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|  | |  | | | TomTom EASE 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Red) | | | | | | | |
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| $99.95 | |
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| $64.99 | |
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| | Features | More portable and even easier to use GPS navigation, with text-to-speech for spoken street namesIntegrated Fold & Go Easy Port Mount allows device to fold flat, for increased portabilityEnhanced EasyMenu user interface with a simple two-icon touchscreen menu helps users start their destination even fasterTomTom's proprietary Map Share and IQ Routes Technology for most accurate maps and routingHelp Me! safety menu for access to emergency providers
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| | Description | TomTom's EASE is an entry-level car navigation solution that's easy to use, ultra-portable, and packed with the latest technologies. This is an affordable GPS unit that lives up to its name, providing intelligent navigation for anyone switch on and go, right out of the box. | |
| | Product Details | | Product Length: | 3.7 inches | | Product Width: | 0.8 inches | | Product Height: | 3.2 inches | | Product Weight: | 0.5 pounds | | Package Length: | 7.0 inches | | Package Width: | 6.9 inches | | Package Height: | 1.8 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.9 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 45 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 45 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
106 of 107 found the following review helpful:
 a LOT of bang for your buck! Feb 26, 2010
By Richard C. Drew
"Anaal Nathra/Uthe vas Bethod/Doch yel Dienve"
Read updates at the end!
I have a couple of different GPS units - an off-road/hiking model, and a higher-end Garmin for my auto - cost more than twice what this Tom Tom sells for. My expectations for the Ease were not that high - I figured it would be a basic, no-frills unit. In part, it is. It does not have BlueTooth (My Garmin does, but I have never used it) and has a smaller screen and no SD card support. The smaller real-estate means that the informational displays need to be smaller, and less of the surrounding area displays. I expected this to be a headache, but it really was not.
I opened the box in my car, popped out the GPS, suctioned it to the windshield (using a unique twist lock, not the typical lever type), and turned it on. After entering some basic information (home, time, etc.) it was ready to go. It locked on to the satellites really fast - far quicker than my Garmin. I drove around for an hour, hitting my usual stops. The maps are incredibly accurate - the unit defaults to 3D, but switching between 3D and 2D is one touch away. I kept it in 3D.
One point I really, REALLY liked was the accurate street names. For example, I live near 95th Street. Everyone calls it 95th St. My Garmin calls it "Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Highway" - nobody I know calls it that - or even knew it was named that. The Tom Tom calls it 95th St. The Tom Tom also displays the correct street names - AND - the alternate numbers, with the appropriate symbol. So 95th Street displays all three "official" names/numbers. Imagine how much LESS confusing this is driving in an area you are not familiar with. I can't count the times I've been on a highway and wondered "is this 90/94/41/53" because the display on my Garmin shows one thing, and the signs another. Why? The highway has two designations (sometimes three or four!), and what the GPS shows may not match what the road-side signs display.
I'm taking the Tom Tom with me to Wisconsin this weekend to see how it compares side by side (literally) with my Garmin.
In the box: the GPS, manual, car charger and USB cable. Thanks for the right angle connectors - Keeps the unit's profile / clutter down. Also has a dash board pad - adhesive one side, smooth plastic on the other. This way the GPS can be suctioned to the dash.
After the initial use (did I mention it was fully charged in the box?) I hooked it up to my computer (Windows 7.) The software installed automatically from the GPS. After installation, it went to the Tom Tom website and checked for updates (the basemap was current) and offered additional installs/downloads. Mostly FREE installs. A "safety Camera" database (like I said - FREE!), new voice (Dave), and map share application. Map Share is a user updated database - if users find mistakes in the maps, they can submit them to Tom Tom - these corrections can then be used in your device (you can turn this feature on or off) - but I think it's a really cool feature.
