Tom Tom GPS: Which to buy, the Tom Tom One or the Tom Tom XL-S?

[Lord Vader]

Does anybody have these Tom Tom GPS devices? I'm familiar with them but am trying to decide which to get, the Tom Tom One or the Tom Tom XL-S.

The former is much less costly. I can get it for around $200. The XL-S, on the other hand, runs for around $340, so we're talking a sizable difference. Putting aside the cost for the moment, does anyone have a recommendation as to with which one I should go? I know the two main feature differences are that the XL-S has a widescreen view and spoken street names. Other than that, I can't see any major differences.

Oh, the Tom Tom One is the 3rd edition, which I believe is their most recent. The XL-S one at which I'm looking doesn't specify which edition it is, but I'm assuming it's also the 3rd edition.

[dpfaunts]

I always assumed Lord Vader did not rely on GPS but used the "force" Now I see why he was such an excellent fighter pilot :)

[Sharkie_Fan]

My wife and my sister both got Tom Tom One LEs for Christmas (these were limited edition ones sold only at Best Buy). My dad purchased them as gifts for the girls, and picked the LE because it had all the features of the 3rd edition, plus 1 or 2 that were omitted between version 2 & 3, IIRC.

The LE does not have spoken street names, but the screen is big enough that mounted on the dash you can clearly see the street name when it tells you to turn.

We went to a wedding last weekend and I programmed our route in the unit before we ever left the house. It had a couple of spots where the directions were kind of strange. LIke going down the highway, where there was no highway merging of any kind and it's telling you to stay to the right, or stay to the left. I think the highway we were on was changing designations (Hwy X turns into SR xX or something of that nature).

Even with those couple of little hiccups it got us there just fine.

I haven't don't much comparison of the units, but, my dad did quite a bit, and felt that the Tom Tom One was the most "bang for the buck" in the price range he was looking at (he got it on sale for $150).

[Stuart Sweet]

Just curious, how come you're only considering those two?

[Lord Vader]

Just curious, how come you're only considering those two?


Is your question in terms of the Tom Toms themselves, Stu, or among other brands? If the former, it's because of availability, features, etc.

[Stuart Sweet]

I find that they are becoming so similar in features and price, and all use either Navteq or Tele-Atlas maps, just wondering why other manufacturers aren't being considered. TomTom is a great brand, so is Magellan and Garmin (both highly respected in aviation)

[Lord Vader]

I'm leaning toward the Tom Tom brand mainly because I've got some friends who have them and love them, but they have older models, which is why I started this thread.

I've never had to use GPS devices, but with the baseball season fast approaching, and my traveling all over the Midwest to work ball games, I've grown tired of trying to figure out how to get to these schools where I haven't yet worked, so I'm hoping a GPS makes it that much easier.

[Sharkie_Fan]

I don't know about the other brands that Stuart mentioned, but one of the bonuses that my dad liked about the TomTom was that the maps were upgradable.... Again, I haven't compared, but my dad has and this is what he told me... :)

He also has a Garmin, in this same price range, and he liked the TomTom's he bought for the girls better than the Garmin he has for himself.

[Stuart Sweet]

I know the Magellans have upgradeable maps and am almost sure the Garmin does too.

[Lord Vader]

So, this brings me back to my original decision I'm mulling over: do I get the TT One or the TT XL-S.

Decisions, decisions...

[Sharkie_Fan]

From what little I've used the TomTom One, I can say that it will do everything I would ever want it to do.

One big difference between the TT1 and the TTxl-S is that the XLs supports handsfree phone calls via bluetooth.

That's not a feature i would use from a GPS unit, so not a big selling point for me personally.

The XLs suppors alot more stops when planning a trip, but again, not somethign I'd use that often. I want to program my start and end destinations on a trip. If I'm in a place I'm unfamiliar with, I want to use the Points of INterest to find the nearest gas station, or restaurant, etc.. and plan a route there.

So for me, the basic GPS works just fine... so I'd go with the TT One.

I tried to find a side by side comparison of the 1 and XLs but haven't found a good one yet (I didn't look THAT hard). To me, the features of the XLs aren't worth an extra $150....

[stevieray]

Does anybody have these Tom Tom GPS devices? I'm familiar with them but am trying to decide which to get, the Tom Tom One or the Tom Tom XL-S.

The former is much less costly. I can get it for around $200. The XL-S, on the other hand, runs for around $340, so we're talking a sizable difference. Putting aside the cost for the moment, does anyone have a recommendation as to with which one I should go? I know the two main feature differences are that the XL-S has a widescreen view and spoken street names. Other than that, I can't see any major differences.

Oh, the Tom Tom One is the 3rd edition, which I believe is their most recent. The XL-S one at which I'm looking doesn't specify which edition it is, but I'm assuming it's also the 3rd edition.

