their service was not compatible with verizon cell service and the brand of phone didn,t matter. It is better to check with tom tom if you are using bluetooth service.
  
  
• Simply the best!
  By A2FEX0XZ881RGX on 2007-10-15
  So I've recently been in search of a replacement for my old Garmin c330 (which was a great entry level unit in itself), and I've finally landed on something I'm in love with - the TomTom 720. I originally bought the Navigon 7100, and all I can say about that thing is STAY AWAY!
  
  PROS...
  
  - The unit itself is compact and sleek, but has a massive widescreen. The mount is simple yet ingenious and the sturdiest I've seen.
  
  - Sound is exceptionally loud and clear - and you are given several options for how to hear the unit (through the internal speaker, built in FM transmitter to your car stereo, or through the AUX output). The unit comes preloaded with several voices... sounds like just an added gimmick, but nobody likes a bitchy voice that many GPS units come with - now you can choose from several already in the unit, or download them from the internet pretty easily. Text to speech engine is pretty good on pronounciations from what I've heard so far.
  
  - The menus are easy to navigate and pretty intuitive. The buttons are large and need only a gentle touch, the touchscreen is very responsive. The device is very highly customizable - down to being able to choose what elements are on the navigation screen or appear on the quick menus.
  
  - MapShare is AWESOME... TomTom is really the only manufacturer that has stepped up to the plate and acknowledged the dynamic nature of the roads we all drive on. Two new rotaries have opened near my home in the past month, and I've been able to update my own maps in a matter of seconds to reflect the new traffic patterns, and broadcast the changes via MapShare. Very cool!
  
  - When looking at a route, the refresh rate on the screen is WAY, WAY quicker than any other unit i've seen - meaning the map moves in a much more fluid manner than the garmin units i've seen, which more closely resemble a very quick slideshow. Purely aesthetic, no doubt, but it's worth nothing.
  
  - Connecting the device to your computer is easy - the software interface is GREAT - very easy to use. (I run MacOS.)
  
  CONS...
  
  I have only a couple of grievances, and they are minor. One is that the unit is customizable to the point that you can easily hide main operating buttons, like the "cancel route" button, which is in kind of an akward place and is hidden by default. In addition to this quirk, I can't seem to find the full manual on the TomTom website.
  
  
  All in all, a GREAT unit - i've seen many and this is the best. I LOVE IT!
  
  
• WORST GPS & TECH SUPPORT
  By A2GU4YAYDJZBCB on 2007-10-26
  BEFORE PURCHASING THIS TOM TOM, I HAD A VERY OLD GARMIN (THAT I NOW WISH I HAD KEPT)I HAVE MADE AN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH FOR MY NEXT GPS. I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE MULTIPLE OPTIONS THAT THIS TOM TOM HAS, AMONG THE BEST WERE THE LIVE TRAFFIC, ADDRESS BOOK FROM YOUR CELL, INTEGRATED BLUETOOTH, AND MANY MORE AS YOU ALL KNOW.OK NOTHING LIKE THAT;
  1)LIVE TRAFFIC IS NOT WORKING AT TALL IN MOST PHONES
  2)SAME THING TO IMPORT YOUR ADDRESS BOOK, NOT HAPPENING. YOU CANT EVEN MANUALLY CREATE AN ADDRESS BOOK.
  3)NOW THE BIG ISSUE!! THE AUDIO OF THE BLUETOOTH IS TERRBIBLE. I HAVE CALLED AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE THE AUDIO OF THE DIRECTIONS IS PEREFCTLY LOUD AND CLEAR, SO IT IS NOT A SPEAKER PROBLEM. THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ON SOME NUMBER OF 720, BUT BECAUSE THE ITEM IS AFTER 30DAYS (ACTUALLY 45) THEY WILL REPLACE MINE WITH A REFURBISHED ONE!!!!!!!
  IN OTHER WORDS, TOM TOM DOESNT STAY BEHIND THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. TERRBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND TERRIBLE PRODUCT. IF YOU DIDNT BUY IT YET DONT!!!! GO WITH GARMIN. THE BEST
  
