Go 920 vs Streetpilot c550 Review: 1st Trip Brooklyn, NY -> Burlington, VT

After much deliberation I finally got the TomTom Go 920 w/ the Dell deal and here is my review. I put the TT Go 920 up against my buddy's Garmin Streetpilot c550. My TT has software v7.220 with the 700maps.

Go 920 and its features I love...

-The remote makes using the unit about 100% easier when having to do stuff on the road.
-POI's near my current location (Not on the garmin, as far as mu buddy could tell.)
-Smoothness of the tracking on the maps.
-Horizon view shows an extremely accurate view of the roads coming up.
-Rock solid window mount
-Auto night mode
-Super fast (re)routing
-Great speaker
-Notify me when certain category of POIs are coming up.
(I downloaded a POI list of all brewery's in the world and threw it on and set a warning for Homer Simpsons "mmm, Beer" to play. However I would love to be able to tap the POI icon as it comes up in the map or in the right hand corner when it blinks and have it give me the information about that POI. Not details, but just the name of it. If I want to see it I have to go to menu > POIs near me > and then (in my case) click the brewpub category.

Things the Garmin did way better than the TomTom...

-TTS on the Garmin was much better than that of the TomTom. (I tried both Kate and Susan) Example... when on I-91 the TT would pronounce it nah-eee-n-tee-one. When approaching any bridges the TT would say Brooklyn Branch or Triboro Branch instead of bridge. Come on now. Also theGarmin would read to you the POIs name to you upon reaching it.
-Actual directions. The Garmin would warn your earlier about when to get over to the exit and actually say the exit number to get off. "Exit ramp at Exit 14 (exit name)" opposed to TT's "14 (exit name)"
-Tell you which side of the street your destination is on.
-The Garmin would actually warn you when your battery was getting low, the TT just stops and shows the battery low screen.
-When waiting at light with the road we are supposed to turn on in front of us leaving a shopping center the TT would tell me I was already on the street I should be on, where the Garmin would show us perpendicular to the road we were supposed to turn on.
-Sign notifications were easier to read. The Garmin would show you your next move prominently on the screen I-89 to I-91

Other things I noticed about the TT

When trying to route from Burlington to Smugglers Notch (our ski resort of choice) the TomTom tried to take us on a road that is closed during the winter months do to snow. I tried to mark the road as closed but it told me it could not. I presume this was because we were driving on the road for a good 20 miles already and couldn't just mark a section of it closed to upload to mapshare.

I just couldnt get my Blackberry 8700 to pair up for data on the TomTom, no matter how many settings I have tried. Handsfree pairing was a breeze though.

Now for a weird anomaly which I am not sure if other TT users have reported. I noticed that if I had my TT unplugged and about 5 minutes before the low battery screen would come on, you would start hearing weird cracking sounds coming from the speaker. Almost like there was an electrical short. Like the sound of unplugging one end of a speaker cable from the source and touching it to metal. Normal? I don't think so...

Some other notes I wanted to make that I did not include in my original review.

-The Garmin screen was noticeably more visible when in direct sunlight when compared to the TomTom which was slightly washed out.
-Love that the TomTom interfaces w/ Google Maps for sending favorites directly to your GPS.
-There were many text formatting issues that were flat out wrong. Example: State abbreviations were not capitalized properly, NY was shown as Ny.
-The POI database has formatting issues as well. I went to my favorite college bar "Side Street Grille" in Hamden, CT but the POIDB in the TT spells it as "Side street grille" Why does it only capitalize the first letter of a string of text.
- There was one instance where the TT wanted to take me off the highway an exit early to add 10 minutes onto my trip when the next exit was across the street from my friends apartment.
- I cannot shake the fact that the unit pronounces Brooklyn Br, George Washington Br, etc as Brooklyn "Branch" and George Washington "Branch" makes me wonder if TT ever uses/tests their own devices out in the field or they just wait for people like us to review them.

