| TomTom GO 720 Satellite Navigation | 
| Brand: TomTom
Category: CE
Buy New: £144.49
New (8) Used (3) from £125.99
Rating:  61 reviews
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 7 x 3.5
MPN: 1N00760
Model: 1N00760
UPC: 636926017084
EAN: 0636926017084
ASIN: B000RW2X38
Release Date: June 11, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | • GPS navigation system for Western Europe with a 4.3 inch touch screen, spoken instructions, plus services, future proof via TomTom HOME, built-in FM transmitter, text to speech, Bluetooth car kit, safety camera database and TomTom Map Share. |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
TomTom, the worlds largest navigation solutions provider announced the introduction of TomTom Map Share on the TomTom GO 720. This unique new map improvement technology allows TomTom users to easily improve their maps as soon as they spot changes in the roads with a few touches on the screen of their device. Via TomTom HOME, TomTom Map Share users also receive all map improvements made by others, making their maps as dynamic as the world they live in. Roads are continually changing. This feature gives TomT...
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| Customer Reviews:
 Very impressive, with some minor niggles December 22, 2007
KH (Kent, UK)
86 out of 87 found this review helpful
I can only give 5 stars for something that's perfect, so by default the GO 720 has to get 4!
Was originally going for a One XL as the navigation was more important to me than the bells and whistles, but as the prices have dropped I went for the bells and whistles too - and am glad I did!
What's good: just about everything important really...
- great navigation (which is surely the most important thing)
- very good at quickly re-routing
- took 10 seconds to get a first position fix out of the (fully sealed) box even with a fairly poor view of the sky, 2-3 minutes is acceptable for most GPS receivers for a cold start
- GPS is so sensitive it still has a position while inside my house (and fairly near a window)
- MapShare is really useful to sort out the odd road that should be one-way (some would say it shouldn't be necessary but I'm sure all satnavs have some issues and at least TomTom gives you the means to do something about it!)
- mounting device is very simple to use and very easy to remove, doesn't leave tell-tale marks
- lack of an AC charger really not a problem as it charges while in the USB cradle, as well as by the car charger - full charge lasts about 4 hours
- ability to make/receive calls and have the device read out texts is handy
- text-to-speech and speech recognition works very well and is worth having
- generally feels like a good quality piece of kit, don't leave it on show!
- the navigation software generally feels like it is a well thought out "mature" product, and does what you expect it to do
- TomTom Home software works really well and has managed all updates with no problems
- being able to browse the TomTom from Windows like an external hard drive can be useful
What's not so good (this list looks as long as the other one but most are minor items):
- updating the maps cleared all my favourites, fortunately I did this soon after buying so I only lost the ones I'd added while initially playing around
- the FM transmitter really is too quiet with too much hiss
- can't use my O2 Payandgo phone for traffic updates even after manually entering GPRS settings (apparently a known O2 issue)
- screen can sometimes register two taps leading to unexpectedly sending a partially complete text or OK/cancelling the second screen
- I think for the same reason, manually panning the map by dragging a finger is virtually impossible, why not just tap to re-centre the map?
- most of my local petrol station POIs were a bit inaccurately placed - suspect this is a wider issue
- screen is hard to see with direct sunlight on it
- some POI sets don't apply to UK
- some inconsistency in the settings menu - with some you're sent back to the map, others back to the menu
- good to be able to control the TomTom from the PC (handy to set up lots of favourites, etc) but car symbol and some quick menu settings are lost
- 30 days "latest map guarantee" is a bit stingy - could I have expected a year?
- by the same token, only allowing a year of MapShare is poor, does TomTom want users' help with mapping errors or not? At least you can continue to use the facility to make corrections for yourself afterwards, you just can't upload or download them
- rather a lot of "nanny" features (most of which are on by default and all of which can be disabled apart from the odd annoying warning, eg the "shortest route" not being the most fuel efficient)!
- TomTom Home can only manage one backup per device, seems like a daft limitation but you can get it round by just copying the backup somewhere, if you don't do this I suggest not backing up after upgrading until you have checked all is well!
- TomTom Home's help text recommends backing up after doing a major upgrade, this is poor advice, you should back up BEFORE the upgrade so if it goes wrong you can get back to it; by all means back up after the upgrade if you're happy all is well
- when using the hands free phone the speaker can be quite boomy, mainly with loud recorded messages and ringing tones
Pluses And Minuses Over Older Go Model November 2, 2007
Mr. Robert Watts (Dorset UK)
63 out of 64 found this review helpful
I bought the 720 recently and am generally pleased with it having owned an original Tomtom Go since the company released it.