  
• Many problems with this unit
  By A23VTC38VPRC1M on 2007-09-19
  There is no manual that comes with the unit. If you try to use the manual that is supposedly on the cd, it gives you a message saying there is no manual at this time. Transferring music files to use the built in MP3 player is a problem. Only about 1/2 of the music you download to the TomTom is actually downloaded. Poor customer support; I made 3 phone calls to customer service and each one told me to do something different and that the previous instructions given to me by the other technical support operators was incorrect. I even had one of the techs tell me he didn't know how to do some of the operations. The unit itself cannot even find my correct home address even tho you can find it on map quest. We've entered a couple of other addresses for the TomTom to test the accuracy of the navigation. It's a good thing we knew where the places actually were because the TomTom didn't. The screen washes out pretty badly and is hard to see in sunlight. This unit is loaded with many features, too bad it doesn't work very well. It's going back to the store. I'll give Garmin a chance.
  
  
• Good if you don't mind seven-year-old maps.
  By A1HABXCA20TR8O on 2007-12-02
  That's when the maps on my Go 720 (copyrighted in 2007) were last up-to-date: in 2000.
  
  I bought this unit partly because it was supposed to be easy to update. That was, of course, before I discovered that it is impossible to update. The updated maps (2007) take up more memory than the unit has. They also don't fit on a 2 GB SD card (which as far as I can tell is the biggest card the device will support). It probably wouldn't be so big, but you have to download the whole of North America, to include Canada and Mexico.
  
  So, for five-hundred dollars, I got seven-year-old maps that I can't upgrade. I probably could have bought a seven-year-old atlas for fiftey cents. I will be running back to Garmin now.
  
  
• Many enhancements; time will tell
  By A2M3HDLKL29GY on 2007-08-02
  EDIT 10 March 2008 for those who thought my first review wasn't helpful (I sure hope you didn't buy one - and have trouble - after disagreeing with my review)
  
  TomTom GO 730 was announced at CeBIT last week. TomTom recognizes the shortcomings of the x20-series devices (detailed below) and fixed the flaws present in the 520/720/920).
  
  Based on my experience with the GO 910 (which I also own), it will be at least 4-5 months before the new "NavCore 7" software is stable.
  >>> This was proven correct with the announcement and demonstration of the x30 on 3 March 2008: [...]
  If you want to save money, it will soon be the time to purchase a GO x20 series device.
  
  ORIGINAL REVIEW:
  TomTom increased the functionality in the new GO 720 series (with speech recognition, built-in FM tuner, map/direction usability enhancements, Bluetooth audio out, and ability to record your own voice).
  
  However, TomTom has taken a couple of steps back, notably the reduction in storage (the GO 910 has a 20GB HDD with USA, Canada, Europe and Guam maps) and the "passive" mount with no audio or power connections. While the storage issue can be partially solved using SD cards, the passive mount is most likely in response to the mount issues that plagued the GO x10 series. This new design means that those who keep a mount permanently in their car will have to reconnect all cables each time they wish to utilize the device.
  
  
  
• Best Review Possible
  By A3QCS8HD0TV9Z9 on 2008-03-11
  Pros
  
  * Handsome -- best looking GPS I've tested to date
  * New windshield mount is an improvement over previous TomToms
  * Hardware feels solid and well engineered
  * Text-to-speech voices sound natural
  * Tons of configurable options
  * Fast power-on time (boots up quickly)
  * Timesaving address entry features, such as displaying recently used city and street names
  * Strong FM Transmitter works well. So strong it can even broadcast over another radio station without issue
  * New (Tele Atlas) maps are excellent
  * Ability to customize which POI categories are displayed on the map
  * Supports multi-destination routing (although not route optimization)
  * Broad language support
  * Lots of routing options to choose from (fastest time, shortest distance, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.)
  * Ability to download and install additional voices
  
