TomTom 720
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Written by Kate on January 6, 2009 – 3:51 pm
The TomTom 720 is LOADED with features. Everything from Traffic, Bluetooth, personalization, Mapshare, and even Ipod connectivity. Plus, getting started is easy: 1st step, buy the TomTom 720. 2nd step, take it out of the box. 3rd step, bring it to your car. 4th step, plug it into your cigarette lighter and mount it on your dashboard. 5th step, turn on your car and pick your destination on your GPS. That easy. No special installation required, it is ready to go right away! If there is any feature you do not understand how to use right away, you can take tours on your TomTom 720 of everything available for you to use.
Features
Bluetooth® technology connects your TomTom 720 to your cell phone, so when you have a phone call, you can answer it through your GPS. You can talk on your phone through the GPS, so that you do not ever have to touch your phone while driving. Also, when you get text messages, you can elect to have your TomTom read your text messages back to you. Rather than trying to read while you drive, your TomTom 720 has a great new feature where it will say out loud street names, POIs, whatever you choose from your GPS so that you do not have to read it on your screen. And you can customize what is read out loud to avoid too much talking from your GPS. Your options are:
- Read aloud street names.
- Read aloud foreign street names.
- Read aloud road numbers.
- Read aloud incoming messages.
- Read aloud traffic warnings.
- Read aloud weather information.
- Read aloud POI warnings.
TomTom has a distinctive feature in all of its automotive GPS product lines, and that is the TomTom Mapshare Technology. The exciting news about this unique feature is that it is very adaptable to changes in roads and locations.
How so?
The Mapshare technology not only allows you to download the most recently updated maps online from the TomTom website. It also allows you to make changes on your TomTom as you are driving around. The changes are then saved, and that information is uploaded to the TomTom server so that others can see those changes and you can see other people’s changes. For example…you are driving along to a hot new restaurant in your town, and the TomTom tells you to turn right on Bug Street, but Bug Street is closed! So you make the changes on your TomTom, and the TomTom 720 automatically reroutes you to the restaurant. Later you upload the changes to the TomTom website, and now everyone else knows that Bug Street is closed. Voila! Most updated maps out there!
When I first saw the Help me! feature, I thought it was like a ‘Help’ feature in Microsoft Office or other software program, meaning you click on it when you are having trouble with the program. In reality it is a safety function for the GPS user. Basically, if you get stuck somewhere (maybe you are lost, blow a tire, even run out of gas) this feature is the one for you. In a time of distress, first the Help Me! feature gives you the choice of showing the nearest hospital, Tow Truck company, gas station, police station, whatever it may be. When you make your choice, it gives you the address and the phone number of the location, so you can call for help or find what you need in your crisis. So, whatever trouble comes your way while driving, the Help Me! feature is a great way to get you out of it. If you want to know ahead of time about traffic on your route, you can purchase an RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver that is compatible to the TomTom 720. It prepares you for any delays in your timing for going somewhere. Let’s say you are on your way to your son’s soccer game and you left with just enough time from work so that you can get to the game on time. You are driving along and an accident holds you up so you are 30 minutes late for the game and you miss your son’s first goal. If you have a RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver with your TomTom 720, you would know about the traffic on that road ahead of time and therefore you would indicate on your GPS a change so that you automatically reroute and you make it so see your son kick his first goal. Whatever your situation might be, this feature helps you in ways you don’t know ahead of time.
The feature TomTom Home is software that connects your TomTom 720 to the TomTom website so that you can download the most updated maps, access free content, and download any POIs you want to add, if its McDonalds or Target. You can also download celebrity voices to speak your directions! (Recently they added Kim Cattral who plays Samantha from Sex and the City…Awesome!)
TomTom 720 comes with an MP3 player and earphone connectors, so if you would like, you can take your GPS with you and listen to your favorite music! If you want to listen to your music in the car, the TomTom 720 has a built in FM transmitter that will transfer your MP3s to your car speakers. You can even record your own directions…for example, you can record your daughter giving directions so that you are always reminded of her when you are on the road.
Personal icons are also available to download for you to continue to customize your TomTom 720. Pictures can be uploaded to your TomTom 720 and viewed whenever you like, and also documents, such as travel guides. If you have pictures on your cell phone that you want to put on your GPS, or it’s the other way around, you can do that through the Bluetooth technology on both your phone and TomTom 720. If that is not enough extras, you can also access current weather and add friends, who have a TomTom GPS, to your GPS. That way, if you are driving around and a friend is driving nearby, you will know, and it is just another way the TomTom 720 is a lot more than just a GPS.
Cons of the TomTom 720
Sluggish when it comes to rerouting, the TomTom 720 does not like it when you miss a turn. It usually wants you to Uturn rather than figure out a new route from your current location. Cancelling a route has to be added manually to your main screen because it is hidden by default, but it is an option. Traffic, weather, safety cameras, and QuickGPSFix are not available if you do not have a Bluetooth enabled phone, which could be annoying.
Pros of the TomTom 720
The FM Transmitter works so well that it is stronger than radio stations through your speakers. This is incredibly helpful if you want to use the Bluetooth, traffic alerts, and/or the MP3 player features that broadcast through your car speakers. The maps are AMAZING and up to date because of TomTom Mapshare. The final Pro, besides all of the amazing options with the TomTom 720, is that it does not take FOREVER to start up! It drives me nuts when I am using a GPS and I need to get somewhere fast…because I am running late…and the GPS takes 5 minutes to start up, delaying me more! This is not a problem with the TomTom 720.
What do you think? Agree or disagree? Any questions? Leave a comment!
| TomTom 720 | |
| Physical & Performance | |
| Unit dimensions, WxHxD: | 4.65 x 3.27 x 0.94 |
| Display size, WxH: | 4.3″ widescreen |
| Display resolution, WxH: | 480*272 pixels |
| Weight: | 7.75 oz. |
| Battery life: | Up to 5 hours operation |
| Waterproof: | no |
| High-sensitivity receiver: | Yes |
| Maps & Memory | |
| Basemap: | Yes |
| Preloaded maps: | Yes |
| Ability to add maps: | Yes |
| Built-in memory: | 2GB internal flash memory |
| Accepts data cards: | SD™ card (not included) |
| Features | |
| Voice prompts (e.g. Turn right in 500 ft.): | Yes (internal speaker) |
| Speaks street names (e.g. Turn right ON ELM STREET in 500 ft.): | Yes |
| Speech recognition (navigate with voice commands): | No |
| 3-D map view: | Yes |
| 3-D building view (displays buildings in 3-D): | No |
| Auto re-route (fast off-route and detour recalculation): | Yes |
| Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road): | Yes |
| Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls etc.): | Yes |
| Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest): | Yes |
| Hands-free calling with Bluetooth® wireless technology: | Yes |
| FM traffic compatible: | Yes |
| XM® Navtraffic (includes basic weather) & Radio for U.S. compatible: | No |
| TomTom Mapshare compatible: | Yes |
| Help Me! (find closest hospitals, police & gas stations, nearest address & intersection) | Yes |
| MP3 player: | Yes |
| Audio book player: | Yes |
| Document Viewer | Yes |
| Picture Viewer: | Yes |
| World travel clock, currency & unit converter, calculator: | Yes |
| Touchscreen: | Yes |
| Qwerty or ABC keyboard (choose keyboard layout): | Yes |
| Remote control: | Yes |
| FM transmitter: | Yes |