I have had a couple of different Garmins and the TOM TOM One. The Garmins maps (Navteq) are superior to the TOM Tom (Tele-atlas). I read that the TT maps were better for European travel. the functionality of the units is similar with both having pluses and minuses. But overall, you should want accurate mapping!

[Lord Vader]

You know, in perusing the Garmins this afternoon, steve, I'm beginning to lean more toward them than the Tom Toms.

Now my next question is: I've got XM radio, which runs through my vehicle's casette player and is connected to the cigarette lighter. If the Garmin needs this same outlet, do they make dual outlet adapters or something like that, where I can connect both my XM power thingie and the Garmin power thingie into one adapter, which in turn is connected to my car's lighter outlet?

[stevieray]

You know, in perusing the Garmins this afternoon, steve, I'm beginning to lean more toward them than the Tom Toms.

Now my next question is: I've got XM radio, which runs through my vehicle's casette player and is connected to the cigarette lighter. If the Garmin needs this same outlet, do they make dual outlet adapters or something like that, where I can connect both my XM power thingie and the Garmin power thingie into one adapter, which in turn is connected to my car's lighter outlet?


Sure. Radio Shack has them.

[spartanstew]

One big difference between the TT1 and the TTxl-S is that the XLs supports handsfree phone calls via bluetooth.

That's not a feature i would use from a GPS unit, so not a big selling point for me personally.


I'll probably be getting a GPS unit in the near feature too and this is one of the must have features for me.

I hate using earpieces, so consequently I'm usually just holding my cellphone to my ear while driving. Some people frown on that, so I probably need a bluetooth handsfree set. Since some GPS units have it, I figured I might as well get one of those so I don't need 2 devices.

Out of curiousity, why is that not a big selling point for you?




I like the Navigon units, but they're a bit new to the US and reviews aren't that great. They are supposedly getting better though, so I've been waiting to see how much they improve with further softare updates. I think they look great, they have the 3D view, and they have free lifetime travel alerts (most of the others have a monthly charge for this)

[Sharkie_Fan]

I'll probably be getting a GPS unit in the near feature too and this is one of the must have features for me.

I hate using earpieces, so consequently I'm usually just holding my cellphone to my ear while driving. Some people frown on that, so I probably need a bluetooth handsfree set. Since some GPS units have it, I figured I might as well get one of those so I don't need 2 devices.

Out of curiousity, why is that not a big selling point for you?




I like the Navigon units, but they're a bit new to the US and reviews aren't that great. They are supposedly getting better though, so I've been waiting to see how much they improve with further softare updates. I think they look great, they have the 3D view, and they have free lifetime travel alerts (most of the others have a monthly charge for this)

For my car, I need a headset, rather than a handsfree device like the GPS or the like. I have a Scion Xb for my commute, and the road noise is pretty loud. The cabin shape puts me alot farther away from the dash, or window, than in, say, my wife's Freestyle. Because of that, a dash or window mounted device with hands free is really hard to use. The person on the other end can't hear very well for all the noise.

A headset gets the mic close enough to my mouth that I can overpower the road noise. My dad has a Honda Element and it's the same way - he felt like he needed a headset over some other device. I swear, his car, you can hear the radio better OUTSIDE the car than you can INSIDE. There is very little soundproofing in that car!

If I was driving a "normal" car, it would be great to have hands free calling and GPS in a combination unit... For my situation, I chose to get a cheap beater to commute in, and it's not really user friendly for such a device.

[vankai]

You know, in perusing the Garmins this afternoon, steve, I'm beginning to lean more toward them than the Tom Toms.

Now my next question is: I've got XM radio, which runs through my vehicle's casette player and is connected to the cigarette lighter. If the Garmin needs this same outlet, do they make dual outlet adapters or something like that, where I can connect both my XM power thingie and the Garmin power thingie into one adapter, which in turn is connected to my car's lighter outlet?

LV, I can only give you my perspective of using the Garmin C580 and the Pharaos 140. The Garmin wins going away when it comes to ease of use and the wife acceptance factor.

Also, there are plenty of dual cigarette lighter adapters on the market.

:)

[Lord Vader]

I'm eyeing the Garmin C350, if only because the 580's a bit too pricey for me.

[stevieray]

I'm eyeing the Garmin C350, if only because the 580's a bit too pricey for me.

If you haven't already done so, you may want to read some of the reviews before you buy.

http://www.gpsreview.net/category/gps-manufacturers/garmin-gps-reviews/

http://gpsmagazine.com/


Steve

[spartanstew]

For my car, I need a headset, rather than a handsfree device like the GPS or the like. I have a Scion Xb for my commute, and the road noise is pretty loud. The cabin shape puts me alot farther away from the dash, or window, than in, say, my wife's Freestyle. Because of that, a dash or window mounted device with hands free is really hard to use. The person on the other end can't hear very well for all the noise.

A headset gets the mic close enough to my mouth that I can overpower the road noise. My dad has a Honda Element and it's the same way - he felt like he needed a headset over some other device. I swear, his car, you can hear the radio better OUTSIDE the car than you can INSIDE. There is very little soundproofing in that car!

