» TomTom ONE XL.S and TomTom ONE XL GPS Navigation Devices Review

The new TomTom ONE XL.S has the same specification as the popular 4.3 inch wide screen TomTom ONE XL with the addition of text-to-speech technology allowing street names to be announced as part of turn-by-turn navigation directions. A large screen provides a larger, easier to see navigation interface for drivers. The navigator itself is slim and lightweight for easy transfer between cars. The Lithium-Ion battery will only last a couple of hours but, this shouldn’t be a problem as it is not intended as a portable device.

Both the TomTom ONE XL.S and XL have a built-in Bluetooth connection for optional real-time traffic, weather updates, voice downloads and other services. There is an SD Card Slot for extra maps and storage and a mini-USB connection for linking up to a PC. The TomTom XL models are navigation devices only and do not come with multimedia features like a photo player or mp3 player.

It can be difficult for purchasers to gain an idea of the effectiveness of after sales support. In a move which should give potential customers some tangible comfort, TomTom have recently completed a call center certification process with J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program.

SiRF Star III GPS Receiver

GPS functionality is provided by a SiRF Star III receiver from the SiRF Star III family which has proved a watershed innovation GPS chip architecture offering impressive sensitivity in low GPS signal strength areas packaged in a very tight form factor for mobile devices. QuickGPSfix software has been included for even faster fix times with GPS satellites.

TomTom ONE XL Maps

Maps pre-installed depend on the particular model variant:

• In the United States and Canada there are complete maps of The USA and Canada including all the American states, Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico.
• The TomTom ONE XL Europe comes with the latest and most complete maps of Western Europe.
• Maps for the TomTom ONE XL Regional are the latest and most complete maps of your region.

TomTom’s New Map Share Technology

With TomTom’s Map Share software users can correct and improve available maps. Users can; 1) modify street names and direction 2) add, remove or rename POIs and 3) (un)block streets on their own device. Users can share their map corrections with other TomTom users via TomTom’s free desktop application, HOME. TomTom has a user community some 10 million in size providing plenty of leverage for community improvement of their mapping products.

Help Me!

Within the extensive Help Me! Menu is information about the nearest car repair service center, police station, or hospital, and allows users to either locate or call the closest emergency service provider. Apart from allowing users to quickly identify their exact location, Help Me! can also provide this information to emergency service providers for quicker help.

Buddies

Buddies is free TomTom PLUS service (requires registration) worth investigating. It’s a service which combines instant messaging with navigation. There are numerous useful purposes for combining your messages with your location. How many times have you organized for a group of friends to meet at a particular location and then spent time locating each other? With buddies you could park next to each other with a minimum of fuss.
Key features of Buddies are:

• Invite your friends to become your TomTom Buddies.
• Send text messages and locations to each other.
• Show your buddies on the map.
• Navigate to your friends easily and quickly, wherever they are.

User Reviews and Price Comparisons

Visit Amazon to read hands on user reviews and check the price
TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
TomTom ONE XL-S 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Newegg.com also have customer reviews and competitive prices
TomTom ONE XL 4.3″ Automotive Automobile Navigator
TomTom ONE XL S US 4.3″ Automotive GPS Navigation

TheNerds.net is another place for a price and first hand customer feedback
TomTom ONE XL United States and Canada - GPS receiver - automotive
TOMTOM ONE XLS Automobile GPS - 4.3" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD.

Check Buy.com as well
TomTom ONE XL - Portable GPS System w/ Preloaded Maps of US and Canada
TomTom ONE XL*S - Portable GPS System w/ 4.3 Touchscreen

Resources for the TomTom ONE XL and XL.S

Compare TomTom GPS models with TomTom’s Product Comparison Chart.

You can also use TomTom’s Product Advisor to work out which TomTom model would suit you best.

Get down to some real detail with the datasheets for the;

TomTom ONE XL.S

TomTom ONE XL

You will find forums covering lots of TomTom ONE 3rd Edition topics at YourNav and TomTomForums.com.

Specifications TomTom ONE XL.S and XL

4.3 inch full TFT color LCD touchscreen, 64k colors, 480 x 272 pixels
Preloaded maps of US and Canada
High sensitivity GPS chipset.
Support for active external antenna ( not included )
Built-in Bluetooth connection for optional real-time
traffic, weather updates, voice downloads, and more
USB connection for charging, updates, and downloads
Rechargeable internal 2 hour Lithium-Ion battery
Dimensions: 4.7” x 3.4” x 1.2”
Weight: 7.3 ounces
CPU: 266 MHz processor
Memory: 1 GB
Operating temperature: 14˚ F to 131˚ F