TomTom GPS Systems

TomTom GPS systems work straight out of the box.

The GPS industry has seen worldwide competition from the time global positioning technology was still new and exclusive to the military.

Among the top competitors is the Netherlands-based company TomTom and they have been using similar technologies that are applied in the latest digital media devices to make GPS a more widely accepted standard for drivers and travelers to use.

The biggest challenge that TomTom and its competitors had to face was creating affordable devices that were easy for first-timers to use and travelers to rely on. Since a single device cannot cater to both major groups, TomTom had to make different product line-ups each consisting of various models with different features.

TomTom Product Lines

TomTom first began their approach to the mainstream market by introducing the TomTom GO devices back in 2005 and they started off being sized at 3.5 inches with SD and MMC card support. Common features of the GO devices include a touch screen interface, a built-in speaker, a USB port for transferring map data and other files, and a lithium ion battery that allows the device to run on its own for an average of 1.5 to 2 hours (battery life has been improved).

Although the first model had few features, all of the GO models currently have a 400 MHz processor, Bluetooth support, an mp3 player, and the ability to take voice inputs. Overall, TomTom GO models are designed as multi-function devices for frequent drivers.

To make their products more accessible to audiences that have a tight budget, TomTom ONE devices were introduced shortly after posing as “stripped-down” versions of the GO family.

All of the ONE devices have slightly over half the processing power which leads to a light impact on performance and reduced functionality with lack of mp3 and voice input support.

Newer models lose Bluetooth functionality, but retain the USB support and bear the same simple interface as the GO. Many of the route planning functions are retained making this line-up just as useful for drivers to navigate easily and safely, but without the extra bells and whistles.

There are also XL versions of the ONE models which are 4.3-inch widescreen versions that bear visual similarities to the modern GO devices.

Although these devices can be used while driving or walking, motorcyclists cannot put these to full use since they normally mount to windshields. However, TomTom RIDER devices are provided to exclusively meet the demands of these drivers and bear a similar feature set to the GO devices making them just as powerful although they are a bit compact and more expensive.

TomTom has also spread their presence to other devices including PDAs, cellular phones, and smartphones through their special TomTom NAVIGATOR software that gives touch-screen devices GPS routing capabilities.

TomTom continues to rollout new products to make a statement that all drivers should have TomTom GPS Systems on their dashboard for people to reach their destinations quicker and safer.

TomTom GPS systems are becoming more accurate, easier to use, and have more defined maps that drivers can rely on whether they are in their local area or in a new city or town.

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