Customer Reviews

TomTom ONE XL-S 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

5 star:		(119)
4 star:		(91)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(26)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

I have this and used side by side with a Garmin 200 W for several weeks before returning the Garmin. Overall this is a good product but a few annoying bugs keep it from being great...here are the pros and cons

Pros

It finds the satellites quickly and keeps the signal. The garmin took 2-3 minutes almost every time from a power up start (this was the deal killer)

The user interface is nicer and has a lot more options than the garmin.

The POI database (such as the POI categories it actually has - it is missing several major US retail chains - see below) is more up to date than the Garmin I bought at same time.

Allows you to set the keyboard to QWERTY mode which the Garmin did not.


cons

The graphics are a bit grainy compared to the garmin

The bluetooth is useless, works only for data transmission/reception and that too with very limited number of phones. No, you cannot use it as a handsfree.

If you take a wrong turn or pass by your destination or do anything to pass by your destination on a 2 lane road, it will not tell you to turn around - it will navigate you through the next set of intersections. In rural areas this can mean a 20 mile trip instead of going back 200 yards.

The text to speech works very unpredictably - it pronounces some name very nicely but mangles others horribly such that you can't recogonize it.

Also it announces street names about a quarter mile before and then simply says turn left or right when you are actually at an intersection and want the street name to turn into. This is annoying. Very annoying.

There is an SD card slot. However the unit works either exclusively with the SD card slot or with the internal memory. Which means that you have to reload everything in internal memory onto the SD card which takes about an hour because of the incredibly s-l-o-w data transfer rates.

Also the internal memory is pretty much full so forget about any upgrades unless you spring for at least a 2 GB or more SD card

Strangely, TomTom doesn't know about major US retail chains like Toys R Us, Payless Shoes etc. This even after I updated the unit with the US Retail POI database file

The color schemes available on the unit and online are completely weird. Seems to have been done by people with zero taste and sensiblity.

The internal battery is useless in cold weather (i.e. if you leave the unit in the car in winter). This after a few weeks. It either dies in a few minutes or doesn't fire up at all. Will have to see how it performs in the summer.

The brightness and contrast are so-so in daylight compared to the garmin 200 w

We have used our TomTom XL-S on several trips but recently used it on a trip to Chicago. We decided on that day alone, it had paid for itself. It got us safely and accurately to our hotel. The next day and many, many turns later we arrived safely at a specific parking garage we were looking for and from there to the building we needed to walk to. It lets you know how long it will be until your next turn and in which direction you will need to go, so that you can get in the appropriate lane. It announces the name of the street in advance so you know what to look for. If you've ever traveled the highly congested streets of Chicago, you will appreciate the comfort in knowing you can never really get lost! So what if only the "Susan or Bob" option will announce the street names. As long as I get to where I need to be, I'll gladly only listen to Susan or Bob. I can't tell you how satisfying it is to travel in a big city and not have to worry about missing a turn because you didn't see it or because the traffic was too heavy to get into that lane. This product takes all the stress out of traveling in unfamiliar territory.

At long last TomTom has released a GPS model that incorporates a text-to-speech feature at an affordable price. This has been what most TomTom customers have been waiting for. The original TomTom One was first introduced to consumers roughly two years ago and was in direct competition with the Garmin Nuvi 350 model. One of customers major gripes was that the TomTom One lacked the popular text-to-speech feature that the Garmin Nuvi 350 had. It seems that in a two short year span the TomTom One has come a long way with adding features and (with GPS becoming more popular) lowering prices.

The TomTom One XL-S is, in a way, the first of its kind. It is the first TomTom GPS device to offer text-to-speech (verbal pronunciation of street names) at a price tag of under $300.00. This is good news for consumers not looking to invest too much cash into a GPS but wanting this convenient feature. For those who are unfamiliar with past TomTom One devices this text-to-speech comes in handy when not wanting to take your eyes off the road. For example: lets say you are driving on an unacquainted, busy freeway. Traffic is moving at 70mph in four lanes all around you, your exit is close but given the circumstances you have to keep watching traffic and don't get an opportunity to glance down at your trusty TomTom. Ordinarily you would simply hear you TomTom One say "Exit Right" as you approached your off-ramp. But with the new TomTom One XL-S the street names will be heard as well as illuminated on the screen. So instead of hearing "Exit Right" you will hear "Exit Right On War Memorial Drive". A very convenient way to keep your eye on the road and know exactly where you are at all times.