  Cons
  
  * Poor documentation (important items are either briefly explained, or not covered at all. Manual is also UK-specific)
  * Manual makes reference to features that the GO 720 doesn't actually have, such as voice recognition (European version has this feature, US version does not (but the manual doesn't explain that))
  * Cluttered user interface
  * Slow to accept missed turns: the GO 720 either insisted I make a u-turn, or went nuts and showed me driving off road
  * Can't search across all States, only within a specified State
  * Important functions are hidden by default, and must be manually enabled (for example, the ability to cancel a route)
  * When entering an address into the GO 720, you must choose the State, even if you're using a zip code (sort of defeats the purpose of allowing the use of Zip codes here in the United States)
  * Major GPS Drift when stationary (GPS position "drifts" around in circles)
  * Poor GPS signal reception (as of this writing, using version 7.0.0) compared to other SiRF enabled GPS units
  * "Night" mode only changes the color scheme on the map, not the other menu screens
  * Multi-destination (itinerary) route planning is cumbersome
  * TomTom PLUS services require the use of a compatible Bluetooth-enabled cell phone
  * Short list of compatible cell phones (for Bluetooth enabled hands-free calling and TomTom's PLUS services) means most cell phone owners in the US will be unable to use TomTom's PLUS services
  * Automatic screen dimming feature is too sensitive. When enabled, the GPS switches in and out of night mode constantly if you drive anything other than a convertible in the California sun
  * Routing engine not as good as Garmin or Magellan
  * MapShare doesn't let you see which specific roads were updated -- it just tells you that "updates were applied"
  * Some menus return you to the previous page, others dump you back to the map view for no apparent reason
  * Screen not as bright as other GPS units
  * When announcing highway names, the GPS says "highway six-hundred-and-eighty-four" instead of "six-eighty-four"
  * Fingerprint prone exterior case
  
  Conclusion: 65/100
  
  I really wanted to love the TomTom GO 720. With enough features to make a grown man drool, the exceedingly elegant GO 720 is one good looking piece of hardware that lets you customize just about every aspect of the interface. I was especially fond of the powerful built-in FM transmitter, the ability to broadcast music and spoken navigation instructions over different sources (i.e. music via the FM transmitter and instructions via the built-in speaker), and the ability to make map corrections on the fly. I also appreciated the ability to easily create custom POIs and POI categories, and TomTom's unique time-saving address entry features.
  
  The GO 720 has excellent text-to-speech that sounds natural, and can announce actual street names instead of generic maneuvers (although for some odd reason this feature is disabled by default). I also loved the ability to enter a preferred arrival time, and have the GPS report exactly how early or late I would arrive at my destination.
  
  The GO 720 ships with TomTom's software version 7.0 installed (also known as NavCore 7). A significant update to previous GO software, version 7 is literally busting at the seams with new features. Nearly every aspect of the GO 720 can be customized, from compass preferences to custom vehicle icons and voices, to TomTom's much-touted MapShare -- a unique set of features that allow the user to make map corrections and POI corrections/updates directly on the device.
  
  Unfortunately, the TomTom GO 720 suffers from many of the same drawbacks that have plagued TomTom's products for years.
  
  Despite being equipped with SiRF's high performance GPS receiver, the GO 720 had a hard time maintaining reception, and occasionally thought I was driving off the road altogether. The GO 720 also had a hard time dealing with missed turns, frequently asking me to make U-turns and double back instead of re-routing based on the new course. The GO 720 also exhibited some of the most severe GPS 'drift' I've ever seen (a condition that causes the GPS to think it's moving even though it's not).
  
  Adding to the frustration, for some inexplicable reason TomTom hides many important features on the GO 720. For example, by default there is no way to cancel a route. In order to cancel a route, you'll first need to enable the hidden menu, and even then it will take 4 screen taps to cancel the route (very annoying when driving). The Bluetooth integration is a nice feature to have, but so few cell phones are supported that the functionality is seriously limited. Speaking of which, in order to make use of any TomTom PLUS features, such as real-time traffic data, you must have a Bluetooth compatible cell phone (and accompanying data plan) paired to the GO 720. By contrast, both Garmin and Magellan provide traffic services via an included antenna and don't require any additional hardware.
  
  Like previous TomTom products, things feel rushed with the GO 720; the included documentation is for the UK and references features not available in the North American version. TomTom's support website doesn't even list the GO 720 as a valid model, and TomTom's PLUS site has been "down for maintenance" for over 48 hours as of this writing. Trying to download the product manual for the GO 720 from TomTom's website results in an error message stating that no such manual exists yet. The interface feels cluttered, as TomTom's software engineers have packed the GO 720 to the gills with features and options that haven't improved the most basic requirement of getting you from point A to B.
  