If I was driving a "normal" car, it would be great to have hands free calling and GPS in a combination unit... For my situation, I chose to get a cheap beater to commute in, and it's not really user friendly for such a device.

Thanks Sharkie, makes sense.

[Sharkie_Fan]

Thanks Sharkie, makes sense.

No problem....

If I had a car that was more user friendly, and the money, I'd probably go for the Garmin 2820, which has XM Radio, Bluetooth hands free, and GPS all in one unit.

Not sure what price range you're look at when you upgrade, but my uncle has one of these on his motorcycle and REALLY likes it. It's especially handy in a motorcycle, but I can see its handiness in a car as well.

[hdtvfan0001]

I'm leaning toward the Tom Tom brand mainly because I've got some friends who have them and love them, but they have older models, which is why I started this thread.
I got a TOM TOM One for my daughter, and a Garmin nuvi 200 for myself for Xmas. I think the are both very solid units and do a great job. After reading about both TOM TOM models from actual users, the ONE made more sense over the XL.

Interestingly enough, my daughter really loves her TOM TOM One, and feels it does a fantastic job for her, including when she's used it recently to get to "some hard places to find on a regular map". I've let her use my Garmin twice, and she says it did a great job, but she prefers the TOM TOM user interface.

I, on the other hand, have also used both and prefer my Garmin nuvi 200, but also thought the TOM TOM was very good. I have used it now on 3 longer "road trips" and find that it did a super job to get me door-to-door accuracy.

Both units have been updated with maps and also I've added tons of Points of Interest (POI's).

My assessment - at sub $200 pricing, you can't go wrong with either one....it boils down to which one's user interface you prefer. Other than that - both do a great job for a GPS in that price range.

[airpolgas]

Does it matter to you if a lot of people "positively reviewed" an item?

...products that were reviewed most positively by Amazon.com customers in 2007

Electronics: Garmin nuvi 350

http://tinyurl.com/yw89ya

[Lord Vader]

Yeah, I had looked at that. After all was said and done, I went ahead and purchased the Garmin Nuvi 350. I'll see how it works when I get it.

[bobnielsen]

I had been looking at navigation devices for a while and when I saw the TomTom One at Walmart for <$150 just before Christmas I couldn't resist. It is a pretty basic unit, no bluetooth or MP3 player built in, but it seems to do the job. The maps are pretty up to date. There is a feature to download an updated map (within 30 days after activation) but it isn't supported by the OS X version of their software so I don't know if it would have been any different.

I just bought the Pro-Clip (actually Brodit) mounting hardware and it fits nicely into my Odyssey minivan.

My Motorola bluetooth hands-free device died shortly after I got the TomTom. If I was getting one now, I'd shell out the extra bucks for one which was bluetooth capable.

[birdman1]

http://www.trusteddealer.com/default.asp Here is a web site that has all kinds of GPS systems for a real good price. I have the Garmin 7200 because it has a seven inch screen and I use it in my RV. It also takes a SD 2 gig card and you can dnload a lot of differient Points of Intrets. There is another site that makes a window RAM mount that works real good. I use the mount in my RV, Truck and car. I'm not sure how to copy the link to make it active just cut and paste it in your browser. Hey the link worked.

[Snoofie]

I got the Tom Tom One for Christmas and it is my first GPS. I really like it, but I am already starting to look at another one with a few more features. I bought this one because it was the cheapest and I wasn't for sure how I would like it, but I am sold on the technology and can't imagine not having one. I would just like to feel safer about leaving it installed on the window all the time, because I'm concerned about it getting stolen. I always take it down or I would use it every day, but now I mainly use it just when I don't know where I am going. Having it on all the time is nice because it tells me what restaurants are coming up and the names of the streets around me. I think Bluetooth would be nice if I kept the unit installed and powered on all the time, but other than that it is useless to me. A bigger screen would be nice, but I like the size of the One because it fits in my pocket. Overall, I'm happy with the One and will keep it, but if I catch a good deal on one with more features, I will probably jump on it and upgrade and give the One to my wife.

[Lord Vader]

I've got the Garmin 350 now and haven't installed it yet due to time constraints. In looking through the quick reference guide, however, I found something that appears to be rather contradictory. It says when first installing it, to turn on your vehicle and charge the unit, but at the same time connect the unit to an AC power outlet to begin its charging. Huh? I wouldn't think most people would have it in their car and plug it into an outlet. :p

So what's the best way to begin with this?

[airpolgas]

I'd charge it on AC first. Leave overnight and then "install" the next day.

Note: I don't have this particular unit. My suggestion is based on what I do with any new gadget I buy that needs charging (iPod, cordless phone, etc.).

[braven]

I picked up a TT 1 for $150 at CC during their Black Friday sale. Overall I'm pretty happy with it.