TomTom Go 2405 Review Update

I wrote my review of the TomTom Go 2405 a few months after I first purchased it and thought that I would write a short update to that review after using it for approximately 2 years.

The reason for this update to the original review is that I reached the point where the maps which are included in the TomTom Go 2405 no longer fit into the built in memory for the device. As the maps get larger and larger, it was only a matter of time before the update for the included maps (Canada, US, and Mexico) would no longer fit on the device. It took approximately 2 years for the map update for Canada, US, and Mexico to no longer fit on the GPS unit. Since the device doesn't have an expandable memory slot, I was under the impression that the device would no longer be useful and it would be time to purchase a new GPS device.

However, this is not the case. When I received a prompt that a new map update was available for my device, I tried to update my device and was informed that the map would no longer fit on my device. I was presented with the option of selecting a certain map region predefined by TomTom onto my TomTom Go 2405.

Since I live in Canada, there was no question that I wanted the map of Canada. Since I also travel to the US, I also wanted the map of the US. However, the map of the US was too large to fit on my TomTom Go 2405. If I wanted Canada, I had a choice between selecting Canada with a different region of the US predefined by TomTom (i.e. I could not pick which states I wanted to include on my device but must select the entire region). Since I live in the eastern part of Canada, I opted for all of Canada and the eastern states. If I were to visit Las Vegas (which I often do), I would just update my TomTom device and pick Canada with the western states.

Based on how large the maps are getting and the predefined selections, even if I take extra care of my TomTom Go 2405 GPS unit, I expect that if the predefined maps stays as is (where users cannot select the individual states or region of Canada), the GPS will no longer be capable of being updated in another 2 years. After 2 years, even when fully charged, the TomTom Go 2405 GPS can no longer stay on for more than a few minutes unplugged so if you require the use of the GPS outside of your car after 2 years, you will either need a new GPS unit or you will need to replace the battery.

If you have any comments/questions regarding this blog entry, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the comments section below. Please note that the comments are moderated and any comment containing a URL link (whether embedded or not) will automatically be flagged as spam and will not be posted.

TomTom Go 2405 TM Review

I've been using the TomTom Go 2405 TM for about 2 months and I thought that I would write a mini-review on it.

I've been using TomTom GPS products for a few years now. My first experience with TomTom was as an add-on module/software for my Palm TX PDA. I later purchased a dedicated GPS (TomTom Go 930). While my TomTom Go 930 still works, because the maps on it were old, I felt that upgrading the maps on my old TomTom Go 930 compared to buying a new GPS with lifetime map updates would not be cost effective.

I haven't tested all the features of the TomTom Go 2405 TM but two of the features that differentiate it and my old TomTom Go 930 is the free lifetime map updates and the free lifetime traffic updates. Lifetime refers to the general life of the product or when TomTom no longer makes map updates for the device and is non-transferable between devices.

The first thing that I have to mention is that the traffic updates work only on major highways and don't work on smaller streets or service roads. The traffic updates show up as a bar on the right hand side of the screen indicating whether there are any delays in your route (and an estimated time for the time delay). As such, you are only given traffic updates when you are using the GPS to follow a route. The traffic antenna is located in the proprietary car charging cable. I've found that the traffic updates were quite accurate. Of course, there are times when I noticed that it wasn't correct (like when it tried to get me to go on the highway and I could see that the entrance to the highway was slow/blocked so I opted to manually take the service road) but most of the time, I would say that the traffic update was accurate.

This GPS has built-in bluetooth handsfree so that when driving you can answer the phone or make calls while driving. I tried it but didn't really like how it worked compared to my older TomTom Go 930. When connecting the GPS to a compatible bluetooth phone, the GPS will copy all the contacts from the phone and store it on the GPS. I didn't like this feature and from what I could see, there was no way of turning this feature off. I only wanted to be able to answer calls and not copy my phone's contacts onto the GPS but this wasn't possible without copying the phone's contacts.

