Anybody else think this thing would be pretty cool in an E?? They're going to make color faceplates later in the year -- would rock if you could get one in E colors. hehe.

http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/reviews/tomtomgo/animated.gif

Here's a full review:
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/tomtom-go.php

And here's the official site:
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=12&Language=4

I've always used a Magellan handheld unit, but the cool factor here is sucking me in. We're doing a roadtrip from Columbia, South Carolina to the Grand Canyon next May, so I'll probably pick one up before then. :)

[quote:a3667cb7ab=" "]Anybody else think this thing would be pretty cool in an E?? They're going to make color faceplates later in the year -- would rock if you could get one in E colors. hehe.

http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/reviews/tomtomgo/animated.gif

Here's a full review:
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/tomtom-go.php

And here's the official site:
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=12&Language=4

I've always used a Magellan handheld unit, but the cool factor here is sucking me in. We're doing a roadtrip from Columbia, South Carolina to the Grand Canyon next May, so I'll probably pick one up before then. :)[/quote:a3667cb7ab]

Looks cool. $900 is a bit pricey though.

Wow, I just noticed the dimensions: 4.5"x3.6". Looked bigger in the pics.

[quote:d194750868=" "]would rock if you could get one in E colors. hehe. [/quote:d194750868]

Hey, it's already matching my NBP! So...

One is now on it's way from http://www.compuplus.com/

The price there is ~ $240 off list price...

Will post with comments after a week or so. ;)

-brendan

PS - for some reason, the search function could *not* find this thread so I had to seek it out manually. Dunno why, other than search might be more broken than I thought.

I'm actually debating on going with the Tom Tom Go or the KNA-DV4100 Nav unit to go with my Kenwood in-dash touchscreen.
I can get both for about the same price.
Hmmm, I'll have to think about it.

Chris: let us know what bullet points push you in the direction you finally decide.

-brendan

[quote:545a3d0cac=" "]Chris: let us know what bullet points push you in the direction you finally decide.

-brendan[/quote:545a3d0cac]

I'm leaning more towards the Kenwood nav unit for a few reasons:
Cleaner, more stock appearance using the in-dash touchscreen.
Larger viewing area with the Kenwood 6.5" screen.
Optional voice command accessory for the Kenwood nav.

I don't know, it might just come down to stats vs. stats.
Here's the Kenwood Nav site.
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/product/product.jsp?productId=2627

It's just that the Tom Tom Go is sooo freaking neat all by itself.
The only complaints I've heard about it are with certain newer model windshields interfering with the signal requiring the use of the external GPS antenna.(I don't think this is the case for the Element tho)
Here's a good shot to give an idea of size.
Yeah it's tiny.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00029BQ9S.01.PT02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[quote:1f14160117=" "]It's just that the Tom Tom Go is sooo freaking neat all by itself.
The only complaints I've heard about it are with certain newer model windshields interfering with the signal requiring the use of the external GPS antenna.(I don't think this is the case for the Element tho)
Here's a good shot to give an idea of size.
Yeah it's tiny.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00029BQ9S.01.PT02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg[/quote:1f14160117]

My thought on the Tom Tom Go is that I can use it when I'm travelling in friends' cars, when renting a car for work, when renting a car in Italy* and finally, if I'm feeling generous, loan it out to my family and friends if necessary.

Also: the windshield issue has to do with luxury cars that have an invisible metal coating on the windshield for the airless defrost/deice feature, I believe. Not an issue in the E.

-brendan

* Western Europe maps sold separately

Man! I gotta have one. :) Brendan, keep us posted on how you like yours, etc.

[quote:2c6684b16e=" "]Man! I gotta have one. :) Brendan, keep us posted on how you like yours, etc.[/quote:2c6684b16e]

Muhahaha. Been playing with it for about an hour inside.

