Go 825

[del5]

I received my new GO Live 825 yesterday!

What can I say - it's a load of cr*p.

I'm upgrading from GO 710 that I've used for several years and having had a good look at the 825, I am very disappointed. There are facilities that are no longer available and some of the physical design changes are atrocious. The list is too long to give here, but as a flavour:

Windscreen mount is absolutely awful. I used to keep the windscreen dock attached to the car permanently with the power cord also permanently attached to the dock. I now have to fiddle around with the suction cup AND the power cable every time I mount/dismount the device.

On/off switch on the back is extremely awkward compared to the 710 on the top of the device.

Can’t select max speed. I tow a large caravan and used to set my max speed at 55mph. I cannot seem to do this now, which means all ETA’s will be very inaccurate.

Compass – no longer available.

SD Card – although promised to be operational by summer 2011, is still not usable.

Auto switch on. The 710 switched on automatically when connected to the power source the 825 does not.

Have to switch TWICE from alpha to numeric screens just to enter a UK postcode.

Have to select a country first before pinpointing a location on the Continent.

.......and many more - and this is without using the device in the car!!

Of course, I had tremendous difficulty in upgrading to the latest software/maps - the system originally said the device was up-to-date, but it had maps v865 loaded and I knew from this forum that v880 is the latest. Incidentally, TT is trialling a new chat interface with CS - I got lucky and chatted with the lovely Sarah who managed eventually to get the system working. Still took 6+ hours as it kept falling over and having to start from scratch.

One major problem is that when trying to pinpoint a point on the map, it selects a point 5mm away from where I touch the screen - I'm using a bluntish pencil as a wand so can be quite accurate where I am pointing. Is this a hardware problem??

I perused this and TTs forum before deciding, and still went ahead with the purchase

So where do I go from here? I have tried and don't like Garmin or Navman, and I understand the TT 1005 is the same as the 825 apart from the newer screen. Pity I can't just fit a new larger screen to the 710!!

Del (UK based)

 

[Andy_P]

Our sympathies, but all these limitations in new models HAVE been discussed here and in the other SatNav forums at great length!

Some of your hardware issues (windscreen mount, power switch) would be cured by swapping to a Go1000/1005 model, but you get no SD card slot with those. New widescreen Go models with SD slot are now or almost available, but haven't been released in the UK yet.. Also, after so long with the Go910, you might find the new multi-touch capacitive screens hard to use (I certainly do)



Auto switch on is on it's way back in new software, but there has been no news on a return for limited speed route planning, the compass, alpha-numeric keyboard layout and especially itinerary planning.
Selecting a country first has been with us for years now.

As you also have the screen calibration issue, I'd take it straight back anyway.
If you are desperate for a 5" screen, I don't know if the XXL is still available, but that might be worth a look.

 

[del5]

Thanks for the response Andy.

I appreciate that some of my points have been discussed here and elsewhere, but if you considered all these and the negative reviews on places like Amazon, you'd never buy ANY device from ANY supplier. I chose the 825 as potentially the better of a poor bunch. I realise now I should have looked more closely at your excellent comparison of models spreadsheet - having looked at it again there is more info on there than I thought!!

I have already come to the same conclusion as you re the XXL This was originally my first choice anyway, but I rejected it for it's memeory limitations and it's age. On mature reflection, I cannot see me wanting to travel from the UK to Slovakia (or wherever), so as long as I can get the UK, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany on one map, I will be OK, although it goes against the grain to buy something that has already effectively been replaced.

HD traffic I can do without - I'm retired and really do most of my travelling March - September, and with it's limitations, it becomes an expensive white elephant.

Thanks again to you and all other contributors to this forum. I'm now going to sign on to Amazon for a return label!!

Del

 

[del5]

Just an update.

Sent the 825 back and have just received a new(?) XXL. Pity I didn't go for this in the first instance, as it's got everything I had before apart from auto power on.

Physically (compared to the 825), I find the mount is better - at least the suction cup can be left attached, and the on/off switch at the top is more accessible.

Your models comparison spreadsheet needs a couple of updates - apols - I remember seeing a link to post these but can't find it now.

I borrowed a friends XL live, so can comment on that too.

XL and XXL both have compass, and favorites.

Vehicle restrictions - I realise your spreadsheet does not have a specific category for this, but max speed can set on both.

I could also fill in some blanks on the go 710 listing (in discontinued models) - would this be useful?

Hope this helps, and I am a much happier bunny now!!

Del

 

[Andy_P]

It's moderator "mvl's" baby, but I'm sure he would love to have any additions and corrections you can offer.

And I agree, I think a row for "Limited/max speed routing" would be a great addition (That's more important to a lot of people than some of the things that ARE listed IMHO).
To be honest, I thought it was there already, but I can't see it there now.