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Our TomTom 920 GPS Automotive Navigation System Review



"The TomTom 920 GPS is a top-of-the line, fully-loaded automotive GPS navigation system."

The TomTom 920 GPS promises to meet all of your navigational needs with a full set of features as well as some fun extras. The 920 delivers on its promise, although some of its features left us wanting more.

Best Features

The 920 comes pre-loaded with maps of the United States, Canada, and 41 European countries. This is definitely a valuable feature if you travel extensively.

tomtom 920

TomTom GO 920 Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator

It is less expensive to get the 920 than to buy a cheaper GPS unit and have to add European maps.

TomTom's Map Share allows you to edit your Points Of Interest (POI's) and share your updates with other Tom Tom navigation users, as well as download their updates.

This is an innovative and useful way to keep your maps up-to-date.

The unit has a wide 4.3 inch (diagonal), anti-glare touch-screen which is very bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight.

Text-to-speech functionality speaks street names, minimizing your need to look at the screen.

The FM transmitter plays MP3s and audiobooks through your car stereo's speakers.

One of the most useful functions is Bluetooth hands-free calling. You can make and receive calls through the GPS unit. It will display caller ID of an incoming call and give you the choice to accept or reject right from the touch-screen. You can also set the unit to answer automatically.

The TomTom 920 GPS has a Help Me menu option which identifies the nearest hospitals, police stations, and pharmacies and lets you call them directly. It also has a very helpful roadside assistance guide with first aid information.

The device is quite easy to use and gives you the ability to customize functions extensively. A good example of this is the "Quick menu" which allows you to access a customized menu of options with one tap of the touch-screen.

The TomTom 920 GPS supports multiple point routing, a useful feature when you are making more than one stop on your trip.

One of the features that really sets the TomTom 920 GPS apart is voice prompted address entry. This allows you to enter a destination by saying the city, street name and number instead of typing it.

Enhanced Positioning Technology uses movement and gravity sensors to calculate your position when GPS is not available, such as inside a tunnel or in intercity areas surrounded by tall buildings. This feature automatically engages if the satellite signals are lost, and disengages when they are recovered.

The 920 includes a Bluetooth remote control which you can use to operate nearly every function in the unit. It is very intuitive and easy to use, although entering addresses can be time-consuming. You must choose every letter from the onscreen keyboard.

Here are some fun extras: you can record instructions in your own voice or download celebrity voices. Also, you can exchange positions with other TomTom mobile users via SMS and Bluetooth. You can even create your own personal vehicle graphic.

Most of the features on the TomTom 920 GPS work quite well; however, there are a few drawbacks we noticed.

The auto-dim light sensor is too sensitive; it will switch to night mode on a cloudy day. You can turn this feature off, but then you have to manually switch between day and night mode.

The voice-prompted address entry works well most of the time, after you take the time to learn how it works. It does take some practice to get used to using this function. Unfortunately, you have to push a button to begin, and if you want to change the state, you must also push a button. And entering addresses this way is slow.

Enhanced positioning technology does well most of the time, but sometimes it is way off the mark. It certainly is not as accurate as GPS positioning.

The FM transmitter will not play phone conversations through the car speakers.

One minor irritation is that the Bluetooth remote control must be reconnected every time the 920 is turned on.

Final Thoughts

Is it worth the money? Yes. The sheer number of features, ability to customize and update maps, and user-friendly design make the TomTom 920 a great buy. It will do everything you need a GPS to do, and more.



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