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TomTom GO 720

Manufacturer: TomTom   Part number: 1M00.780
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CNET Editors' rating: 8.0 out of 10
Average user rating: 6.4 out of 10


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CNET Editors' review - TomTom GO 720
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Excellent

8.0

out of 10
CNET Editor's rating: 8.0 out of 10
Reviewed by Bonnie Cha
Review date: 08/31/07

The good: The TomTom GO 720 includes new features that give you access to up-to-date maps and safety information in case of emergencies. The sleek 720 also offers text-to-speech functionality, integrated Bluetooth, and multimedia capabilities.

The bad: The GO 720 is only compatible with a small number of Bluetooth-enabled phones, and there are no external volume controls.

The bottom line: The TomTom GO 720 delivers with sleek looks, good performance, and a full set of features that includes a map-sharing function for the most up-to-date maps and a helpful safety tool.

Portable navigation systems are a dime a dozen these days. A lot of the models offer many of the same functions, such as text- and voice-guided turn-by-turn directions and millions of points of interest, and they're all beginning to look alike with competitive pricing. So there's a real need for innovation to, not only capture the attention (and money) of the customer, but to keep advancing GPS technology. Well, TomTom is willing to answer the call, and its TomTom GO 720 is a good start. It brings a new Map Share community tool that gives you access to constant map updates for more accurate information, and a new safety option called Help Me aids you in case of an emergency. Plus, we applaud TomTom for making these enhancements to the core purpose of a GPS device--navigation--and not adding some superfluous feature like multimedia. On top of all that, the GO 720 is a sleek-looking and well-performing in-car GPS, so if you're looking for a middle-of-the-road system, this is a good option. The TomTom GO 720 is available now for $499.95.

Design
The TomTom GO 720 is a beautifully designed portable navigation system. Though more full-featured than the TomTom One, the GO 720 keeps a similar slim profile as the One and loses the extra bulk of older models, such as the TomTom GO 910. It's compact at 4.6 inches wide by 3.2 inches tall by 0.9 inch deep and 7.7 ounces, so you certainly won't have any problems transporting this unit between cars. You can even throw it into a bag to take along on trips and use with rental cars. As a bonus, it'll look good inside your car as well with its sleek black, silver, and charcoal gray color scheme.

The entire front side of the GO 720 is dominated by the 4.3-inch, antiglare touch screen. With a WQVGA resolution (480x272 pixels), the display shows off bright and sharp-looking color maps. For the most part, we had no problems reading the screen, but the map colors tend to wash out a bit in bright sunlight. That said, we had a better experience after adjusting the screen brightness under the Preferences menu, where you can also change map colors and turn on night mode. The virtual keyboard is spacious enough that most people won't have problems entering addresses. It would be nice, however, if the keyboard was in QWERTY format instead of alphabetical order for easier text input.

On the bottom of the unit, you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, a TomTom connector port, a reset hole, a mini USB/power connector, and a SD/MMC expansion slot, while there is a lone power button on top. There is a jack to connect an external antenna on the back as well as the speaker. We missed having external volume controls. As is, you have to go through several menu levels to do so, which doesn't make it easy or safe to adjust the audio on the fly.

The TomTom GO 720 comes packaged with a vehicle mount (windshield and dash), a car charger, a desktop cradle, a CD-ROM with TomTom Home software, and reference material. The car mount is as simple as you can get. There's only one piece, and it easily slips into a slot on the back of the GO 720. It securely held the unit in place, but we do wish there was an extra locking mechanism for the suction cup like some of the other systems we've seen, just to have that extra reinforcement and peace of mind.

Features
The TomTom GO 720 comes equipped with a 20-channel SiRFStarIII GPS receiver and maps of the United States and Canada and points of interest are preloaded on the device's 2GB internal hard drive. Now, there's always a lot of concern over the freshness of these maps, especially as new developments constantly crop up, businesses open and close, and there's constant road construction. While the GPS manufacturers often release map updates, the frequency can vary, so to make sure that you have the most up-to-date information at all times, TomTom has introduced a new feature called Map Share. It allows you to make adjustments to your maps (such as noting blocked roads, updating POI, adding new streets, and so on) and then share the information with other drivers. You can make the changes right on your GO 720, save them, and then upload and share them with other users via the TomTom Home desktop companion. You can also download changes made by other TomTom users, and if you're worried about the legitimacy of user updates, you can opt to only download data verified by TomTom experts.

To plan a trip, you can enter your destination by address, city center, postcode, or intersection, and you can instruct the device to calculate directions based on a number of criteria, including quickest or shortest route, avoid toll roads, and required arrival time. If at any time you want to avoid a part of your route, you can tap the Find Alternative icon, and the GO 720 will plot a new course. You can view maps in 2D or 3D mode. A status bar at the bottom of the screen displays useful information, such as the next instruction, remaining distance, and estimated time of arrival. There are also two icons in the upper-right and upper-left corner that let you zoom in and out of maps.

