TomTom ONE XL Review
So if the latest TomTom ONE is “the ultimate in low cost GPS”, then what is its big brother, the TomTom ONE XL? Well, alongside a beefier interior, it boasts a generous 4.3” screen (justifying the ‘XL’ name tag) and the same user-friendly interface, top of the range navigation and unmatched accuracy of directions.
The 480x272 resolution and 64K colour LCD screen shows the maps and text as bright and sharp as I’ve seen on a touch screen GPS system. The Tom Tom technology allows you to read the screen in bright sunshine, or with the touch of a button switch to night-mode for driving after dark. The back lighting is adjustable, and the maps can be viewed in 10 colour schemes so you can always view the screen at whatever level is best for you.
So is it a big change? Well the original ONE has a much smaller 3.5” screen, but despite this big addition to the XL, it is still a small, light device. You can carry it in your pocket for pedestrian navigation and swap it easily between cars. It weighs a tiny 203g, lighter than some mobile phones! The buttons and external gadgets are also kept minimal with only the power button on the top, and the SD slot, power socket and mini USB port on the bottom. On the back is a jack for linking the XL to an external antenna for increased reception.
The XL is easily mounted to either your dashboard or windscreen with the neat little vehicle mount. The package also comes with a car charger, USB cablem TomTom HOME software CD and user guides.
As with the usual TomTom interface, users can enter their destinations either from a street address, an intersection, Point of Interest (POI), city centre, favourite or recent destination. The XL can then calculate your potential routes by fastest time, shortest distance, avoiding certain roads like motorways/toll bridges etc and more. You can also choose whether you are travelling by foot or on bike. If you know you want to stop off along the way you can program these positions in before you even set off, or if you take a detour, the XL’s automatic route calculation will keep you on track.
Once the TomTom XL has calculated your route, you can view the directions as text, an overview map, or a running demo of the trip. Just like the other TomToms, the XL’s maps can be presented in 2D or 3D view, which can be zoomed in and out of. Whichever way you view them, the visual instructions are all reinforced by the turn-by-turn voice guidance in any of the 36 languages and 55 voices the device supports.
The One XL also supports TomTom's Plus services for real-time traffic updates, weather information, downloading celebrity navigation voices, and more. You can read more about the Plus services and check for phone compatibility on TomTom's Web site.
So overall? The TomTom ONE XL is perfect for someone who wants a simple, no fuss GPS system with a little more oomph! Like its baby brother the XL is easy on the pocket especially for all of the features it includes, so definitely worth a look.