I bought the Tom Tom because I'm constantly driving to weird places for work. It has been a brilliant investment. It gets excellent GPS reception (at least in San Antonio and the surrounding counties) and is very easy to use. The maps are also excellent.

I immediately started testing it before I started relying on it. The Tom Tom not only knew all the quickest ways around town, but actually surprised me with a couple of easier routes that I had missed somehow. It also seems to update for construction fairly quickly, which is just incredible. San Antonio has been undergoing a series of massive construction projects and nobody really knows when and where streets will get closed. Because the Tom Tom accepts user updates and allows them to be shared, it catches the construction very rapidly. Similarly, I had to run out to a new club in an emergency and couldn't find it on google maps. Apparently, neither could our local taxi companies which is why my client ended up needing me. My Tom Tom knew where this newly opened club was and got me there quickly when I wouldn't have been able to find it otherwise (club was closed and I couldn't get directions).

It took me about a week to get used to the computer's verbal directions, but the maps were precise enough that I could follow my car visually in real time until then. I have fooled the Tom Tom a few times. It takes a few seconds to change routes when I mess up and can't really tell whether I've changed lanes correctly or not. Sometimes that can be a problem, but usually only because I messed up first. It also can't tell what direction you're facing when not moving, but I'm not sure how any GPS device could. The only consistent problem is that it never seems to get street addresses exactly right. Once I learned to start looking at addresses a bit early, it wasn't a problem. So, with these minor caveats, I think the Tom Tom is outstanding.

I've had this device for nearly a year, and I've not been pleased. First off, it can take up to 10 minutes from when you turn it on to when it acquires a satellite signal. Secondly, the maps tend to be out of date and incomplete. Thirdly, the directions aren't detailed enough -- it often won't tell you if you're heading southbound or northbound on the next street, for instance. And finally, it's terrible at taking traffic patterns into consideration, often directing you through the worst traffic in your city at the worst times.

The maps are out of date. I even downloaded an update and it is still missing streets that have been around for over 50 years. Why is JFK Blvd or Hwy 107 in Little Rock Arkansas missing? About 50 percent of the time a location that I am looking for is on the map. The interface is good, but you may not be able to input the street, address or intersection. I would not buy another one. It would be great if it wasn't missing a large percentage of the locations. I need to go to Little Rock tomorrow and I will be using a paper map.

I bought this as a gift because I own one and believe it is a great product.

Lasted two weeks and fried. Fuse went in charger, replaced fuse.. no go . After having to perform all of TomTom's instructions (for two days) finally get RMA. Send it back (on my dollar) three weeks later comes back. Plug it in, FRIES immediately. Call Tom Tom, they apologize and say will next day it both ways. Do receive a prepaid two day FedEx label and then never hear from them!!! Call after three weeks and they finally admit, they have tracking record that it was received but it's lost. Supervisor states she will talk to higher ups and get right back to me... well TEN days later I call again and they are now supposedly sending me a new model 130.... I have three GARMIN's and they have been perfect. NEVER AGAIN, TomTom s**kz