Aside from the text-to-speech feature this particular TomTom One comes with a widescreen for easy viewing. I personally have never had any trouble reading the 3.5 inch screen of the original TomTom One but I'm sure a lot of consumers will love the new 4.3 inch widescreen display.

All the new features of the TomTom One 3rd Edition are included here as well. You get the "Help Me" button which when pressed opens features such as "Phone For Help" which displays emergency numbers for the current location (such as and typically 911) "Drive To Help" which show you the quickest way to the nearest police station or hospital and a "First Aid Guide" which is provided by the British Red Cross.

Also included in the safety features is an option to sound a custom alarm if any of the following occur:

1. When approaching a school or church
2. When driving faster than a set speed
3. When driving faster than allowed

A nice addition to the TomTom One XL-S is the ability to make your own map corrections. For example the city I live in recently shut down an existing department store and rebuilt a Super Center about a mile down the road about 3 months ago. Because of this recent change the Points Of Interest database had to be updated. I simply used the "Map Correction" feature to edit and move the existing Point Of Interest to its correct location on the map. Very convenient. The "Map Correction" feature also allows users to (Un)block A Street, Reverse Traffic Direction, Edit Street Names, Add Missing POI, and Report Other Errors

Compared to the many GPS devices I've used (including Garmin products) I've personally found that TomTom has the edge as far as map accuracy and route planning. This new TomTom One XL-S is another break through in TomTom technology that would be perfect for anyone looking to either upgrade from a previous GPS or for first-time GPS buyers looking to save themselves the headaches of getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods.

Included in the box is:

- The TomTom One XL-S
- (1) Car Charger
- Documentation Pack (Quick Start Guide, Installation Poster, Accessories Catalog, and Warranty/License Agreement)
- (1) Windshield Mount
- (1) USB Cable
- (1) Adhesive Disk For Windshield Mount (for mounting the TomTom to your dash)

The TomTom XLS is basically the same as the XL except for the computer voice for street names. If you select any other voice for the directions, you won't get the "S" functionality, just the same directions as the XL version. This wasn't spelled out in the instructions and took me a couple days to figure out why the British voice that I liked wouldn't provide street names. Additionally, the URLs on TomTom's website haven't been updated for the XLS or the manual. Hitting the URL they provide leads to a dead end webpage. Overall, it's still my favorite over the Garmin products, but it'd be nice if they included a screen cover.

Having carefully weighed and compared the Tomtom ONE XL-S and the Garmin 650, I settled on the Tomtom. I paid about $268 for the unit. Prior to its arrival, I had a bit of buyers remorse thinking that perhaps I should have gone with the Garmin 650, because I found more reasonably priced units at Costco. Additionally, I was told by various sales people that that the Garmin was more user friendly, and it was the best selling - blah, blah. Having actually used and played with the Tomtom for about a month now, I am very happy with its ability to take me anywhere I need to go. For me, it never takes more than a moment or two, to acquire satellites (if not immediately), the user interface is straight forward and user friendly. It has lots of points of interest, and I enjoy adding my own in the Favorites list. One caveat, the full manual is online, and one has to play with the unit to figure it out, as the "to how" literature is sparse. Having said that, it's easy to figure out and use.
There are a variety of reasons I chose the XLS over other GPS devices, these include the wider screen, which I think is necessary to freely type in addresses, as well as see a larger view of the map, and I really wanted the text to speech option, which the Tomtom XL doesn't have. In comparison to the Garmin 650, the XLS was cheaper, and didn't have the unnecessary picture viewer or MP3 player. One important factor for me was that the XLS has tons of way points that can be included to plan a route for traveling, while the 650 has only one! Drawbacks to the XLS include a short battery life, but I don't need it because its plugged into the car. The attachment base is decent, instead of attaching it to the front windshield, I highly, highly, recommend using the "Nav-Mat Portable GPS Dash Mount" - it's absolutely brilliant. I paid about $20 including shipping, and it's quality, and it does precisely what it's suppose to do. Other things of note include the following: the cord plugs directly into the XLS, while the Garmin 650 cord plugs into the base; the XLS while plugged into the computer through the USB cord (included) will reenergise the battery, however, I personally opted to purchase the Tomtom wall plug in cord - its just easier; password protection requires that you go through Tomtom "Home" the company's software that requires downloading - which was a nuisance; upgrading the unit to the latest software version (Windoze) wasn't an issue as another reviewer had suggested; I can see the screen in direct sunlight - and it looks good; the unit has (if I recall correctly) 1 Gig of memory, which is mostly filled with the North Am. maps - one can purchase extra memory cards if necessary; finally the unit has the option of shutting down when the vehicle is turned off just like the 650. Overall, I am exceptionally please that I bought the Tomtom XLS. I hope this helps in your hunt. Cheers.

