@jamesonbirrel
nope i'm not joshing you, ask Thunderthighs yourself. She hosts a game called WOOT CLUE where you guess the next day's item. If you guess right, you win a prize (I've heard it's a woot coupon). and everyone playing knows the next item coming up before it's posted at 12am Central

here's her post promoting it:

http://www.woot.com/Forums/ViewPost.aspx?PostID=4930721

I see the value in a stand alone GPS and will probably get one for my wife (not this unit)

But I want to point out that people who keep talking about smartphones not being a viable option are really misinformed in many regards.

I can and have used gps apps on my phone WHILE having a conversation via bluetooth.

I do NOT need a data connection for my gps to work on my phone as there are GPS apps out that actually download maps.

For me it is a convenience to have the whole package in my phone personally. But for some having the standalone may be less hassle and easier to use.

rolledsho wrote:Why does everyone keep saying it doesn't have lifetime map updates when it says exactly that it does in the description?

Then the description is incorrect.

The item is: TomTom XXL 550T 5” Touchscreen GPS

The "T" after the 550 stands for "traffic"...if it had maps then it would have an "M" there as well.

chgo wrote:How do you change the voice?

You download the voice with their TomTom Home application and put it on your device. Then you just go to the options on your device and select your newly purchased voice. Just note that none of the voices will replace the default voice for pronouncing the names of streets and whatnot.

Do not buy. I got this thing off woot last time and I hate it. Most of the time, it does not even power-up. I got the free update when I initially bought the unit, but it did not help much. It rarely has the point of interest I am looking for.

I was sold on TomTom until I bought this unit. I have the TM version. This unit suffers from a poorly designed mount as do other models using the same design. The mount EASILY becomes disengaged from the GPS unit. There is no fix nor alternate mount available to improve this issue. TomTom responded to a complaint I sent them and they admitted that the design is challenged and offered no advice to improve the situation.

I actually bought a Garmin with a different style mount because this mount is so frustrating to use.

Actually, I am now sold on Garmin GPS's. But that is another post...

I've got two TomToms. One is several years old, and the other I got in January. Even with brand new maps, they still can't get the roads right. They have the road near my house swerving way off where it really is, which puts it through several houses that have been there for decades. I don't understand how they can have such outdated information when you can actually go down this road with Google streetview.

Dorsai! wrote:I suppose it depends if there are new roads in your area. We have a major new road in our area and my current GPS doesn't know it exists and anywhere I go around town, it's clueless as a result.

I've also entered a number of addresses that it simply doesn't recognize, even though those addresses have been around for a few years now.

If they didn't charge almost as much for a map upgrade as the lower tier GPS's cost, it would be a different story. No way does it make sense to spend $59 or so for a map upgrade when I think I paid $89 for my ~3 year old GPS.

I've seen roads that were demolished before TomTom was a company still show up on their maps.

cdebro wrote:This unit suffers from a poorly designed mount as do other models using the same design. The mount EASILY becomes disengaged from the GPS unit.

Incorrect info. I have found this to be quite opposite. The suction cup is not good at all, but the mount is FIRMLY affixed to the GPS itself and is not the easiest thing to remove. I use the mount as a stand/base for my car so all I do is pickup the whole thing, avoiding the bad suction cub attachment.

I've had this unit about a year and would rate it as just average. The mount, however, is a piece of crap. Lasted less than six months and TomTom wouldn't cover it.

Tom Tom XL
I got mine from Woot back over 12 months ago and rather enjoy it's functions.
There are Pluses and Minuses for ALL GPS's. I enjoy my Tom Tom!
Never had a Garmin, so I can't say, good or not to the Garmin's abilities.
Granted Lifetime maps is a plus, which I didn't get although, I had bought in for 18 mos. at $49.
The Life Time Traffic feature would be a good one to have.
Relocating from a Missed turn, Street or Freeway, YES can take about 8 seconds to Reroute.
The Windshield Mount problem with others, I don't have. I make sure I have a CLEAN FLAT SURFACE on the Glass, I Turn Out Ridged Edge Wheel-LEFT on the mount to release the suction, pinpoint my desired spot on the windshield, attach suction cup part, then RIGHT turn Ridged Edge Wheel-Clockwise and Secure Down, DONE! Has held for months without a problem!
Adjusting The Tom Tom on Mount-
Hold on to the Ring part of the Mount and the GPS unit Together...Not just the GPS itself!
The Computer Voices are what I use to get the FULL Description Direction.
Keep On Discovering!

diamonddog1111 wrote:You need an internet connection for GPS to work with a smartphone. Not everywhere is there 3/4G.

