Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have been using my TT 510 for more than a month, with over 2000 miles of local and cross-country travel, mostly without the need for a map. Our family now has three of them, all working properly right out of the box, and we love them.
But the manual is sparse and not indexed. Some of the data entry procedures are peculiar and require experimenting to get right. (If in doubt, or you can't find a particular icon, back up a couple of steps.) There are some amusing program quirks: a "Main Street" address may throw you into a nearby town, rather than the one you have specified! That happened to us in two different locations in Massachusetts, once from Concord (to Acton) and once from Reading (to Tewksbury).
The data base entry for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel must have been a little wrong, because the display showed us moving along in the water parallel to the bridges, despite good signals! The unit repeatedly recalculated the route while trying to deal with that problem. A similar thing happened on the Wright Bridge, eastbound on Rt 158 to the Outer Banks of NC. Amazingly, the TT projected our motion through the tunnels without receiving any signal, plotted out "progress" on the display, and instantly found our location again as we emerged!
The TT does not always respect numbered routes, and sometimes put us on local roads through residential neighborhoods when the path seemed to be a little straighter than the official highway. In local traffic there were a couple of inexplicable times when it directed us into the wrong lane for an approaching turn. The projected arrival times are sometimes quite accurate, but in some cases have been very wrong for no apparent reason.
On a couple of occasions when a unit did hang up, we reset it, but had to use a sharp pin or a thin needle because a paper clip doesn't fit into the tiny (and well hidden) reset hole. My wife once borrowed an earring from someone nearby to reset hers, and now keeps a safety pin stuck in the cloth case!
The windshield mount works well when you remember to retract the clamping ring when setting the suction cup, and then to tighten the clamping ring fully, and the TT is easy to fit to the mount once you learn to thrust it deep enough onto the stem.
Those minor nuisances aside, we love the TomTom. The display is easy to use and brilliantly arranged for driver convenience. I give this amazing product 5 stars because I would not hesitate to get another one, and most of what it does is just fantastic! It has been especially valuable for finding unfamiliar local addresses and for getting onto and off of Interstate Routes in unfamiliar places, normally a special pain for cross-country travel. When you deliberately depart from your planned route for a detour or a different plan, the TT quickly recalculates a route for you without really cursing, so we have had no difficulty that way.
One remarkable feature of the display is the way it shows nearby streets and roads that are hidden behind trees, as along the Jersey Turnpike and some of the other highways that are landscaped to appear isolated.
We found telephone support available and very helpful when we needed it once. We picked this GPS unit partly because it is compatible with our Mac computers, but haven't yet had occasion to hook it to one.
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TomTom GO 510 4-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS NavigatorThe TomTom GO 510 Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator improves upon TomTom's line of all-in-one portable navigation solutions that work straight out of the box. The 510 features a new cutting-edge design that includes a high-quality, extra-wide, four-inch LCD touch screen that offers the ultimate in readability and ease of use.
The Go 510's wide array of functions ranges from detailed maps of the U.S. and Canada--all pre-installed on a 1 GB SD card--to clear spoken turn-by-turn directions to a handy Bluetooth hands-free car kit that lets you make and receive cell phone calls simply by touching the screen. All this in a compact, lightweight body that measures a mere 4.2 by 3.1 by 2.5 inches (W x H x D)--the perfect size for moving from car to car, or even storing in a backpack.
Linguists can't help but admire the Go 510's versatility, as it not only speaks some 36 languages in more than 50 different voices. To determine a location, simply enter a street and house number, a postal code, a city center, or an intersection, and the Go 510 determines the quickest or shortest route to get you there. Should you want your trip to follow specific parameters--such as avoiding freeways or toll roads--the Go 510 follows along by recommending an alternative route. Users can even preview and test TomTom's proposed route before setting foot in the car.
Of course, not all trips go from point A to B, which is why the Go 510 allows you to plan an entire itinerary before leaving the house. Need to make 15 stops while driving to your sister's? No problem. And should you miss a turn or instruction, the TomTom instantly recalculates the route and provides all-new directions. Plus, it's possible to access millions of points of interest, including restaurants, parking garages, movie theaters, amusement parks, and more. If you're running low on gas on a long drive, don't fret, as the Go 510 can locate the nearest gas station in seconds.
The Go 510's unique touchscreen activation eliminates the hassle of dealing with extra buttons or unnecessary hardware when calculating a route. And thanks to the high-quality 4-inch LCD screen--which delivers crystal-clear 3-D graphics, a 480 x 272 pixel resolution, and 64,000 colors--you'll feel in control wherever you are. Users will also dig the screen's anti-glare coating, which ensures an optimal view at all times, even in direct sunlight.
Even with the touchscreen, GPS navigators can be tricky to figure out. That's why TomTom included an extensive guided tour that explains how to get the most from your purchase, along with a batch of useful onscreen tips. And if you're not crazy about the default onscreen interface, you can customize the status bar to show only the information you need.
The Bluetooth connection is another user favorite. Not only can you connect the Go 510 to your mobile phone or headset for hands-free calling, but you'll enjoy such features as echo cancellation and noise reduction to ensure topnotch communications. And answering calls couldn't be easier--just touch the screen when a call comes through. The external microphone, meanwhile, optimizes the quality of your voice, ensuring the people on the other end have no trouble understanding you.
As if that weren't enough, the TomTom Go 510 is also compatible with a wide range of TomTom Plus services and downloads (subscription required), including real-time traffic info and weather reports, access to a host of city and regional maps, downloadable audiobooks for long drives, thousands of extra points of interest, and much more.
Other features include a speeding alert that tells you when you're going too fast, an iPod connection for 3rd generation and later iPods (except the iPod shuffle), and a home dock that cradles your Go 510 while you download info from a PC or Mac. The device also carries a two-year warranty.
What's in the Box TomTom Go 510 GPS navigator, SD card, carrying case, home dock, car charger, windshield dock, external microphone, product code card, documentation pack (with quick-start guide, accessory leaflet, and CD), user's manual.
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