You can also purchase optional featured downloads from this screen - When I visited it was a Homer Simpson voice pack and fuel price addon. After installing stuff from the web, you'll see the Tom Tom home screen for your device. Here you can download more maps (for a price). One thing I did not like was that there was a newer map available - but I had to purchase it. With my Garmin the first update was free. But overall the Tom Tom updates are less expensive. $50 for a year with Tom Tom vs $90 with Garmin.
You can also download other voices from the home screen - there are two categories: Computer and Recorded. Recorded include Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, Dr. Felix (A German shrink), John Cleese, Mr. T., Snoop Dog, and others supplied by Tom Tom users. Some are free, many are not. All the computer voices are free.
Also available for download are POI sets (points of interest) - Most are free and look like they are supplied by outside parties. For example, 7-11 locations, AAA offices, Ace Hardware locations. Mostly useless stuff.
What else can one download? Color schemes (all free), car symbols, plus start up and shut down images (you can customize the image displayed when the unit turns on and off.)
There are also help sections, including creating your own content: voices, symbols, images, POI's and more. A huge cool factor! Try doing that with a Garmin.
I read the other reviews on the Ease and can honestly say I had none of the issues others complain about. Online registration was seamless and error free. There were automatic updates / add-ins downloaded with the click on one button. Voices - I found them all to be easy to understand, the spoken more-so than than the computer.
For the price, this is one great GPS.
Update - 4-2011: I have found that the unit has some "holes" in the data - For example the VFW hall at 10 W. Higgins, Park Ridge, IL can't be located. It's a major intersection - but it can't even come close.
Update: 8-2-11: The unit warned that the maps were out of date. Figured I'd update. Followed TomTom's instructions - downloaded their software, followed instructions to the letter. The unit is now trashed - it's a paperweight. The software could not find the GPS. You can't disconnect the GPS until the software finds it. Restarted the PS, closed and re-ran the software - it never found the GPS. So I disconnected it. Apparently this is enough to trash the GPS.
The reply from support stated that the GPS had to be plugged directly into the PC - that no extension cables, hubs - nothing could be between the GPS and the PC. Apart from being incorrect, even if it was true, this would be stupid. Especially since it's not mentioned in the instructions. So DO NOT try and update the unit with the TomTom software. Just plugging your GPS into the PC and unplugging it can trash the GPS.
30 of 31 found the following review helpful:
 My first GPS, good except you can't plan ahead May 17, 2010
By Tara G.
This is my first GPS, and I thought I would go with a small/compact, lower end model. Once I got over my shock that I can't see ahead of time where the GPS wants to take me, I've been happy with my purchase.
**What I like**:
1) Small and compact, and I expect I'll keep it in my purse with me
2) Just a quick glance at the map and I can tell how long until I need to turn, and what direction
3) Clear and concise directions, "turn left, followed by a right turn in one-quarter mile"
4) The look, I like the red with white color
5) The built in mounting device which easily attaches to and detaches from the windshield
6) Map share feature - users being able to submit corrections to TomTom and the option of being able to edit my own map
7) POI's - I like being able to see restaurants and other point of interest locations nearby
8) Picks up satellite signal pretty quickly if my spouse isn't already driving when I turn it on
9) Clear voice and a good volume level, even my 2 year old can hear and understand the turn right and turn left commands from the backseat. "Mommy, she said turn left."
**My Complaints**:
1) I can't see the route that it has planned for me. I can see at tiny map with my start and end point, and a line between, but I can't tell if that has me going on the freeway, what exit it wants me to take, etc. Ideally I would like to see turn by turn directions in text, but since that isn't shown, I expected to be able to zoom in on the map with route information and pan the map to see where it has me going. I just don't like following directions blindly! I'm a plan ahead kind of person, and this seems like a BASIC feature. It sounds like seeing the text directions was removed on the EASE, which is bad bad design!
