Tomtom
Whenever we drive anywhere, we get lost. So we decided we needed a GPS in-car navigation system. We'd been waiting till the latest maps come out ― they seem to come out once a year. But now the new maps must be imminent, because all the GPS units are being sold with a free map upgrade, so it seemed like time to buy.
Well, which one? We looked in Dick Smith Powerhouse, and the salesman said they all use the same maps, and the main difference between the units is in features. Of the ones on offer there, the Tomtom One appealed to us most ― it has walking and cycling routes, and the interface looked easy to use. Online research suggested that the Tomtom One, using Linux, was less prone to crashing than other units using Windows CE.
But then we found that Choice magazine had just reviewed them. My parents subscribe to Choice, so we asked to look at the review. Choice had found some more fundamental differences between the units, such as that even though they all use the same maps, the software that works out routes is much better in some units than in others. One of them came up with a 124km route for a 30km trip! Some are better and quicker at tracking satellites than others, and the screen quality and battery time vary a lot. And the best overall performer? ― the Tomtom One.
So yesterday we went to David Jones and bought a Tomtom One. And today we tested it. First of all, we turned it on in the middle of our living room, with the blinds half drawn ― and it managed to find two satellites! Then, onto the streets. The shortest route it found to Harris Farm markets at Willoughby may well have been the shortest, but it wasn't the most convenient, and included a right turn at a no-right-turn intersection (easily fixed). The fastest route that it suggested to take us home again was much more straightforward with no awkward turns. So we thought we'd give it another test. How would it suggest we go to my parents' place? Exactly the way we would go ourselves ☺. Ah, but could we trick it? We missed the turn off Epping Road, and waited to see what it would suggest. Should we try to turn around on Epping Road? No, of course not, we could take the next turn instead. So we were happy with its navigation.
Then we thought we'd test its walking route suggestions. There's a walk we do to Middle Harbour, that goes through some bushland. We'd previously tried to walk there via the streets, with the pram, and got somewhat lost. So we thought we'd walk there through the bush, and try out the Tomtom's suggested return route. Only problem, when we tried to turn it on, it wouldn't turn on. Maybe it hadn't been fully charged, and the battery was flat? But when we got home and plugged it in, it still didn't turn on. A toothpick in the reboot slot fixed it. I hope this is a one-off, that it lives up to its Linux credentials and doesn't crash again.
Well, which one? We looked in Dick Smith Powerhouse, and the salesman said they all use the same maps, and the main difference between the units is in features. Of the ones on offer there, the Tomtom One appealed to us most ― it has walking and cycling routes, and the interface looked easy to use. Online research suggested that the Tomtom One, using Linux, was less prone to crashing than other units using Windows CE.
But then we found that Choice magazine had just reviewed them. My parents subscribe to Choice, so we asked to look at the review. Choice had found some more fundamental differences between the units, such as that even though they all use the same maps, the software that works out routes is much better in some units than in others. One of them came up with a 124km route for a 30km trip! Some are better and quicker at tracking satellites than others, and the screen quality and battery time vary a lot. And the best overall performer? ― the Tomtom One.
So yesterday we went to David Jones and bought a Tomtom One. And today we tested it. First of all, we turned it on in the middle of our living room, with the blinds half drawn ― and it managed to find two satellites! Then, onto the streets. The shortest route it found to Harris Farm markets at Willoughby may well have been the shortest, but it wasn't the most convenient, and included a right turn at a no-right-turn intersection (easily fixed). The fastest route that it suggested to take us home again was much more straightforward with no awkward turns. So we thought we'd give it another test. How would it suggest we go to my parents' place? Exactly the way we would go ourselves ☺. Ah, but could we trick it? We missed the turn off Epping Road, and waited to see what it would suggest. Should we try to turn around on Epping Road? No, of course not, we could take the next turn instead. So we were happy with its navigation.
Then we thought we'd test its walking route suggestions. There's a walk we do to Middle Harbour, that goes through some bushland. We'd previously tried to walk there via the streets, with the pram, and got somewhat lost. So we thought we'd walk there through the bush, and try out the Tomtom's suggested return route. Only problem, when we tried to turn it on, it wouldn't turn on. Maybe it hadn't been fully charged, and the battery was flat? But when we got home and plugged it in, it still didn't turn on. A toothpick in the reboot slot fixed it. I hope this is a one-off, that it lives up to its Linux credentials and doesn't crash again.
posted by Liz + Louka at 5:52 pm
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