TomTom ONE 3rd Edition 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator Reviews

• The TomTom One Gets An Upgrade...

  
  By A2RUUTTFJQ7CBH on 2007-11-06
  Christmas is here again and that can only mean one thing...the GPS market is introducing new toys for consumers to play with. What we have here is the newly updated TomTom One (3rd Edition) which is the exact same dimensions and weight as the regular TomTom One ( 3.8" x 3.2" x 1.0" and 6.1 ounces ) with added features and of course newly updated Tele Atlas maps.
  
  Lets start with the basics, for consumers looking to upgrade from the prior released TomTom One, the cosmetics of the product have changed slightly. The thin black plastic that outlined the screen has been replaced with the ever popular color silver. This gives the TomTom One a new space-age look that may appeal to some people while others (myself included) will find the new look cheap and clichéd. The SD card slot on the bottom of the unit has been replaced with an RDS-TMC antenna connector which is used for traffic reports. The antenna itself does not come with the unit and is available separately for roughly $129.00 but I find this accessory unneeded and pricey.
  
  Moving on to the interface...needles to say the TomTom One (3rd Edition) borrows heavily from past TomTom operating system software so anyone who has used TomTom products will have a decent idea on how to maneuver around the already user-friendly interface. They have managed to add a few extras to the touch screen interface such as a "Help Me" button which when pressed opens features such as "Phone For Help" which displays emergency numbers for the current location (such as and typically 911) "Drive To Help" which show you the quickest way to the nearest police station or hospital and a "First Aid Guide" which is provided by the British Red Cross.
  
  Also included in the safety features is an option to sound a custom alarm if any of the following occur:
  
  1. When approaching a school or church
  2. When driving faster than a set speed
  3. When driving faster than allowed
  
  A nice addition to the TomTom One (3rd Edition) is the ability to make your own map corrections. For example the city I live in recently shut down an existing department store and rebuilt a Super Center about a mile down the road about 3 months ago. Because of this recent change the Points Of Interest database had to be updated. I simply used the "Map Correction" feature to edit and move the existing Point Of Interest to its correct location on the map. Very convenient. The "Map Correction" feature also allows users to (Un)block A Street, Reverse Traffic Direction, Edit Street Names, Add Missing POI, and Report Other Errors.
  
  Without say the TomTom One (3rd Edition) has been preloaded with the best maps on the market. The unit now runs on USA and Canada maps version 705.1481 provided by Tele Atlas. When compared to other GPS products on the market I've personally found that TomTom products have the edge when it comes to accuracy and map detail. The TomTom One is even polite enough to warn me when there is a toll road on a calculated route and then has enough courtesy to avoid it if I so desire, I've never gotten this kind of respect from my Garmin Nuvi 200.
  
  The only down side to the TomTom One (3rd Edition) is its battery life. Even with all the upgrades we still only have a 2-hour battery charge that leaves us dependent on the cigarette charger in our cars. Oh well, can't win `em all.
  
  For consumers interested in purchasing their first GPS unit the TomTom One would be perfect if not only for its quality then for its simplicity. Other units might come close but I've found that the TomTom One delivers time and time again.
  
  What's in the box? I'm glad you asked:
  
  - The TomTom One (of course)
  - (1) Car Charger
  - Documentation Pack (Quick Start Guide, Installation Poster, Accessories Catalog, and Warranty/License Agreement)
  - (1) Windshield Mount
  - (1) USB Cable
  - (1) Adhesive Disk For Windshield Mount (for mounting the TomTom to your dash)
  
  

• Tom Tom One vs Magellan and Text to Speech

  
  By A1IXJK1NYTSMJU on 2007-10-25
  I replaced a Magellan 4040 with this. The Magellan had text to speech - wide screen - blue tooth and AAA guides. Cost much more.
  
  In my opinion the inexpensive Tom Tom beats the Magellan hands down, even without text to speech.
  
  Text to speech is a great concept but seems to strain the processor to the point that it would sometimes forget to give you street names OR directions. Very bad. I had 2 Magellan's ( I thought first was defective and returned it ) and both would do this. I would much rather hear "turn right in 500 feet" than no instructions at all. Many times I was blocks past my turn before Magellan would announce it. Not good.
  
  Both Magellan's got flaky on me as well. One would need an occasional reboot for a frozen screen, the other would occasionally tell me I had reached my destination when it was still miles away.
  
  Tom Tom has been rock solid.
  
  Tom Tom NEVER misses a turn voice command. They are quite detailed as well unlike Magellan. Magellan says "turn right at Blair Street" where Tom Tom says "turn right in 200 feet than make third left".
  
  POI in Tom Tom is way better in my area than Magellan. It had an espresso stands that only opened 4 months ago near me! Of course results may vary depending upon where you live.
  
  Voice is loud and clear, map colors are changeable, interface is very customizable.
  
  Also Tom Tom guarantees a free download of the latest map for your unit at purchase. Garman and Magellan have very vague policies on that and may charge you for the latest map.
  
  I have owned both Garman C220 and Magellan 4040. I will be most likely be purchasing Tom Tom from now on....
  
  

• So where is the documentation??

