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Mark05KR
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 Posted - August 27 : 4:40p
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And no, I am not talking about TomTom in TacomaTacoma.
This is going to be kind of a review.
I had picked up a TomTom One XL-S a few months ago when the Wife and I were on a road trip. It works great. The only 'problem' I had with it was when I wanted to add some of the cool stuff available on TomTom's web site. There are lots of Points of Interest, voices, sounds, etc. available for free, but when I tried to download and install them, there was not enough memory left in the device.
It does have an sd card slot, but it is a big hassle to use if you want to load up a lot of POI's.
So I looked at what else TomTom had available and found the GO920. This model has 4gb of internal memory instead of the 1gb in the XL-S. It also comes with complete maps of Europe, which I will never use, so I removed them from the device freeing up more memory.
The GO920 retails for about $449.00. There are a few sellers on Ebay selling factory refurbished units. They come with a full 1 year warranty from TomTom and usually sell for well under $300.00. I got one used on Ebay for $239.00.
This thing is awesome!
It (obviously) has the same great navigation system as the XL-S I had been using. But it is the extra features that I really like.
First is the 4gb of internal flash memory. After I removed the maps of Europe and Guam (really, Guam!), and several voices and car symbols, etc., I was left with plenty of memory to install the large POI database that I found posted on a TomTom forum. In addition to that database, I was also able to add a couple of other POIs, like Dunkin Donuts, BofA ATM locations, etc. There are lots of POI's available for download.
It has voice input for address navigation. A couple of taps on the screen activate the voice input then the unit asks for the city, street and number of your destination. It works pretty slick.
The unit also has built in Bluetooth, which paired right up with my Verizon SmartPhone. I can now use the unit as a hands free device for my cell phone.
Probably one of my favorite features is the mp3 player built into the unit. You can load mp3 music into the device's free memory or you can load them onto sd cards, since there is an sd card slot in the device. I have a few sd cards lying around and found that I can fit about 30 albums of music on one 2gb card. From what I have been able to find out (so far) the unit will accept 8gb cards. I don't know (yet) if it will see anything larger.
Obviously, playing your music through the built in speaker would be less than optimal. No problem. The unit has a 3.5mm line out jack for wired headsets. Or, you can send the music out to a bluetooth device. Or you can use the built in FM transmitter to send the music out to your car stereo system. You can also choose any of these options for the spoken navigation instructions.
If anyone is looking for a good, portable navigation system, This is one that you should look into.
TomTom has come out with some newer models, the 730 and 930, which add a couple of new features. One is called Advanced Lane Guidance, which will tell you what lane you should be in for upcoming turns. The other feature is called IQ Routes, which will calculate routes based on data from a database of contributed users. I have been told by a TomTom support person that those features will be added to the next available application upgrade on the 720/920 models.
I have also heard that there is a GO940 model coming out, but I don't know anything about that model, yet.
Edit: Almost forgot, it also comes with a bluetooth remote control. 
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Edited by - Mark05KR on August 27 4:51p |
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Tom in Tacoma
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Tom in Tacoma
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Posted
- August 27 : 4:48p
| | Mark - why not submit this as a blog entry to the site? It's well written! | |
Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 27 : 4:49p
| | I don't know how to do that. | |
Tom in Tacoma
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Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 27 : 5:10p
| Is this sufficiently related to the truck and suv industry?
I wouldn't want to run afoul of the tos. Tippy might come after me (Oh wait, wrong site) | |
Tom in Tacoma
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Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 27 : 5:19p
| That was a good one.
Ok. I submitted it. What happens now? | |
MichaelS
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Posted
- August 27 : 5:29p
| I have the GO720 in my work van and I frequent the www.tomtomforums.com board.
My unit did not come with voice recognition, but it HAS it now. :)
Only thing I wish it had (and I am sure you can understand being on the East Side Mark) I cannot keep it from routing me on Parkways - I have commercial plates!