  The GO 720 has a long list of great features that just might keep you distracted long enough not to notice that the core functionality of the GPS doesn't work that well. TomTom's routing engine remains poor compared to Garmin or Magellan, and the GO 720 consistently chose the worst route in my testing.
  
  If TomTom spent as much time on software development as they clearly spent on hardware design, the GO 720 would be a fantastic GPS indeed. Unfortunately the GO 720 still needs work, and I can't quite recommend it just yet.
  
  The TomTom GO 720 is a beautiful GPS that will impress at first, but disappoints soon after the honeymoon wears off.
  
  
• Install failures - Big Disappointment
  By A1IO15PFFPA537 on 2007-11-02
  This product was a big disappointment. The previous reviews showed a mixed history in install problems. I tried it anyway because I had seen it operate in a friend's vehicle - and it operated great.
  
  I charged the system, as required, for two hours. My install failed - after the software recommended an update from the latest version available via the web to replace the default install from the CD. All attempts to recover or re-install from here on failed. Whenever the Tom-Tom was turned on and connected to my computer it locked up the system. When I turn Tom-Tom off, everything was fine. The manual reset had not change in this behavior. Attempts to re-install the software had no effect this.
  
  The web-page I was directed to by the install disk apologized that the manual was not currently available. The 1-800 phone number did not get through.
  
  At that point I lost confidence in this company and returned the product to Amazon.
  
  
• TomTom is the best car navigation system
  By A1P5N909O9ZLK5 on 2007-12-28
  I received a Tomtom go 720 for Christmas and I have been very impressed. We were vacationing in Ruidoso New Mexico and I was surprised to find that even the un-named dirt roads in that area were on the built-in maps. These were "open" roads through public lands. No one can live out there, yet still the TomTom identified each intersection and told me which way to turn. Amazing...
  
  I have used several GPS systems, both car and handheld types and the Tomtom is the drop dead easiest to use of any I have tried. Even though its simple to use, most things can be modified in the preferences. Want to use a "qwerty" keyboard instead of the default alphabetical one, no problem. Change the symbol of your car, sure. Color schemes, voices, left hand or right handed operation, start up screen, you name it, I think it can be changed. Even though its easy to make these changes, no changes are needed to use the unit.
  
  The routing I have found to be superior to other GPS systems - this is especially true of the built-in units the high end cars sell for $2,000 or more (I have experience with the BMW, Lexus, and Caddy Navigation systems). Sometimes these units come up with some truly weird ways of getting somewhere. IMHO most navigation systems need some help with the routing, but the TomTom needed the least amount of help. Also with the Tomtom it is very easy to modify the route the system comes up with by specifying you want to travel "via" and type the city. TomTom also does require you to specify the exact address you're traveling to, you can easily pick the city center. This is something that the other systems need badly as they make entering the information so difficult in the first place that you only want to enter the bare minimum of information. The other units frequently force you to use the entire address, and then make it difficult to fix a mistake without starting over.
  
  I have yet to use the iPod features of the TomTom, but If those work well, that's just free bonus feature.
  
  The upshot here is that all GPS receivers are going to be similar in accuracy so it's just ease of use and completeness of the maps that make the difference. On both of these marks, the go 720 is way beyond the competition.
  
  
• TomTom 720 Failed Me
  By A38NGRPF9ESB1H on 2008-01-12
  
  Back Ground:
  I bought the TomTom as a Christmas Present to myself since The Wife gave me an Amazon gift card, A Friend has one he's been using for a few months and it seemed to have some features I liked.
  
  What I Liked:
  The Bluetooth, The 4.3 inch Widescreen, The Built in FM transmitter to be able to play sound over your car speakers and the MapShare feature that allows you to upload/download Map corrections.
  