You can continue to get standard text- and voice-guide turn-by-turn directions, including text-to-speech functionality. The GO 720 supports 36 different languages for generic spoken directions and 8 for text-to-speech directions, which is more than most. Alternatively, you can download celebrity voices, such as Dennis Hopper or Curt Schilling, from the TomTom PLUS service or you can even record instructions in your own voice if you happen to love hearing yourself talk.

Another new tool on the TomTom GO 720 is the "Help Me" function. With a simple tap on the lifesaver icon, it will tell you where you can find the nearest police station, hospital, or car service center, based on your current location. In addition, there's a "Where am I?" option that gives you the name of the street you are on and the nearest intersections, so you can give this information to the tow truck service, family member, and so forth. It's a really nice safety feature that can come in quite handy in case of an emergency.

The GO 720 has integrated Bluetooth, so if you have a compatible Bluetooth cell phone, you can pair it with the GO to make hands-free calls. For incoming calls, you can either use the touch screen to accept or reject calls or turn on Auto-Answer in the Phone preferences menu to have the device automatically pick up after a certain time. Also, if a number is listed with a POI or emergency service from the Help Me menu, there's an option to dial out directly from the GO 720.

In addition to making calls, you can use the Bluetooth connection to access TomTom's Plus services, which include real-time traffic information, weather reports, and the location of safety cameras. There's also a cool feature called Buddies, which lets you see the location of any friends or family members who also have a TomTom unit. Just be aware that accessing these services means you're using the minutes from your cell phone's service plan, so use them accordingly. Also, it seems that Verizon Wireless and Sprint cell phones are not supported by the GO 720 at this time, while AT&T and T-Mobile customers should check for phone compatibility on TomTom's Web site. Unfortunately, the limited number of compatible handsets also means that the traffic services will only be available to a small number of users. That said, the good news is that TomTom has just released a traffic kit for $129.95 and $24.95 for yearly traffic service subscription.

Finally, the TomTom GO 720 has multimedia capabilities, including a music player, iPod compatibility, an image viewer, and a document reader. The system supports MP3s, Audible audiobooks, JPEG, and BMP file formats. And while the document viewer might seem like a strange addition, it can come in handy if you use it to download information about your destination and other POI along your route.

Performance
We tested the TomTom GO 720 in various parts of California, starting from San Francisco all the way down to San Diego. From a cold start, it took the unit about two minutes to get a GPS fix and subsequent starts took about that long or less. Once locked onto our position, the GO 720 accurately tracked us as we drove about town, although like most GPS units, it did lose its satellite fix when we drove through a tunnel and underground parking garage.

We also entered specific information for a trip from San Francisco to San Diego, as well as our standard test from the Marina district of the city to CNET's downtown headquarters. Route calculations were quick and accurate based on the list of text-based instructions. On the road, the voice directions were loud and clear, and the text-to-speech pronunciation of street names wasn't too shabby. We also missed several turns to test the route-recalculation rate, and the GO 720 did a good job of getting us back on track in a timely manner.

We experienced some difficulties installing the TomTom Home software on our PC, so we are working with TomTom to resolve this issue. Unfortunately, this means we weren't able to test the Map Share feature, but we will update this section soon. Music playback through the unit's speakers was impressive. We could have used a little more bass, but songs still sounded rich with plenty of volume. The TomTom GO 720's battery is rated for up to 5 hours of use.

(Originally posted on CNET Reviews)
User opinions - TomTom GO 720
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Good

6.4

out of 10
Average user rating from 77 users

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9 out of 10 - Spectacular
The CNET review misses some important points
-You can easily change the keyboard input mode to QWERTY instead of alphabetical (in French I can also choose AZERTY)....

Updated
The Where Am I? feature provides your location in precise, human language you can read to friends or emergency services. The unit'll warn you when you're near a school zone or exceeding the local speed limit, and it has lots of options that allow you to prioritize what you see onscreen while driving. A blazingly fast processor makes browsing and zooming in and out of maps a pleasure instead of an ordeal.
You can even record direction commands using any voice you want. (Mom? Is that you?). Buddy system shows where friends with 720s are.
The new MapShare system, which lets users update map content with road closures, accidents, you can even add new roads you discover!
Read more
by mgibeault (see profile) - October 19, 2007

59 out of 62 users found this user opinion helpful.

6 out of 10 - Good
Excellent features with a few significant flaws
I bought the TomTom 720 to help me with my part time delivery job. It had several excellent features and ... Read more
by khosea (see profile) - September 5, 2007

62 out of 70 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 comment posted to this opinion

5 out of 10 - Average
Major bugs detract from an otherwise ok device
I really wanted to like this device as my first GPS purchase. At first I found the directions and large ... Read more
by brbubba (see profile) - September 9, 2007

24 out of 27 users found this user opinion helpful.
2 comments posted to this opinion

9 out of 10 - Spectacular
Addressing the Reviewer's Two "Cons"
The original review complained about two things, the first of which was evidently an oversight by the reviewer, and the ...

