Home > Consumer Reviews > TomTom GO 730T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Receiver
TomTom GO 730T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Receiver
See it at Amazon.com for $330.00Average Customer Rating
(3.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First | + Share104 of 108 people found the following review helpful:
One problem
(4 out of 5) by radman on Nov 24, 2008 (USA)I have the 720. The 730 has only minor improvements once you update the 720...so I thought I would tell about one feature that is a problem... Maybe TomTom will fix this if they see that it drives away (no pun intended) potential customers.
The features and operation of the TomTom Go series are amazing... I think they are much better than Garmin or my built in volvo navtek system EXCEPT FOR ONE IMPORTANT FEATURE:
You can't search with a street address (and state) only. You MUST have the town name or you won't get a result. This is a problem in suburbs where every mile or so, there is a different town name...names that even the people that live there don't know because they go by the Metro area name. If you don't know the name of that small suburb, you are stuck. All the other makers allow you to put in the state and street name and then let you pick from a list of results from each jurisdiction.
They need to fix this. I cannot fathom why they would leave you out in the cold like this. If you use this, make sure you know in advance the town name or zip code or you are stuck.
TOMTOM... fix this problem!
The features and operation of the TomTom Go series are amazing... I think they are much better than Garmin or my built in volvo navtek system EXCEPT FOR ONE IMPORTANT FEATURE:
You can't search with a street address (and state) only. You MUST have the town name or you won't get a result. This is a problem in suburbs where every mile or so, there is a different town name...names that even the people that live there don't know because they go by the Metro area name. If you don't know the name of that small suburb, you are stuck. All the other makers allow you to put in the state and street name and then let you pick from a list of results from each jurisdiction.
They need to fix this. I cannot fathom why they would leave you out in the cold like this. If you use this, make sure you know in advance the town name or zip code or you are stuck.
TOMTOM... fix this problem!
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Love the TomTom 730T
(4 out of 5) by crow1214 on Dec 20, 2008 (Ocala, Fl)I think the other reviews are being unfair. One because they didn't get it with the correct map and another for voice features. As for the defective one, I think its just that. I haven't had this product for long but, all in all, it wroks great.
Finds POI's quick and reroutes you even quicker. I was taken wrong turns on purpose and within a second the 730 would find another way. The bluetoothe works pretty good, I can hear the caller perfect but the caller claims to hear me "a little distant". The window mount is decent but short. It still has yet to fall (it has been a few days), I am uprading to a gooseneck because of the length.
I love the FM transmitter, WOW, no more CD's, Ipod's or radio. I am using a Sandisk SD card 2GB so I have enough music for any roadtrip. When the 730 is about to give a direction, the music automatically mutes so you can hear the unit loud and clear, I think its a great feature.
As for the 730(T), T for traffic, I think it is totally worthless unless you live in a big city like NY or LA, plus you need to upgrade your cell phone plan to include unlimited Data otherwise you'll be charge through the roof. The 730T will keep your phone busy getting up to the minute info. The only reason why I got it was because the 730 and 730T where the same price, so I though - "what the heck, something for free"
For now I highly recommend the GO730, otherwise I would not have taken the time to write such a long review. If I do start having problems, I will definately update this review.
Finds POI's quick and reroutes you even quicker. I was taken wrong turns on purpose and within a second the 730 would find another way. The bluetoothe works pretty good, I can hear the caller perfect but the caller claims to hear me "a little distant". The window mount is decent but short. It still has yet to fall (it has been a few days), I am uprading to a gooseneck because of the length.
I love the FM transmitter, WOW, no more CD's, Ipod's or radio. I am using a Sandisk SD card 2GB so I have enough music for any roadtrip. When the 730 is about to give a direction, the music automatically mutes so you can hear the unit loud and clear, I think its a great feature.
