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| TomTom GO 910 4-Inch Portable GPS Navigator | 
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| Brand: TomTom
Category: CE
List Price: $499.99
Buy New: $349.99
You Save: $150.00 (30%)
New (3) Used (6) Refurbished (2) from $145.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  180 reviews
Sales Rank: 3585
Color: Black & Gray
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Native Resolution: 480 x 272
Display Size: 4
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 3 x 4 x 3
MPN: 1V00.980
Model: 1V00.980
UPC: 636926013529
EAN: 0636926013529
ASIN: B000F007K8
Availability: Usually ships in 4-5 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Good, but not the best August 16, 2007
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I purchased the TomTom Go 910 based on recommendations from magazine reviews and comments by existing users. One of the important features for me is Mac OS X support, and supposedly TomTom is better than Garmin and Magellan. If they're the best, then I'd hate to see how Garmin and Magellan support Mac OS X.
Any Satellite Navigation product has two main components: the SatNav device itself and the software you install on your computer. The software (called TomTom Home) is used to backup the device, customize it, and download updates. You can also use it to put photos and MP3s on the device.
The TomTom Home software can also show on your computer the same screens/features/menus that the TomTom Device has. Well, the Windows version does this but the Mac version doesn't. And it has been this way for a very long time according to users of several TomTom forums I've discovered on the web. This is a major point, because you use this device emulation feature to plan out complex trips and ultimately download the itinerary into the TomTom device. Without this feature you have to plan out your trips on the device, which is awkward when you have multiple stops on a multi-day trip.
The biggest problem with the TomTom device is that its routing software is flawed. My first major trip was a 500-mile, 10-hour voyage to pick up my daughter from skating camp. Another parent made the trip as well, and he used a Garmin Nuvi. We left our area about the same time, but he arrived 90 minutes before me. We compared routes and discovered some major differences in routing. It turns out that I could have staying on a major highway for 80% of the trip, which is what the Garmin did. The TomTom however had me leave the highway and take local roads and then rejoin the highway later on. And yes, I did have it set to select the fastest route. After doing some internet research I discovered that this is a common TomTom issue. One review compared three different types of trips (local, medium, and long distance) on the Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom. In all cases TomTom's routes were longer than the other two. Until TomTom revises its routing engine, I do not recommend buying one.
On the positive side, the user interface of the TomTom is reportedly better than Garmin and Magellan. I don't know this from experience, I'm just parrotting what I've read in multiple reviews. The navigation screen is easier to understand (an important item when navigating in new territory), the menus are better, and so on. I must say I've been happy with the UI on it.
Another major feature of a SatNav is its list of "POIs", or Points of Interest. You don't need to know the exact address of the amusement park or airport you're going to, you just need to know the state, city, and name of the POI. The database knows the location of thousands of points of interest including gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and so on. You can set the trip display to show these POIs as you drive. Imagine seeing the display of the road ahead and by the upcoming exit you see icons for gas and food. Helpful, but it ends there. You can't tap the icons to find out the name of the restaurant or the type of gas. You can exit the Trip view and run through the menus to find the nearest gas station, but the routing engine doesn't limit its search to upcoming rest stops or nearby exits, it will display stations you've passed, stations miles down local winding roads, and so on.
The TomTom can map out routes that avoid tolls if that's what you want. Unfortunately it won't tell you how many tolls are on your route, what they cost and how many minutes you have to drive out of the way to avoid that cost. You can't pick the option of accepting one toll and not another, its an all or nothing choice.
The TomTom documentation is sorely lacking. It covers a few of the major features but offers no guidance on the more involved features. There is little explanation of what the on-screen icons mean or how to check that the battery is charging, or to find out its charge state. I'm a technical writer, and if I produced such a skimpy manual for one of our products, I'd be fired. Fortunately there are several forums online that have helpful power users.
If you intend to use your SatNav a lot and reducing trip time is a major issue for you, look elsewhere. If you prefer the best UI over the optimium route then the TomTom is a good choice.
 TomTom GO 910 Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator August 15, 2007
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
First attempt to deliver this product failed or was simply lost in the process. Second unit was delivered 1 week later and it wasn't working at all. Only reset button could unfreeze the screen, but it would be freeze again, again and again. Send it back for refund.
Temporary Unit August 14, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
It work great and very easy to use, I never own any GPS before as soon as I turn it on I know how to use it right away. Unfortunately it only works well for 20 minutes before the software lockup and can not startup any more. I called the tech support and they told me to return it without bothering to help me at all.
I don't think this is just an unfortunate that I got the unit that only work for a while. It looks very much like they have problem with the hardware circuit design and the compatibility with the software. The unit does not have the consistency turning on; some time push on the switch a little bit it on some time twice or more and timing also different too. This indicates the unpredictable of the circuit design due to micro processor start at the same state during startup. In time the unit may not be able to turn on at all and some units might have problem at the beginning. (Marginal circuit design)
Since it has problem turning on therefore turning off would also be the problem and it most likely happen more than turning on due to the software need to comeback at certain state before it turns off and try to control the unreliable circuit causes the unit to lockup.
No factory reset, this feature is a very important feature for any equipment that allows people to make change to it. Without this feature it looks very much like a throw away unit.
I really like the menu, and easy to use but with these problems. I had been forced to buy Garmin. Garmin is not as nice and less features but it got the most important feature "it works much more reliably".
DON'T BUY IT !! August 12, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I ordered it from Pavilion Electronics through Amazon.
It was shipped on time and I did recieve it in just a few days.
Straight out of the box the Tom Tom had software problems.
Tom Tom support did get it running after several phone calls and a couple of downloads. However, I soon discovered the maps were old and had lots and lots of errors. Support told me that new maps for 2007 might be available by December or January 2008 and I would have to pay for the update.
This thing was junk, and there is no way I would by another Tom Tom, and after signing on to Tom Tom for possible updates and such, I now get TONS OF JUNK E-MAIL from everyone.
I sent it back to Pavilion Electronics and did get a refund for the Tom Tom, but I had to pay for all the shipping costs.
 Wow, why diden't we buy this long time ago.... August 9, 2007
It is greate, we were thinking aboute bying a GPS for a long time, and were looking through all kinds of diffrent ones, and could not decide which one to buy. Then we talked to a friend that bought this one and they liked it, ...well after little recearch we bought it to, and we never regret it, it ree-calculates fast when you misse a turn, it is just greate. It is greate but to a lower price than a garmin!
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