TomTom ONE makes its way to North America

It took 'em a while, but TomTom is finally getting around to releasing their entry-level TomTom ONE navigation device in one of our fav continents ever: North America. Specs are just the same as before, with a 3.5-inch QVGA touchscreen display and, um, GPS. We're guessing the same miniscule 32MB of SD memory is present as well, but the new TomTom ONE does manage a nice redesign, and they've shaved the thickness down to a single inch. The ONE also has access to TomTom PLUS services like real-time traffic info and weather reports. However, the unit is just as pricey as ever at $500 US, which sure seems like a lot for an "entry-level" device, no matter how sexy or North American it may be.

[Brendan @ Aug 17th 2006 11:03AM]

I told TomTom that their devices were too expensive at CES. They didn't seem too worried. They are Europeans who seem content overpaying for everything in life, and apparently overcharging too.

[CADEX @ Aug 17th 2006 11:11AM]

Forget the TomTom. Where do I get that cool caribiner key fob in the background???

[Yaya @ Aug 17th 2006 11:14AM]

$500 as apposed to the $2-$3K that idiots fork over for factory GPS units? That sounds just fine to me.

[corB @ Aug 17th 2006 11:25AM]

Well, the features sound very familiar to the Garmin Nuvi 350 I got for a special someone's birthday. The North American release of the nuvi was much anticipated since we heard all the rave about it from Europe, so Garmin's intro price was around $700. The Tom Tom One's price is considerably lower than that. One complaint though - a USB 1.1?? C'mon, that's weak - seriously.

On a slightly different note, notice how the U.S. always gets technology hand-me-downs from Asian and Europe?

[BiggusDiccus @ Aug 17th 2006 11:26AM]

Idiots? How do you figure. Integrating it into the system instead of some pimple sticking out of your dash. I don't know about you but having an Integrated GPS NAV in my lexus looks better then some lame appendage like this. Overpriced? Slightly, but idiotic? Hardly. Your comment is idiotic. Take your Yugo and go home.

[Gary @ Jan 18th 2007 1:06PM]

Obviously someone spending other peoples money

[Ladderless @ Aug 17th 2006 11:40AM]

Holy smokes!

You can get a PDA for $250, and add a Bluetooth receiver for another $200. This also means you (obviously) get PDA functionality in the package for LESS than the price of the Tom Tom One. It also means you can upgrade the software whenever you want, and even switch software manufacturers for whoever comes out with the slickest stuff.

For not a whole lot more than that, you can even get a PDA with GPS built-in (I just picked up a Fujitsu Siemens n560). These units are smaller than the all-in-ones, have a VGA screen, and again, work as a PDA (MP3 playback, movies, wifi, email, etc etc etc).

I just don't understand the GPS stand-alone mentality.

Heck, Mapopolis makes an SD card you can slip into your Treo (if it has GPS), to turn it into a full-fledged guidance system.

There are some advantages if you want a built-in unit, but aside from that, I think there are better ways to go than a stand-alone GPS unit.

[Whydrive @ Aug 17th 2006 11:50AM]

The only advantages that integrated GPS units offer is a bigger screen and it's harder to steal. Otherwise, all the other advantages go to the portable units. Try taking your integrated GPS along with you in a rental car. One of the main selling points of a GPS is to find your way in unfamiliar areas, places most folks get to via a plane.

As for TomTom, their pricing is a lot better than Garmin or Magellan, though prices have been coming down on average due to competition from other makes as well. It'd be interesting if Microsoft does indeed purchase TomTom.

[Ed @ Aug 17th 2006 11:51AM]

In-car nav development will never be a technologically advanced or inexpensive as aftermarket. The car companies take years to design, engineer and approve these in-car systems. You're paying for 2 year old design, old software, and old maps.

[calebc @ Aug 17th 2006 11:52AM]

Poor guy. Spent tens of thousands of dollars to impress people and it backfired. What a shame.

[Jeff @ Aug 17th 2006 12:24PM]

"You're paying for 2 year old design, old software, and old maps. "

Most in-car navigation systems allow for easy upgrades, via DVD or some other method.

I'm in the market for an entry-level aftermarket system myself, but $500 is a little too rich for that market. I'm thinking one of those low-end Garmin models might fit the bill better.

[Rick @ Aug 17th 2006 12:42PM]

For $325 you can get a Garmin Streetpilot i5 pre-loaded with all of North America (pcnation.com). While it is not a touch screen (uses a little scroll wheel instead), I can testify that it will get you there as fine as a TomTom costing twice as much (I own both). If truly frugal, there's a B&W version (i2) with smaller memory card for $215 (amazon.com).

[David @ Aug 17th 2006 12:49PM]

I've had a Tomtom One for 8 months, and I personally think that it is superb. The interface is very simple but powerful and it rarely goes too far off the best route. And the UK version at least came with a 128Mb SD card.

[Ryan @ Aug 17th 2006 12:51PM]

Anyone know of a usb or serial antenna that I could attach to a unit I built myslef that would hook me into the XM real traffic system, other than the garmin unit that comes preloaded with all its own nav software?

thanks

[rob @ Aug 17th 2006 2:04PM]

The user experience is very good on the Tom-Tom. I feel sure that this is why they are slightly more expensive. Tom-Tom used to make mapping software for pocketpc, but I haven't seen it in a while.

You cannot take your built-in GPS on your bike or on a walk, but the tom-tom works well for both of those things, as well as in the car.

