TomTom XXL 530S and XXL 540S 5 inch Widescreen GPS Review

TomTom’s XXL 530S and XXL 540S feature a very large 5.0 inch widescreen. It may not sound that much bigger than a 4.3 inch screen but it actually has an extra one third (33 percent) viewing area which means a lot for a navigation interface. TomTom haven’t published what the resolution is but there have been no negative comments. Other notable features these XXL models are the advanced route calculation of TomTom’s IQ Routes Technology and the assistance provided to drivers at intersections by TomTom’s Advanced Lane Guidance. Bluetooth connectivity for hands free phone calls is also included.

TomTom XXL 540S

What’s the Difference? – Maps

The difference between the two models is the preloaded maps.

The XXL 530S comes with maps covering the USA and Canada maps includeing Puerto Rico and all 10 provinces and 3 territories of Canada.

Preloaded on the XXL 540S are maps of the US, Canada and Mexico maps including all 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, all 10 provinces and 3 territories of Canada with Mexican coverage including 35 percent coverage of 31 states with detailed coverage of Mexico City and Guadalajara, the main road network and 2,341 counties.

Navigating with the TomTom XXL 530S and XXL 540S

To select a destination users have options including address typing, favourites, recent destinations, go home, coordinates and browsing for and selecting a map point. One can also select the arrival time if a timely arrival is important. The database total of 7 million POI (Points of Interest) is a comparatively generous one. Like other GPS navigators POI searches can be limited by areas (eg. local) or to along your route. Trips can be planned with multiple intermediate waypoints.

Both models have text-to-speech capability so street names are pronounced as part of navigation instructions. It gives the driver confirmation that they are on track without taking their eyes from the road – a definite safety benefit.

Along the bottom of the map screen is a horizontally scrolling text display which can include current speed, distance to next turn, posted speed limit, ETA, remaining distance and direction. What is displayed is customizable.

TomTom QuickGPSfix

Both models come with QuickGPSfix which provides faster GPS satellite acquisition times through storage of GPS satellite orbit predictions (almanac data). The orbit data can be updated when the TomTom GPS device is connected to a PC or Mac running TomTom’s HOME software.

TomTom’s IQ Routes Technology

TomTom advertise the use of IQ Routes Technology results in driving a faster route in up to 35 percent of cases. IQ Routes Technology calculates routes based on historical travel time information for every road, every day of the week and now even the time of day. The travel time information is made possible by the contributions of a network of millions of global TomTom customers in the form of anonymous traffic flow data as they drive. TomTom over the past two years has recorded data for more than 1.8 trillion miles of roads.

Advanced Lane Guidance

Using a more realistic view of highway junctions on the navigation screen combined lane indicating arrows and vocal instructions drivers are better able to navigate their way through lane changes required. It’s a feature that is more important if you are away from familiar roadways.

Text-to-Speech

As mentioned in the introduction, both models come with Text-to-Speech (TTS) capability which is a safety/convenience feature allowing street names to be announced as part of navigation directions rather than simply stating the turn direction. TTS improves added driving safety by providing confirmation that you are on route without needing to check the map display.

Help Me!

Help Me! is another safety feature which provides information about the nearest car repair service center, police station, or hospital. It also 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 a quick response. There is even a basic first-aid guide for if things are getting really bad!

Map Share

Map Share gives users the ability to personalize their maps and correct and improve available maps. With Map Share TomTom users can; 1) change street names and direction 2) add, remove or rename POIs and 3) (un)block streets on their own device.

TomTom HOME

TomTom’s free software HOME allows you to manage, update and personalize your TomTom as well as purchase and install maps, make back-ups and download firmware updates. GPS quick-fix data can also be updated while online and any Map Share updates shared.