A travel company that doesn’t tell you to get lost when you’ve got a problem? When they offered to send me a review unit of the new TomTom GO 740 Live promising me just that, I had just one question — where do I sign up?
But it’s true: This navigation system not only helps you find your way when all others — even my trusty iPhone 3G — are “off the grid” but it makes sure you don’t get lost in the first place.
Gotta love it.
Well, almost all of it. I tested this high-end Internet-connected direction-finder, which costs a hefty $399 (it includes three months of Internet services) and found it about as easy to use as any other nav system I’ve ever evaluated. The similarities end there, though. The GO 740 Live has a host of features under the hood that set it apart, including cool new routing technology that helps you chart the most efficient way based on traffic patterns and other real-time traffic information, a fuel-price locator, and an easy way to find restaurants when you’re on the road. It even tells you when you’ll arrive at your destination.
What hasn’t changed is the primary way of interacting with the device. The user interface has supposedly been redesigned, but in many ways it handles just like the first-generation nav systems I looked at years ago. For those of us who are used to the tried-and-true, that should come as a relief. All others can try the voice-activated instructions. I haven’t been able to figure those out yet, probably because with three young children in the back seat, there’s never a shortage of ambient noise.
If you take frequent road trips alone, you’ll want to use the GO 740 Live instead of a handheld GPS system, which, if operated at 70 miles an hour is just an accident waiting to happen. If you have company, a GPS-enabled cell phone — or an old-fashioned paper map — might be good enough for your summer road trip.
What I liked about it: This gadget locked in on the GPS signal and didn’t let go, which is something I’ve never seen a nav system do. I expect it to lose the satellite just when I need directions the most. I also liked the “enhanced” advanced lane guidance feature that tells me precisely which lane I need to be in so that I can make the correct turn. The only way this could improve is if the government launched better satellites. Another nice feature: When you make a wrong turn, it won’t scream at you. It calmly recalculates the route, assuming you meant to take that unexpected turn. (Yeah, of course I did.)
What I didn’t like: Did I mention the price? At around $400, you need to take regular road trips to or be a frequent business traveler in order to make this a worthwhile purchase. No point in firing up the GO 740 Live on the way to the grocery store or when you’re taking the kids to school. Navigating to a new address or finding something involves countless clicks. If you’re used to the iPhone interface, you’ll lose patience with this nav system quickly.
What others are saying about it: Gizmodo says the GO 740 seems like a decent device. Now there’s a ringing endorsement. Engadget panned the system because of its cellurlar plan, saying that “we’d love to love the GO 740 LIVE, [but] we just can’t recommend it so long as TomTom keeps charging you for the privilege of ownership.” GPS magazine gave it a lukewarm write-up, noting that it’s “essentially identical to previous TomTom GPS units.”
Bottom line: So what if the techno-elites don’t like it? If you need it, and if you can afford it, this GPS system is a worthy addition to your car, truck or van.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
“Selective Availability” (the scrambling of the GPS signal) was turned off in 2000, thanks in part to lobbying by the FAA. The new GPS-III birds aren’t able to use it, so it probably can’t be turned back on.
Assuming the unit you tested supports WAAS augmentation, that’s as accurate as you should expect for a few years.
(Although P-code encryption remains, I don’t know of any in-car navigation aids that use it.)
I have not tried this, But have heard that TOM TOM is good by a lot of people. I personally use GARMIN always have and love it. along with my black berry that is internet connected so I can down load what I need. Both come in handy when traveling. Liked this article about the what you liked and disliked about this product
I have the TomTom One XL that I purchased as a refurb from WOOT for about $125. I also have Garmin installed on my HTC Tilt phone. I’ve used both of them and honestly, can’t say which is better when it comes to maps. The area I live in is in constant flux. New roads pop up daily. Highway interchanges are created and rerouted monthly, housing developments pop up like weeds…so when I attempted to find a local shopping center, neither of these devices had the road in their databases. In fact, not even Google maps had the road I was looking for!
But when it comes to interfaces, I have to defer to the TomTom. I like the interaction of this unit’s software. I prefer the ease with which the address entry is made. The garmin is a little confusing when you enter the address, not specifying that the street name is on a seperate screen.
Ed
web/gadget guru
After spending over $100 to update maps which wouldn’t update and getting nothing from TomTom but “sorry,” I wouldn’t go near anoher TomTom. It’s bad enough that they charge to update maps, but when they charge and provide nothing for it, it’s time to try another company.
Your comment about the government launching better satellites is slightly erroneous. The existing satellites provide pinpoint accurate guidance, but only to our military. The accuracy of what is available to the consumer, and any possible enemy of the USA is limited, and done so by design.