Well, I did all the looking around and investigations as to reliability, options, etc. and figured out what I needed for my application. I bought the XL-S unit. Took it to my car and had it installed and turned on and set up in less than 10 minutes. I entered my base location as home and then plugged in a couple of addresses that I know to see if would 'take' me there. It did! Did a 200 mile road trip that weekend. Popped in a waypoint for our first stop of the day (a car show) and the destination (a restaurant) where we were to meet friends that knew the area - I didn't. Flawless directions in all cases. Used it again this evening to another destination about 45 miles away and it was complete bedlam. I knew I was in trouble when the route said "This will take you over dirt roads - is this okay?" Well - it' NOT a new area but I figure what the heck. We drove to the location with the system still set for the address we were going to - it kept recalculating and wanting to go somewhere else. I just turned it off - no big deal. Hey - it's technology that relies on the accuracy of the information being fed to it - it's NOT the unit itself. Anyway, in both instances - even when it wanted us somewhere else - it KNOWS where it is (GPS) and when I hit "Destination" then "HOME" - it flawlessly took us in the right direction - even took my 'shortcut' :) The voice is nice as the default. The night / day settings are great and appropriate and adjustable (different themes). I plug it in and I go. In a couple of months, it will be put to the test with me driving over 300 miles to Fort Lauderdale that I know nothing about. All I have is an address and the TomTom XLS to get me there unscathed -- we'll see how it goes, but I am pretty confident. Additionally, I REALLY like the Points of Interest that scroll by when I am driving -- I can grab one and figure out what it is and determine if I want to go there and eat or get gas (Those are the only two I have set to display). The HELP feature is good but a little 'busy' with the First Aid instructions etc. -- and they're from the British Red Cross, not the American Red Cross. After reviewing the instructions, I didn't find anything that bothered me about them - I am an American Red Cross certified CPR-AED / First Aid Trainer for Adult, Child & Infant.
All in all - I give it 4 stars for doing everything I want it to do. I have XM Satellite radio, I don't need the mp3 player. I don't talk on my cellphone (hands free or otherwise) while driving and if traffic is jammed up due to an accident - oh well! :) If I gotta go - I'll go! :)

Got this unit for my wife. Tried it out today going to work and back--about 30 min each way. My first car GPS experience. Impressive. The pronunciation of some street names was poor, as I expected, but most were understandable. The worst aspect of my TomTom XL-S experience was the attempted software update. The unit came with 7.14 software, I installed the TomTom HOME client on my iMac and dutifully installed the 7.161 update that was detected. Reboot the TomTom - no sound. No voices, no beeps, no nothing. Called support, they lead me through a hard reset (paperclip in hole near SD slot for 6 secs), soft reset ("Reset to factory/default settings" icon). The only sound that I heard during this process was the initial drum sound right at the beginning of the boot. Otherwise, still silent as a mouse. They had me download version 6.5xx and install. Blinking red X, at boot time, failed boot. The tech seemed ready to give up, I suggested I try to revert to the 7.14 backup I made (TT HOME prompts you to backup before installing an upgrade). Using TT HOME, I deleted the Main application on the unit and restored from backup to version 7.14. Success! All sounds came back. Thanks goodness I backed up when prompted!

