Comments on: TomTom XL 330-S 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

By: Chi T. Vu

Chi T. Vu — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:37:14 +0000

I got Tomtom XL 330s about 2 weeks ago from Costco. This GPS does take you from point A to point B but it doesn’t give you a most efficient direction. Some of the instances, it gives a shorter route but haven’t counter the traffic lights. I used this GPS to show me the map from my house to my work using Fastest Route option. Tomtom’s direction is about 2 miles shorter from my normal route (12. 9 vs 15 miles) but it takes highways and inner road, which has a lot of traffic lights. None of the local drivers will take this road. Map Quest, Google Map and Garmin Nuvi 650 are all shown the same direction. This direction is a lot more correct and most of the local people will take. Another instance, I tried to use Tomtom to show me the direction from Fairfax, VA to Harrisburg, PA. Tomtom shows me to take 95 N, and 695 (Baltimore Beltway), and 83 N. There is a lot of traffic on this route from DC to Baltimore and it is 20 miles longer than taking 270 N through Frederick, MD and 15 North through Gettysburg PA. Google Map, Mapquest, and Garmin Nuvi 650 are showed the correct way. But thanks to the Alternate Route Feature to allow me to avoid some certain roads and recalculate the map. Yes it is a nice feature, no doubt about it but if I already know what roads to avoid then I already know my direction I don’t need the GPS or Tomtom suggests me to check mapquest or google map prior to make my trip to find the most efficient road. I feel the algorithm that used to calculate direction in Tomtom’s device is not smart enough to find the shortest route. I am not sure what type of algorithm it used. Beside all that, inquiring the satellite and calculate map are great. It is pretty fast and the design is nice, especially the new style of mount. This GPS does take you from Point A to B but probably not the best route but it does the job. From my opinion, I am going to return this Tomtom GPS and get the Garmin Nuvi 760. Because the Garmin Nuvi 650’s resolution is a lot better than Tomtom and Nuvi 760 is even better. I want a device that I can count on and give me the best direction. Gas is expensive now a day. I can’t sit on the traffic for 20 mins or take a 20 miles longer route. I gave this device 2 star since it has a nice design, great mount, inquiring satellite pretty fast, and does take you from Point A to B.
Rating: 2 / 5

By: Ronald Meuse

Ronald Meuse — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:17:08 +0000

Tried two devices. Finally after spending many hours with customer service it was determined tomtom had issues with the ability to download and install the free current map. It left the system not usable as the map that came with the system was deleted and even having backed up the unit the map could not be reinstalled.
Rating: 1 / 5

By: D. Scheffler

D. Scheffler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:32:47 +0000

i found the tom tom to be everything i thought it would be. but you need to watch out for amazon. com. they list the products as new. at check-out you click the new button but after you have paid and print your reeipt you find out that the product is refurbished not new as posted. then when you call coustmer service they claim that it is factory rebuilt which makes it new to them. that is all that i found wrong. buyer beware of amazon they like to trick the consumer
Rating: 4 / 5

By: Wallace Ferguson

Wallace Ferguson — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:58:54 +0000

According to the box, this GPS was supposed to speak street names. . . . . . . . . . . it did not. I could not find instructions in the book or a menu item to correct this, so either mine was defective or they lie!!
I returned it for a refund.
Rating: 2 / 5

By: Raja Bhat

Raja Bhat — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:24:26 +0000

Garmin and Magellan show subcategories of points of interests like restaurants: Italian, Greek, etc. TomTom doesn’t. It didn’t even show a full list of restaurants; if I typed a name in, it found it. This is not acceptable as in a new town; how am I supposed to know what name of an Italian restaurant to type in? I won’t recommend TomTom to anyone based on this.
Rating: 2 / 5