There are obvious benefits to the unit such as more simple menu navigation and of course what perhaps could have been incorporated into the original Go, being postcode navigation which I feel is essential as I drive for a living. I mostly simply point and click to find destinations but there's less pointing and clicking than with the older technology of the original Go.
The internal speaker of the unit seems to slightly distort at the higher volumes when directions are given. Perhaps this could be down to the thinner unit dimensions as opposed to the original Go, only allowing for a more compact and less powerful speaker. It doesn't run as loud anyway. Tomtom might have been reckoning that the internal FM transmitter allowing for playback through the car stereo could be a solution but possibly have made a slight mistake it seems to me. I want a radio to play music on, not listen to voice commands from a sat nav system.
The Bluetooth connection with a Sony Ericsson W810i phone was a very seamless operation, with the contents of the phones address book very quickly copied to the 720. I am not sure though that I would make the move from a bluetooth headset that I currently use with my phone to relying on having to speak at higher than normal volumes with the 720. Calls have so far been full of complaints at the other end of the line because people can't hear me with the unit.
The 720's screen is larger than the original go and I belive that i'm right in saying that the processing power means that destinations are found more quickly than with the original Go model. I haven't tried the european maps out personally, but the cross border travel means less user input is required. The original model required countries to be selected when entering them (as long as you have the european maps on cd). This apparently recognises countries as you enter them.
A niggle at this point would be that although the unit has a nice usb cradle and car charger, it isn't supplied with a mains adaptor for charging purposes. The guess here would be that you update it using the usb cradle and of course connect it to the cigar lighter socket when in vehicle. It doesn't though seem to charge particularly quickly by these means.
A nice feature to me by the way is the speak to the unit user input for directions by City/Street/House Number. Clever stuff, though it's a whole lot easier and quicker personally to simply type the postcode in. A personal choice. Darned if I can get it to respond to voice commands to find anywhere in Bournemouth:-), simply because it's not understanding the Bournemouth part of my voice instruction.
All in all I think i've made a reasonable move with purchasing the 720. It doesn't do much more of a job in getting me to destinations than my original go model, has loads more gimmicks attatched to it and a couple of worthwhile new features. A quarter of a grand to buy roughly, what's that in gallons of fuel? If your paper map reading skills are as bad as mine then how long will it take for you to recoup your money in saved fuel costs that this device could make?
 Some Problems with First Batch otherwise Very Good. August 7, 2007
zan man (UK)
39 out of 41 found this review helpful
First the problems: Some owners have reported problems with the microphone and speaker on the 720.
The handsfree can produce a loud buzzing noise, which means nobody can hear what you are saying.
Owners that have returned them have said their replacement 720 works perfectly, so I guess some of this first batch were rushed through quality control.
I have sent my own unit back, as it has this fault.
Now onto the good stuff! : The 720 feels a nice solid unit, and has a large widescreen display.
It comes supplied with a USB Cradle to connect it to your PC, a car charger, and windscreen mount.
Maps included are Western Europe and Canary Islands.
The GPS signal is picked up very fast after the first install.
My car has one of those heat reflecting windscreens which normally blocks most radio signals, but the 720 picked up good satellite signals anywhere it was mounted in the car.
Initial setup only takes a few minutes.
You can create a 'quick menu' which allows you to have 5 of your most used functions available at one touch of the main navigation display.
There is about 200MB of space left on the built in memory to store MP3's and photos, and you can also purchase an SD memory card if you need more room.
The 720 has a built in FM radio transmitter, so you can play your MP3's via any FM car radio that's tuned into a clear channel. The quality of MP3 playback in my car was very good, and I was impressed with that on it's own. Navigation directions can also be routed via the FM radio, and spoken directions will interrupt the MP3 player so you never miss a turning.
The handsfree phone facility is very good and easy to use.
It has features such as last number and recent dialled numbers, but not all handsets will be able to read incoming text messages.
There is a basic list on TomToms website but it's not complete.
Some users have reported the Nokia 6233 and N73 do read incoming texts, and the 720 can also read these out to you via it's text to speech function.
The Nokia 6680,6630,N95,N70,N80 are a few that do NOT read text messages.
