Reviews TomTom XL 340TM LIVE (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator 
See Special Price : 10-70% off Today! TomTom XL 340TM LIVE (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Feature – Includes three months of LIVE Services–TomTom Traffic, Fuel Prices, Local Search powered by Google, Weather, Safety Camera Alerts – Preloaded with maps of the US, Canada and Mexico with Lifetime Map Updates – Lifetime Traffic Updates included–outsmart traffic and avoid delays for life with real-time information via your TomTom – Preloaded with more than 7 million points of interest in over 60 destination categories–gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs and more – IQ Routes Technology calculates the fastest route possible based on time of day, saving you time, fuel and money 
XL 340TM LIVE 4.3″ Auto GPS Navigation Unit
The TomTom XL 340·M LIVE is complete widescreen navigation featuring Lifetime Traffic and Map Updates, and so much more. Real-time information saves you time, money and stress. The TomTom XL 340·M LIVE automatically accesses live traffic feeds, updated fuel prices, Local Search powered by Google, Weather, and more–so you can stay in the know on the go. Real-time LIVE services work right out of the box via a built-in wireless data connection.** Three months of service included.
LIVE Services (3 months included)
Maps of US, Canada & Mexico
Preloaded with maps of the US, Canada and Mexico. TomTom has the most accurate maps and with TomTom Map Share technology you can instantly modify street names, street direction, POIs, and more on your own device and receive daily verified updates from TomTom. Spoken turn-by-turn instructions and 3D graphics will guide you to any address in the US, Canada and Mexico, worry free.
Lifetime Traffic & Map Updates
Enjoy a lifetime of easy driving with two great features from TomTom. LIFETIME Maps guarantees you receive four new editions of your TomTom map each year to ensure that you are always navigating with the industry’s most up-to-date map. And, LIFETIME Traffic sends updates to your TomTom every three minutes, so you can always steer clear of tra
Read More TomTom XL 340TM LIVE (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator 
”Solid low-cost GPS alternative” 2010-07-28
By Busy Executive (Long Island, NY)
For some reason, I go through a lot of GPS units…although I have a built-in unit in one of my cars, I like to take a portable unit with me when I travel (and I travel quite a bit for business). In the last few years, I’ve tried the Garmin Nuvi, a Motorola, the GPS built into my phones (Droid and iPhone) – and now I’m trying two of the TomTom units – the 340 and 350 series.
I suppose I’m not a huge fan of the latest trend involving putting all sorts of extras into the GPS unit. I don’t really need Bluetooth, email, and so forth – if I want all that, I’ll carry a Netbook or something. Rather, I just want solid GPS that works anywhere and can reliably get me from point A to B with a minimum amount of fuss. If this is how you think, then the TomTom XL 340M is a good product at a very low price point. It has the basics implemented in a reasonable way, and not much else.
Updating is reasonably fast and doesn’t require much more than connecting the unit to your PC (or Mac). As other reviewers point out, there’s not a lot of extra space on the device, so updating probably means deleting the languages you don’t use to free up adequate space. You can update the unit approximately once a quarter for as long as you own it at no additional charge (versus the unit in my car that costs $149 a year for an update DVD!).
I like the compact side and folding design. Easily fits in a jacket pocket, and there’s not much more to carry with you. TomTom makes optional carry cases for this unit that make it even easier to lug around if you travel a lot like me. Construction quality seems about average for this type of unit – not terrific, but good enough to last a while. The display quality is legible except in bright sunlight, and the audio quality is more than adequate unless you drive with your audio system cranked up way too far.
One of the differences I’ve noticed between brands is the time to acquire a satellite signal when you first turn on the unit. The built-in unit in my car is immediate, since it has a large and dedicated antenna outside the car. The portable units I’ve used tend to vary quite a bit, and I’d say the TomTom is one of the better ones. It picks up a usable signal, even when parked inside my garage – and it tends to acquire signals more quickly than most of the other portable units I’ve used.
The map coverage and quality is also about equal to the other units I’ve used. Honestly, the Google Maps application on my Droid phone is my favorite in this regard – it’s always up to date (because it’s coming from Google’s server, not maps stored on the device). Google also gives you the option of street map view or satellite image view. And of course, you can Google just about anything (“Directions to nearest Starbucks”) and get an answer. The TomTom isn’t quite this flexible, but it’s good enough most of the time, and it’s self-contained so that it works anywhere – you don’t need a 3G signal the way you do with a smartphone.