  What I did not Like:
  Besides the Fact it was way off in it's accuracy (More on that later) I thought the menus were to confusing, packing too much into each menu, Once I started to get use to it, it wasn't that bad, but the fact it took me a full day just to figure out how to cancel a trip didn't bode well with me. I've used Garmins before and to cancel a trip in a Garmin is a simple 2 step process, Touch menu - Touch Stop - Trip Cancelled. So I found that aggravating on the TomTom since the Trip Cancel is somewhere on like the 5th menu screen. The Bluetooth would not sync with my phone no matter what I tried and yes, my Bluetooth phone was in 'discovery' mode. The Bluetooth was mainly what appealed to me since my job requires a lot of travel time on the roadways I liked the idea of not having to use the cell phone and try to talk and drive. So at this point my reason for buying it was a mote point. The real kicker came when I tried it out for navigation. I first made sure it was charged up, Connected to TomTom Home and downloaded any updates per the instructions and spent the night before familiarizing myself with the menus, features and how to enter destinations etc.
  
  My Trips:
  Trip Number ONE was to my Doctor's office, about a 30 mile one way trip using back roads, half way thru the trip after turning onto a side street it kept telling me to turn around, finally it corrected itself only to try and take me on a longer un-necessary route (Luckily I knew where I was going) The Real kicker came when I got to my Doctor's office, the TomTom insisted I was still a 1/2 mile short of my destination. Ok, that was the first trip no big deal, probably just a fluke.
  
  Trip Number TWO: Leaving the Dr's office I'm going to head to downtown Baltimore to my Office. The TomTom did a Good job of getting me there until I got to my office. Parking is in short supply so I ended up driving completely around my office building until I found a parking space. the TomTom still insisted that my office was a 1/4 mile past where it really is, At this point I'm beginning to think I made a mistake buying this thing.
  
  My Last Trip Number THREE: I leave the office and map a route to my house. The TomTom did ok up to the point of reaching my House. TomTom insisted I lived 1/2 mile in the Opposite direction and was in fact telling me to turn the wrong way. And no, it was not a shorter route since there is only one way to my house and that was the opposite direction from what the TomTom was saying, I think I actually did a double take to make sure I didn't drink some bad coffee the night before. Nope the TomTom was telling me to go the wrong way.
  
  The Turning Point:
  I ignored the TomTom, drove to my house, parked the car and removed the TomTom to be boxed up and returned to Amazon. I had read a few reviews on Amazon about people having a similar experience but just figured maybe they were just Technically Challenged and went ahead with my purchase, After all my buddy has used his in several States with No problems. From what I've read there doesn't seem to be a fix for the problem and it doesn't seem to be every TomTom, I assume TomTom probably has some bad processors out there, which happens. Hopefully TomTom is taking proper steps to get the bad units off the market and into the shredder where they belong. As an interesting side note, I've noticed that since Christmas is over all the TomToms seemed to have gone up by $50 while the Garmins have come down even more in price.
  
  The Bottom Line:
  I have to give this a 1 star rating since it failed at it's very primary function. That function being to get you to your destination accurately. However as stated the TomTom does have some Cool ideas with the MapShare feature being one. I may buy another TomTom someday but for now I'm switching back to Garmin, who BTW has never failed me, and I'll wait for TomTom to work out the bugs in their Gps's. I give Amazon a perfect 5 Star rating for their No Hassle return policy, This was the first ever item I had to return to Amazon and they made it easy. They scheduled UPS to pick it up from house and within 5 days I had a Credit for the full amount back in my account. Kudos to Amazon.
  
  
• I really tried to like the TomTom 720 - but does not hold a candle to the Garmin 660
  By AV49NHRBK8XWH on 2008-04-25
  After reading reviews on both the Garmin 660 and TomTom 720, I decided to try both. Today took them on a trip of about 200 miles round trip mounted side by side. There has been a ton of information written about both units, so I won't go into a lot of details.
  
  Bottom line, the TomTom doesn't even come close to the Garmin in usability. Here is a list of a few of the issues I had with the TomTom.
  
  1- Mount is cheap and flimsy.
  2- Unit difficult to slip into mount - can't see mounting guide on back of unit to slip the unit on easily.
  3- Power plugs into unit, not mount - a pain
  4- Tried to route me on a street that didn't exist.
  5- Routed me on a street that dead ended, which would not allow me to get to destination.
  6- Does not have my local airport listed (Stuart, Florida).
  7- Screen washed out in the sunlight - Garmin considerably brighter and sharper.
  8- Map details lacking. Had a lot of POI's, but of little use as could not use the icons to navigate to them.
  9- TomTom shows turn arrow and highway number, but not name of highway you are going to turn on. Garmin does.
  10- Blackberry 8800 would not connect using Bluetooth.
  11- Home Connect software installed ok, but TomTom would not connect using the Home Connect software.
  12- Has fairly short battery life compared to Garmin.
  13- Traffic not included and traffic option requires separate cable that plugs into bottom of unit - a pain.
  14- Need a hospital in a hurry? You are out of luck because under "hospitals", the TomTom lists every clinic known to man. It does not identify true hospitals, a major issue in an emergency. The Garmin only lists hospitals.
  15- TTS very poor compared to Garmin.
  
