Dr Gadget - TomTom GO 720 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

	List Price: $449.95 Our Price: $183.98 Your Save: $ 265.97 ( 59% ) Availability: Manufacturer: TomTom
Average Customer Rating:
Batteries Included: 0 Binding: Electronics Brand: TomTom Display Size: 4.3 EAN: 0036926017112 Feature: Stylish and lightweight pocket-sized design; preloaded with complete US and Canada maps and millions of POIs Includes Mp3 Player: 1 Is Memorabilia: 0 Label: TomTom Manufacturer: TomTom Model: 1M00.780 Native Resolution: 480 x 272 Publisher: TomTom Studio: TomTom
Features Stylish and lightweight pocket-sized design; preloaded with complete US and Canada maps and millions of POIs Spoken directions with real street names; 4.3-inch touchscreen with TomTom's award-winning navigation Bluetooth for hands-free calling via your cell phone; real-time traffic and weather via TMC or TomTom Plus MapShare technology--make your own map changes and download verified updates from the entire TomTom user community MP3 player and photo viewer; integrated FM transmitter gives directions and plays music through your car stereo system
Accessories BRACKETRON UFM-200-BL Dash-Mat Universal Device Holder (Black) BRACKETRON UGC-100-BL Global Power Charger (Black) BRACKETRON USS-100-BL Skin Shade (Black) Tomtom Black Carrying Case Gilsson GL35 Premium Leather Case for 3.5-Inch GPS with Business Card and SD Pockets (Black)
Related Items TomTom GO 720 Carry Case and Strap (9M00.000) Bracketron UFM-100BL Nav-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad TomTom XL / 520 / 720 Leather Carry Case and Strap TomTom GO 720 ClearTouch Anti-Glare Screen Protector (Single Pack) TomTom Additional Mount with Car Charger
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: A Must Have GPS Comment: The 720 is superb. The features you get for the price make it well worth the money. I love having the ability to update it online without any pesky monthly or yearly fees like some other brands and factory installed GPS in most vehicles. My only negative comment is on the bluetooth feature. It only works with certain networks and specific models of phones...of course you dont know this until you get home and try to interface it with your cell phone. I have Sprint and of course it doesnt work with Sprint. However its no big deal if you dont care too much about weather and traffic jam data. You can get that info off any radio station anyway. Not having the bluetooth features available does not take away from the versatility of the device at all. It is highly accurate but no GPS will ever be 100% especially in new neighborhoods or when businesses come and go so often. Still havent figured how to make map/route corrections yet and share them. Overall, I highly recommend the GO 720. You gotta get it. Customer Rating: Summary: a little scratchy but true Comment: After purchasing the tomtom 720 I am very much please with the many features that it has, The bluetooth is nice although I wish that the speaker would get a clearer tone with its incoming calls when traveling on interstate highways, sometimes it is hard to hear what the caller is saying when there is a lot of noisy conditions. also the computers built in voice prompts can tend to be scratchy and get cut off at times but other wise this is a real nice GPS I give it four stars out of five. Good job tomtom. Customer Rating: Summary: The jury is still out Comment: I received a refurb 720 for Christmas, exactly what I had asked for. I'm running software version 8.300. I don't have a lot of experience with the unit, so feel it wouldn't be fair to write a complete review at this time. However, I felt it important to note that while the unit can play MP3s over the FM transmitter, the spoken directions do NOT get sent over the transmitter. This is in contrast to the documentation on the CD, but confirmed on TOMTOM.COM: ------------------------------ "For TomTom GO x20/x30 * You can use the built-in FM Transmitter. This allows you to transmit music* from your TomTom GO to your car stereo. Your car stereo receives the sound as an FM radio signal, just like it does from a radio station. You cannot listen to another radio station at the same time. * You can use the audio cable which is available as an accessory. Your car stereo needs to have a 3.5mm audio-in connector. Your GO can then play spoken instructions and music over the car radio. Phone calls are played using the speaker in your GO. *Voice instructions cannot be transmitted via FM Transmitter" ------------------------------ [UPDATE 12/30/2008] I spoke with TomTom tech. support when updating my maps this week. They indicated that the inability to transmit the instructions over the radio is a bug in version 8.300. It should be fixed in the next release. Customer Rating: Summary: It has some limitations you should know about Comment: Just received this unit today as a gift. Since I know where i'm going most of the time, I was really looking forward to traffic avoidance. I have a bluetooth phone, and willing to take on the service charge for the service. But came to find out that this device does not support the Blackberry 8320 Curve, or any Blackberry 8xxx for more than hands free dialing. Additionally, the ability to load the address book is flawed, as it does not bring over names. So, I really wanted others to know about this. It's a great unit, but research its compatibility with your phone if you want to do something more than find your way. Customer Rating: Summary: Weak battery, misses the mark on higher level functions Comment: I chose this unit for the higher feature content