Text to speech means that with the 720, it reads out road names,numbers, and place names when you change direction, so you don't have to look at the display to check if you are taking the correct turning.
The 720 comes supplied with a 'safety camera' database built in, and you get one free update.
The supplied database found all the cameras, but it's not as flexible as the 'pocketgpsworld' database as you can't change the warning distance or sound efects.
There are many built in points of interest such as shopping centres and parking, and you can also add your own.
TomTom have decided not to release a traffic (TMC) receiver in this country as most of the time it will not work due to the low signal sent by the UK transmitters.
I subscribe to TomTom's traffic service which updates via your phones GPRS connection.It costs about 25/year if you need it, and usually works quite well.
Battery life is about 5 hours if the 720 is not linked to your phone.
Could be a lot less if you use the FM transmitter, handsfree or traffic services.
Probably best to use the included car charger on longer journeys.
Charging takes about 2 hours via the USB cradle connected to a computer.
An optional mains charger is available.
I have ordered a Brodit mount for my 720 so that I can mount it on the centre console of my car.
Windscreen mounts generally tend to fall off, and make your car more attractive to thieves. Also it means no trailing wires all around the dashboard.
Summary: Very Good, but some early ones could have a microphone/speaker fault.
If you don't need all the extra functions such as handsfree, then get a TomTom One or XL.
 Fabulous Bit Of Kit August 17, 2007
J. M. Gaff (England)
32 out of 34 found this review helpful
I have also recently taken delivery of my TomTom Go 720 have had a Navman iCN 510 previously. In comparison with the Navman its light years ahead. It's so easy to use and with the new TomTom Home v2.0 software a doddle to sync up and use the additional features and functionalities available from TomTom. Thus far I have been extremely pleased with my new gadget.
I deliberately did not get the TomTom Go 720T becuase of all the issues related to the Traffic Master servive and I use may Motorola Pebble PAYG phone for the Plus services such as Traffic, Weather and Camera updates etc. which all work as stated on the tin and costs pence for the GPRS connection. My TomTom also sync's up perfectly with my Nokia 6230 work phone for handfree calling whilst driving and if you look at TomTom's mobile phone compatbility chart it clearly states what wiil and won't be supported.
My only gripe is that due to the fact my Discovery has the antenna for the radio is built into the rear window the FM transmitter, whilst works as described for MP3's and directions etc., is not powerful enough to cancel out all the background hiss. TomTom need to up the power a liitle bit here so as to completely over power any low frequencies on the chosen FM channel.
Other noticable but very very minor issues are the auto switching from day to night modes is very sensitive and going from bright sunlight to shaded areas of tunnels switches the mode. This is not really a problem as it has a manual overide. Also the volume sensitivity to background noise, if activated, does not seem to make a huge difference, however this may be due to my own hearing difficulties.
I haven't had any problems with the supplied screen mount and plugging in the car charger as opposed to having it already connected to the mount is hardly a problem either and takes seconds. Actually I find it preferable as you don't have wires traing round your car whilst the unit is not in use, but the mounts left on the windscreen.
I did buy a Brodit mount for my Discovery which cost nearly 50 for the clip and mount - however where Brodit have chosen to put the clip and adapter is worse than useless as the steering wheel obscures 2/3's of the Go 720 screen. That was a waste of money - its probably better on other makes of cars though!
Other than that as I said earlier it does exactly what is says on the tin - and is a fabulous bit of kit which I would have no hesitation in recommending. I can't wait for the bluetooth remote control to be available to avoid all those annoying finger prints on the beautifully clear screen.
Highly recommended.
Fantastic - buy one! November 1, 2007
S. Rickman (Hampshire, UK)
31 out of 31 found this review helpful
Overall I am really happy with this unit from Tom Tom; as far as getting you from A to B it can't really be faulted. The operation of the unit is very easy, and the instructions are clear and concise, which means you can keep your eyes on the road. It has saved a lot of arguments on family trips, as my previous GPS (the wife) was not quite so accurate with it's dialogue!
The only reason I don't give this a five star rating is a couple of the additional features don't work properly, namely: on the jukebox, there is no way to make the 720 recognise a Playlist, and the manual could be a bit more comprehensive. I have contacted Tom Tom about this and they have ignored/evaded my questions. Also, although the handsfree function works well, the GPRS traffic update service only works about 90% of the time (this however may be down to Virginmobile).
To summarise, this is a fantastic buy, and I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone.
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