Neat things:

- The audio is fantastic.
- It knows about the bar downstairs (!!!).
- The POI db (which explains above item) is chock full of stuff. Found out there's a practicing MD with a home office a few blocks from the family beachhouse, for example.
- Many voice/verbal language options...and the British Male voice is sexy enough to trick the women in my life into giving me less crap for spending big $$$ on a toy. Or at least, that's my plan...
- When it's calculating a route, it shows a birds eye view of the start and end points and fills in all the little roads as it looks at them. Pretty impressive speed.

Only complaints so far:

It comes with US major roads maps preinstalled on the SD card (256MB). The rest of the maps come on 8 CDs., to be installed as necessary

1. Even after deleting all but the US and British voices, I still couldn't get the entire Northeast detail maps/POIs installed. Had to settle for adding a cluster of states around DC (OH/PA/WV/VA/MD/DE/DC/NJ) plus the NY map for now. I've ordered a 1GB SD card which will resolve this. The unit supports up to 4GB SD cards. Perhaps when those become affordable, I might be able to get all of the US detail maps loaded?

2. You have to activate the maps online (links the map to the unit). However, it appears that the activation of the multi-state cluster map allowed the NY map to activate, so perhaps all the US detail maps are activated off the same hardware/software code combination?

Anyway, I should get back to work!

-brendan

NICE! The envy!!! GRR! hehe.

How much was the 1GB card??

[quote:616fccf23a=" "]NICE! The envy!!! GRR! hehe.

How much was the 1GB card??[/quote:616fccf23a]

<$100

I used pricewatch.com to narrow down a source.

-brendan

[quote:6112e2f6c7=" "]Man! I gotta have one. :) Brendan, keep us posted on how you like yours, etc.[/quote:6112e2f6c7]

More comments:

1. Earlier yesterday, when I got to a 0-2 satellite zone, the ASN (the mechanism that compensates for temporarily losing satellite signals) freaked out once and the unit thought I was going backwards for a bit. I'll have to keep an eye on this. Interestingly enough, when I was driving the other way on that road, I had 7 satellites in view.*

2. At least twice now, the unit has thought I needed to make a u-turn and a right, instead of making a left. Pretty obvious that was wrong both times, not sure if it's a big deal.

3. Grabbed my (other) step-sister's address for a visit out to Herndon, VA, typed it in, and went. I already knew the route out to their highway exit, but it'd been almost a year since I'd driven through the twisty roads to get to their home out in that development . Worked like a champ.

4. When you get to your destination, the unit announces it. I'd park and then notice that the 3-d view was very slowly zooming out a bit. Almost as if the unit decided to relax and take a look around. VERY WEIRD. :)

5. My brother made fun of me for wasting money again. :)

-brendan

* making me think that perhaps the external antenna option might be worth it for those times when the cluster of birds is mostly behind you: http://www.expansys-usa.com/product.asp?code=114519

Supposedly the newly released firmware supports adding your own voice navigation audio files. In my search to figure out how (not documented yet, unfortunately), I came upon some sample user-submitted voices on tomtom's site for their PocketPC-based products. Someone clearly has had way too much free time with a voice synth:

http://www.tomtom.com/lib/download/test_zappa.wav

-brendan

PS - yes, that's from the USA Female "Valley Girl style" set.

[quote:69ce761cc2=" "]Supposedly the newly released firmware supports adding your own voice navigation audio files. In my search to figure out how (not documented yet, unfortunately), I came upon some sample user-submitted voices on tomtom's site for their PocketPC-based products. Someone clearly has had way too much free time with a voice synth:

http://www.tomtom.com/lib/download/test_zappa.wav

-brendan

PS - yes, that's from the USA Female "Valley Girl style" set.[/quote:69ce761cc2]

Wonder how it reviews against the Street Pilot 2620 by Garmin, yours sure does look cool though.

-SS

Hey Brendan! How do you have yours mounted?? To the dash or to the windshield?? Post some pics if you're feeling motivated. :)

You still liking it okay? I'm definitely looking into getting one before the cross-country trip in May!!!

Windshield. It comes with a rather heavy duty suction cup mount and arm. Pictures later.

-brendan