  What did I like about the TomTom?
  - It has a QWERTY keyboard - the Garmin does not.
  - It allows you to display a lot of data on the screen.
  
  Why should you steer clear of the TomTom?
  - Very poor screen in sunlight - almost could not read.
  - Routing could be a big issue.
  - Hospital issue - a major issue to most of us.
  
  Before you buy, try them both side by side in your car. You will be amazed at the difference in the displays.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The Only Review You'll Need for the 720
  By A1EO9A979RNN48 on 2007-12-10
  I want to make this short and sweet. Let's start with some pros:
  
  PROS: Straight out of the box, you can start using the 720. A quick 2 minute set-up and you're ready to go. I bought my 720 on November 25, 2007 and the maps are very accurate and up-to-date. The 720 comes with one free map update that you can use within a month of purchase to get the latest map additions. MapShare is a great feature and allows you to share map corrections with others people in your area. The menus and interface are excellent (better than Garmin in my opinion) and the speaker is great. The auto re-route feature is excellent as well(in case you miss a turn, run into traffic, or purposely go a different route). I personally love being able to add POI (Point of Interest) and the computer will say them. I added a couple of "speed limit change" reminders as a POI and the 720 will tell me when I am approaching the location. It is also very easy to find a gas station, movie theater, ect.. while driving (please be careful while doing it). The hands-free calling works with any bluetooth enabled phone and makes talking while driving MUCH safer and easier. The ability to hook-up the iPod is also a great feature that you can utilize (with the proper hook-ups). Now for the Cons....
  
  CONS: Let's start with the Bluetooth/hands free calling. While it's true you can perform handsfree calling, not all phones allow you to connect and use certain features, such as uploading your phonebook, getting traffic and weather updates, having the computer read your text messages, email, ect,.. In fact, only 3 Sprint phones are compatible with the 720 for these features. I'm not sure which phones are, but I believe the TomTom website lists the compatible phones. Your best bet is to go to your local GPS retailer and play with the demo to see if it's compatible (just go through the set-up steps and see if your phone works, only takes a minute). Next, the 720 did give me a wrong turn in one instance that actually would have cost me almost 10 minutes in extra driving, luckily I didn't listen to it. I hear all GPS units make a few errors with directions, so what can you do. Third, to use the iPod you need to buy an extra cable (you can get this off of ebay for about $20) and the quality is not the greatest if you plan on having the volume up loud. Also, the interface between the 720 and your iPod are not all there. As far as the maps and POIs, there are no Quiktrips listed which I find odd since it's a very large gas station chain so it makes me wonder what other POIs are missing from the GPS, but that's where MapShare comes in handy.
  
  If you can get past the screwy iPod connectivity and the phone conectivity, you have a really good GPS unit on your hands and probably the best in it's class for what it offers. If you have any specific questions I would be glad to help, just email me at ceosblake@yahoo.com
  
  
• TomTom GO 720 is a winner!
  By APRP8UBWTQ15J on 2008-02-08
  I bought this and returned the Navigon 7100 (see my review on the 7100, which was 4 star).
  
  The reason I initially decided to try this unit was the ability to update the maps by connecting to my computer and then to their website. This of course is a great feature - it allows me to get map corrections on a regular basis, plus loading photos, music, and backing up everything to my computer (and downloading new voices, etc etc). What I did not expect was the software updates... WOW! New features suddenly appeared! Really nice ones.
  
  Once I started playing around with the unit, it became clear that they had a much better user interface than the Navigon - one simple enough that you really didn't need a user's manual to use, with a few rare exceptions for uncommon functions I actually have never used (but played with). Bravo to TomTom for a great user interface!
  
