The registration went relatively simple ("Link" button has nothing to do with a collection of links ...). Then there was once a complete map update, which required about 2.5 hours download time with more than 6 GB - for the planned trip that was a little too long. Are beautiful course about four times a year free map updates possible, which was formerly subject to substantial costs. However, the offer "Lifetime Maps" 'a "limited" life is: "This is the life of the appliance, ie the period in which TomTom software updates, services, content and accessories for the device provides" - what does that mean exactly, or how fast the support is set, remains to be seen.
In car I find the installation - you turn behind the device the toothed edge of the suction cup mount - not quite as successful. Our old Navigon has as a lever, which is better to use. However, the GO 50 has the advantage that the holder is quite small. I would therefore rather solve the holder together with the device, instead of the device from the "ball and socket" of the bracket to solve by force and thus auszuleiern permanently the bracket (which some people do good).
You go to the menu and change the volume, you have to manually navigate back to back, while other commands (eg Mute) after selection automatically returns to the navigation. Also not practical. While it may be advisable not to incorporate the volume control directly in the navigation window - being noted in the large display would actually be enough space -, but such standard operations should not require multiple steps. Gas stations, construction sites, etc. will be displayed next to the map and you can / must click it to see what lies behind it exactly. Overall, it's quite nice, if the screen is cluttered, ultimately here too little is the large display but used because of the concrete road not you actually need 70%, as I in any case rather listening and street look as permanently the straight ahead the street watching on the Navi that winds through wide open spaces in beige. Only in the inner city blocks and sporadic attractions (eg Memorial Church) are displayed.
The verbal activate voice control "Hello TOMTOM" must, contrary to the instructions, be adjusted only in the menu. Unfortunately, the voice control would accept neither a "New Route" or "New Destination" - only the view in the command list showed the command "Drive to an address". Sorry, the likes trained for TOMTOM user be fine, I find the Formlierung not very obvious. Equipment should be capable of operation in the basic functions without the aid of a guide - the speech is but otherwise designed to the taciturn "Terminator-style"? Several street names would not accept - from Hermsdorf dam was eg "Brahms Walder Dan" (typical Straßenbezeichung in Finland I guess ?!).. Selecting any other road from possible hits by list number would also not work in many cases. Previous attempts have the desire to continue to use the function spoiled me thoroughly. Also of interest (eg mail) can probably not looking in my language. The keyboard input, however, worked quite well, and the appropriate selection has been detected without entering the postal code. Are you here for example the Post one, coming street names be left in question appears right the nearest post offices. With Internet connection (more on that later), you can, for example, close to nest looking Mc Donalds restaurants without data connection but it does not work. The own site is usually available, and I have the impression that the unit records these in sleep mode. In any case the route is calculated by usually takes only a few moments. If the device was turned off completely, however, it also takes time like a few minutes.
The language design itself is also not particularly like it when TOMTOM. The pre-set lady "Lisa" speaks usually a bit slow and forms only partially complete sentences. It says here, for example. "Turn xx meters turn right, then arrival," it says in the melodious voice of the Navigon "... then you have reached your destination" or "the target is on the left side of the road". Why I "Turn left, then take the motorway" get to hear, although the highway is still 2-3 km and begins after a crossing, I do not know. Also told me TOMTOM on the highway from the nearest exit ("exit in front of you") even at a distance of 3 km. The irritated when one just has a (former) exit right, which often happens on an urban freeway as in Berlin. Accordingly, it is with "turn" off the highway - if my "turn left in front of you" will be announced, although the road turns first to the right, confused the whole, the evidence coming here very early on even more distant events.. Our old Navigon says in such cases, "the near future ..." and thus represents clear that it is only an indication of later steps. Even otherwise there are numerous inaccurate announcements about when I take at a motorway junction "the next exit and then take the motorway 'go' or 'keep me right' is, although I both straight-leading marks and not the Rechtsabbieger- to use trace.
Only after some time I realized that the voice of 'Lisa' no street names, exits, etc. can call, but only the voice also installed 'Yannick'. Why one hand at all packs incomplete language sets on a device and on the other hand does not preset the only enabled computer voice, I can not comprehend. Yannick does somewhat better overall his cause, and it is here then eg 'exit in front of you ... 8' which means to be called as 'Exit 8 in front of you'.
The navigation itself had some surprises in store. So I was out on my way home suddenly from the highway, and then two exits to go back later on the highway - without current traffic jam warning in the instrument or radio (Holiday = nothing going on) and also when returning to the highway I could behind me no jam or the like recognize. Here probably was an old jam warning trigger 'the old Navigon is offered at repealing message original (fastest) route again, here was obviously not the case. Even when I was once on his way to work on the highway because I prefer this way, wanted the TOM TOM do not realize that I had not taken the proposed exit, but told me further that I should "go through the roundabout straight" (incidentally also a questionable choice of words). In defense it is said that the road runs parallel to the highway, but I had also elsewhere in central Berlin similar problems when I was suddenly appear on the parallel (in 50m distance) to my street runs Ku'damm ,
Using Bluetooth allows load current from the smartphone traffic reports, the data consumption should be moderate (approximately 10 MB / month). The device via a 'hot spot' was new territory for me and therefore successful only after several attempts with a Galaxy S5. Especially during long trips, the exhausted but on the smartphone battery as long as it can not be charged via USB (such as in our old second car). Also the service when driving is likely to be rather unusable abroad because of roaming costs. Finally, you will be on newer vehicles his smartphone during a trip - if any - would like to connect more with the hands or the media system of the vehicle, as with the TomTom. The GO 50 can not even use it as a speakerphone.
The functionality is said to have again worse in past versions of the software, according to Internet (PC World). That TOM TOM apparently - that I had with another device ever read - essential functions usually only gradually (one), the customer therefore is to beta testers, is bad. Whether that now all manufacturers handle so I do not know, however.
Total me is the price difference of only 10 - 20 euros to 500 or even 600 (with 15 cm screen) and their more modern, capacitive screens (responds to touch, zoom by finger movement, easier typing on the keyboard) too low to make a recommendation. Even got me the TOMTOM technology as a leader over our several years old and less expensive Navigon absolutely unconvincing, so I'll even avoid the larger devices more.
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Addendum June 2015 - depreciation on a star
Do take the dirt road to the airport ...
We have recently used the TomTom in Italy 'to upgrade the map', or want to use. Was after it has not been possible to find a street in the resort of Lido di Jesolo, but fortunately the car hire (VW) equipped with a device that knew the street and house number, we have the Tom Tom just unpacked a trial basis, as we on the way back to the airport of Venice were (Marco Polo). What can I say: In about 18 km away and on the direct highway to the airport, it urged us to enter the destination on permanently, turn left, which we would have been out several times for better dirt roads. I can not think of anything else to. Thanks to this device, I will prepare myself again in the future with the good old map to the destination to any wrong paths of Navis - certainly not this device - to deal can. That the Stiftung Warentest has awarded a Test win here, unfortunately is sad climax, so I will refrain in future on buying these books.