One of the things that takes some getting used to is the new windshield mount for this GPS. Unlike with my older TomTom GPS, I found that this new windshield mount locks to the window of the car very well and has never fallen off the windshield while I've been driving (my older TomTom GPS mounts would fall probably once a month). The GPS is secured onto the windshield mount using magnets which takes some time to get used to. I've found removing the GPS from the windshield mount to be difficult sometimes since you can only remove it a certain way because of how the GPS locks to the windshield mount.

My older TomTom Go 930 used a program installed on the PC for all updates/maintenance on the TomTom GPS. This newer TomTom Go 2405 TM requires the installation of a plug-in and uses the web browser to perform all updates on the device. Personally, I preferred how my older TomTom Go 930 handled this because with the newer implementation, it required that the GPS unit be connected to the PC when performing all functions like downloading the map updates.

Speaking of the map updates, it can sometimes take a few hours to download the entire map updates and having the device connected to the PC while this is being done is sometimes inconvenient. Once, the webpage informed me that it would take over 12 hours to update the GPS over my internet connection!

Unlike my older TomTom GPS, there is no SD slot on this GPS and it also doesn't have an FM transmitter (or remote control). The lack of an SD slot on this newer GPS will cause problems eventually because the updated maps are larger and as they get too large, the TomTom Go 2405 TM won't be able to store the map on the unit any longer. I'm not sure if it is possible to only download the maps that you want but I don't believe that it is the case. This means that when the particular map update is too large for the internal memory on the GPS, regardless of whether the GPS still works or not, you will probably have to purchase a new GPS unit with lifetime map updates if you want to continue to get the free map updates.

I do find that the TomTom Go 2405 TM is not as accurate as my older TomTom Go 930. My older TomTom Go 930 is or was considered TomTom's high end GPS unit when it was originally released while the TomTom Go 2405 TM is considered mid-range. As such my TomTom Go 930 has a lot more features and benefits over the TomTom Go 2405 TM. The only benefit that I would say that the newer TomTom Go 2405 TM has over my older TomTom Go 930 is the unlimited free map updates and the unlimited free traffic updates. However, it isn't really fair to compare both products since as mentioned my older TomTom Go 930 is (or was) considered TomTom's high end GPS product and I would say that the TomTom Go 2405 TM is considered their mid-range GPS product.

I feel that because of the way this TomTom GPS uses the browser in order to update the maps, it is not safe/reliable as having a separate program installed on the PC to update the maps. Unlike my older TomTom GPS unit, there is also no way of taking a backup of the device before applying an update so there is no way to roll-back in the event of a problem/errors. Based on some of the reviews that I've read from other users on other sites, once this happens, the GPS becomes little more than an expensive paper-weight and most be sent to TomTom for repair.

I downloaded a PDF version of the manual which describes the functions of this TomTom GPS. You can download a copy of it from *HERE*.

If you have any comments/questions regarding my mini review of the TomTom Go 2405 TM, please don't hesitate to leave a comments in the comment section. Please note that comments are moderated and that any comments that contain a URL link or a hyperlink will automatically be flagged as being spam and will not be posted.

Points of Interest (POI) on a GPS

Whenever someone asks me about the various GPS units that I've used/tested, one of the questions that often comes up is "How many points of interest are included in the GPS?"

For me, the included points of interest aren't very important. I've been using various GPS units for about 5 years and I rarely use the included points of interest. What I find more important is the ability of the GPS to accept new points of interest (POI).

This leads me to the website that I use for my points of interest. The website that I use is POIfriend.com or POIfriend.ca. From this website, you can not only create your own points of interest but you can also download the points of interest that others have created onto your GPS. The website supports various GPS formats including Garmin and TomTom.

Generally speaking, you should download the POIs identified as being "Official." These official POIs are made by the company. For example, Tim Hortons has their official POI *HERE*. For a list of the "Official" POIs, you can click *HERE*.

As a test, I created a set of POIs for TD Canada Trust in the Montreal region. If you also deal with TD Canada Trust and live in the Montreal region, you can download my POI for TD Canada Trust *HERE*. If you bank at Royal Bank (RBC), you can find their official POI for Canada *HERE* (they have other official POIs on the site so depending on your needs, you might want to do a search for "RBC") or if you bank at CIBC, you can find their official POI *HERE*.