As for the 730(T), T for traffic, I think it is totally worthless unless you live in a big city like NY or LA, plus you need to upgrade your cell phone plan to include unlimited Data otherwise you'll be charge through the roof. The 730T will keep your phone busy getting up to the minute info. The only reason why I got it was because the 730 and 730T where the same price, so I though - "what the heck, something for free"
For now I highly recommend the GO730, otherwise I would not have taken the time to write such a long review. If I do start having problems, I will definately update this review.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Not bad...
(3 out of 5) by TRS on Feb 19, 2009 (St. Louis, MO USA)Not a bad GPS, has alot of features. However if I had to pay full price I'd look for something else. Since I got it for a very good deal with Amazon Christmas sale it was a good choice but with all things being equal I would think you'd be better off with a Garmin. I bought an SD card to give me more space to store MP3's and it doesn't work correctly. It won't play and it lists the songs as being there twice (which they are not), so who knows what's up with that... Support line closes too early.
The software that comes with it which says you can send map info from Google maps doesn't work and many of the advanced features just plain don't work from my Mac, that's a bit disappointing. All and all it seems to do a pretty good job although it doesn't get anywhere near the supposed 5 hours battery life... more like 2.5 hours at best... but that's generally good for around town... The pluses are it is very customizable so you can put your own car on there as your icon if you like and it has the traffic feature and you can talk hands-free w/ your cell although people tell me it's hard to hear me...
all in all it's ok but not great but from what I read almost none of these different GPS's are perfect...
so I'm giving it 3 stars...
enjoy it if you get one.
The software that comes with it which says you can send map info from Google maps doesn't work and many of the advanced features just plain don't work from my Mac, that's a bit disappointing. All and all it seems to do a pretty good job although it doesn't get anywhere near the supposed 5 hours battery life... more like 2.5 hours at best... but that's generally good for around town... The pluses are it is very customizable so you can put your own car on there as your icon if you like and it has the traffic feature and you can talk hands-free w/ your cell although people tell me it's hard to hear me...
all in all it's ok but not great but from what I read almost none of these different GPS's are perfect...
so I'm giving it 3 stars...
enjoy it if you get one.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Great GPS but a tad technical
(4 out of 5) by Randy Young on Mar 5, 2009 (NJ, USA)I bought this unit a few months ago as an upgrade from an older Garmin GPS that was 3-years ago.
Pros:
- IQ Routes - it's amazing that it can reroute you depending on time of day and historical traffic data. the Arri vial Time is gives me is usually dead on.
- Great reception - I turned on the unit inside my house, and it still picked up 3 satellites almost instantly.
- Nice customization and able to hookup to your computer to download extras
Cons:
- Not as user friendly as Garmin's - while I was able to figure it out, I wouldn't suggest this product for those get easily confused or frustrated by technology.
- Bluetooth phone support - the GPS supports very few models of phones so you can use it as a hands free device. It didn't matter much to me, but if it's important to you, check the website for list of compatable phones.
-Traffic Receiver - the traffic receiver works well, and this isn't TomTom's fault, but there is very little coverage of accidents in my area. It looks like only main interstates are supported by ClearChannel traffic. Looking back, I would have saved my money and went from the 730 without the traffic reciever.
Overall it's a very solid device and I'm very satisfied with my purchase.
Pros:
- IQ Routes - it's amazing that it can reroute you depending on time of day and historical traffic data. the Arri vial Time is gives me is usually dead on.
- Great reception - I turned on the unit inside my house, and it still picked up 3 satellites almost instantly.
- Nice customization and able to hookup to your computer to download extras
Cons:
- Not as user friendly as Garmin's - while I was able to figure it out, I wouldn't suggest this product for those get easily confused or frustrated by technology.
- Bluetooth phone support - the GPS supports very few models of phones so you can use it as a hands free device. It didn't matter much to me, but if it's important to you, check the website for list of compatable phones.
-Traffic Receiver - the traffic receiver works well, and this isn't TomTom's fault, but there is very little coverage of accidents in my area. It looks like only main interstates are supported by ClearChannel traffic. Looking back, I would have saved my money and went from the 730 without the traffic reciever.