Who knows if I'll ever get to experience the (reportedly minor) improvements of 7.161 -- I'm going to let that sleeping dog lie. I'll wait til the next version comes out before trying another update. 3 hours of troubleshooting is enough.

If you are like me, you have read the GPS reviews. Again if you are like me, the reviews offered little help. For every article touting Garmin, there are just as many for TomTom. I had the opportunity to compare a friend's Garmin with the TomTom I had recently purchased. Here are my observations.

The first thing I notice is the Garmin is simple and intuitive. Logic instructions and prompts guide you through the menus. The Garmin turns on automatically if it is plugged into your car's power outlet. A very convenient feature assuming you are not concern with leaving your GPS visible (GPS units are commonly attributed to vehicle break-in). When providing directions, the Garmin indicates which side of the street the destination is on. Also the Garmin categorizes restaurants into ethnic groups (i.e. Asia, French, American, etc) and provides phone numbers for many Points of Interest (POI). Speaking of POI's, many third party Internet sites offer additional POI's files you can add your GPS. Most of these files are in the Garmin format.

For some inexplicable reason, Garmin also indicates cemeteries. I never knew there were so many along a route I had been traveling for years! If you want to know where the cemeteries are, this is the unit for you.

With all this, why did I choose the TomTom? The ability to customize routes is one of TomTom's greatest strengths. While the Garmin menu is simple and intuitive, you are locked into limited route variability. With the TomTom I can modify any part of the route. This becomes important when you want to avoid a difficult turn onto a busy highway. Also, the TomTom maps appear more accurate. For instance, the Garmin did not recognize jug-handle turns (a side road for making left turns on a divided highway). The TomTom always identified jug-handle turns in the drive instructions. Providing me with which side of the street the destination is on, as the Garmin will do, is of little use if I can't get to it. In rural areas, the TomTom clearly identified minor unpaved roads. The Garmin only showed a blank spot (almost like one of the old world maps you may see in a museum, where a part of the earth is blank and labeled "Dragons be here").

The text to speech is better in the TomTom as well. The Garmin indicated that I should turn onto the "Penna" Turnpike. The TomTom correctly stated it as the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Also, the Garmin announces roads as "Route One-Two-Three" or "Route seven five" while the TomTom would state "Route One hundred and twenty-three" or "'Route seventy-five".

In the end, you will need to consider what is important to you. Hopefully, I have provided some insight and help with your selection.

Just like the instructions say "you can use right out of the box".
As I like jumping over fire, I purchased the TOMTOM One XL-S two days before venturing out on a 2000 mile road trip (Michigan to South Carolina). All in all I was pretty impressed with the directions provided, however in busy city traffic it is easy to get ahead of the unit. An annoying trait of the unit is if you intentionally get off the path (e.g. for gas) the unit keeps telling you directions to get back on course (a pause feature would be really cool). The unit is also not polite and will start talking when you are on the phone (a mute feature would be cool). The software interface works fairly well and I was able to develop a very complex itinerary which out of 12 locations it successfully directed us to 11. The maps are crude and many smaller details are missing (like rivers and some roads which have been around for 10+ years). I can only assume a minor map upgrade for $$ will fix the missing details. The time to destination feature works surprisingly well. We will be making another trip to South Carolina soon and I will be testing some of the other features.
Right now base on my experience I would buy this GPS unit again.

The unit worked well for the 2 weeks I had it. Then, the TomTom "Home" software downloaded and installed a software "update" for my One XL-S, however, the updated software was for a different model. The unit malfunctioned from then on. TomTom Customer Service (when you could get someone on the phone) was of no help. The Customer Service agents had not been trained on the One XL-S. Finally, by my 5th call, someone lead me through certain reset procedures that deleted all of my maps. I had to send the unit back to TomTom, who for the past month has refused to send me a new unit. IF you can get in touch with TomTom customer service, they don't help at all. Customer Service is very important to a product such as a gps unit. Bottom line, enjoy the unit, but don't expect to receive ANY help or support from TomTom.