Why I buy this one ?
- Navigator 6 application software with complete maps of the US and Canada on DVD
- Crystal clear 2D and 3D graphics with 65,000 colors and Nightview for optimized viewing
- Features touch-screen menu, phone-function compatibility, real-time information (with Plus service), and 37 different spoken languages
- Compatible with most popular brands and models of PDAs, including the Palm Treo
- Requires a PDA with GPS functionality, and a PC or Mac for updates and synchronization

What our customer's say!

"Disappointed", I found this software difficult to use and overall, a waste of money. I bought it to use on my HP iPAQ but after much effort I gave up on it. Having said that, it could be the user and not the software. Delivery was fast. :(

"Help for those who buy", This was the only product I could find that provides software and maps (only) for a GPS-enabled PDA/phone. I thus purchased it for my new HTC Touch Cruise PDA running Windows Mobile 6. I was suspicious finding both highly positive and negative reviews, but hoped things had improved since they were written. I was further encouraged when prompted to upgrade from version 1.03 to 1.5, but then the reality hit. Here is what you should know:

INSTALLATION--This remains a nightmare as reported. There is no step-by-step wizard and you are thrown into a program where you select the PDA operating system, the maps, and the voices. When I tried to install the program, a dialog box informed me automatic registration was not available and that I would need to manually register online. When I attempted that, the three 5-digit Product Code was recognized, but when they asked for a Device ID described as two 5-digit sequences from the PDA, I couldn't find one. I sought answers in the printed manual (very thin), the PDF manual (also anemic) and online TomTom Q&A files without success. After a full hour of searching the Internet, I in desperation disconnected and reconnected my PDA and now suddenly could install the maps. TomTom apparently found the hidden 128 bit "universally unique DeviceID," but would not memorize the product code that has to be entered each time you add another map.

There are many maps listed, but many of them overlap without specifying if they are standalone (they are) or combined into a single database when installed (they are not). Living in Colorado, I didn't know whether to install USA & Canada, Western US, UT-CO-AZ-NM, NV-WY-ID-UT-CO or all four. Unlike other products (like Garmin's MapSource), you do not see what states are included in area map selections (e.g., Western US did NOT include CO). I later concluded they provide multiple area combinations to minimize storage requirements on your PDA, but that is never stated.

Once finally installed, TomTom couldn't find a GPS signal. Since Google Maps automatically found the signal, I didn't expect needing to assign a COM port (I chose COM4) and serial bus speed (I chose the fastest). The installation guide was non-existent, and searching the PDF manual yielded no hits.

PROGRAM--Once installed, navigating the software is intuitive, and there are a number of customizable features. You have the ability to review your route, browse maps and display addresses by clicking on roads. I really like the ability to go to any address within my Outlook Contact Manager. Map detail is good, but I found missing road modifications three years out of date. Speed of calculation is excellent, and recalculation when going off track is remarkably fast. They have found a way to display much information on a small screen, and it is customizable. Auto zooming in and out around a turn point is smooth and excellent. Routing is sometimes serpentine and can take you through residential areas when only slightly longer arteries are preferable. There is a nice setting for auto, bicycling and walking speeds, although the calculated walking ETA is useless. The software doesn't report the side of street your destination will be found (like Garmin). There are too few POI's (points of interest) and their large font truncates most entries making searching a little difficult. The software also doesn't narrow down POI choices as you enter your search criteria. I finally wish this unit displayed available elevation information like some of the newer units.

SUMMARY--I have taken the time to write a review to help those who elect to buy this product. I have used many GPS devices (including TomTom), and while standalone units can be better at less cost, this is a credible tool to have on your PDA. It should not, however, take a fairly savvy PC user over two hours to muddle through the installation. I will keep and use this software because it does work and there is no alternative, but I hope TomTom is listening.


"Does not work with Palm TX", Software on DVD does not support Palm TX. I have tried to upgrade from Navigator 5.0 to 6.0. I have find out on another forum, that for Palm TX Navigator 6.0 has to be preinstalled on the SD card.

"Not ready for prime time", I only wish I had read the reviews on Amazon before I purchased the TomTom Navigator 6 product last month.

Here are just some highlights of the problems I have had:

1. U.S. Maps are not current -- Roads in Orange County, California, more than three years old, are not on the maps.

2. The Company has a poor upgrade policy -- I bought the program with maps, expecting the maps to be reasonably current. Until you start using the maps there is no way of knowing whether they are current, as it is not disclosed on the software product. I discovered that after my purchase, the Company upgraded the maps. A customer service rep claims the new maps are two versions later than my version. Of course, you can buy the new maps and download them, but at a price nearly the price of the entire software product with maps.