  For images, if you upload larger images, you can zoom in and drag the image around to look at the details. Somewhat like an iPhone, but for zooming, press the + in the upper right corner to zoom in, or - in the upper left corner to zoom out. Very nice!
  
  I like the way the cell phone connection is automatic, and that you can transfer your contact list to select from on the touch-screen. However, what they don't allow at this time is to use the voice command function of the phone - i.e., you can't connect to the phone unless you provide a number to dial, either manually, or by selecting from the contact list. I hope they add this feature in the future.
  
  I like the "quick menu" feature - access by a single touch to selected menu items. I like the graphic menu - a set of icons with text - very large, easy to see, no problem accidentally touching the wrong one. I like the compass display - you can configure it under settings in different ways. I like the "avoid" capability - where you can set it to avoid certain routes.
  
  There are a number of features I can't use, which require a data connection in my phone. This includes weather and traffic updates, fuel prices, and buddies. I plan to purchase an iPhone, and hope it will work with that... if so, that will add to the functionality significantly.
  
  The speed of acquiring GPS, and the 5-bar signal strength indicator are very helpful. This unit is sensitive enough to work even in some parking garages, and in most homes with wood construction.
  
  The display brightness can be set to automatically adjust to the light level - very nice. You can browse the map, and view the map in 3D or 2D. You can make map corrections, which will get uploaded the next time you connect to your computer. You can download maps you need into the unit (such as a Europe map, if you plan to travel to Europe). Multiple language support as well (I only use English, but you can also have British and Austrailian voices if you wish - also male or female).
  
  Overall, a great buy - highly recommended!
  
  
• plus services not compatible on most cell phones
  By A3L6HAGWR5B1S9 on 2007-10-05
  I was pretty happy when i first made the purchase, reading prior reviews with the features the 720 had. After receiving the item, i immediatley powered it to my cell phone. I wanted to use the plus services for traffic,i work evenings and encounter alot of roadwork which local news radio stations fail to give.i noticed the bluetooth feature captured my 720 for handsfree,but the other features failed. the tomtom website clearly states the razr v3 is compatible,it definitly isnt, as mine reached 65% and gave me an error message,download failed.i called tomtom and was immediately given the run around,transfered to the technical dept,who then in turn transfered me to their mobile unit who never came on the phone.i emailed them directly, and received a reply that razr phones ARENT COMPATIBLE FOR PLUS SERVICES.i felt totally mislead, BEWARE IF YOU PLAN ON USING THE PLUS SERVICES WITH YOUR CELL..granted there is an optional fm/traffic antenna which will run u back $129 or more,depending when you read this.
  
  
• TomTom GO 720
  By A2QN2PEL96F37K on 2007-08-06
  The Map Share feature is revolutionary and will be huge in the future, but what I really like about the 720 is its "Help Me" feature. I'm surprised other GPS devices didn't have this earlier. It allows users to quickly and easily access different types of information should an emergency arise. The FM transmitter also makes playing music through your TomTom a breeze. I also like that you can move the information bar to the side of the screen instead of keeping it on the bottom. Good work TomTom with the new 720!
  
  
• I really liked it, but...
  By AVEU1JCAR12DW on 2007-08-16
  I bought this unit and had trouble with the docking station right away, but was able to connect it to the computer with another USB cable. Used it on a trip to Maine over the weekend and loved it, had no trouble with it. Went to use it yesterday and couldn't get it to turn on, called customer support and they talked me through trying to get it working, but no luck. So I returned it, rather exchanged it, but haven't used it yet.
  I exchanged it because I liked everything it has to offer, and wouldn't give up on it yet.
  I haven't rated it yet, because I have hardly used it, still exploring what it can do. But if I have to give it something now, I'll give it a ****
  I do like the option of an assortment of voices, some come with the unit and others can be downloaded at a small cost.
  You can get traffic in time updates as well as weather but requires a bluetooth connection. These features I feel, if I knew more about how they are obtained, could be better served using the FM radio transmitter feature that could be relayed through the car's radio... if that's possible?
  I want to add this... I just returned from a Florida trip. The route it gave me through Washington DC was not a good one, especially for an Oct. Fri nite. Perhaps if I had A Blue Tooth, where it could update it on the road, but the trip took me an extra 2 1/2 hours. I updated it when i got home and it took over an hour, and it quit with some sort of download problem. But it still beats buying and fumbling with all those paper maps.
  