  
  By A3QMIWXU2RGEMH on 2007-09-13
  I've lusted after one of these things since my cousin got one from his son as a birthday present. The advent of the 3rd edition at only $50 more than the current edition tipped me over the edge.
  
  While the unit operates like a piece of cake, with excellent maps and a GPS processing algorithm that puts me right in the middle of the road back here in the mountains of West Virginia, the documentation was/is pitiful. Nothing was provided with the unit, so I downloaded a copy from www.TOMTOM.COM. What I received did not match the unit I had. You would think that the latest edition (3rd in my case) would be available on the website, but not in this case.
  
  The pdf file downloaded doesn't match my unit's instructions. For example, there is supposed to be an Itinerary Feature whereby you can plan and store your trips in advance according to the documentation. Unfortunately, the appropriate screens are not on the TomTom One 3rd edition unit where the documentation said they were.
  
  Telephone support is a joke. I finally gave up after being in the phone queue for over 45 minutes. One good thing. It was an 800 number...
  
  
  

• Very good navigation with some caveats

  
  By A27HQX4ZUUGOKF on 2007-11-25
  I have been using this one for only 2 days, but having used previous GPS (Garmin Nuvi 350, Mio C310x and Magellan 4050), I can say my navigation experience has been very good so far.
  
  I agree with other reviewers that even without text-to-speech, the voice directions in combination with looking at the map will work just fine. My first trip today went smoothly with the following caveats:
  
  
  1-When you make a wrong turn (which I did intentionally to test the device) , it tries very quickly (within 5 seconds) to re-direct you in the correct direction. However, unlike the other devices I have tried, it does not notify you that it is "re-calculating" . I personally don't believe it is a big deal as long as it does a good job at putting you back on track.
  
  UPDATE 11/27/07: Even though you do not get a "re-calculating" voice
  indication, it does put a message on the screen (2 seconds long) to that
  effect. I personally think this is fine since I used to hate having
  to hear the "re-calculating" over and over again on some of the other devices I have tried.
  
  
  2-When driving through side streets, the unit does not display the name of the next street to turn to on the top right corner. It will display the names of major highways and routes only. For example, if I am supposed to turn right to Memorial road in 100 yards, it will not display that street name, but just verbally tell you to tun right. I find this to be a major nuisance, since, in the absence of text-to-speech, I want to READ which street i am supposed to turn to next. I have not seen any other reviewer complain about this. So I hope this is not just my own device. I have been having some technical issue with the TomTom Home 2 software when attempting to download the latest maps, which I will explain below, but I believe this to be unrelated to the side street names issue. I am planning on calling customer service to inquire about this. Having said that, even with the missing side street names, I am still able to follow the screen (the trajectory is clearly marked) as well as the voice guidance without missing a turn.
  
  UPDATE 11/27/07: I called customer service and they confirmed that the device does not show the next street to turn to if it is not a major highway. I just could not believe this device would not show you the next street: any other GPS in the market does so. So I decided to play some more with the features, and discovered that this option DOES exist. All you have to do is go to navigation options under preferences and select the option to display the next street to turn to . It worked. I can't believe it was that easy, yet customer service did not even know this was possible?!
  
  
  TomTom Home 2 issues:
  
  When I try to use the TomTom Home 2 software to download the latest maps, I consistently get an "internal server error" which prevents me from moving forward with the download. I will call customer service to inquire about this, so I am hoping that there is a quick fix for this. I don't have any issues when downloading other items like POI, voices, and safety cameras....
  
  UPDATE 11/27/07: This is a TomTom web server issue due to high download demand after black Friday. I was able to download the maps successfuly after talking to customer service.
  
  
  Map Share :
  
  Map share is a great idea, I have tried it , and it is very useful. But Tomtom literature that came with the device indicates that free Map sharing with/from others is only good for one year. So Map Share is not free after all?! Is this an indirect way of getting you to buy updated maps?
  
  UPDATE 11/27/07. Customer service mentioned that there is no one year limit to using Map Share. So I hope they are not bluffing....
  
  
  Final thoughts:
  
  My 4 star rating is based on the assumption that the couple of issues mentioned above will get fixed . Even with those issues, the device itself is a very solid GPS navigator. It does not give you the frills of a Nuvi 350, but the price difference between those two is in favor of the TomTom. It is so far a keeper.
  
  UPDATE 11/27/07. Based on my 11/27/07 updates, I am happy I made the purchase! I am also growing fonder of the device as I learn about its features (zip code search, intersection search, longitute/latitude search, powerful POI search options, ....). Plus, the TOMTOM Home 2 software allows you to get the latest maps for free (first 30 days). That in itself is extremely helpful. One of my friends bought the Magellan 4050 with Voice recognition only to return it because his own house was not on the map (plus Magellan does not advertise free map updates). The Map Share feature is also very valuable as it is equivalent to a freeware map update software.
  