Updated
The original reviewer actually had a 3rd complaint which I did not address in my original comments.

The reviewer complained about the alphabetic keyboard, wishing that a QWERTY style keyboard were used instead. As with the external volume control, this would have been an oversight by the reviewer.

One of the GO 720's configuration options ("Keyboard") allows not only your choice of alpha ordered keys (the default), but the QWERTY asked for by the reviewer, and even the Dvorak style keyboard for those that prefer it!
Updated
To the user below who was unhappy about the fact that the 720 did not pronounce street names -- a review of the manual may help.

There are two "voice types" available on the 720. One is a set of recorded, live human voices. While very natural sounding, these voices include only about 80 basic words/phrases. The "text to speech" feature requires that you instead select one of the "computer voices". Having done so, you will find that the street names are indeed pronounced, however badly they may sometimes be mangled in the process! For whatever reason, the unit insists that the highway sign on I-25 for Lyons, Colorado, should be pronounced "EL YONS". Perhaps someone fat fingered it and the internal database sees a space between the "L" and the "Y"?
Read more
by ecandersonii (see profile) - December 28, 2007

9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 comment posted to this opinion

8 out of 10 - Excellent
Excellent consumer product
Have now been testing this 720 against a Cadillac CTS factory installed GPS and find:
1. 720 far easier to
...
Read more
by djnsn (see profile) - September 4, 2007

10 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.

7 out of 10 - Very good
Great GPS with crappy "Home" software
I got this machine recently after a lot of research. I have used the Go 900 and I really liked ... Read more
by Andreas Graham (see profile) - September 5, 2007

6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 comment posted to this opinion

7 out of 10 - Very good
On Par with Garmin
I am coming from a Garmin world. I had problems with the Garmin routing me weirdly, and occassionally placing me ... Read more
by egale (see profile) - September 4, 2007

6 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
2 comments posted to this opinion

10 out of 10 - Perfect
Perhaps the best portable GPS at a good price!!!!!
This product is simply awesome. I had made up my mind for this but in the showroom I saw the ... Read more
by samarthjoshi (see profile) - December 21, 2007

4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 comment posted to this opinion

7 out of 10 - Very good
If I find a phone that is compatible with it, I would give it a 9 of of 10.
This baby was great. It never lost connection and I did not have it connected to the charger for the ... Read more
by tgittens66 (see profile) - August 29, 2007

4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 comment posted to this opinion

4 out of 10 - Mediocre
Would be great... if it worked well
I was very excited about this unit - great feature set and price. If I'd written the CNET review ...

Updated
I returned the TomTom 720 unit today to Circuit City. I was surprised that they (Circuit City) had the just-released Garmin 760 in-stock. I was so unhappy with the TomTom - and a 15 minute argument about the restocking fee that Circuit City insisted they had to charge if there was no exchange - that CC gave me 10% off the price of the Garmin (and waived the fee on the exchange).

Here's a comparison - the Garmin 760 is able to correctly find my house (which the TomTom could not do - although the house was built in 1978) and the Garmin suggested great routes on the few practice runs I've had it on today - exactly the routes that I would have taken. The Garmin is just hitting stores now, but I am glad that CC had just received. It seems to work much, much better than the TomTom, which in the end promised a lot and was a pretty design, with a nice screen layout, but was just not ready for release to the public.
Read more
by PB G4 (see profile) - October 8, 2007

4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.





Full specifications - TomTom GO 720
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Manufacturer: TomTom
Part number: 1M00.780
General
Width 4.6 in
Depth 0.9 in
Height 3.3 in
Weight 7.8 oz
GPS System
Recommended Use Automotive
Connectivity Bluetooth
Traffic Services TMC (Traffic Message Channel)
Voice Navigation instructions
Antenna Built-in
Features 2D / 3D map perspective, TomTom PLUS ready, Built-in speaker, Built-in FM transmitter, Hands-free calling via Bluetooth, Built-in microphone, Preinstalled POIs
Built-in Memory 2 GB
Software Included TomTom HOME
Maps Included USA, Canada
Built-in Display
Type LCD - Widescreen
Resolution 480 x 272
Diagonal Size 4.3 in
Features Touch screen, Anti-glare
Display Illumination Yes
Color Support Color
Display Menu Language Hungarian, Norwegian, Spanish, Slovak, Catalan, French, German, Polish, Finnish, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Czech, Lithuanian, Dutch, Latvian, English, Portuguese, Turkish, Flemish
Navigation
Trip Computer Fast/short route, Back-On-Track
Miscellaneous
Included GPS accessories Docking station, Car power adapter, Mounting bracket
Slot Provided
Slot Provided SD Memory Card
Battery
Run Time (Up To) 5 hour(s)
Battery technology Lithium polymer
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & support type 1 year warranty
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Manufacturer Info - TomTom GO 720
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