TomTom GO-920 is the latest GPS watch from TomTom, the market leader in navigation. It is a successor to previous versions of TomTom watches and offers many new features, including live tracking and route planning.
Introduction to the New TomTom GO 920 & 920T
The GO 920 features an extra-large 4.3 inch LCD with glare protection from the touchscreen for easy viewing even in direct sunlight. Practical and clear visual instructions come with high-quality 3D graphics, while spoken instructions tell you where to go in your language. For convenience, text-to-speech functionality provides you with real street names—the built-in FM transmitter for playing music and navigation instructions via the car radio.
The TomTom GO 920 is the best portable GPS navigator the company has out right now. It was just released at the end of September, so there is a good chance it will be sitting around the top for years to come. Some people might even call this device revolutionary with all the features it packs, like a “Help Me” safety button that can help you find a hospital or contact the police(as long as you’re putting the Bluetooth technology to use)
I’ve tried to put the best picture of the device together that I could without actually reviewing it. Another review will be coming when it is finally released, hopefully in the next few weeks, so check back soon, or you can preorder yours today. I’ve preordered from Amazon.com; I’m finding they have the lowest prices on most of the GPS equipment I’ve purchased.
The TomTom GO 920 GPS portable navigation device will come with a suction mount, a car charger, a USB cord, and the software CD with a manual also on it. You will be able to order a home charger, a cable to connect your iPod, and some choices of carrying cases separately from the unit. There is also an RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver that you can purchase, but it comes standard in the GO 920T, which would be cheaper. The home charger is a nice add-on for traveling, but you should know that the desk dock to connect the unit to your computer will also charge the battery.
- TomTom is the world’s largest supplier of
- 4Gb Portable Navigation Solutions Internal Flash, 4.3-inch Color LCD Display,
- Precharged Maps of the United States, Canada, and Europe
- Bluetooth TeleAtlas for Hands-free Calling, PLUS Services, and Audio Output Internal
- Rechargeable Lithium Polymer Battery 5 Hour
The Design of the GO920/920T
The 920 is much slimmer than the old 910 was. It measures only 3.3 inches by 4.6 inches and is 0.9 inches deep. It would easily fit into your pocket or purse, and weighing only 7.8 ounces; it would probably weigh less than your wallet. It packs in a pretty big 4.3″ widescreen for such a small device and has a Lithium Polymer battery that can last around 5 hours before needing to be charged. It also has 4 GB internal flash memory that stores your maps of Canada, the USA, Guam, and Europe, along with the POIs.
Users can also use GPS to hold whatever they want. You can transfer files from your computer via the USB cord or load things like mp3’s or maps from an SD card. Like the 910, the GO 920 will come with remote control, and like the 720, there will be a microphone for things like recording your voice for directions and a speaker to play your voice directions, mp3’s, and phone calls. Built right into the device is an FM transmitter, so if you’d prefer, you can play all sounds through your car audio instead of the built-in speaker on the device.
Navigation & Core Function of the TomTom 920
While you navigate your route, the TomTom GO 920 will be giving you your directions in three ways. It will speak the direction and distance to the next turn and then the street name in one of twenty-two available languages in the voice you chose. If you don’t like any voice options and can’t find one to download, you can always take some time and record them all yourself.
It will also give you written text on the screen telling you pretty much the same thing as the voice; it will provide you with the distance to the next turn, its direction, and the street name. The last way is to show you the 2D or 3D map with your car and the route highlighted with an arrow pointing around the next turn. While the last two are pretty standard, the voice directions are a bit ahead of the pack, with the highly customizable voice, text-to-speech, and FM transmitter playing through your car speakers.
While you are driving, your map screen showing you where you are going will have a fair amount of information. With your route being highlighted and the next turn having an arrow around it, you will see any POIs in the area shown by a symbol for the type of point it is. At the top of the screen, there are + and – buttons to zoom the map in and out.
There’s a music button at the side of the screen if you’re using the mp3 player to access it. The name of your current street and the name of the road you’ll be turning shown. Information like your estimated time of arrival, current speed, and distance to destination are all displayed.
With the GO 920, you will never again have to worry about losing your satellite fix and having your device rendered utterly useless. TomTom has started using a new technology called enhanced positioning. It uses movement and gravity sensors to calculate your position when your signal is lost.
Read More: TomTom Go 520 Review
A look at Third-Party & unit Features
There are tons of really cool features that they have packed into the TomTom GO 920. Even celebrity voices to choose from, like Dennis Hopper, Curt Schilling, and Gary Busey. If you are unhappy with the person’s voice giving you directions, you can use the TomTom HOME software (more on that later) to download new ones.
If you still can’t find one you like, you can record your voice. Are you going on a long trip without your wife? It could be like she was right there beside you having her nagging voice tell you where to go. The Users can also use the microphone to input where they want to go. That’s right, you say the city, street name, and address number, and the device will calculate your route. You are no more punching it into the onscreen keyboard.
The text-to-speech speaks the names of streets and the names of POI’s and traffic alerts, plus SMS messages if you are using Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth is a way of wirelessly linking devices together. The remote that comes with the GO 920 uses Bluetooth to connect. If your phone has Bluetooth capabilities, it will also connect to the device, and you can use it to make and accept calls or messages.
One of my favorite new features TomTom has come out with is their Map Share and TomTom HOME software. Map Share is software that will allow you to make corrections to the map and add your own POI’s. This information is shared with all TomTom users, so everybody always has the most up-to-date maps.
TomTom HOME allows you to automatically update your software and services for free, buy additional maps, download other voices, preplan your trip itinerary, update your safety camera database, and receive free traffic alerts and weather reports on your computer.
A beneficial new safety feature of the TomTom GO 920 is a menu option called “Help Me.” Pressing this button from the user interface allows you access to emergency services and roadside assistance. It can do things such as call the police or find the nearest hospital.
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Initial Closing Fellings on Tom Tom’s GO 920 & 920T
I can’t wait to get one of these in my hands! I suggest preordering one from Amazon.com now; it was the only place I could find that allowed preordering. The TomTom GO 920 is going to raise the bar for GPS travel assistants. The free auto-updating of software and services might just keep it on top forever. Who knows? All I know is this product truly deserves a 5/5 rating. Make sure to check back for a full review after I get my hands on one and we’ll see if I can find anything negative to say about it.
Read More: Best 10 handheld GPS units Reviews