  

• Good value for the price

  
  By A5OMBQZR177MZ on 2007-10-05
  Good design - looks nice in your car, not too bulky. The menus sometimes are not as user-friendly - for example, after making a selection, it typically kicks you out of settings instead of going up to a previous level (us, windows users expect to see the previous menu after making a selection and clicking ok). I think this is done so speed up changing menu items (for example when you need to mute audio quickly). I got a few celebrity voices on the thing - and while they seems cool at the beginning, I quickly realized that a) the impersonations are pretty poor and b) overall quality of directions seems to be worse - i.e. voice clarity, volume, etc. Maybe if you have kids, you can have them entertained with Homer Simpson giving you directions if you don't have a DVD player in your car... The Tom Tom HOME software is very useful - easy to load updates, and the new version even allows "using" the unit while it's plugged into the PC - so you can set preferences and even pre-plan your trips without having to use the touch-screen keyboard.
  
  
• The new TomTom, Third Edition
  By AEEKCQ60CGDOP on 2007-11-15
  TomTom, Third Edition, is shirt pocket small and light, very loud voice, bright enough to follow in day-light. With a high speed internet and computer, it is easily updateable for free. We put in only an address and it told us the route and name of an art house theater 50 miles away. After four freeway changes, we arrived in the city and it directed us to three restaurants within walking distance and tracked us as we walked in a forest of tall buildings. The fact that it tells you the distance to turn right or left surprised me and made me a believer that turn at street name would not be good, but a minus. You can never see street signs. Driving in heavy traffic gives you no time to decide if this upcoming named street is the one you want. It even took us on a traffic bypass I would not have known about, we bypassed a congested traffic signal, on this eight lane road. WOW! One thing I havent seen mentioned is because it is clearly telling you what to do; you are able to remember where to turn on the way back without using the TomTom.
  
  Con: Bright enough, but screen could be brighter in day-light. Battery life could be longer.
  
  
• great product
  By A3SRJFVOEYDEE0 on 2007-11-23
  This is my first car GPS and I don't know who would need more and why. This product does everything I need and the size is perfect - it fits in my jacket pockets easily.
  Only one little drawback is that on long trips I can't tell it to use certain roads to use to get to a destination. Of course you still have options to choose a fastest route, shortest etc, but it doesn't solve the "problem". I solved it however by creating some checkpoints in places i needed to go through, so it directed me through these areas.
  Also, I found it better when the GPS calls my turns and not the name of the street. The unit tells you to turn a certain distance from the turn and when the turn needs to be made. It is also very easy to see if you need to turn, because the GPS is so precise. It seems to me that the call outs of street names would be more challenging to the driver, but I've never used this option so I don't know how the name call outs work.
  I bought it for $149, but i was ready to give $250 for it.
  I really can't understand some of the bad reviews here, because some of them talk about things that are not related to this GPS system. Maybe they describe the 1st or 2nd Ed.?
  
  I really recommend it if you're on a budget, and don't need another gadget that comes with mp3 player :)
  ---
  
  January, 2008 Update:
  
  I just came back from a long trip to California and I can say that this GPS is one of the few gadgets that I don't have smallest regrets for buying. I can't say enough what a huge help this device was for me during this trip. Every time I thought about the money I gave for it, it made me smile, because I would give much more just for renting it for the trip . Driving around San Francisco and LA was no problem with this unit. But of course there were some small issues that I suspect every GPS has. On one occasion I missed my turn since it was immediately after previous turn. This was my fault since it had told me before about two turns to the left. After I missed it, it asked me to turn left on the next intersection where left turns were not permitted. I consider it a small issue since the GPS is not supposed to relieve you from paying attention.
  
  This GPS shows the addresses very precisely and not like one of the negative reviewers here said "it will not get you there, but it will get you close". It announced that I had reached my destination at the right time. However I had that issue once while driving in Manhattan, surrounded by tall buildings. It knew I was on the right street, but it didn't know exactly where - it happened once though and I suspect other GPS's would have the same problem in similar circumstances.
  
  Text to speech feature is totally, totally useless. I haven't needed it even once. A quick look at the screen plus announcements was enough for me. I didn't even know on what street name I was for most of the time and it wasn't important to me anyway (it is shown on the screen though). I found all my destinations without problem.
  
  While driving on highways the TT1 will often announce to keep left. I found that it doesn't really want you to drive on the left lane and it is just a warning not to end up on the exit lane on the right.
  
  I was driving through highway 101 where there is a construction at one point, blocking the exit. The GPS wanted me to take this exit, however missing it was not a problem. I just drove by it and the GPS recalculated my route quickly, telling me to take the next exit. My girlfriend didn't even realize that the GPS changed my route.
  
  It is kind of funny that some people complain that this GPS takes strange routes to get to the destination. Why would they use a GPS if they knew the route anyway? But it happens to me too. In my neighborhood it tells me to get to the main highway through a Jewish neighborhood that is often full of traffic. However, just a couple of clicks on the screen (avoid part of the route) puts me on the route I always take. But even that is not important. Just turn to the next street and the GPS will recalculate immediately (no clicking required). However, on Saturdays this is the best route though, since there no traffic at all.
  Maybe on my trip I didn't always have the fastest route, but who cares. I always found my destination and reached it pretty quickly.
  
  About points of Interests:
  I found all I needed, however I didn't need many. It seems like it has all the gas stations though. On two occasions, while driving on a highway, away from the nearest town, we got craving for McDonald. It found a couple on the route. After about 20 minutes highway driving we were eating. So who cares if maybe we missed one that was somewhere closer and the GPS didn't know about it.
  