For those still undecided because of the screen like I was...
If you think you wont like the TomTom maps because it doesn't anti-alias like the Garmin does and its maps have less detail, DO NOT worry. I got annoyed by the extra roads at times the Garmin would display. (You can always reduce the level of detail on the Garmin though.) Surprisingly I like the map view on the TomTom much better than Garmin's. Don't let the screen be a deal breaker.

How about this...t he TT actually tried to pronounce "Franklin Deleno Roosevelt Drive" Talk about choking, I guess for a computer it wasn't half bad. The voice just seems like its in a hurry to finish talking. When getting onto the FDR is actually pronounced it "F-D-R" (slightly underwater sounding)

The TomTom said fourty-two street instead on fourty-second street and the map had me turning onto 39th St, however the voice told me to turn on 49th St. Very bizarre.


Note* The Navigon 7100 pronounced it Brooklyn "Branch" as well instead of Bridge.

beatmix01 said:

Now for a weird anomaly which I am not sure if other TT users have reported. I noticed that if I had my TT unplugged and about 5 minutes before the low battery screen would come on, you would start hearing weird cracking sounds coming from the speaker. Almost like there was an electrical short. Like the sound of unplugging one end of a speaker cable from the source and touching it to metal. Normal? I don't think so...

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Funny you should mention that. I was out last night and my 920 ran out of battery for the first time for me. I also noticed that about 5 minutes before it went dead I was getting the wierd cracking/buzzing sounds. Maybe that's TomToms method of letting us know that the battery is about to go.

Thanks for an informative review.

Continental Drifter said:

Funny you should mention that. I was out last night and my 920 ran out of battery for the first time for me. I also noticed that about 5 minutes before it went dead I was getting the wierd cracking/buzzing sounds. Maybe that's TomToms method of letting us know that the battery is about to go.

Thanks for an informative review.

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If it is, which I hope it ISN'T, they really need to maybe have a nice little pop-up saying, "Hey dummy, plug in your GPS if you want to know how to get to your destination."

Maybe there is a way to record your own sound reminding you to plug it in when the battery gets to a certain point.... hmmm.

Things the Garmin did way better than the TomTom...

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Certainly not in Routing and re-routing.
Learn to use the Navigation Arrow in the Status Bar, you'll find out why.
Depending on Voice only guidance sometimes you'll miss turns, especially when street spacing is very narrow. Your report are full of prejudices and ignorances from a person who doesn't know enough about TomTom.

lec510 said:

Certainly not in Routing and re-routing.
Learn to use the Navigation Arrow in the Status Bar, you'll find out why.
Depending on Voice only guidance sometimes you'll miss turns, especially when street spacing is very narrow. Your report are full of prejudices and ignorances from a person who doesn't know enough about TomTom.

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Wow, pretty harsh bud. I didn't the "obvious prejudice" you mention.
His report seemed honest and a representation of what he found, irrespective of whether he is a long-time TT user or not.

lec510 said:

Certainly not in Routing and re-routing.
Learn to use the Navigation Arrow in the Status Bar, you'll find out why.
Depending on Voice only guidance sometimes you'll miss turns, especially when street spacing is very narrow. Your report are full of prejudices and ignorances from a person who doesn't know enough about TomTom.

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Wow, message boards are supposed to a community, not a place to berate other users opinions and findings. Continue to treat fellow members this way and I am sure people will grow to love you...

My review was written as I found my experience to be. Maybe I don't know every little feature of the TomTom, but I am sure there are plenty of things I know more about than you, however I would never make accusations.

beatmix01 said:

Wow, message boards are supposed to a community, not a place to berate other users opinions and findings. Continue to treat fellow members this way and I am sure people will grow to love you...

My review was written as I found my experience to be. Maybe I don't know every little feature of the TomTom, but I am sure there are plenty of things I know more about than you, however I would never make accusations.

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You are correct in your opinion of what this message board should be. Unfortunately, there are a few users that adopt a 'holier than thou' attitide with their patronizing messages. You just ran into one.