2) If I could see where the EASE wanted to take me, I would probably want the option to change the route. There is a "Calculate alternative" button, but that's just a blind change too. I can't see the route, so I can't tell if it just avoided freeways, or really what changed about it, all I can tell is the time it says it will take me to get there. I thought, oh, I can probably use the "Avoid roadblock", but that just gives me an option to mark a roadblock at certain intervals ahead of me, not choose where the roadblock actual is. What if I know they are doing construction on a certain road and want to avoid it much sooner than when I'm 3 miles ahead of it. That's great for if I'm driving and see something I want to avoid, but again, doesn't let me plan ahead at all.
3) Addresses can't have dashes in the street numbers. Are you serious!?! I searched the web on this one because I couldn't believe it. It's a TomTom issue, not an EASE issue, and I confirmed that it is an issue by contacting customer support, response: "TomTom systems do not have the capability to accept address that contain a dash or a dot". In my hometown - Hawaii, certain cities have dashes in all the addresses! So I try putting in the number without the dash, and it can't find it. I have no choice but to map the address on my computer, and find the closest cross street and enter that. Or optionally I can enter the street number before the dash, which puts the destination somewhere on that street.
4) I can't see how much battery life I have, or signal strength unless I go to the route overview screen
5) The car charger is a tight fit in my car
45 of 52 found the following review helpful:
 Great Little GPS Feb 12, 2010
By Larry L. Haas
I bought this for my wife for Valentines Day. She has been wanting her own GPS for awhile and this was a great time. I have owned TomToms in the past, all were rather technical to use. But not this one! It is extremely simple, small and beautiful design.
Beware I have only had it for a day, but here are my observations. It is too new - the TomTom web site doesn't have it in the drop-down menu to get the Users Manual. The box includes a Users Guide not a Users Manual. There are only a few references to it on the web site, well a black one with an available red faceplate.
TomTom Home gave me a lot of problems because of a previous account I had on the site. When I tried to remove the old 700 and select this new one I received an error about an old version of TomTom Home on the new device. I fought that for awhile but finally was able to update and backup.
I have owned many GPSs from handheld to laptop dongles and we currently have 2 other GPSs in the house we use for trips. But this is by far the best one - as should be expected of something this new. As it will be used as a "Personal Navigation Device" for my wife, it fits the bill perfectly.
If something changes as she uses it or something unexpected comes up, I'll repost.
69 of 83 found the following review helpful:
 Where is the support? Feb 13, 2010
By Eric
"E"
The GPS itself is fine, good size and works out of the box with the maps they preinstalled.
Unfortunately I was more than a little frustrated when I connected it to my mac and received error after error trying to link it to the TomTom Home website for updates/etc.
After installing and reinstalling their software and getting error message after error message I called TomTom Support. Their phone menu does not even indicate the device exists. I was told to check back in two weeks and try then because they do not yet have their system in place to support this product via TomTom Home.
Today I got an automated email from TomTom that essentially said they were closing out my service report (generated while I tried to connect to their site the first day of ownership) because I had not responded to an email that they did not send to me and they considered the problem SOLVED. Wow, great support. I tried again today and I still cannot link my device to their site.
What other manufacturer rolls out a product that touts online support and updates but does not bother to flag the device on the website as not having support available yet? How many other people are going to order this device and get frustrated trying to connect to the internet only to eventually do what I did, call customer support and be told "oh, sorry, that device is new and not yet supported, try again in two weeks". They didn't even offer to call me when the problem was corrected, the onus is on the user.
Poor support, I hope this is not a harbinger of things to come.
For lack of support and lack of a message on their website that might prevent other new customers from spending 40 minutes of their time hopelessly trying to correct this companies mistakes, I give this company an "F" as in FAIL. Terrible product launch.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
it is OK Apr 22, 2010
By yg
This does work right out of the box but it doesn't have some features that I feel are basic. You can't choose whether to take expressway or local roads. It doesn't have the abiliity to view your route as text so you can see your route. It is simple to use but sometimes you don't want to take the expressway since it is crowded that time of day. It should have a way of either seeing what route is going to take you on or to at least choose whether to take an expressway or not. I reccommend the ONE 130s instead.
See all 45 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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