  Many people here write negative reviews comparing TT1 to other more expansive units. Just keep in mind that GPS will not plan your life for you. I got a feeling that those people complaining about TT1 and its POI, would complain anyway about details. Maybe it should show every store in America and their open hours. What about restaurant's menus. I'm sure someone will catch this idea.
  
  Now I just can't imagine how I drove a year ago in Arizona with my girlfriend with a bindle of printed out maps.
  
  If you used printed maps until now, just go ahead and order this unit. Just don't order the one with white screen issue.
  
  
  
• Street Names....
  By ADRU8BTIU7UC0 on 2007-11-13
  While the TomTom One is well priced, the lack of verbal street name announcements is a MAJOR drawback. I didn't think this was sooo important, and as this unit was recommended by Consumer Reports, I ordered it, tried it and returned it. Also, when you go astray, the unit doesn't really let you know, it usually just directs you to turn around (something like...turn right, turn right, turn left)....I now have the Garmin Nuvi350 and I LOVE IT!! Garmin nüvi 350 Pocket Vehicle GPS Navigator with Maps for North America She (or he) announces the street by name or number that you need to turn on, as well as immediately informing you that she is "recalculating" when you make a wrong turn or miss a turn.
  
  
• Simple to use - works great!
  By A3SOM602YXRV84 on 2007-11-26
  I received this today and had it up and running in 5 minutes. Programming it is very easy. I gave it 5 stars because it delivers on everything it promises.
  
  PROS:
  >SATELLITE LOCKS ON IN UNDER 30 SECONDS
  >VERY EASY TO GET UP AND RUNNING (I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO USE A MANUAL)
  >POSITION ACCURACY IS EXCELLENT
  >VOICE DIRECTIONS ARE LOUD ENOUGH AND ACCURATE (NOTE VOICE DIRECTIONS DON'T GIVE STREET NAMES.. JUST "TURN RIGHT", BUT THAT'S ALL THEY ADVERTISED AND I FOUND IN MY TEST RIDE TODAY IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT MUCH. I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SCREEN AT ALL IF I DIDN'T WANT TO.)
  >FEATURES ARE SLICK, SUCH AS POINTS OF INTEREST SHOWING UP ON THE MAP (GAS, RESTAURANT, HOSPITALS, ETC..) OR HELP ME FEATURE (HOW TO GET THE POLICE OR TO THE HOSPITAL ASAP) WITH PHONE NUMBERS
  >TOUCH SCREEN IS VERY SENSITIVE AND EASY TO USE (EVEN WITH MY BIG FINGERS)
  
  CONS:
  HONESTLY, I DON'T SEE ANY CONS WITH THIS DEVICE. I PAID $160.00 FOR A GPS THAT DOES EVERYTHING I NEED IT TO DO. THAT'S AWESOME!
  
  ENJOY YOUR TOM TOM!
  
  
• Spend a few bucks more and get text to speech
  By A2HWWCPZZVR6JE on 2007-12-15
  I bought the TomTom One 3rd edition with the leather case and home charger for $162.00. It's my 4th GPS device; two are built-in units and one is a Garmin i5.
  
  The TomTom is ok; I don't miss the larger screen because the screen quality is fine. It's very easy to set up and get going, and TomTom's website is nicely coordinated with the products and very easy to use, unlike Garmin's site that seems ancient and unfriendly.
  
  However, there are a couple of issues that new GPS owners should be aware of. First, although the TomTom One 3rd edition is simple, it's almost too simple. It gives very few spoken instructions. "Right Turn Ahead" doesn't tell you much at all when it's given a couple of miles from a turn. The next warning is "Turn right in 800 yards."
  
  800 yards?? When's the last time you measured anything in yards? My old Garmin i5 says "In 3 tenths of a mile, turn right." Much better -- car odometers are in tenths of a mile, not yards! But then the TomTom waits until the last 100 feet or so to tell you "Turn right." I found this warning to come too late on the 2-3 lane state roads in busy south Florida while on a trip.
  
  There are no options to change the measurement from yards to tenths or feet, only meters. I can understand not having text to speech (although I'm sure every GPS will have it probably within a year, even the cheap ones), but how about some more instructions to help us get around?
  
  I found that I have to look at the TomTom GPS much more than any other GPS I own, which is dangerous. It just doesn't give me enough verbal information. Although the map is clear (3D is a gimmick, use 2D instead) and it has a neat feature to zoom in as you approach an intersection, it doesn't give enough information on the upcoming roads. Mine seems to always display the road I'm on, both on the bottom of the screen and the top. It should display the street name of the next upcoming turn on top, but it doesn't.
  
  All in all, it's an ok device, but as an experienced GPS owner, I can't recommend it for first-time GPS owners. My 3 year old Garmin i5 provides more information, although Garmin's upgrade policies, awful software that crashes every computer I try it on and their unfriendly website forced me away from the company.
  
  My advice? Spend the extra money and get something with text to speech that provides more verbal info. You don't really need to look at a gimmicky map and instructions on a tiny screen -- you should be watching the road. Verbal instructions are way more important, but this fact is hardly emphasized in any GPS reviews. Take it from me...
  