  
• Extremely poor customer service
  By A1Q93IV975O3V5 on 2007-12-27
  TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
  
  
  Beware Mac users! Steer clear of Tom Tom unless you like to sit on hold for a very, very long time.
  
  We ordered a Tom Tom 720 from Amazon for Christmas 2007 based on the very positive review of this product in David Pogue's column. When we opened the box on Xmas morning and tried to start the product we immediately ran into problems.
  
  TomTom apparently has a major compatibility issue with the Mac, but this is not mentioned on the TomTom site. The Mac does not recognize the Tom Tom USB, so you can't charge the device or install software.
  
  We tried to call TomTom on Xmas morning and found that the customer service lines were not staffed on Xmas. At least we did not have to wait on hold for a long time, they had the nerve to tell us this on the phone. What a huge gaffe for a consumer product company!
  
  We started calling again on Dec 26, but got busy signals all day. Ditto for Dec 27 from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. (When I did a search on "Tom Tom customer service" on Google, I found that other users have had similar -- or worse -- response from TomTom for a variety of product problems.)
  
  We have not given up yet, but I suspect we will before long. This may be a great product, but right now it's a $400 book end.
  
  
• It works!
  By A1ABETM4C2FFD7 on 2008-02-08
  I have read a number of reviews that pretty much tell you to steer clear of TomTom and go for a Garmin. These reviews claim that the TomTom is buggy, slow to find a GPS signal, and gives incorrect driving instructions.
  
  I did not find this to be the case. This is my first GPS device, but I it seemed quick and the instructions it gave seemed reasonable. I Especially loved the simplicity of the interface and the clear indication of the current street name and next upcoming turn. The newer computer voices (you can choose from several) are actually remarkably lifelike, and I found that they correctly pronounced many of the tricky street names in my city. The device also has all kinds of customization options: screen color schemes, MP3 playback, custom graphics, additional voices, etc.
  
  A free update from the TomTom website added a massive collection of restaurant and store locations, as well as gas stations. These can be searched through like a phonebook, and the TomTom even connected to my bluetooth Nokia phone so that I could call stores - hands free - from the car using their interface!
  
  My only complaint is that the TomTom would not allow me to quickly transfer all of my GoogleMaps custom locations and routes. Most things have to be entered by hand. TomTom announced support for Google Maps, but the feature seems just plain broken. I can't get it to work.
  
  
• 720 is a GO
  By A1MTL8B07UYDN0 on 2007-10-16
  I love the Tele Atlas Maps that the 720 uses--The POI coverage is impressive, and i just read that they have over 24 million of them. I didn't even know there were 24 million points of interest, period. TT makes it really easy to entering addresses according to state,and the screen is large and able to be fully customized. I also love the fact that it provides the text-to-speech option.
  
  
  
• Be careful on this one !
  By A2YWKCWUWWXB6F on 2007-12-22
  It has a lot of bells and whistles on it. I bought this for my husband and he tried downloading the new maps on it 4 times (N.America/Guam). He followed download instructions. The only map that downloaded was Guam and that is the only map the GPS sees,... all the N.American maps were deleted with the download of the N.American/Guam new download. So, now he has a GPS TOMTOM 720 that is only good if you are in Guam! Tech support is only Mon-Sat during business hours. I wrote an email but I'm sure I won't hear anything until it is Mon-Sat 9-5.
  
  

• TomTom XL/GO Leather Carrying Case
• GARMIN 010-10455-00 GPSmap 60 Series Marine Mount
• GARMIN 010-10456-00 GPSmap 60 Series Auto Mount
• Garmin Automotive Navigation Accessory Pack for GPSMap 276C (010-10510-00)
• GGI International LCD Screen Care Kit, with Overlays, Care System Microfiber Cloth & Wipes

• TomTom GO 720 Carry Case and Strap (9M00.000)
• Bracketron UFM-100BL Nav-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad
• TomTom XL / 520 / 720 Leather Carry Case and Strap
• TomTom GO 720 ClearTouch Anti-Glare Screen Protector (Single Pack)
• TomTom Additional Mount with Car Charger