as compared to a more basic unit from either Garmin of TomTom, and regret the decision. As a basic GPS unit, the 720 functions fine- it gets me from place to place reliably, and usually chooses about the best route (all GPS units choose strange routing sometimes). There is a major drawback to the basic function, however- battery life. With Bluetooth on, the unit lasts about 20 minutes when unplugged, rendering it essentially useless if you don't plan to dedicate an outlet to it's power cord. It's been that way since about week 6 after purchase (now 6 months old). I broke the battery in according to manufacturer's instructions (fully charge, fully discharge, etc etc) for fear I might end up with short battery life but it didn't seem to matter. I accepted my fate and bought an outlet splitter from the auto store so I can charge my phone when needed. But for someone who needs battery functionality, I would consider this a non-starter. The major disappointment for me was the feature content- as I said I chose this unit for the extras- bluetooth for hands-free calling, text to speech directions, and POI database. Although bluetooth works fine, the speaker is weak and has poor sound quality- exasperated when you attempt to turn up the volume. I don't feel my Outback has high interior noise levels, yet phone calls are almost impossible and directions are difficult to hear. Friends report they hear me fine, so I guess the microphone is good- but the speaker should be bigger and better for this application. Text-to-speech function is another disappointment which compounds the shortcomings of the speaker. First, the manufacturer must not have recorded very many basic words in their database because the female voice messes up a lot of things she shouldn't- for instance, she can't say 'tunnel' (her Dutch heitage comes out- she pronounces it TO-ooonl) which now makes me mute her when I drive through some parts of town so I don't cringe. Also, the only thing she uses text-to-speech for is highway exits. On secondary roads and in developments, where the function would be most useful, its 'turn right' or 'turn left.' Even on the highways, if there is a number associated with the road that makes the exit, that's what you get- even when there is a more commonly referred to name for the same road. This leads to further confusion. The other big sore spot for me is the size of the POI database. The database may be much larger compared to previous ones, but I still find that roughly 60% of the entries I request come back as 'No POI found!' I end up using Google Maps on my phone, finding the address (Google always seems to know the address!), then thumping the address into TomTom to get directions on a screen that won't kill me while driving. To add insult to injury, the method to find a POI isn't very elegant, requiring several spurious button pushes that only frustrate me more. Keep working on that database, TomTom, or split it into maneageable reigons like other GPS units do. America is bigger than the Netherlands. There are other little niggles I have with the unit, but no other show stoppers. I appreciate the customizing and wealth of settings and options TomTom allows as compared to other units as well as the software, and I really hope they push their European traffic system here to the states. However, in this case I would have traded the software for hardware (a better battery and speaker) and a larger database. Bottom line- if you are looking for a basic GPS, don't buy this one because you can get a basic TomTom for cheaper. If you are looking for a nicely optioned unit that could replace an in-dash unit, look elsewhere. More Reviews
Editorial Reviews: The TomTom GO 720 is the ultimate car navigator, with unique new features and MapShare technology, combined into one compact and stylish design. It comes pre-installed with the most up-to-date maps of the US and Canada stored on the 2GB internal memory, and with unique safety features so drivers always have direct access to safety and roadside assistance information. The extensive "Help Me!" menu includes information such as the nearest police station, hospital, or car repair center. It also allows the user to quickly identify their location for emergency assistance. The shortcut menu lets drivers jump straight to their most accessed information with just one touch on the screen. The enhanced hands-free kit features a new high-quality sound system via Bluetooth. As with all TomTom products, it comes with TomTom HOME, a free desktop application. TomTom's large satellite navigation community contribute and exchange their map corrections through TomTom HOME, making the most accurate maps available to all users. In addition, it comes pre-installed with a host of other TomTom PLUS services including TomTom Weather and TomTom QuickGPSfix (for extra fast connection to GPS satellites). Navigate to millions of POl's, including restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, hotels / Create your own POI categories and add your own locations. Route Planning options include fastest, shortest, avoiding highways or toll roads, pedestrian or limited speed. 4.3-inch (diagonally) 16 by 9 format LCD display (WQVGA; 480x272 pixels). The unit is driven by a 400 MHz CPU with 64MB RAM, and powered by a Lithium-polymer battery that provides 5 hours of continuous operation. Bluetooth-enabled for hands-free calling, and compatible with most mobile phones. Also features a dual microphone for improved sound quality Unit Dimensions: 4.7 inches wide by 3.2 inches high by 0.9 inches deep; 7.7 ounces. Inculudes -year TomTom Warranty.