  
• A basic GPS navigator for most of us
  By A1HDQMD058B644 on 2007-12-25
  This is the second unit I've bought and the fourth I've played with.
  
  There are at least 4 versions of TomTom One: version 1, 2, 2 "new edition" and 3. They are very similar electronically but quality control and software issues plague versions 1 & 2. Some Version 3 models malfunction within days of purchase, stuck on its infamous 'white screen' that persists until machines are reset, but reoccurs. Its likely a production batch with serial numbers containing 46,47,48; e.g. Y12448Cxx. Tomtom Home v1.x has caused some machines to completely lose data, but no reports of issues once users upgrade to Home V2.x.
  
  "New Edition" US version is noted as having the US/Canada maps preloaded, few to no bug reports and ready to run, out of box. The recent model in this series is Version 3; it has no SD card slot but has built in capability to make some corrections to its maps. The US/Canada version ships in a hard plastic 'skin pack' that is difficult to open and can cut your fingers from sharp plastic. Beware. Prior versions shipped in a cardboard box, with an easy to open, plastic shrink wrap.
  
  I strongly suggest users leave their units on for 2-3 days connected to computer USB port to 'burn in' their units, and allow for premature failure, while under warranty.
  
  Not documented by TomTom, the One series will charge via any computer USB port.
  
  
  Navigation Test
  
  I did a "Turing Test" by comparing my favorite known driving routes against the TT1 recommendations.
  
  My often used routes are optimal for time and distance. In planning mode, TT1 gave many identical recommendations, from 0.5 - 500mi away.
  
  On test trips, I purposely pulled over to a side road that I knew reconnected to the planned route some distance ahead. After the 'turn around if possible' warning it automatically re-routed my trip to take me back on track. On other tests, it simply rerouted me directly back to my plan, without other warnings.
  
  I hit the 'road block' option that suggests I'm stuck in traffic for 'X' miles. TT1 would tell me get off the next exit, turn around, make a turn here or there and follow a new route to bypass this X miles jam. I did this numerous times to check how it would reroute me in local driving & highway driving. Expectedly, it gave 'reroute not possible' when my destination was within the minimum distance required to reroute, about 0.5 mi.
  
  After preliminary testing in local roads, the TT1 went on a road trip of over 2500 mi.
  
  I entered GPS coordinates for addresses I had not been to but expect to visit. If faulty coordinates were given that terminated without roads, the TT1 quickly reported a route could not be plotted to that destination: you can navigate to the nearest turn off road if the coordinates are known. I arrived at all the plotted destinations flawlessly, following TT1 directions instead of what I would be told.
  
  In a notorious area in Washington DC, traffic jams that cause over 1 hour trip delays were very common ... TT1 routed me around DC easily, so my arrival time changed by under 5 minutes. In prior trips, I had no choice but to stick it out on the traffic jam. On the return trip, part of the bypass route also had traffic, I hit the 'road block' feature and again, TT1 navigated me around the block through local roads and to the highway with ne'er a change in the arrival time. Anyone who has driven through the confusing DC inner roads will know how difficult such navigation is without detailed knowledge or maps of downtown Washington. The TT1 easily saved me 1 hour wasted in DC traffic that I had done many times for years prior.
  
  As I sped down south, I simulated jams on the highway, and the TT1 would quickly route off the next exit into local roads, some of which I saw easily paralleled the main highway. Some bypass routes were complicated. I did this off and on, through 2000 mi of highway travel, passing through 8 states.
  
  At my rural destination a few roads were non-existent, often dead ends or into housing development. You could plot a GPS location to a main road before a turn off. The locals had preferred routes, but the TT1 would route me through existing known roads, dirt or otherwise, that still got me to my destination regardless of what other route a local recommended. Rarely, the road names on the TT1 was different than that posted on the road signs. I spent about 500 mi traveling through these country roads.
  
  The supplied TT1 POI database is practically useless. Except in exceptional cases of carelessness, gas or rest stops marked were far from a preferred road stop: I knew some of those stops had poor food, rest room or gas prices, while the better stops were like a mini WalMart with gas prices often lower by as much as 25c/gal. TT1 allows the user to make their own POI database, and this I did. On the return trip, TT1 tools easily allowed me to optimize my stops. In the end, I reduced my travel time by 2 hours, each way!
  
  After over 2500mi driving the TT1 recommendations, I can say the TT1 has been accurate and invaluable. Lastly, the TT1 is actually a Linux PDA type computer, and it can be 'hacked' to add or repair it in ways it was not designed to be! More info can be found on the 'net.
  
  
• Simplicity!
  By A3VUBFUB56EBOB on 2007-09-20
  I absolutely LOVE this GPS. We never owned one before, and 5 minutes after taking the GPS out of the box we were on our way on our first route. It worked flawlessly - we even tried "tricking" the device by taking different roads. It immediately recalculated our route within seconds without any errors. It is user friendly and uncomplicated. The only downside is that both of my daughters have put in a request for one for a Christmas gift!
  