Overall it's a very solid device and I'm very satisfied with my purchase.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Great GPS, works with Mac
(4 out of 5) by Terrell Smith on Jan 19, 2009 (Madison, WI United States)TomTom 730T (Traffic)
Short Recommendation
The TomTom GO 730T works very well. While not perfect, I can highly recommend it.
Mac users
As of March 11, 2009, the TomTom HOME software DOES now work correctly on the Mac. It's taken a while, but it seems fully functional now. This is why I initially gave it 4 stars, but now I would give it five stars.
Shipping and price
Arrived late for Christmas, because it was not shipped right away. Amazon's price was the best I found on the web. I got the GO 730T because it was only a few dollars more than the GO 730 at the time. The price at Amazon changes frequently, so it pays to shop around, but also to track Amazon's price.
Instructions
The TomTom Go 730T comes with brief printed instructions, the full instruction manuals (in many languages) are on the included CD.
Connecting to a computer
Instructions say to charge the battery for two hours before using. There is a charging light, but as far as I can tell, no indication of when a full charge has been reached (the light always shows green).
Before connecting to the computer, turn the GO on, select your language and enter your location. Otherwise you will find yourself in another language.
Tip: Don't unplug the TomTom from the cradle before putting it away on the computer, just like with any other connected device.
Software
TomTom HOME on the included CD was version 2.2.2.28, several versions old. Download TomTom HOME from the web, you will get an updated version. As of this writing, on the Mac it's version 2.5.2.58. On Windows, 2.5.2.60. Web site detects which OS you have, Mac or Windows.
Tip: After installing TomTom HOME, restart it for smoother operation.
Received the message, "Congratulations! You can download a new map." It took almost six (6!) hours on my 768k connection (the new map is 2 GB).
Other updates will also download and install.
Spoken directions
There is the ability to download more voices for free. I chose "Simon", which seemed very clear, slight British accent, but my wife likes "Susan" better.
The pronunciation of street names using the UK English voice is sometimes a bit strange, and there doesn't seem to be much space between the street name and the following "Rd" "Way" etc. which makes the names sometimes hard to understand. The USA English of "Susan" was more clear than the UK English of "Simon" for street names.
Points of Interest
There are an amazing number of Points of Interest which can be downloaded, from ice cream shops, to particular stores, to zoos, shops, and so on, most for free.
Problems with the software and Customer support
TomTom HOME is now finally able to operate the GO 730 from the computer as it should using the "Operate My GO" menu on the Mac. If you get an error message saying, "This function is not yet supported for your navigation device or operating system," make sure you have downloaded the most recent software, including the update to the GO 730. Then in HOME, click on "Operate My Go." You will get a message saying that you need to download a needed file. After this, it will function correctly.
Their support team is polite, but it seems you get different answers to questions depending who you talk with. As of March 11, 2009 "Operate My Go" now works as it should.
Audio out
The documentation says you can play the audio of road directions through your car radio using a built-in FM transmitter, but that option is not available. EDIT: The most recent update in May 2009 on the GO corrected this. Now the spoken directions CAN be played through your FM radio, as long as music is also playing (it can be a silent song). MP3's stored on the device are paused during the spoken directions and resume automatically. The FM transmitter is somewhat weak, so unless your car radio's antenna is very close, you might not receive any signal (some car antenna's are mounted on the rear of the car roof).
The GO's speaker seems loud enough, and automatically adjusts to noise. I find a setting of 70% is loud enough.
It's possible to download different voices, and even record your own, which is fun for a little while. I did add my own voice saying, "Slow down!" which triggers when going over a set speed.
Map correction
There is a feature to correct the map, make changes to the names of streets and even add streets which are not on the map, and share these changes with the TomTom community. I was able to correct a misnamed street and correct a no left turn, but the addition of missing streets which were not on the map have not shown up, and even though corrected.
