Saturday, November 21, 2009

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


A GPS user for over ten years on the ocean and finally have a compact, user friendly, computer linked GPS for my car. Always on, use it every where I go. The new map issue I read about is fixed so buy now and enjoy.

The blue tooth user inter-face for the phone (Motorola L2) is perfect. No more ear bud for me, the quality is clear and easy to use while driving.

Caution, be sure you practice with the GPS, phone and controls before trying to drive with these types of systems. You could easily become distracted. It is as bad a "texting" while driving. I know that is obvious but the screen is so clear and absorbing with options you might just forget where you are.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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What I'm compairing the 720 to, is a Garmin Nuvi 350 that is over 2 years old. The mapping is pretty good, spoken directions may be a touch better than the Nuvi,My cell phone won't match up with the tomtom, bummer.Screen resalution is about equal on both units, which is very good. Points of intrest is a bit weak on the Tom tom as it is on the Garmin. This is a good unit for the money Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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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. Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

Friday, November 20, 2009

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So far, I like it a lot. It has performed very well and there are some active forums that offer a lot of help. Of course, there is always room for improvement, such as I wish the SD expanded memory could use the internal memory at the same time, and I wish the points of interest (POIs) were easier to see and access in the drive view. I think it is fairly easy to customize to how I want to use it and even its fundamental files are accessible.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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Title says it all but for $350+ common-on; I can purchase so many other electronics that have all the bells & whistles for less money; yes,not an apples-to-apples comparison but all these guys (Tommy, Garmin, Navigon, Magellan etc.) need to get a whole lot better with the software-functional features (like ease of deleting items, finding locations, changing wrong map items, getting in/out of menus, etc.). Microsoft had these ease-of-use issues too at the beginning of 'life' but have really made great strides in making software user friendly (not withstanding Mr. Jobs software that is very intuitive). GPS systems have been out for years now. The guys above need to make functionality as good as the $1000-$1500 in-dash GPS systems the car manufacturers provide. TomTom 720 good, yes but I hope they all evlove into something a whole lot better. Conclusion: best price/best features/best value for the entire lot of portable GPS systems but needs (and can be) much better! Take my money & hire some software engineers that can make it thoughtless, please.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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SO far the tomtom go 720 has been great. I've noticed that most of teh issues I have with it stem from not completely knowing how to work all the features yet but I can clearly see this is an awesome GPS and my wife absolutly loves it. The bluetooth feature is also excellent and the reception when making a phone call is very clear. Great product here!Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

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


I have owned several GPS units and I believe that those made by TomTom to be the easiest to use and the best for navigating while driving. Also, I like the fact that you can correct the map yourself AND share these corrections with other users. There is nothing more aggravating than a map that is wrong - directing you onto streets that don't exist...or they are DIRT and the GPS doesn't know that. With other GPS systems the only way to get an updated map is to wait until the company releases a complete new map. This may only happen every 1-2 years and you might have to pay for it.

I got this unit for Christmas and I adore it. I have programmed in all kinds of locations as POI's. I like the ability to broadcast GPS instructions and MP3's via FM transmitter. It fixes a location quickly and accurately, navigates smoothly and quickly. The maps are fantastic.

I also like the bluetooth connectivity, it was easy to connect it to my phone and share contacts. Then, ideally, you can find a POI on the GPS...in many cases it has a phone number that the GPS already knows...and then you call them with a click of a button. The GPS acts as a speakerphone. My only complaint (and the reason for four stars instead of five) is that the volume on the cell phone call is not nearly loud enough. I called my answering machine and it was pretty much not audible with volume at 100%. I disconnected the bluetooth and said forget that... My car is loud on the road so maybe someone with a quieter vehicle could use this but I sure can't. I'll stick to wearing my headset.

In conclusion, I think Magellan and Garmin make some fine GPS's and if you want to go hiking and geo-caching that's great...but if you want a GPS for driving, TOMTOM is the absolute best. They get it right and mapshare means your maps will never be wrong again.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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I bought this for my son for Christmas. My husband has the TomTom 910 and we had such good luck with that one we felt comfortable buying another TomTom. The TomTom Go 720 is thinner than the 910. This seems to have a lot of the same functions. I like the portability of the unit and how many POI's it has. This unit is worth the money!Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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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. Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

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Tomtom wants you to BUY most of the POIs that I expected to be included in the unit, walmart, bestbuy, many diners, resturants are not included in the box or available free from TomtomGet more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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The TomTom 720T does what it claims IF you have the right cell phone. (Had to change to Motorola from LG) The maps are updated frequently but it doesn't appear updates get around to my area often. There is a new final section of I-795 from Wilson, NC to Goldsboro, NC that the map still doesn't know exist althought the highway itself has been completed more than six months. Though I am complaining about this, I notice that MapQuest may be worse where accuracy is concerned. As for the mapshare feature, I have it set up on my cell phone, but I don't know how to correct a route yet. I can use the detour and all of the built-in corrections, but these do not solve the seemingly ridiculous problems. I gave my son a Nuvi and I believe it is worse than the TomTom with maps, but it is far superior to TomTom for finding dinning places, and other points of interest. I guess TomTom will get around to my needs "sometime, somewhere, someday" or I will have to "find a new way of living" Ginger is my mini dachshund's name! Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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The Tom Tom 720 maps are not very accurate compared to Mapquest or Google Maps. They do not take you directly to your destination. The FM transmitter is not very powerful. It is easier to MapQuest the maps. Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

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I got a GO 720 this past week and I love it. I used it a few times now in the Philadelphia area and it works great. Very smart unit. I had no problems connecting and updating from my computer. Have not used the Bluetooth or FM yet but I'm sure I will as I become more familiar with these features. After some research and comparing with other GPS units the GO 720 has the best bang for the buck and Amazon has by far the best prices. I bought mine for $350 including shipping, $50 to $100 cheaper then other retailers.