  
• Defecive
  By A11HZMKR7CJZP8 on 2007-12-27
  TomTom shipped a large quantity of these knowing they are defective. Every time you turn it on it locks up in a White Screen of Death (WSD) and you must use a paper-clip or some other pointy object to press the reset button. Mine was like this, my brothers and apparently as many as a thousand others according to several references I found when I searched the internet. Yes, Tomtom claims they will replace these with new units if you send it back and wait a week. But I don't believe they send new units. What are they going to do with the defective units. And their web site is off-line now that Xmas is over. I going to return it. Also, they imply that you get free map updates forever but when I opened the package I found it's only for one year. Try to find this in their literature.
  
  
• No Way to Make Zoom Stick, it's going back
  By A1J0QBNY8OPOD0 on 2007-12-24
  I have had many GPS over the last 5 years and am not new to GPS technology. I was shocked and surprised that there is no way to make the zoom "stick" as a personalized setting. After a few seconds, the screen zooms back in to an internal preset distance of about 1/2 mile. I find this rather annoying and completely unacceptable. If I want to set a 2 mile radius and make it stick, why doesn't TomTom let me? On the highway, only seeing what is ahead less than 30 seconds away is a hassle and limitation that I'm not willing to live with. Every other GPS I've ever owned sticks with the zoom I set, not the one they force on me.
  
  
  Otherwise a great unit but this one "feature" is enough hassle for me to recommend against TomTom.
  
  
• Disappointing 3rd Edition, a backward step
  By A2K26OM2CXC6N2 on 2007-11-06
  I bought this unit to replace an aging GO 300 for use both in the USA and the UK. I was very disappointed to find that this unit does not have an SD card slot so I cannot use it with my UK maps. More money and less functionality, I'm very disappointed with TomTom.
  
  
• Tom Tom One - The One is for One Star
  By A1PYA0UCUD5MTK on 2007-11-30
  I've had this for a few days now. I've used it to navigate twice to a specific destination. In both cases, the TT One was more than a half mile off relative to the final destination. It is routinely 30-90 yards off on judging intersections and turns. I had a Garmin prior to this with no such problems. This is going back and I'm getting another Garmin.
  
  
• TomTom One (3rd/2nd/LE) VS Magellan 3200
  By A30JZGKX36S5Z1 on 2007-11-26
  I purchased both the TomTom LE (This is basically a combination of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions) and the Magellan Maestro 3200 and was undecided as to which unit to keep. The LE is basically the 3rd edition, with a few minor differences. So, I decided to open them both and try them out. After reading numerous reviews/opinions from owners of these two devices online, I finally decided to keep the TomTom LE. My
  reasons for this are:
  
  1. Customization...I feel the LE is more customizable. What I mean by this is it had more options such as itinerary planning, changing guidance voice, `help me' features, display features, etc. I just felt after using both that the LE had more options/features compared to the 3200. I like being able to have as much control of my GPS as possible and being able to alter multiple settings which the TomTom proviced.
  
  2. Mapshare...In my opinion, this is one of the best features of the TT LE. Allowing you to edit the map and share/get updates from others is a wonderful tool because it allows you to keep your map current. The other nice thing is that the LE comes with a USB cable already, while the 3200 does not. You may have the USB cable needed for your 3200 at your house already, but if you don't, it'll set you back a couple more dollars on top of your $169.99 price tag.
  
  3. Navigation...When I took both units out to test, they both navigated me to multiple places equally well. There were times when the 3200 took me to a faster route as opposed to the LE, but for the most part, both were able to find locations in an equal manner. I found that the TomTom was able to reroute just as fast if not a little faster than the 3200. What I do like about the 3200 is the fact that it tells you what side your destination is on when you are about to arrive; the LE does not have this feature from what I've noticed. Another feature that I liked better about the 3200 is the display while navigating. It seems more organized and better overall compared to the LE; for example, right before a turn, the Maestro goes into a split screen type of mode. I haven't downloaded the newest TomTom map yet, but in terms of routing and navigation, both worked great. Picking up satellite reception wasn't a problem with either unit as well. I was able to get strong signals indoors and outdoors.
  
  4. POIs...After searching through the POIs in both units, it seemed like the LE had a more extensive selection. There were a lot of POIs I found in my LE that I wasn't able to find in the 3200. Both units show information of the POI such as the name, phone number, and address. However, I believe the 3200 did a better job of organizing the POIs. If you're missing a POI, or if you need remove a POI, it is much easier to do this on the LE.
  
  5. Customer service...While I have not had to call either companies yet, I have read a lot of negative comments regarding Magellan's customer service. This is one of the most important aspects to me when I buy a product because I always want to make sure that my problems will be resolved quickly and professionally if they ever arise. As for TomTom, I read negative comments as well, but not nearly as many as Magellan. In terms of customer service, my research has lead me to believe that in terms of customer service:
  Garmin=Excellent TomTom=Average Magellan=Poor
  
  To sum it up, I chose the TomTom LE because it seemed to offer more for my money. While it did provide Teleatlas maps as oppose to Navteq, both the 3200 and the LE seemed to be equal in terms of navigation/map accuracy. To be honest, I felt the 3200 was more user friendly. The menu is easier to navigate through in my opinion, and is better suited for a first time GPS user (The menu icons looked better in the 3200). I also think that the 3200 came with a better suction mount than the LE. The Maestro is slimmer than the LE which makes it look a little nicer, but that's just personal preference and not something that was really much of a factor for me. Both units have a pretty short battery life when compared to the Garmin units (3200= 3 hours; LE= 2 hours). In my opinion, if you want something that gives you a lot of freedom to customize and you're pretty good with technology, go with the LE. If you want something a little simpler to use, go with the 3200.
  
