GPS Passion review of TomTom Navigator USA

[marlof]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=64' target='_blank'>http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=64</a><br /><br /></div>When you're interested in GPS usage with a Pocket PC, you probably know about GPS Passion, an excellent site dealing with everything GPS. It's originally <a href="http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/default.asp?_SetCurrentVersion=FR">a French site</a>, but they do have <a href="http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/default.asp?_SetCurrentVersion=EN">an English version</a>.<br /><br />Recently the review of TomTom Navigator USA was published on GPS Passion. It's a refreshing review, with multiple views by different users, giving you tons of information about this product. Reading the review, I found that although the users seem to be impressed about the same parts of the program that impress me (using the European version), the USA version might still have more quirks that the European version. Since this is the first release of Navigator for the USA market, that might improve in future. Knowing TomTom, it probably will. Anyhow, if you want to learn all there is to learn about a (potentially) excellent mapping program for the USA, I can recommend reading this very detailed review.

[bbarker]

I haven't yet read the review, but I have the TomTom Navigator USA version. I've found it to be good overall, but often it comes up with absurd routing. From my office in downtown Salt Lake City it suggests several directions that would add miles and time to my drive home.

It also doesn't know about a $2 billion reconstruction of I-15 through Salt Lake City two years ago. That significant project was designed years ago, materially changes routing in key places and should have been included.

The UI is quite usable, although there is a learning curve. The designers assumed what they understood would be easy for users to figure out. For example, I spent a lot of time poking around trying to figure out how to add my home to the favorites area. It even has Home listed as a key favorite destination but I couldn't figure out how to use it.

The program has two major modes, map and navigator. The former is a view of the map from above and the latter is a 3D view from the driver's viewpoint. Both are attractive and useful, but the options available from the two modes differ significantly and you have to switch back and forth between the modes to access different functions. It's not obvious which options belong where so it requires a lot of mode switching. This might take longer than the time available when you're stopped at a traffic light.

I like the product and its integration with the Pocket PC. It could use some UI improvements, better routing and newer map data. I look forward to reading the detailed review.

[bibap]

Thanks for the mention :D We put a lot of time and effort into the review. I think the new style we used (2 seperate reviewers and all the attached links, etc.) is very useful to the end user.

paulkbiba
Moderator
GPSPassion.com

[Golfer]

I as well as a lot of my work colleagues use TomTom in the UK and it works well. I good site that we reference as the best is http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/

[ikesler]

I haven't yet read the review, but I have the TomTom Navigator USA version. I've found it to be good overall, but often it comes up with absurd routing. From my office in downtown Salt Lake City it suggests several directions that would add miles and time to my drive home.

It also doesn't know about a $2 billion reconstruction of I-15 through Salt Lake City two years ago. That significant project was designed years ago, materially changes routing in key places and should have been included.

The UI is quite usable, although there is a learning curve. The designers assumed what they understood would be easy for users to figure out. For example, I spent a lot of time poking around trying to figure out how to add my home to the favorites area. It even has Home listed as a key favorite destination but I couldn't figure out how to use it.

The program has two major modes, map and navigator. The former is a view of the map from above and the latter is a 3D view from the driver's viewpoint. Both are attractive and useful, but the options available from the two modes differ significantly and you have to switch back and forth between the modes to access different functions. It's not obvious which options belong where so it requires a lot of mode switching. This might take longer than the time available when you're stopped at a traffic light.

I like the product and its integration with the Pocket PC. It could use some UI improvements, better routing and newer map data. I look forward to reading the detailed review.

Couldn't agree more........ TT is very Highway centric as well........ It will lead me to a highway/freeway that is 5 miles away only to be on it for 1 mile or so.......... doesn't make much sense.
I know that a lot of users, including me, have been in contact with TT re: the routing problems and some other minor bugs......... my device freezes quite often when calculating a route........ so hopefully they will fix the minor things and listen to their users.
Overall I think the learning curve is a tad long on the UI..... but once you get the hang it is worth it......... and once the routing stuff is fixed......... this will be the one to have!

[bbarker]

Yes, I've seen the preference for freeways even when it isn't logical. It takes me down a slower road so it can get me on the freeway, whereas it would be faster to stay on local roads to reach the freeway at the next entrance. But sometimes it has me get off the freeway, drive an extra mile or two on a local road past my destination, and then have me come at it from behind. Navigation definitely needs work.

In one case it got really mixed up on the address. I was looking for an address in a business park but it wanted to send me about 7 miles away to the middle of a residential area! The business park is more than 5 years old and the residential area is maybe 60 years old, so there isn't an excuse. But if it didn't have the business address it should have told me instead of putting in something else that made absolutely no sense.

[SassKwatch]

Thanks for the mention :D We put a lot of time and effort into the review. I think the new style we used (2 seperate reviewers and all the attached links, etc.) is very useful to the end user.
Speaking of the site....

Did the mention of the review on this site cause so much traffic at GPSPassion that it brought the site down? I haven't been able to access it all evening.

[hollis_f]

The review gave one bit of interesting info - the large errors in the ETA. In the European version those estimates tend to be spot on. That suggests to me that the speed data for various road types is innaccurate.

This would also explain some of the wierd routing users have described. TomTom thinks that freeways are a lot faster in comparison to other roads than they really are. Some playing around with the road speed settings shoeld fix both problems.

The program has two major modes, map and navigator. The former is a view of the map from above and the latter is a 3D view from the driver's viewpoint. Both are attractive and useful, but the options available from the two modes differ significantly and you have to switch back and forth between the modes to access different functions. It's not obvious which options belong where so it requires a lot of mode switching. This might take longer than the time available when you're stopped at a traffic light.

The two modes are designed so that you don't need to switch from one to another. The map screen is used for planning a route and looking at the maps. Once you get into your car and start moving then the Navigator screen should be all you need.

[gpspassion]

Only "one bit of interesting info" ;-)

Thanks for your comments, while GpsPasSion doesn't ever intend to call itself the "best" or the "ultimate" PocketPC GPS website :roll: the plan was to try to bring out as much as possible about TomTom USA with the 2 "hands on" reviews and the summary pros and cons and add some tidbits like the tips and wishlist. You never get enough opinions!

The site is back up and alas it's not a massive rush that brought it down, but rather the seemingly daily "server upgrades" :devilboy:

One last thing, the site was started as a English version only at first and can still be seen here: http://www.gpspassion.com/index.htm