TomTom XL 330S

• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 26 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 9 stars

  best GPS I've had so far

  by tpalny on July 30, 2008

  Pros: - Wide screen - Text to speech - LOUD speaker - Volume adjusts to driving speed - great GPS reception - The new Easyport mount that eliminates the need to carry a separate mount - "Tomtom Home" softwa

  Cons: - Easyport mount can be a little problematic when fitted into a pocket - The car charger takes a little practice to insert it easily - No bluetooth capability.

  Summary: So far I had owned 3 GPS devices: the Tomtom One 3rd edition, the Garmin nuvi 350 and this latest Tomtom 330s model. Before owning, I have used the Garmin ...

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  Summary: So far I had owned 3 GPS devices: the Tomtom One 3rd edition, the Garmin nuvi 350 and this latest Tomtom 330s model. Before owning, I have used the Garmin Streetpilots given by many car rentals.
  By far, this is the best of the three:
  
  Pros:
  - Wide screen
  - Text to speech
  - LOUD speaker (I've read some reviews of a soft speaker - I guess either it was a bad batch of devices, or you didn't read the instructions on how to change the volume. With mine, on 80% it's blasting over the radio AND road noise.)
  - Volume adjusts to driving speed
  - great GPS reception (even in NYC, although sometimes because of tall buildings can have a little trouble finding current position, but that's the problem with ALL of the GPSs I've had, including the very highly reviewed nuvi 350)
  - The new Easyport mount that eliminates the need to carry three things for your trip: the Device, the mount (sometimes more than one part) and the car charger. This new mount is a blessing and a small nuisance at the same time since it makes it slightly more difficult to fit snugly into a pocket or a pouch, but is definitely more of a pro than a con because of its simplicity of use and the eliminated extra plastic thing to carry. This little issue can be solved either by buying the Tomtom carrying case (the one made specifically for the models with the easy mount for an extra ~$28 on Amazon), or simply by detaching it from the back since it is detachable. Though detaching it, some would say, is defying its purpose...
  - "Tomtom Home" software is a breeze to use and lets you add user updates to the maps when roads get blocked or other changes take effect to the preinstalled map.
  - Device SOFTWARE SOFTWARE SOFTWARE: The best software of a device I've had the pleasure of using. Explanation follows:
  The software allows much more intuitive handling of the device than any Garmin I've found.
  It's quick, it's easy, and the most important, when you search for a name of a POI, it uses the more modern approach that allows you to type any letter or word no matter where it appears on the name of the POI and it'll show you the results on the list.
  There are dozens of advantages in the software over the one of the Garmins I've used but I can't possibly list them all.
  Some important features to note are that the actual Navigation Screen View gives you so much more clear information (which one can, of course, tweak to one's liking) such as current time, time of arrival, total trip distance, remaining time to destination, GPS signal strength, next turn's street name, current street name, direction of and distance to next maneuver (which nuvi 350 garmin only tells you which way to go right before the turn), and to that you can add a compass, change the car symbol and even more impressive - the color scheme of the map!
  
  I have to say this is just a SHORT list of software features I absolutely love and think are on a much higher level of sophistication than what I've seen of Garmin.
  
  Cons:
  I really have to strain to think of any, but there are some minor ones (after all, nothing's perfect)
  - As I said the Easyport mount can be a little problematic when fitted into a pocket, but it CAN be removed from the back (see pros).
  - The car charger takes a little practice to insert it easily.
  - The "Password" feature when powering on the device seems more fluff than a hindering threat. It doesn't really lock the device if for example you enter the wrong password three consecutive times or so, it just won't let you use the device until the right combination is entered.
  - No bluetooth capability. For some it's a con, but for me personally it's a pro (because I don't really need it anyways, and if any corner should be cut to make the product less expensive, this is it!)
  - The map isn't as pretty as on the garmins. It has a little more jagged lines but, if visual beauty is important to you in a map representation of a GPS, you're really looking in the wrong direction...
  
  In other words, warmly recommended for the people who are interested in getting the best GPS for their hard-earned dollars.