If you have any questions/comments regarding this blog entry, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the comments section.

TomTom Go 930 Review

Here is my review and thoughts about  the TomTom Go 930 GPS.

My first GPS was the TomTom Navigator 5 for Palm which I used both on my Palm TX and my Palm Treo 650. I later tried a friend's Garmin GPS unit (entry level) on a trip and because my Palm-based GPS was 2 parts (a bluetooh GPS receiver/transmitter as well as my bluetooth-enabled Palm phone/PDA), I thought about getting a dedicated GPS unit.

Between my friend's Garmin GPS unit that I borrowed and my PalmOS TomTom Navigator, I personally preferred the TomTom. When the TomTom Go 930 GPS went on sale (probably because it was going to be discontinued for the TomTom Go 940 which was already available in Europe but not in Canada), I purchased it. I was looking for a full featured GPS and the TomTom Go 930 (at the time, it was the top of the line GPS unit by TomTom) offered almost everything that I was looking for. The TomTom Go 930T also interested me but after doing some research, I opted only to get the TomTom Go 930. The only difference between the "T" model and the "non-T" model is that the "T" model includes a traffic antenna to pick up the over the air traffic information. The traffic information obtained via the traffic antenna carries a monthly/yearly charge and is very limited in Canada (broadcasts only in certain cities and only during certain times). In Europe, receiving the traffic information is free with the traffic antenna.

When you purchase the TomTom GPS (or any GPS for that matter), make sure that if you turn it on, you update it on your computer. The reason for this is that the various manufacturers (TomTom, Garmin, etc.) give you a free update if the currently available map is later than the version on your device. It depends on the manufacturer but they generally will give you roughly 30 days from when the GPS is first turned on to get your free map update (if you don't already have the latest map on your device). After 30 days or so, if you didn't download the latest maps, you will be charged for the maps.

Included with the TomTom Go 930 GPS is the GPS unit itself (containing maps for Canada, the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of Europe), instructional booklets, the TomTom Home software for your PC on CD, the windshield glass mount, a piece to place the windshield glass mount on top of the dashboard (either by drilling into the dash or using some type of adhesive), a mini-USB car charger, a USB docking station (for charging as well as synchronizing/updating maps), and a bluetooth remote control with holder.

What I like about the TomTom Go 930 GPS is that it has a bluetooth remote control (requires 2 x AAA batteries). With the remote control, I can easily go through the menu options in order to pick my selection without having to reach for the touchscreen while driving.

The TomTom Go 930 GPS also has a built-in FM transmitter and as such the sound (driving instructions, MP3 files, or speakerphone) can be redirected to your car's FM radio. The user selects the FM frequency so all you have to do is select an FM frequency that isn't used in the area that you're in or visiting.

The TomTom Go 930 GPS is equipped with the bluetooth handsfree profile so when paired with a compatible bluetooth enabled cellphone, it can do things like read your SMS messages as they are received, display the incoming phone number on the display (when a call is received and if you have/subscribe to your carrier's CallerID service, act as a handsfree speakerphone, and access the carrier's data service from the phone (in order to get weather reports {free} or traffic conditions {paid service but not available in Canada}). With my SonyEricsson w300i, the TomTom Go 930 was able to do everything (read SMS, access carrier's data network, act as a handsfree speakerphone, etc.). However, with my Treo 650/680 phones, it was only able to act as a handsfree speakerphone. Testing it with a Nokia N95-4 8GB, I found that it wasn't 100% compatible with this phone and it would often not be able to connect sometimes even after it was paired. I also tested the bluetooth pairing with a SonyEricsson c510 and the TomTom Go 930 was able to do everything with this phone as well.