[thomas_h @ Aug 17th 2006 2:07PM]

""I told TomTom that their devices were too expensive at CES. They didn't seem too worried. They are Europeans who seem content overpaying for everything in life, and apparently overcharging too.

Posted at 11:03AM on Aug 17th 2006 by Brendan [ ! ]""

i'm a european, norwegian actually, and yes practically everything here is hella expensive, for example right now 1 gallon of gasoline costs apx 8$.. and we are the third biggest oil producing country in the world.. its ridicolous. the cheapest six pack of beer costs 10$. a regular car ( i use 250 000 NOK here) costs 40 000 $. ( thats a little less than what a new Volkswagen Golf costs here.)

i bet the companies are content with overcharging though, but im not very pleased with having to pay up to 50%-60% more than many other countries.

[Jason @ Aug 17th 2006 2:09PM]

As one of Yaya's idiots who opted, afer careful shopping, for the Honda built-in NAV I can tell you it was well worth the added cost.

I'm certain that there's someone out there who will be more than happy to correct me if I'm wrong ;-) but I believe the Honda NAV is integrated into the vehicles own computers in such a way that it knows your direction and speed. This might not sound like much, but if you drive among the tunnels and skyscrapers of Boston and New York as I often do, the difference between your standalone unit (no signal) and a vehicle integrated one is the difference between taking the correct underground exit from the Callahan Tunnel or ending up back at Logan airport again.

As for travel, for $100 I added a USB GPS unit to my laptop and usually opt for the Hertz NeverLost. But 98% of our use of GPS is in our own vehicle, so choosing lower functionality, less convenience and poorer integration just for the sake of having portability would have been a much less attractive option for us.

Plus, on the Honda Odyssey you press a switch on the dash and the NAV screen folds down all James-Bond-like to reveal your CD changer. Tell me that alone isn't worth the cost of the upgrade! ;-)

[Matt @ Aug 17th 2006 2:24PM]

Hey Rick, don't forget that Garmin makes an i3 model that Amazon and others are selling for $275. I've been eyeing it. Is the i5 really worth $50 more?

[Jason @ Aug 17th 2006 7:21PM]

I know a lot of people who lease (a.k.a, get ripped off) their vehicles opt for the built in NAV. After all, what's another $20 a month to splurge on NAV when you are already spending $600 or more on a lease payment. No matter how you slice it though, $1500-$3000 for a factory NAV system is retarded. Not only do you get to pay through the nose for the privelage of an under-powered system with no standard industry support, you also get to pay through the nose for software updates.

As others have pointed out, small purpose built GPS has its use. They are fantastic if you travel a lot for work or vacation in places you've never been. Most car rental companies charge $10 a day to rent their GPS so figure out how many days of rentals it takes to pay for a portable.

As far as using PDAs, I have used one, and they are a huge pain. You have to find a bracket that fits the PDA, buy a car charger for it, squint at the tiny screen, etc. After you buy all that crap a purpose built would have been cheaper. Garmin has small purpose built units with most of the major features along with the entire US loaded into memory for around $390.

[Jason @ Aug 17th 2006 7:24PM]

One other thing, are there any built in units that can even get traffic alerts and weather updates?

[LennyMan @ Aug 18th 2006 3:43AM]

I have a TomTom Go 520 (basically the bigger version) and the real-time Traffic has saved me untold hours on the Motorways. I haved tried various options (TomTom Mobile on a PDA and Nokia 66xx, NavMan etc), and TomTom definately has the best software of them all. The latest version also deals with 'tunnels' by anticipating your travel through them, and then picking up the signal quickly upon exit. All-in-all, I would say that in-built systems look better (i.e. no blob on the dash), but TomTom has far better software (and my business partner who has a Merc CLK with a Commander System would agree!)

[G. Snyder @ Aug 18th 2006 11:18AM]

Jason - underpowered? No industry support? You are missinformed. Most get their maps from the same places, and the same updated can be had that are available to other units. As for not being as "powerful", I am not sure what you are talking about. In most cases they are more powerful, having the advantage of being integrated into the car's other systems. Give me one example of how it is not as powerful (besides being able to move it from car to car or walk around like some retard with a GPS designed for vehicle use).

[steve @ Apr 2nd 2007 9:18AM]

Its a hand held unit with a built in battery did you not see the keys next to it? ever been lost in the woods? not us.

[tomtom-magellan @ Aug 20th 2006 11:18AM]

A small purpose built GPS has its use. They are fantastic if you travel a lot for work or vacation in places you've never been. Most car rental companies charge $10 a day to rent their GPS so figure out how many days of rentals it takes to pay for a portable.

[Peter @ Aug 26th 2006 9:47AM]

Having just purchased the ONE, I found the windshield mount much too short to put the unit within reaching distance. In addition, the power cord plugs into the bottom edge, making dash mounting nearly impossible. Not on the dash and not on the windshield? Perhaps I could just hold it in my hand as I drive!!!

[Bill @ Oct 19th 2007 7:46AM]

I just bought the ONE. I got it for $199 at Best buy. This thing is GREAT. I was showing my wife who knows NOTHING about electronic devices after I put it in my truck and she told me to turn around and go back to best buy and get another ONE! She does alot of driving for work and was going to take mine. For the price and navigation capabilities for our work travel its a great buy at $199.

[Bob Nob @ Mar 27th 2008 1:25AM]

My wife would have took mine when I was not looking blamed me for losing it and then denyed taking it.