He criticized TT's TTS. TT's TTS is the best in the business.
I saw lot of posts about that, even Garmin users admit that TT's TTS quality is better.
As for the way it's announced, not the American way to his liking, tough - unless TT choose to supply to version of softwares, one for America, and one for Europe.

lec510 said:

He criticized TT's TTS. TT's TTS is the best in the business.
I saw lot of posts about that, even Garmin users admit that TT's TTS quality is better.
As for the way it's announced, not the American way to his liking, tough - unless TT choose to supply to version of softwares, one for America, and one for Europe.

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You see, he expressed an **opinion** and is entitled to do so without someone jumping down his throat the way your reply sounded. You are entitled to your opinion when you say TT's TTS is the best in the business; I have seen other users comment that they like Garmin's implementation better.

If we can't express opinions in this forum and in the multiple threads without the fear of others castigating us, then the user level will drop off rapidly and, hence, the value to all of us of these forums.

On the other hand, there is a difference between fact and opinion. If someone mistates a purported fact, then correctly, he or she SHOULD be called on it. But, even then, there is a proper way and a way that is not too valuable (if anyone remembers the old Saturday Nite Live with Dan Ackroyd and Jane Curtain then you'll know what I mean when Dan would say"Jane, you ignorant ---- )). See, that way ain't cool.

Just my 2 cents, is all.

dhn said:

You see, he expressed an **opinion** and is entitled to do so without someone jumping down his throat the way your reply sounded. You are entitled to your opinion when you say TT's TTS is the best in the business; I have seen other users comment that they like Garmin's implementation better.

If we can't express opinions in this forum and in the multiple threads without the fear of others castigating us, then the user level will drop off rapidly and, hence, the value to all of us of these forums.

On the other hand, there is a difference between fact and opinion. If someone mistates a purported fact, then correctly, he or she SHOULD be called on it. But, even then, there is a proper way and a way that is not too valuable (if anyone remembers the old Saturday Nite Live with Dan Ackroyd and Jane Curtain then you'll know what I mean when Dan would say"Jane, you ignorant ---- )). See, that way ain't cool.

Just my 2 cents, is all.

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Thank you dhn... though I would home the forums mods would warn users on this type of behavior. That is at their discretion.

He's trolling.
I saw his post over another forum.

Continental Drifter said:

Funny you should mention that. I was out last night and my 920 ran out of battery for the first time for me. I also noticed that about 5 minutes before it went dead I was getting the wierd cracking/buzzing sounds. Maybe that's TomToms method of letting us know that the battery is about to go.

Thanks for an informative review.

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I spoke w/ TomTom support today about this crackling issue and they said it definitely sounds like a defective unit. I will returning mine to Dell and hopefully get another unit that doesn't have the problem.

This is a family community.
Let's respect each other opinion.
I hope exchanging the unit helps solve this problem.

After using a Garmin StreetPilot c550 for 14 months, I am now a TomTom Go 920T owner (as of 5 days ago). My primary reason for seeking an alternative was Garmin's guidance, or lack thereof.

In too many instances with the Garmin, there is absolutely no indication that a maneuver is required to stay on the route. Conversely, there are also too many instances where a maneuver is indicated, but unnecessary. I'm not expecting lane-specific guidance - just tell me when I need to keep left or right, and SHUT UP when I can just continue straight. Sure, I can resolve this my looking at the map display, but if I liked frequently looking at maps while driving I wouldn't have bought a GPS in the first place.

TomTom seems to do a much better job with regard to guidance. I have tested it on quite a few of the routes where I had a problem with Garmin, and TomTom did much better. Not perfect mind you, but MUCH better.

Personally I prefer Garmin's TTS, but this is based on telatively little experience with the TomTom.

There may be other things that I end up preferring on the Garmin too, but to me, Garmin's seriously flawed guidance is a deal breaker, so any preference I have for their other features wouldn't sway me.

I say all this knowing that I'm still in the honeymoon phase with TomTom, and realize that the honeymoon will eventually be over.

Just my 2 cents.