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  18 out of 18 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Works really well but mount can be a problem

  by cjc1103 on March 30, 2009

  Pros: The 330S has a very nice, responsive, touch screen, and has an intuitive user interface with large icons, and 3D map mode. Lots of trip progress information. Navigation is very accurate, also gives you plenty of warning for turns and lane changes.

  Cons: The built in mount is hard to attach to the windshield without inadvertently removing the GPS unit from the mount. Reattaching it is not so easy. Startup and acquiring the GPS satellites is a little slow. Power plug is recessed and hard to attach.

  Summary: The built in mount is my biggest complaint, but it is also a plus since it is attached to the GPS and therefor harder to lose. Also once you dettach ...

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  Summary: The built in mount is my biggest complaint, but it is also a plus since it is attached to the GPS and therefor harder to lose. Also once you dettach it there is no telltale mount for thieves to see - they'll break into your car to get the GPS if they see the mount. Volume can be turned up loud enough to cut through the stereo. The LCD touch screen is beautiful, with a 3D map mode, although the map lines can be a little jagged, but that doesn't bother me. It's easy to program, has intuitive user interface with large icons. A quick tap on the map puts you in the menu system, select "Navigate to", then "Favorite Destination", scroll down, select, your in business. Entering in a city and street address is easy too thanks to a nice virtual QWERTY keyboard. It has a predictive entry feature that recalculates after each keystroke, so often you don't have to enter the whole street name. I really like the trip progress information on the lower part of the screen, including distance to the next turn, time to that point, total time left in the trip, the current time and ETA to your destination. It also shows you the GPS signal strength, your speed, and the speed limit if it has it in the database. If you go 5mph or more over the speed limit, the speed display turns red. The ETA display is based on the speed limit for the roads to be traveled on your trip. I set up the GPS and monitor it on long trips even when I know the route, because of the continually updated ETA. If you make a wrong turn, recalculation is fast - about 5 to 10 seconds. Overall I like it better than on the Garmin unit my Dad has.

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  4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  Best first GPS to get!

  by iceemark on June 16, 2009

  Pros: Like the fact that if you know of a faster way, it'll recalculate and remember the faster way for future reference. Doesn't take long after powering it on to find the satillites. Like the bottom of the screen to show the various time sequences.

  Cons: The plug on the bottom is kind of hard to attach the cable. Sometimes when I'm playing with it, the voice prompts come on for no reason. Kind of hard to see in very bright sunlight, but with the voice prompts, it's not much of a problem

  Summary: I haven't had any problems of the time it takes to recalculate routes, takes less than a few seconds. Like the bottom of the screen to where it gives ...

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  Summary: I haven't had any problems of the time it takes to recalculate routes, takes less than a few seconds. Like the bottom of the screen to where it gives you your ETA and current time and how long it would take you to get to your destination.
  Easy to mount with included mounting bracket, once you have the suction cup on the windshield, all you have to do is attach the GPS to the mount with ease. Very
  accurate!
  Some things I didn't like about it is that sometimes when I'm playing with it, the voice prompts come on for no reason, I don't know if it's because it has a route planned and is always referring to the current route. And also the sunlight factor, but I guess that's true with any LCD display.
  If you're looking for a decent GPS that is very accurate and easy to use, I would definately get this one!

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  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  Nice GPS, Great features, No bluetooth

  by Trouble4u on August 2, 2009

  Pros: Love the size, all of the features which are too numerous to mention and it handles re-routing good, sometimes not fast enough tho.

  Cons: Windshield connector comes loose easily from the back of the GPS, USB/power connector makes it difficult to connect and disconnect. Very difficult to see in bright sunlight. No sd card slot. No music player. This is just your basic GPS.

  Summary: Worth buying if you don't need or want bluetooth. It's a very nice looking and great working GPS.

  Summary: Worth buying if you don't need or want bluetooth. It's a very nice looking and great working GPS.

  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 2 stars

  Stay away- it stink

  by narn3049 on July 25, 2011

  Pros: Nothing about this device is good

  Cons: EVERYTHING. GRANDPARENTS USED TO OWN and it kept telling them to update, said it was in Europe, and directed them a totally different place A WHOLE DIFFERENT CITY. They now have a Garmin

• 2 stars

  Never found a satellite

  by hewinsc on March 24, 2011

  Pros: At $99 I thought it was a great price.