  
  
• It won't get you there but it will get you close
  By A108K7NSMDVT41 on 2007-11-30
  I recently borrowed one of these for a business trip. I own a Garmin Nuvi but was unable to bring it with me for this. If I didn't have the garmin to compare to I would have probably given this four stars. There are a few basic functions the garmin has that this really should. You have to manually turn the tom-tom off after every use. The garmin shuts itself off when power is removed. The garmin automatically dims the display at night. On the tom-tom this is another manual switched selection a few layers down in preferences. The compass is much better on the garmin also. I found the tom-tom would have us pointed in the wrong direction on the screen very often. A few times the pointer went sideway and we "crabbed" across the screen sideways. Also the format in which it tells you turn is a little unnerving. It will say "turn right".... "in a half mile". It makes you think you need to turn immediately when you first hear the instruction. The commands should be reversed.
  
  The first time I used it was to pick up a co-worker. Once I got into his neighborhood it just kept telling me to turn left. Im no genius but three lefts makes a circle. It told me numerous times I had arrived at my destination but I was two streets over. Over two days it was about 50% accurate in getting us where we were going. It would get us close but be off by 1/2-1 mile. The worst was the trip back to the airport. It put us about 2 miles from the airport in philadelphia in a business park. IMO getting to an airport should be a no brainer for this device.
  
  
• Updating to Version2 is a nightmare
  By A8NLV9T9RK4FO on 2007-11-15
  I bought my TomTom One in June 2007. The original software was easy to install and the GPS worked great. Althought the maps were supposed to be current as of Feb. 2007, I found a number of areas that the GPS couldn't find. Not too great a problem. HOWEVER, I made the mistake of attempting to update the maps on my GPS to Version2. For about 12+plus hours spread over 3 days, I attempted with the hlep of customer support to install via TOMTOM HOME the updated maps, which I paid for. The end result: couldn't satisfactorily download the maps, the unit locked up, couldn't establish a HOME address as the GPS couldn't/wouldn't recognize it. Finally, I convinced the last tech support person, after spending 2 more hours on the phone, that my device was defective and should be replaced. She gave up as well (more than 5 other tech support people were involved including a supervisor)and referred my call to repair service for replacement help.Repair service said an e mail would follow in 15 minutes of where and how to ship my unit back. After one hour, without an e mail notification, I called back and was given the mailing address over the phone of where to ship my GPS. I was informed that TOMTOM was having problems with their e mail. I sent the item out by UPS that day. It's now 24 hours later and sti
  
  
• New software download fixed WSOD
  By ANEUA78RR5L2B on 2007-12-24
  My unit arrived just before heading out for our Christmas travels and I used it side-by-side with my older Garmin 2610. Hardly a fair comparison given the price difference, but the TomTom was great - I'm impressed, particularly with the signal acquisition time (very, very quick).
  
  But unfortunately, I get the white screen of death. The unit won't warm start and requires a reset each and every time. That might even be okay if the reset button was easier to reach, because the reset startup is still faster than the Garmin regular warm-start.
  
  UPDATE: early January Tom Tom released a software update that fixes the white-screen problem! My unit now works perfectly and I'm very happy with it. Too bad Tom Tom didn't publish this update where it could be found just with a web search - you have to call Tech Support to get the URL from them.
  
  
  
• Tom Tom One 3rd Edition
  By A1OAWAF90CKEBT on 2007-11-22
  I have not been pleased with the customer support of the TomTom One 3rd edition-- No manuel comes with the product -- you can however, print a 45 page instruction booklet from their website-- I have called twice and had no useful assistance-- the product gets lost on a trip somuch that one becomes afraid to trust it. Price-- I paid $249 for this one --Walmart is selling them cheaper-- Am I pleased? NO
  
  
• You can not go wrong
  By A38X9XX2ZRR0ON on 2007-11-29
  In comparison to Harmon/Kardon GPS500, this TomTom blows H/K away. I thought I would be losing some coolness factor going down to a smaller screen but the display on this looks just as great and I get the same feel as the slightly larger screen units, happy to save the cash.
  
  The HK in comparison would lead you with bad directions, in the same instance the TomTom also fails in locating some address (HK has more instances) BUT at least the TomTom does not attempt to misguide you. These newer editions, TomTom give you the ability to correct the database!
  
  The unit is much faster in response to commands, and recalculates routes in a split second. The only gripe one can have is no AC charger, and no case. However if you are one of the lucky ones, get the special addition which includes those items in a package, I purchased that during black friday sale from Amazon for $159. You just can NOT be unhappy with a deal like that.
  
  FYI in comparison to MSN maps, Google mags, they all have the same inconsistances for the same "trouble" addresses. I feel the TomTOM has an edge over coming these situations, i.e. use of cross streets.
  