I just browse the route and avoid that section. |
Edited by - MichaelS on August 27 5:30p |
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Tom in Tacoma
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Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 27 : 5:42p
| Quote: Originally posted by Tom in Tacoma
Quote: Originally posted by Mark05KR
That was a good one.
Ok. I submitted it. What happens now?
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Send a check payable to Tom in Tacoma in the amount of "A whole lotta cash"!
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The check is in the mail! |
Edited by - Mark05KR on August 27 5:49p |
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Mark05KR
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TANKS 250
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Posted
- August 27 : 7:42p
| I get consumer reports,..it was the highest rated GPS (for the money) by far.
We use different GPS's in the Coast Guard,..Garmon, Magellan, whatever.
They can keep them...I like my TomTom better. | |
Jason
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Posted
- August 28 : 12:24a
| | You should put together a blog for it Mark! Good review. | |
Pro3qtr
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Mark05KR
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Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 28 : 7:16a
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So how well do the advanced lane guidance and IQ routes work? | |
Texas Termin8er
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Posted
- August 28 : 7:53a
| Hey Mark,
that was a great review! You should do a blog on it..........
TA | |
Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 28 : 8:42a
| | So, I was thinking I should do a blog on this. What do you guys think? | |
devnull
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Posted
- August 28 : 9:42a
| | This would be a good topic to write a blog about. Just remember to give me credit for suggesting it to you. | |
Tom in Tacoma
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Texas Termin8er
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Posted
- August 28 : 10:27a
| Quote: Originally posted by Tom in Tacoma
Quote: Originally posted by Jason
You should put together a blog for it Mark! Good review.
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I nominate Jason to be our next whipping-boy.
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Motion seconded and approved.
Bring on the onslaught Bitches!
TA |
Edited by - Texas Termin8er on August 28 10:28a |
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Mark05KR
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Posted
- August 28 : 11:43a
| Quote: Originally posted by Texas Termin8er
Quote: Originally posted by Tom in Tacoma
Quote: Originally posted by Jason
You should put together a blog for it Mark! Good review.
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I nominate Jason to be our next whipping-boy.
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Motion seconded and approved.
Bring on the onslaught Bitches!
TA
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Where's Denny when we need him? | |
Mark05KR
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MrSVTGal
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Posted
- August 31 : 7:13p
| We have a TomTom One XL-S also - very happy with it in general. But the way the voice pronounces common California place names is hilarious...
MrSVTGal | |
Mark05KR
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Posted
- September 12 : 3:03p
| Here is an update.
I found a powered mounting system for the TomTom. Had to order it from a company in England ( www.pdamods.com ) so I was a little nervous, but it arrived in only three days. Grand total with shipping and VAT (??) was $50 plus change. It comes with ball a swivel mount with a flexible base that already had 3m tape on it. The mount contains the voltage transformer(?) that steps the 12-14v from the truck's electrical system to the 5 volts need by the TomTom. It also included both a cigarette lighter plug and a direct wire plug, with an in line fuse holder and 1 amp fuse.
I chose to direct wire the unit. I wired it into the radio's delayed off power wire. That wire stays hot for some amount of time after turning off the ignition. It also shuts off as soon as any door is opened. I set the TomTom to turn itself off if it looses external power. So if I am out and about running multiple errands, etc., I don't have to remember to turn the unit off and/or unplug the cigarette lighter power cord.
The TomTom just slides onto the mount and locks in place the same way it does on the TomTom oem mount. At the bottom of the mount there is a mini usb connector to provide power to the unit.
Here are a couple of pictures, not very good ones, I'm afraid.
Here is the ball mount attached to the dash with 3m tape.
This is the actual mount attached to the swivel post and plugged into the power cord.
The TomTom mounted.
Turn off the power, and it shuts itself down in 10 seconds.
This is where I mounted the bluetooth remote, but I can't really see where I will need to use it much anymore.
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TomTom is awesome!