Sensitivity to satellite signals
The GO seems to have no difficulties at all finding signals from satellites where I have used it, and even finds them when inside my home. It starts up quickly, seems to have great sensitivity, and finds satellites even when the GO is on the passenger seat or set in the middle console. (And it worked in a commercial airplane, telling me our speed was 598 mph.)
Route Planning and directions
To try out my first route, I purposely followed a different route and ignored the TomTom's directions. The TomTom very quickly recalculated the route. And when I was "hopelessly gone astray" it politely suggested that I turn around as soon as possible.
It helpfully tells to "stay in the left lane" and gives directions nicely ahead of time for turns (I have experienced other GPS united which directed turns after the street had been passed!)
It can plan a route based on a future date and time, but this feature seems to work only in congested areas. It works fine for planning routes immediately, and also planning an itinerary with many stops.
The GO announces "You have reached your destination" a bit too early, you might be half a block away, and need to look around for the exact location. This seems to be a fault of the maps, and where they locate addresses.
The GO is able to tell if you are on the highway or on a frontage road next to the highway, it's road positioning seems very accurate, within maybe 10-12 feet.
Lane Images
One of the reasons I bought the 730 is that it shows images of the lane you need to be in on more complicated interchanges in major cities.
Mount
The device attaches to the mount very easily, which holds it firmly.
Brightness
I have read other reports which indicate the GO's brightness isn't bright enough, but I find the brightness is fine set at 80% for day, and 10% for night. The exception is if direct sunlight hits it, then it tends to wash out.
Traffic updates
The 730T (Traffic) comes with an antenna for traffic updates. When plugged in, it shows that it is able to receive road reports. While driving in Houston, TX, it reported a traffic problem 11 miles ahead with a delay of 7 minutes, which changed to a 3 minute delay as we got closer. The GO announced it did not find an alternate route. The 11 mile distance to the accident was right on, but traffic was completely stopped in all south bound lanes. The delay was much longer than 3 minutes, so we took the next exit, and let the GO figure out the changed route.
So far, I am very pleased with the TomTom 730T, and can highly recommend it.
Short Recommendation
The TomTom GO 730T works very well. While not perfect, I can highly recommend it.
Mac users
As of March 11, 2009, the TomTom HOME software DOES now work correctly on the Mac. It's taken a while, but it seems fully functional now. This is why I initially gave it 4 stars, but now I would give it five stars.
Shipping and price
Arrived late for Christmas, because it was not shipped right away. Amazon's price was the best I found on the web. I got the GO 730T because it was only a few dollars more than the GO 730 at the time. The price at Amazon changes frequently, so it pays to shop around, but also to track Amazon's price.
Instructions
The TomTom Go 730T comes with brief printed instructions, the full instruction manuals (in many languages) are on the included CD.
Connecting to a computer
Instructions say to charge the battery for two hours before using. There is a charging light, but as far as I can tell, no indication of when a full charge has been reached (the light always shows green).
Before connecting to the computer, turn the GO on, select your language and enter your location. Otherwise you will find yourself in another language.
Tip: Don't unplug the TomTom from the cradle before putting it away on the computer, just like with any other connected device.
Software
TomTom HOME on the included CD was version 2.2.2.28, several versions old. Download TomTom HOME from the web, you will get an updated version. As of this writing, on the Mac it's version 2.5.2.58. On Windows, 2.5.2.60. Web site detects which OS you have, Mac or Windows.
Tip: After installing TomTom HOME, restart it for smoother operation.
Received the message, "Congratulations! You can download a new map." It took almost six (6!) hours on my 768k connection (the new map is 2 GB).
Other updates will also download and install.
Spoken directions
There is the ability to download more voices for free. I chose "Simon", which seemed very clear, slight British accent, but my wife likes "Susan" better.
