A Feature Rich GPS
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: can, tomtom | Themes: Business Notebooks
2. A Feature Rich GPS
I've been working with the TomTom Go 700 for about three weeks. So far, I haven't found too much to complain about. The device is packed full of features, including many that I have been chasing down for a long time. Most of these are listed in the following table.
| Display Size / Resolution / Colors | 3.5" (8.89 cm) / 320 x 240 / 64 K (antiglare) |
| Control interface | Touch screen |
| Size (W x H x D) | 4.5" x 4.625" x 2.25" (11.43 cm x 11.75 cm x 5.72 cm) |
| Weight (GPS with built-in battery) | .76 lb (345 g) |
| Weight (AC power supply) | .21 lb (96 g) |
| Weight (12 volt power supply) | .21 lb (96 g) |
| Built-in rechargeable battery | Yes Li-Ion 2200mAh (can power unit during route setup and navigation; claimed battery life 4 hours) |
| Can be powered from 12 V automobile socket | Yes |
| AC Power supply/charger | 12 V, 2 A |
| Processor | 400 MHz ARM920T |
| Storage | 64 MB RAM; 2.5 GB hard disk drive holds maps |
| Sound | Built-in speaker |
| Voice output | Yes (more than 30 languages, multiple female and male voices) |
| Built-in satellite antenna | Yes |
| Parallel channels (maximum number of simultaneous satellite connections) | 12 |
| Automobile windshield mount | Yes (suction cup) |
| Remote control | Yes (optional) |
| Connects to PCs and Macs | Yes (USB 2.0) |
| Includes US and Canadian maps | Yes (other maps available in other locations) |
| Maps and other information updatable | Yes |
| Set routes without satellite connection | Yes (by street address, cross streets, points of interest, browsing maps) |
| Set a home location | Yes |
| Set favorites locations | Yes |
| Request alternate routes | Yes (quickest, shortest, avoid toll roads and minimize traffic delays TomTom Plus below required for traffic delays) |
| Points of interest include | Restaurants, airports, gas stations, hotel/motel, parking garage |
| Add side trips, points of interest to a route | Yes |
| Navigate to a Zip code and to the center of a city | Yes |
| Find points of interest near your current position. | Yes |
| View a simulation of travel on planned route in real or compressed time | Yes |
| Automatically reroutes if get off route | Yes |
| Supports Bluetooth phone links | Yes |
| Current traffic information can be used in planning routes and navigation (TomTom Plus) | Yes (information obtained using GPRS or EDGE capable phone to connect to TomTom web site; extra charge for most TomTom Plus information) |
| Weather information available | Yes (TomTom Plus) |
| Supports hands-free calling | Yes (through a Bluetooth connection to phone) |
If you've been around GPSes for a while, you should readily recognize some of the Go 700's features. You can find most of the Go 700's route setting and modification capabilities in other GPSes. What I find unique about TomTom's GPS is the ease with which routing is done and the added ability to factor in traffic when planning routes and navigating.
This will be a two part article. In this part, I'll cover various features of the Go 700 and trip routing and navigation. In part two I'll talk about Go 700-Bluetooth phone integration, how the TomTom Plus features work and whether I'm still married. However, before I get into routing and navigation, I need to say something about the GPS itself and some of its supporting hardware.
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- Next page The TomTom Go 700's Case, Buttons And...