  
• Nearly perfect
  By A3BT8SIGIQ8785 on 2007-09-21
  Does what it says on the box and not much more but I doubt anyone needs anything else. It is simple and easy to use, the screen is good and the directions are accurate.
  
  
  
• Almost Perfect
  By A2W1LZVF6I73JB on 2007-11-21
  Its been a month since I had The TOMTOM and it works great. I used it a day after I received it for a 3 day outing. It took me exactly where I wanted to go without any problems. The real clincher is when we used it at night during a rainstorm and we arrived at our destination with no problem. The map updating works great and you can preplan your trips on the TOMTOM itself or by connecting it to your computer. The TOMTOM screen pops up right on the computer and you can use your keyboard to do everything on the TOMTOM.If I had one complaint about it it would be that it doesnt have text to speech. Honestly, it works great without it. I would highly recommend it.
  
  
• My 1st GPS, very easy to use
  By A2GPO9ZIKGXIUC on 2007-11-07
  I am a GPS newbie, I have used Hertz Neverlost but never owned a GPS, before. I bought this TomTom for occasional use on trips/vacations. It was a real help on a recent trip to New Mexico, and always seemed to be able to get a fix and provide good, timely vocal directions so that 95% of the time I didn't need to refer to the screen. Of course like all GPS devices, the maps have a few errors, but these have been few. I was especially impressed to find the bed-and-breakfest we stayed at in Taos included in the POI list, along with most other tourist attractions. My wife, who is often skeptical about technology and especially demanding about ease-of-use was really impressed with the TomTom. I also liked being able to plan trips in advance, which is a feature lacking on some other GPS. Another good feature is the way that the TomTom handles missed turns, it doesn't complain, it just automatically recalculates your route. I was not as concerned about the elimination of the SD slot as the fact that many of the online descriptions still included this SD slot (I assume that it was a feature of the 1st and 2nd Editions?). Also I must mention that while Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada and Hawaii are included in the US version, the US Virgin Islands are not, so if you are interested in US Virgin Island coverage, you will need to look elsewhere.
  
  
• Unless you cant spend the extra money
  By A42RWUG5QQZXN on 2007-12-01
  Unless you cant spend the extra money do not buy this gps. I recently bought this GPS after my Garman C330 was stolen. I was extremely disappointed with it. The maps seem to be outdated and before I used it I updated the maps from their website. Route calculation was poor at best incorrectly guiding me to the local best buy to return it(it must of known the purpose of my trip). I had earlier entered my mothers address which it could not locate. I tried to find a point of interest namely blockbuster video again could not find. I also looked for restaurants and it does not allow you to scroll down beyond 20 choices so if you are in a busy commercial area you might overlook a good choice. Of course for instance that is if the map even picks it up it at one point gave me a choice of a pizza joint that literally has been closed for almost 5 years. If you want a cute popular gps that looks nice but functions poorly that is also inexpensive then buy this but if you want a accurate GPS that will actually help you get where you are going then go with a garmin or magellin.
  
  
• tomtom1 3rd edition
  By A38CM2YQLG663Z on 2007-10-24
  buy something with text to speech capability, im ready to throw it in the garbage. buy something that tells you names of roads not only to make a rt. turn in 500 yards.
  
  
• Not for Vista
  By A25GUHWI5CKHUF on 2007-11-24
  Reasonable pricing, adequate functionality, however, I do not recommend installing on a PC running Vista - this was a nightmare and tech support wasn't very helpful. My Vista experience wasn't a fluke as I tried installing the software and updates on two different laptops running Vista. Works fine on my desktop computer running XP though.
  
  
• TomTom is great!
  By A1ZQRNEKJH1SMK on 2007-11-01
  Easy to set up, easy to use, good value compared to other systems. My daughter has one and loves it. When I decided to purchase one for my husband, I looked at more expensive systems, but TomTom has everything we wanted at a better price. I would highly recommend to anyone shopping for a navigation system.
  
  
• Very easy to use GPS at a great price !!
  By ABXANRX4GPYRZ on 2007-11-23
  The TomTom One ( 3rd edition ) is a very nice little GPS. I picked one up today for $104 at Staples.
  
  It is easy to use, small, attractive, and has all the features you really need and want in a GPS while leaving out those that you do not need. In my opinion a GPS should be a GPS and not an MP3 player, video player, book reader, language translator, etc. There are other devices that perform those functions and do a much better job with actual keyboards and nice, large displays, greater memory, etc.
  
  The TomTom One performs navigation and does it easily and friendly. You do not need to read any manual, it is just that easy. The speaking voice is loud and clear. The device has millions of points-of-interests and you can easily add ones that are not found and then upload them using the free TomTom Home software to share with others and eventually TomTom will add them to the database once they verify them. Nice !!
  
  The unit uses the TeleAtlas database and I have found it to be quite accurate here in my local area in Albuquerque NM.
  
  I also purchased the TomTom ONE zippered hard case and it fits the unit well and offers good protection. I also recommend it for your unit.
  
  So, if you want a very affordable, very easy to use GPS, that gets you from point A to B in a fun way then you cannot go wrong with the TomTom ONE ( 3rd Edition ).
  
  

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