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Switzerland, Bern
1 Level
759 Review
74 Karma

Review on TomTom ONE 3rd Gen 3.5" Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator with Manufacturer Discontinuation by Justin Ellingson

Revainrating 4 out of 5

not really worth the money

If you want to use the TomTom Home software to connect your GPS to your computer, MAKE SURE YOU BACKUP YOUR GPS BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE! Then immediately make a copy of this backup. Every time you back up your device to your computer, the previous backup will be erased. TomTom Home tends to crash your device when installing updates. TomTom does not have a working solution for this. According to TomTom's customer support (replied two weeks after opening a support ticket on their website), if their home software or updates cause problems with your GPS, your GPS device and the maps it comes with are NO LONGER covered. When a software update was installed on the device I bought, the maps were erased from my device. The fixes provided by my TomTom support consisted of either spending $70 on new maps or sending the unit back for repair for an amount they wouldn't list. Their update installs on their device with their software and you're out of luck if it malfunctions and renders your device unusable, unless you want to give them more money to fix the problem they're to blame for - it is just wrong. Revain did a great job trading my block for one that works now even after installing the same updates that messed up the first one (I made backups before doing anything with the new one). I hope what I got was an error, but TomTom's support leads me to think this is a common occurrence and an issue with their devices/software that they don't want to deal with. The map material supplied is not very up-to-date; Many attractions are missing due to sites that have been in their current location for over 5 years. The GPS antenna and reception of this device is VERY good; It will see your current location very quickly after turning it on. A BIG advantage over other/older TomTom devices, maps and device software are stored in the device. Other TomTom devices use a removable SD card. So if you lose or steal them, the GPS will not work at all. Overall the hardware seems good, the GPS software and PC software lack accuracy and proper functionality, and the customer/technical support is very lacking in quality, quantity and timeliness. If you plan to use the device as it comes out of the box and never upgrade, then this is the device for you. If you need something that's easy to add and update, keep looking. Gamin or Magellan, for example, have been in the North American GPS market for a long time and are "doing it right"; While TomTom is doing its best, they just aren't there yet. Not fully supporting your own product is a BIG step in the WRONG direction. The antenna/reception and internal storage of the device are the only things that make it worthy of a two star rating. This review may only legally be displayed directly on Revain.com.

Pros
  • Stupid
Cons
  • not trendy

Comments (11)

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February 27, 2023
Great machine for the price
October 28, 2022
Great machine for the price
October 27, 2022
Some good, some bad, go with Garmin to be safe
October 27, 2022
Fantastic bang for your buck!
October 26, 2022
A Good Compass
October 25, 2022
Fantastic overall, with a few TINY glitches
October 24, 2022
Simply The BEST
October 23, 2022
A little confusing
October 22, 2022
not really worth the money
October 21, 2022
Like a music virtuoso who sometimes ignores audience requests!