The pronunciation of street names using the UK English voice is sometimes a bit strange, and there doesn't seem to be much space between the street name and the following "Rd" "Way" etc. which makes the names sometimes hard to understand. The USA English of "Susan" was more clear than the UK English of "Simon" for street names.
Points of Interest
There are an amazing number of Points of Interest which can be downloaded, from ice cream shops, to particular stores, to zoos, shops, and so on, most for free.
Problems with the software and Customer support
TomTom HOME is now finally able to operate the GO 730 from the computer as it should using the "Operate My GO" menu on the Mac. If you get an error message saying, "This function is not yet supported for your navigation device or operating system," make sure you have downloaded the most recent software, including the update to the GO 730. Then in HOME, click on "Operate My Go." You will get a message saying that you need to download a needed file. After this, it will function correctly.
Their support team is polite, but it seems you get different answers to questions depending who you talk with. As of March 11, 2009 "Operate My Go" now works as it should.
Audio out
The documentation says you can play the audio of road directions through your car radio using a built-in FM transmitter, but that option is not available. EDIT: The most recent update in May 2009 on the GO corrected this. Now the spoken directions CAN be played through your FM radio, as long as music is also playing (it can be a silent song). MP3's stored on the device are paused during the spoken directions and resume automatically. The FM transmitter is somewhat weak, so unless your car radio's antenna is very close, you might not receive any signal (some car antenna's are mounted on the rear of the car roof).
The GO's speaker seems loud enough, and automatically adjusts to noise. I find a setting of 70% is loud enough.
It's possible to download different voices, and even record your own, which is fun for a little while. I did add my own voice saying, "Slow down!" which triggers when going over a set speed.
Map correction
There is a feature to correct the map, make changes to the names of streets and even add streets which are not on the map, and share these changes with the TomTom community. I was able to correct a misnamed street and correct a no left turn, but the addition of missing streets which were not on the map have not shown up, and even though corrected.
Sensitivity to satellite signals
The GO seems to have no difficulties at all finding signals from satellites where I have used it, and even finds them when inside my home. It starts up quickly, seems to have great sensitivity, and finds satellites even when the GO is on the passenger seat or set in the middle console. (And it worked in a commercial airplane, telling me our speed was 598 mph.)
Route Planning and directions
To try out my first route, I purposely followed a different route and ignored the TomTom's directions. The TomTom very quickly recalculated the route. And when I was "hopelessly gone astray" it politely suggested that I turn around as soon as possible.
It helpfully tells to "stay in the left lane" and gives directions nicely ahead of time for turns (I have experienced other GPS united which directed turns after the street had been passed!)
It can plan a route based on a future date and time, but this feature seems to work only in congested areas. It works fine for planning routes immediately, and also planning an itinerary with many stops.
The GO announces "You have reached your destination" a bit too early, you might be half a block away, and need to look around for the exact location. This seems to be a fault of the maps, and where they locate addresses.
The GO is able to tell if you are on the highway or on a frontage road next to the highway, it's road positioning seems very accurate, within maybe 10-12 feet.
Lane Images
One of the reasons I bought the 730 is that it shows images of the lane you need to be in on more complicated interchanges in major cities.
Mount
The device attaches to the mount very easily, which holds it firmly.
Brightness
I have read other reports which indicate the GO's brightness isn't bright enough, but I find the brightness is fine set at 80% for day, and 10% for night. The exception is if direct sunlight hits it, then it tends to wash out.
Traffic updates
The 730T (Traffic) comes with an antenna for traffic updates. When plugged in, it shows that it is able to receive road reports. While driving in Houston, TX, it reported a traffic problem 11 miles ahead with a delay of 7 minutes, which changed to a 3 minute delay as we got closer. The GO announced it did not find an alternate route. The 11 mile distance to the accident was right on, but traffic was completely stopped in all south bound lanes. The delay was much longer than 3 minutes, so we took the next exit, and let the GO figure out the changed route.
So far, I am very pleased with the TomTom 730T, and can highly recommend it.