3. Traffic function -- If the traffic function worked, it could be better than Google's free traffic information, and worth the annual fee. Why? Because TomTom traffic is supposed to actually reroute you, not just tell you the location of traffic. The problems, however, abound:

(a) the server can be down an entire weekend (like last weekend) without advance notice, and all you receive is a server error message;

(b) it is a chore (almost impossible) to figure out how to purcahse traffic for the U.S. (and I wasted a few hours trying to figure it out), but here's the funky solution: to purchase U.S. traffic, you actually purchase traffic for Europe, and then tell TomTom's web site that your country is The Netherlands (of course, these instructions were obtainable only from customer service);

(c) the traffic system, although it will reroute you, does not make it easy to actually see where the traffic snarl is (unlike Google), as it only displays in a very small size reflecting traffic on the entire route.

4. Customer Service -- The Company apparently fails to give its customer service reps much flexibility. I learned in following up on a problem through the electornic customer service system that the customer service reps have routine written answers that may or may not fit your question or comment. I received the verbatim response twice to an email thread where I said different things.

5. Product quality -- The CD that I received only works some of the time in my Windows XP CD-Rom drive. I have not had this problem with other CD's.

I feel like I am a sophisticated computer and pda user, but this product has frustrated me. I'm going back to using Google maps. And no, I don't own stock in Google.

Hoping I'll make a better purchase decision next time.


"Helpful addition to my HTC Tilt", I purchased this program to use on my HTC Tilt. It was easy to load onto the phone, but getting everything tweaked so that it would work on my phone well was a challenge. I tried it out on a long trip that I know well just to see how it would perform. At first it was really frustrating because the display would freeze up, although the program continued to run because the voice directions still came in at the right time. I finally figured out that I had to increase the cache size on my phone - then the program worked like a charm. I did notice that the maps were not completely current and I am a bit frustrated that I have to shell out more money to get updated maps right after buying the program.

Read this reviews before You buy...

"Doesn't include the gps receiver", I purchased this as well as a cradle to install on my Palm Treo. Unfortunately, I didn't read everything closely. Had I been more aware of the fine print I would have realized that this was the software only. GPS receiver NOT included. I ended up returning the software.

I suspect that if you are in need of an update to your maps, then this is the product for you. If you are looking to have the whole system, make sure you get all the pieces you need. If you are buying this for a Palm Treo, I recommed buying directly from the Palm Website. The whole package offered directly from the Palm website includes the software, the gps receiver and the cradle for less $ than if you buy all the components independantly from Amazon. Additionaly, you know that it will work with your palm product.

"Simple to use, excellent voice commands", This is a great product. I recently drove to Chicago with my Dell AXIM. I had no paper maps and I had no knowledge of any street names or highways. Using the software, I spent five days driving through downtown streets without any problems. The interfaces and menus are very to use even while driving without taking your eyes off the road for more than a few seconds. It is great for point to point navigation, and is probably the best one out there for the pocketpc.

But it is seriously lacking when it comes to advance planning. On the "Advance Planning" menu you can only plan a trip between two points, and you cannot insert any waypoints or stops. What kind of a trip is that? There is an "Itinerary Planning" feature which allows you to insert intermediate waypoints, but that option always insists on starting from your current (or last known) GPS position. I was creating an "Itinerary" from South Chicago to the North Chicago while sitting at home five hundred miles away, and the software insisted on starting the trip from my current location five hundred miles away.

It would also be nice if I could enable a feature that would alert me whenever I was near a POI. For example, while driving on the highway it would be great if a window popped to let me know there was a Starbucks within 1 mile from my position. I know Delorme Street Atlas can do this on their laptop version.

I had some difficulty getting Tomtom to come up with a new route when I made an unplanned turn. If I was a long way from my destination, it took several minutes to come up with a new routing. So my only option was to pull over and wait. Every time I pulled into a drive-through window or gas station it would "plan a new route" even if had strayed from my route by a mere 300 ft. Sometimes I had to pull into the parking lot and wait for it to calculate a new route, which not surprisingly was exactly the same as the route I had before.

"No way to install to a Treo", The software requires that your PDA be connected by a USB cable, not a hotsync cable, which just isn't the way Palms work. A truly miserable user interface, coupled with an awful support website make this a product to avoid.

Really.

"Works Perfectly!", I'd been looking at many navigation products to go with my wifes Treo 650, and was a bit hesitant when reviewing the "map" debate: which products use TeleAtlas vs. XYZ, etc.

However, after using this software quite a bit over the last month, I have to say its fantastic. Its does everything we need it to do, its easy, and it prompted me to buy a discounted TomTom One for my Mom for her birthday. I'm planning on picking up another copy of this software for my Treo 680 so we don't have to "swap phones" (actually sim cards) when I need to go on a a trip. Highly recommended.

"No Issues with Install", Some have had problems with the install, mine was smooth (I've been using version 5 for a year).

I have mine installed on my Verizon PPC-6600 phone, works like a charm.