  Cons: While I'm not a techie, I'm not an idiot and I was unable to get mine to ever find a satellite. Bought it, plugged it in nad it never acquired a satellite in the middle of Colorado Springs, home of the USAF Space Command and NORAD, so it should have found

  Summary: I'd like to give it no stars, but on the chance that it was user error I gave it one. I bought a Magellan (5045-LM)today and in less ...

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  Summary: I'd like to give it no stars, but on the chance that it was user error I gave it one. I bought a Magellan (5045-LM)today and in less than a minute it was working, no exaggeration. I'll write a review on it in a few weeks.

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• 7 stars

  true story

  by techione on December 6, 2010

  Pros: works within 15 minutes out of box. was able to navigate home from store on power that was in battery from factory. factory software is adequate and needs no actual update.

  Cons: The map update took about 6 hours at 17mb/s connected to a Alienware Aurora! I am afraid this may take several days on a normal computer. 50% chance of error during update which renders the XL 330-s inoperable until a retry.

  Summary: good nav. cheap @ $99. no instructions needed. you can literaly drive in to any mongoloid-Mart, buy this thing, and be navigating from the store lot.
  The update mess is going ...

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  Summary: good nav. cheap @ $99. no instructions needed. you can literaly drive in to any mongoloid-Mart, buy this thing, and be navigating from the store lot.
  The update mess is going to lead users to believe they have a defect. It is just very slow. and complicated. If you click the abortion button during update, you must start over in order to use the tomtom. a partial update will cause total system failure until completed. there is no signifigance to screen size since vocal prompts only are used for driving. the female voice options are useless because they sound like old bags. Not a voice you would trust to navigate on an important trip.

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• 8 stars

  Great unit! Low price!

  by LaughsWithHorses on September 20, 2010

  Pros: As a first time GPS user I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the unit was to set up and use. Planned a trip from Tampa Bay to Columbus Ga. and got me there with no burps or belches. Love the screen size and the text -to-speech.

  Cons: The windshield mount is a total disaster! Not a good day for the R&D team. Falls off at the slightest bump. Inserting the cable is a real treat and takes a few times to insert it. Could use a contrast control for bright daylight and glare.

  Summary: Overall I'm very pleased with the unit. Would definitely recommend the 330S to any prospective buyer. The price is right and the features provided are outstanding and many for ...

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  Summary: Overall I'm very pleased with the unit. Would definitely recommend the 330S to any prospective buyer. The price is right and the features provided are outstanding and many for the comparatively low price.

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• 2 stars

  This TomTom is a piece of junk. Updating it killed it.

  by SailorSAB on September 1, 2010

  Pros: I haven't been able to use it yet, so nothing is good about it.

  Cons: Plugged it into the computer first day and it tried to update the software and the maps. It took a really long time and then reported an error trying to write a file to the TomTom. I spent hours trying everything I could think of to resurrect this.

  Summary: TomTom needs to get their update software fixed. It is junk. It killed my TomTom before I could even use it. Best thing is that it happened early enough to ...

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  Summary: TomTom needs to get their update software fixed. It is junk. It killed my TomTom before I could even use it. Best thing is that it happened early enough to return the product and never buy another.

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• 8 stars

  Good Value for the money

  by MooseMk on August 30, 2010

  Pros: A good auto gps with some some bells and whistles; includes maps of Canada & US,

  Cons: Built in mount - pops off the windscreen without notice. Backlight is weak in direct sunlight.

  Summary: This is my first auto GPS. I owned handheld unts from Magellan and Garmin. I conducted plenty of research and decided upon this model. The maps of Canada are useful ...

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  Summary: This is my first auto GPS. I owned handheld unts from Magellan and Garmin. I conducted plenty of research and decided upon this model. The maps of Canada are useful when we go to Montreal or Ottawa. The speaker is great and the map, accurate. I did not have uploading problems that others expressed. I did notice, however, the trickiness of plugging the supplied cables into the unit. Traffic updates are available should I pick up the proper cable; that's useful in Montreal or at the border during evening rush hour. I like the accuracy of POI's and that I may add POI's. While space may be limited, I don't have a lot to add, just trailheads and the like. All said, a good unit and I look forward to years of usage.

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