I don't know why some people are having problems with this, its very user friendly. Like anything new, there is a learning curve, but no problems here. Highly recommend. Note: I don't work for TomTom or Amazon; I just know a good deal when I see one.
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I bought this Tom Tom GO 720 just a day before we started our road trip to Southern California. At first I was thinking to get GO 920T which by the way $ 200 more expensive than GO 720. I then decided to go with GO 720 since all the features are the same, except there is no "voice command" feature which I am not going to use anyway.
Since I had to leave for the road trip the very next day, I didn't get a lot of time to read the manual. Surprisingly the device is very simple and easy to operate for a not too computer savvy person like me.
I enjoy some features such as bluetooth, MP3 and was able to up-date my device by connecting it to my PC after the trip ended. There is an open slot at the back of the device to slide a memory card that I assume to add a capability to store more memory such as maps, songs, etc.
I really like this GPS and recommend to others that looking for a unit that is looking great, slim and not heavy, easy to up-date. I am glad that I chose Tom Tom over Magellan that is not very impressive with technical support located in other country.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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I did a LOT of research before deciding on the TomTom 720 as my new portable GPS. It has more features than I can count and features that you haven't thought of yet - it probably has! It's accurate, good looking, and has a great battery life.

Other reviewers were complaining about old maps and European maps not working - bull sh**... the maps are VERY up to date. Read the instructions instead of trying to wing it like a school kid and it will work great! A+++++ Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

Monday, November 16, 2009

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Just got the TomTom 720 from Amazon to compare head-to-head with the Garmin Nuvi 650. The TomTom blows the Garmin away in terms of features and configurability; no comparison. I haven't taken the 720 outside for a road test yet; I don't need to. It failed on the POI test.

TomTom tech support told me that there are different ways of gathering data that a manufacturer can use to build their POI database. According to TomTom, Garmin actively goes out and does research to build its POI database. TomTom relies on retailers sending data on themselves in to TomTom. And that would seem to explain the poorer POI performance on the TomTom.

When I was putting the 720 through its paces I went into the POI screen looking for the category of "grocery stores". Not there. I then tried to search for a couple of grocery stores in my neighborhood, by name. Some it found, some it didn't. I went in to the "Shop" icon. The pre-defined list of stores was quite limited, and when I tried to search for a Big Lots near my house...nothing. I kept investigating the POI's on the 720, and ended up deciding that this weakness was fatal for me. I picked up the Garmin and did the identical searches and it came through *every* time. Every POI that I felt should be there was. I much prefer the overall design and features of the TomTom, but when I pull into a new town and need a gallon of milk, and I don't know the name of the local grocery stores, I have to have confidence in the GPS's ability to show me what's available!

The TomTom goes back.

daveGet more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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Big warning to all the Mac users, the TomTom 720 is not Mac compatible. TomTom has a Mac client, but it's missing 90% of the cool features found in the PC version. Also, the TomTom Plus traffic feature requires a subscription and a cellphone with bluetooth. The list of supported phones is too short and it took me over 2 hours to get it to work. The unit itself is okay, but without a true Mac client and wonky bluetooth data connection, it's not worth the price and pain.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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Up to now I have been 'old school' and have relied on paper maps and mapquest to get me where I needed to go. A friend recommended this unit and I added it to my Christmas wish list. Fortunately for me my wife bought the unit and I have been very pleased and satisfied. I really cannot compare it to other devices since this is my first, but so far it has passed every test I have given it with flying colors. Very easy to use and very trustworthy to get you where you are going fast and efficient. I have learned new routes in the Houston area that I would have never considered to be the best route, but in every instance I have saved time and miles by using the GO 720.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

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I have owned this product for a month and I couldn't drive without it. I like the TOMTOM Plus traffic service, it really shows the traffic in real time.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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I need a GPS this new year for my driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco vacation. I first bought a Tomtom XL-W. The box inludes only a quick set up. The quick setup neglects to mention that the TTS is not on by default (it is advertised prominently on the box though), it took me a few days just to find out how to set up the correct TTS (change the speech to computer voice). On the box, there is a bluetooth symbol, but I found out, again after a few frustating days trying to connect my phone, that the XL-W bluetooth is only for traffic report not handfree phone. The last straw is that it refused to connect to my computer. Calling tech support did not sems to help, they recommended that I returned it for another one. I decided to return it for a different one, a TomTom 720 because it has handfree bluetooth. Since I already have experience with the XL-W, I know how to change the default speech (no TTS) to TTS. But the TTS has a problem of correctly pronouncing the many spanish street name in California. If you did not read the name on the GPS before hand, you would not know what in the world it was saying. The 720 however, connected to my phone just fine. My trip to SF from LA through Santa Barbara was uneventful with the 720. It worked fine most of the time but with a annoying flaw: it always announced that I have reached my destination about 50-100 ft away from the Hotel or at my home. Some of the tall buildings in downtown SF caused the 720 to lose the satelite tracking for a few minutes. It was unerving to drive in downtown SF in the rain trying to find your way in bad traffic & had the map screen suddenly rotated around when the car was iddling or was going straight. It directed me to turn left on some streets with no left-turn. The battery only last 3 hours, may be four with the power-saving on. After, I got home from the trip, I tried to update the 720 using the latest TomTom Home which I download from the TomTom website. The software update downloaded and installed fine as report on the TomTom home screen but after I tried to turn on the updated 720, it gave me the TomTom version of the blue screen of death and refused to work again even after I pushing the reset button. I have to return this one too.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

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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.Get more detail about TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.