This is 100% inaccurate. Back when smartphones were just coming around, maybe. But like I mentioned before, phones now have true GPS. They don't use triangulation. Also, the better apps download the maps. My wife's apparently is over 1.5GB because the makers of the apparently know (shockingly) that it would suck to lose direction just because you went into an area without cell reception.

A standalone GPS, for someone with a modern smartphone, is an incredible waste of money made by those uniformed of the technology and current Apps.

ryedunn wrote:Ive been waiting for someone to mention this, Where do these people live that require new maps every year?

Mpls/St. Paul is constantly changing. And the worst "offenders" are tiny little streets with dozens of townhomes that don't follow local naming schemes. They pop up overnight, it seems. And no, unlike a poster said earlier, common sense doesn't always help you find streets. That was the craziest comment I could imagine about a map.

But I think the difference is usage. Some people seem to get these to use 3-5 times a year to go to some place they've never been or a road trip. Those people don't need anything at all. Get a free map from your auto club or directions from a friend, whatever. Others use a gps for work, and need it every day. These people NEED up-to-date maps. What if you deliver pizzas or whatever and you have to go to one of those new neighborhoods? People live there, you know.

It is ridiculous that people think having a map that is WRONG is ok. What on earth is even the point of such a thing?

rolledsho wrote:Why does everyone keep saying it doesn't have lifetime map updates when it says exactly that it does in the description?

I don't see it.

stevestojan wrote:This is 100% inaccurate.

100% would imply that ALL gps apps have downloaded maps. Which is not correct. I think you have a misunderstanding of the definition of "100%".

ThunderThighs wrote:

It’s almost time for another round of Woot! Clue! to guess the next product up for sale.

Tonight’s game is over at WINE



Be there at 11pm CDT. It's a fast game so if you're late, you could miss the entire thing!

for anyone who loves playing WOOT CLUE, write to Thunderthighs's boss @gatzby and tell him we want WOOT CLUE to come back so we can play and win prizes!
here is a sample form letter you can PM to him to speak your mind!
his PM:
http://www.woot.com/forums/AddPost.aspx?ForumID=0&UserID=275268
-----------------------------------------------------
Dear Gatzby,
We love playing WOOT CLUE with Thunderthighs. It's a lot of fun and it also makes me stick around and be more active than usual.
Please bring back the WOOT CLUE game with Thunderthighs and her fabulous prizes. I promise to tell at least one other person about the game.
Thank you,
[insert your username here]
-----------------------------------------------------

A lot of roads have changed in my region so I wouldn't break down on this model unless it had lifetime maps. It wouldn't be a big deal to purchase an updated map if they weren't so darn expensive.

HEY everyone, check out the WOOT CLUE game held by woot staffers:

http://wine.woot.com/Forums/ViewPost.aspx?PostID=4932203

you can win stuff, plus know what the next day's item will be

not a fan of woot clue.

Splicer1 wrote:Incorrect info. I have found this to be quite opposite. The suction cup is not good at all, but the mount is FIRMLY affixed to the GPS itself and is not the easiest thing to remove. I use the mount as a stand/base for my car so all I do is pickup the whole thing, avoiding the bad suction cub attachment.

No, it is not my information that is incorrect but your interpretation.

My experience has shown that the mount is not designed well. My opinion is backed by an email response from TomTom support as well as posts on forums in which people complain of the same problem.

So sorry to hear that your suction cup is giving you problems. Wait, mine does not have that issue so yours could not possibly have that issue. Shame on you for providing incorrect information.

Arrived today. Quite pleased with it so far.

ankro wrote:Arrived today. Quite pleased with it so far.

Still waiting for mine, tracking info says it shipped from Hawaii to California... then went back to Hawaii.

I am in California and was expecting it days ago.

I bought mine on March 28. It has worked great -- until today when I found it unresponsive. Hooking it up with the charger doesn't help. Has anyone else had this problem?