3. Getting Connected - Grrr!

• Go 700 GPS (Vehicle,...
• • DealStopStores
  • $99.00

I started testing the Plus features of the TomTom Go 700 right after finishing the first article on the GPS. I went through all the steps that should have prepared the Go 700 to download traffic information. With great confidence I went through the simple steps required to download traffic data. The first and every time I tried I was rewarded with a lovely bright red screen and a message telling me the device couldn't connect to "the service." I found out later that TomTom runs a separate traffic server and that's what my Go 700 couldn't connect to. Sorry I don't have a nice screen shot of the bright red error screen to show you, but every time I saw the blasted thing the last though on my mind was to capture a picture of the screen. Instead, my thoughts turned to throwing the GPS out the window.

I immediately sent email to TomTom's press relations department asking for help. I mentioned that I had already published Part I of the article and was stymied trying to get started on Part II. I got no response for days. Finally, one of the US press people replied to my email. (Remember that TomTom is a Dutch company.) The press contact asked which Internet capable cell phone I was using. I replied that it was a Motorola V557.

Motorola's V557 Internet-capable cell phone.

After about a week I got a reply. TomTom didn't support the V557. OK! So, I asked which phones were supported. After about a week I got a reply offering to send me a Motorola Razr V3. I agreed to try the Razr and after a few days the phone showed up. I went through the same documented process with the new phone and, needless to say, that danged red screen reared its ugly head and I still couldn't connect to the TomTom traffic information server.

I got busy with other things and didn't get back to the TomTom press person for a week or so. I wrote back telling of my efforts and ultimate failure with the Razr V3. After about a week I got back a message asking if the phone they sent was on the Cingular network. It was and I answered that it was. I guess they were hoping it wasn't, because it appears connection to the traffic information server works best on the Cingular network.

About this time I started getting questions from people who had read Part I. They wanted to know if I was still married and if the TomTom 700 worked with Plus services. One joker even asked if I was alive after attacking the iPod and cell phones in my "Who Designed This Crap?" columns. I explained my plight to as many readers as I had time for and promised to get Part II out as soon as I completed my tests.

Also, around this time I started mentioning to the TomTom PR folks that I was simply going to do a very short Part II with the theme being "don't-bother-it-doesn't-work."