![]() You wouldn’t know it from the image above, but this is the exit for TN Highway 91. Picky reviewer that I am, I do have some complaints. I like the fact that the green arrow flashes, drawing your attention to the proper lane (see below).Perhaps Garmin is better in New England and TomTom better in the southeast! Note though, that as at least one other reviewer has reported just the opposite. TomTom’s Advanced Lane Guidance (ALG) coverage, in my experience, is more extensive than Garmin’s.It may help to think about it this way… the fields on the left are about current conditions, in the center is your next turn, while the fields on the right are related to your destination. There is a lot of data on the map screen, and it can certainly be confusing. Tap this field to see a route summary or to change your route. The lower right field provides information relative to your destination – estimated time of arrival, distance to destination and time to destination. Tap this field to switch between 2D and 3D map views. In the center is the distance to, and maneuver at, your next turn. While that’s not an intuitive placement, once you do it, I doubt that you’ll forget how. Note that you can tap this area to adjust the volume. Current time and direction of travel are also shown. While speed limit coverage seems more limited than that offered by Garmin, posted speed limits tended to be more accurate on the TomTom in my experience. On the lower left you’ll see your current speed (and speed limit where available) this field turns red if you exceed the speed limit by more than 5 MPH. Lets take the three boxes at the bottom of the screen one at a time. The XXL 550TM shows the next turn at the top of the screen, as you can see below. While the XXL 550TM doesn’t have the options of more advanced units, as you can see below, several are still available. There’s no Bluetooth capability on the XXL 550 series, so don’t expect to be able to make a call from the unit however, you can easily access phone numbers for, and directions to, the nearest police station, fire station, hospital, repair shop, etc. The Help screen produces a map and details of your current location, along with options to drive to or call for help, as shown below. Going back to the row of options on the bottom of the main screen, most are self-explanatory, but a couple merit further discussion… Once you select Plan Route, you’ll be given the options shown below. The main screen, shown below, has two primary options (Plan Route and Browse Map), along with five additional icons at the bottom of the screen (mute sound, day/night, help, options and done). ![]() Quite a few options are missing, but most of the basics are there. The interface is much simpler than most TomTom units. ![]() UPDATE: TomTom recently added more features to the XXL 550 series via a firmware update. Portions of the following were adapted from recent hands on TomTom reviews on GPS Tracklog. The XL 350 series (Amazon) is identical to the XXL 550 models, except that it has a 4.3” screen Additionally, you can access user manuals and other support material directly from MyDrive Connect if you ever require assistance.The TomTom XXL 540TM is similar, except that it gives up the EasyMenu interface and has a few more features and customization options this despite the lower product number! The manufacturer recommends that you run the application regularly, as several updates are released every week. Note that it also needs to be turned on for the software to establish a connection. You will have access to the latest maps and regular software updates, and you will also be able to renew your services whenever necessary.Īfter installing the program on your computer, you will need to log in to your account and connect your navigation device via USB. The application is designed to simplify the process of updating your TomTom device and managing it. If you want to make sure you are always using the latest iterations, TomTom MyDrive Connect should prove useful. TomTom GPS navigation devices are some of the most popular in the world, with the company also producing the required maps and software. Using old maps is not advised, and software issues could cause you to get lost at the worst possible time. It is important to keep any device up-to-date, and this is especially true for navigation devices that get you where you need to be.
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