TomTom XL 330-S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Box Packaging) by TomTom
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Digital camera reviews of TomTom XL 330-S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Box Packaging)
Digital camera Review: No longer lost
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a MioTech GPS that couldn't even find my street.It was good on the road,but worthless in rural areas. I had heard alot about the TomTom GPS and desided to check them out.I expected to pay about [...] for one,and ended up spending around half that for one.After I ordered my XL330S I almost changed my order because I thought I should have bought a more expensive one to meet my needs.Was I ever wrong!This thing is unbeliveable to say the least.I'm not good with computers and electronics and was conserned it would be difficult to use,instead,a 3rd grader could use it. Not only did it come with up to date maps,I can hook it up to my computer and update it anytime I have the need.I don't care what kind of GPS you have,if it's not a TomTom you can't imagine what your missing out on!Digital camera Review: Poor interface design & slow speed make this GPS subpar
Summary: 2 Stars
I have three main complaints with this device:
1) It is slow. Painfully slow. Slow to connect to the GPS network and slow to recalculate. The recalculation is so slow that it cannot keep up while I am driving in busy traffic on the streets of Los Angeles. I find that if I make a wrong turn I often have to pull over to give the thing time to recalculate my new route.
2) The design of the interface requires way too much interaction from the user. Even the most simple functions that you are going to be using most often require too many button pushes. It can be so complex that even a simple redirect requires the driver to pull over and fiddle with the thing. I'm not talking about typing in an address or anything like that, just a simple redirect like skipping part of a route (if the 405 or 110 is slammed), or changing your destination to Home or another Recent Destination. Combine this poor interface design with screen technology that is not very accurate or sensitive and you end up pressing the thing a dozen times to do the most simple tasks.
3) The maps leave MUCH to be desired. Maybe the map makers just don't like LA but the thing is continually directing me to make turns that are illegal, directing me to freeway on-ramps that have been closed for months, and all other manner of driving headaches. And I have been buying the new maps as soon as they come out hoping to overcome these problems but they don't seem to go away.
I don't know if other GPS devices have these same faults but I do know that I will not be buying another Tom Tom.
Digital camera Review: Routing
Summary: 2 Stars
This device is very easy to use and no issue getting regular map updates. My major issue is with route guidance. When I enter a destination address and select the option to route without unpaved roads, the device starts going through a long search and slowly starts loosing communication with satellites. In the end it loose all the signals and gives you an error messgae "No route found". I have contacted TomTom support and after several emails finally convinced them that this is a device problem. They asked me to ship it back for a refurbished unit. My mistake - I should have returnd it to Amazon and get my money refunded.Digital camera Review: Software Does Not Work
Summary: 1 Stars
As advertised, the XL330-S worked "out of the box" but everything froze up when I attempted to go online to install Tom Tom software and update map. I spent two long sessions waiting for a support rep, then spent more time as the support people talked me through corrective steps--to no avail. The second rep I talked to suggested I get a new computer. But I didn't give up. I sent the unit back and ordered another, but got the same results. I tried using my computer at work (Mac OS X 10.4.11) to see if the problem was my home computer--same bad results. So I asked my computer-savy son to give it a go. After several hours he too gave up. Enough! I am returning the unit to Amazon to ask for refund.Digital camera Review: Some troubles
Summary: 3 Stars
First I suggest giving the instructions for installing the unit (no wording, all diagram)to someone who does not know how it works. See if they can figure out what the design diagrams are instructing. ADD SOME WORDING !
With the suction locked, the unit still fell off the flat base 3 times in one trip.
Need to make it easier to change the State you are routing to. The 'flag' that you need to click is next to impossible to find. After locating it once, it was hard to find again.
Travelling in D.C. is rough enough and the unit definitely helped, BUT it does not always adjust the current line where you are and caused me to miss an important turn because by the time the adjustment came I was too close to the turn to get over in the other lane to turn. You can't always locate the street signs. DC drivers are not always helpful. Not sure how much time it cost me, but it did reroute fairly quickly.