The GPS is also capable of text to speech and will pronounce the street names. In a French speaking province, some of the names sounded awkward but when I used the GPS in Ontario and in parts of the US, I found the street name pronunciation to be quite good. It can also use voice as a means to input certain instructions and addresses. I found the voice recognition to be extremely limited (not very accurate) as least with my voice except when my verbal instruction was just a "yes" or "no" answer. During my tests, the voice recognition was maybe 66% accurate (with my voice). I felt that it was accurate more than 50% of the time (but less than 75% of the time).

The TomTom GPS is also capable of playing MP3's from SD cards and via firmware update, it is also able to use SD-HC cards. The GPS can also view JPG files from the SD card.

The GPS allows users to make minor types of modifications with the maps such as changing the maximum speed on streets, changing the traffic flow of the street, modifying certain corners/intersections where only certain types of turns are allowed, and changing the name of the street. Once you make the changes, you can synchronize with your PC and other TomTom users' corrections/modifications. TomTom collects the map corrections and the TomTom Home software downloads them to your PC and synchronizes/uploads the changes to your GPS. You can specify if you want the other users' downloads or whether you want only the verified corrections to be uploaded to your device. The GPS also allows you to enter POIs (points of interest).

TomTom recommends synchronizing the GPS using the TomTom Home software at least once every 7 days. The reason for this is that the software uploads the GPS satellite locations for 7 days onto your GPS unit in order for the GPS unit to quickly lock onto the GPS satellites instead of trying to find the GPS signals which according to TomTom, each satellite transmits roughly every 30 seconds.

Besides some of the features that I've already mentioned, one of the things that I like about this GPS (unlike my Palm-based GPS and the Garmin entry level GPS) is that if I stray away from the planned route for whatever reason, the GPS will automatically adjust and recalculate the route based on my new location and direction. With my old Palm-based TomTom GPS, it would keep trying to get me onto the original route (and maybe the particular road was closed which was why I was making a detour).

There are a few problems that I noticed with the TomTom Go 930 (at least with my unit). None of these problems happened in the beginning so I believe that the problems were a result of a firmware/software upgrade that I applied to the unit. The first problem that I noticed is that occasionally, when I press the power button, the unit will not power on. To fix this problem, I have to reset it either by keeping my finger pressed on the button for about 10 seconds or using a small pin, I would have to push the reset button on the bottom of the unit. The second problem that I noticed is that occasionally, when manually resynchronizing the time with the GPS satellites (I like to do this approximately once a week), the synchronized time will be 30 minutes off. Normally, the unit should be accurate for the minutes and depending on the time zone, I would have to adjust the hours. This happens maybe about 5% of the time and I believe that it is dependent on the number of satellites that the GPS is currently locked onto (the more locked satellites, the better).

There is a feature on this GPS called Advanced Lane Guidance. Unfortunately this doesn't work in Canada. I did try it in the US (in Las Vegas) and it did work. Advanced lane guidance tells you which lane to be in using a graphical front-view of the street (generally highway). On a 4 lane expressway, instead of hearing the voice tell you to stay on the right lane, you will see a graphical front view picture showing you to stay on, for example, lane 3.

There is only 1 thing that I don't like about TomTom GPS units (since I live in the province of Quebec). I don't like one way that TomTom has implemented the street names. This happens on the TomTom Go 930 as well as on the 3 TomTom units/models that I've tested. This issue is evident in the province of Quebec because when entering the street name, you must know whether it is a street (rue) or avenue or boulevard or road since the street names are generally in French. In French, the description (street, avenue, boulevard, etc.) are at the beginning of the name. If you are looking for Decarie (in Montreal), you have to start typing "boul. Decarie." Typing only "Decarie" will not find the Decarie Boulevard (or boulevard Decarie).

There is also another feature called Enhanced Positioning Technology. This works relatively well but in no means is it perfect. Enhanced positioning technology allows the GPS to provide a "guesstmate" of your actual position when/if you drive into an area that suddenly loses GPS signal (maybe an overpass or driving in a city with many tall skyscrapers). It accomplishes this by sensing movement and speed. It then does a "guessimate" of your actual position. Once the GPS satellite signal is reacquired, the TomTom will show you your actual position.

If you have any questions/comments regarding my review on the TomTom Go 930, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the comments section.