TomTom XL 340 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As soon as I bought it we went from MD to NJ so had no time to connect it to a PC and update it, but out of the box it did everything it was supposed to and was fairly easy to use (this is my first GPS device that I have used).

The instructions that came with it were nothing special and I have since discovered more detailed ones online. I liked that the GPS had the speed we were going and the speed limit of the road you are on in a box at the bottom of the screen which turns red when you are going around 4.5 miles over the limit. One time it stated the limit as 55 when it was really 65 on the NJ turnpike but this was before doing a map update and in any case you can correct it on the device itself and the next time you connect to tomtom online it uploads that information to the general community as you have the option of accepting other people's corrections (you can limit it to when many people submit the same correction instead of trusting a single person's report and by default it will only accept Tomtom's officially confirmed corrections). We also loved the lane assist feature - it comes up nice and clear which lanes you should be in. 2 miles before a turn it already announces what you will be doing and it re-announces it when you get closer and closer. Adjusting the sound level is a 2 touch operation. You press the bottom left part of the screen (can't remember what the image is now) and it brings you straight to the volume level which also has a box checked that allows it to increase the volume with the speed your vehicle is going at which is nice.

The only glitch we had with the unit was that during the first start up we were setting the different options and when it got to where you choose the voice, we began testing out each voice and then went back to the voice we wanted and when I hit the "test" button again I didn't hear anything but ignored that and selected the voice. After a while though it became apparent that we were not getting any voice despite the volume being on and up etc. I went in to the preferences and found the voice selection (the manual in the box was not detailed enough to tell how to do it but it was easy enough to find) and chose another voice which tested okay then reselected the one we wanted which also tested okay and selected it again and all was well.

When I got home I installed the Tomtom Home software from their website (it did not auto install after plugging it in to my PC which was good because it was better to use the latest version anyway - it can be updated after installing so don't worry about that). Whilst doing the maps update I did a little searching around and discovered that some people had a big problem doing the 1st update where there was not enough room on the device for it and it could potentially cause problems on the GPS. Thankfully, it seems to be a problem that was fixed and the map update went well. But in line with some advise online, I went into the device through windows explorer and did a copy and paste of the entire drive which represented the device pasted to my harddrive as a backup (the Tomtom home software can also do this for you, except mine was updating so I couldn't use it yet). My only surprise was that it took over 5 hours to download the update! After that it gave me a screen full of other updates including the software on the GPS itself. I initially deselected the install of the "Dave" voice update that it wanted to download and install, and all the rest went okay. After that though, I decided to update the "Dave" voice too and after downloading it gave me an error that the GPS was too full to install it. I went to the Tomtom site and found the answer to installing it. You load the Tomtom Home software and you can click on "Manage my Device" on page 2 (click the arrow to go to next page of options), from there you can click on on the device and see what is on it and click what you don't want so space is freed up and you can back the files up and then remove them all from there (I removed all the foreign language voices for around an extra 80MB of free space ). After that, installing the latest "Dave" voice went without a hitch. Since I don't use that voice I didn't really have to update it. Apparently the voices marked "computer" (generated) on the device will pronounce all the street names while the natural voices will not. It seems to have a lot of flexibility in being able to add your own list of POI's, voices and many other things. You can also get through the Tomtom Home software many other POI's and stuff other people have provided for free.

So far I am pleased with the purchase and would recommend it to others though probably not at the recommended retail price (at that price you can get a deal on the Garmin 765T - which has many nice features including free traffic reports - not sure how that compares to Tomtom's IQ routes though. We bought ours on Black Friday for a significant price reduction).

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Product Description:
The TomTom XL 340 is complete navigation in a widescreen device. Switch on and go right out of the box. Spoken turn-by-turn instructions will guide you to any address in the United States, Canada, and Mexico--including more than 7 million preloaded points of interest.


Complete navigation in a widescreen device. Click to enlarge.
The Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car. Click to enlarge.
IQ Routes Technology* gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel on your route to calculate your trip rather than only posted speed limits, so you'll always travel the smartest route. Advanced Lane Guidance* uses photorealistic images to bring even more clarity to complex multi-lane exits so you can be more confident on the road.
TomTom has the most accurate maps, and with TomTom Map Share technology, you instantly can modify street names, street direction, POIs, road speeds, and turn restrictions on your own device. With the "Help Me!" menu, added safety features enable you to easily access local emergency providers.
The Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car.
The XL 340 is complete, widescreen navigation.
*Features only available in the United States and Canada.

XL 340 Features

Maps of United States, Canada, and Mexico with TomTom Map Share
7 million POIs
IQ Routes Technology
Advanced Lane Guidance
Fold & Go EasyPort Mount
Spoken Instructions
4.3-inch Touchscreen

All TomToms Feature

Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.
Preloaded Points of Interest--Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more on your route.
30-Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.
TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.
Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.
TomTom HOME--Always up to date.
Traffic Ready--Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.
Fuel Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.

Why TomTom?

TomTom believes that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. TomTom develops smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.
Easy to Use

Award-winning navigation software
Plug & go

Best Maps

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee
Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share

Best Routing

QuickGPSfix
Traffic ready

Leader in Safety

Help Me! emergency resources menu
Safety preferences menu

About TomTom

Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high-quality products and services.
TomTom is a leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further its commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so that the company can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.
TomTom has its own mapping company!
Did you know that every year, roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.

What's in the Box

XL 340 Device, Fold & Go EasyPort Mount, Adhesive Mounting Disk, USB Cable, Cigarette Lighter Adaptor, Documentation Pack

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