TomTom makes a lot of their IQ routes technology that supposedly chooses more sophisticated routes than other devices. Frankly, in a side by side comparison of my built-in car system (which includes traffic guidance), an older Garmin, a Motorola and a phone running Google Maps, I find that all come up with more or less identical routes most of the time. Could just be that there aren’t all that many choices – but I was hard pressed to find substantial route differences no matter where I drove with this unit. Most of my tests were around the NY metro area, including Long Island, NYC, NY and the Hudson Valley – you might find different results in other parts of the country.
More important to me are the little details…does the unit understand the difference between (say) Delta and American terminals at LaGuardia? Yes – TomTom does. If you run into traffic and take an unexpected exit, does the unit quickly recalculate to give you a better route? Yes, TomTom usually does, although sometimes it just recommends making a U-turn and getting back into traffic.
The advanced lane guidance feature is nice in theory, but I suppose I just don’t live near complex enough intersections for it to make a big difference to me. Between the road signs and other clues, I usually don’t have much trouble with this sort of thing. One feature I would like to see (but isn’t available) would be an indication of which lanes on toll bridges take cash versus EZpass, since this isn’t often well marked in my area.
If you’re the type who wants to store all sorts of custom routes and points of interest, then you’ll find the TomTom lacking. While you can customize it to an extent, it’s not particularly easy and you’ll find the software somewhat frustrating in this regard. More often, I found myself using my phone to Google an address, and then I’d just put that address into the TomTom unchanged.
Still, bottom line is that I found the TomTom to work reliably and be a quality, but no-frills product that I’d recommend – if this is what you’re looking for.
”worst, buy a garmin” 2010-07-28
By Gerald Langlykke
This is the worst when compared to a garmin. Error rate of about 10%, unacceptable. Web site impossible to navigate. Do yourself a favor and pass.
”Tom Tom Buyers Beware” 2010-07-27
By Jerry
I recently purchased a Tom Tom XL340 from Electronics Expo through Amazon. Not only was it not compatible with my 64 bit system but when attempting to download map upgrades it erased every map on the GPS. Tom Tom Support was absolutely no help and could not explain the problem I am returning the item and purchasing a Garmin. I have spent several hours on this problem with no results. By, by Tom Tom or Dumb Dumb.
”Lifetime upgrade code fails to activate” 2010-07-27
By Anfisa
Received the TomTom very promptly from Amazon. Purchased the option with the “lifetime maps and traffic”. The TomTom was factory sealed and included a card with the activation code. Unfortunately following TomTom’s instructions for registering the activation code failed. This must be a known issue as they have a support page entitled “Activation code error – an error has occurred – please try again”. Following those instructions step by step and still no dice. The code is not being accepted. Called TomTom support – after a lengthy period of time I was able to speak to a support person who took down the basic info – serial number – etc — he verified that the map installed on this brand new unit is NOT CURRENT. He seemed puzzled and asked to put me on hold. While on hold I was disconnected and despite having provided my contact phone, never received a call back from this CSR. Have sent an email to TomTom to document the issue and received an auto responder.
“Thank you for contacting TomTom Customer Support. We have been experiencing an unusually high number of incidents which has been affecting response times. Your question has been received and you will receive a response from our support team as soon as possible.”
Will give TomTom 48 hours to respond with a correction to the problem – else the unit goes back to Amazon.
”Works well after initial ‘fiddly’ setup…” 2010-07-27
By Marty Gillis (Los Angeles, CA USA)
I’ll start by saying I have never used a GPS before and therefore have nothing to compare the TomTom XL 340M to. I had high hopes for a sort of ‘Hal’ computer in my own car. First of all, as many reviews will clue you in to, it is best NOT to immediately download the new map updates as the device will first prompt you to do. There just isn’t enough memory in this unit to hold what is already in memory when you get it, PLUS the additional info it will attempt to download and the end result could be ‘bricking’ the unit. Thankfully I had researched all of this before setting it up.
Checking various online forums and reviews from this site I found out how to delete all the voices other than the one I wanted to use, including the other languages. I also deleted all the amps for everywhere BUT the USA to free up as much memory as I could. I do think it is a bit of a design limitation that this thing has no way to attach external flash memory. For the price it really should I think.
This unit is a bit plasticky and of course made in China. So what else is new?
The display can be adjusted and I found it had enough contrast and brightness for my needs. The voice commands are a bit hard for me to hear at times due to my aging ears, but they get the job done and I am getting used to them.
I haven’t had battery issues yet, but the included car recharger comes in very handy and I have used it. Then again, I have only used it for very short trips so far of an hour or so.
Once I figured out the mounting bracket and how to adjust it, I have had no problems adjusting the position of the unit itself. It does seem a bit flimsy though and other companies sell better made solutions for this. The touch screen seems a bit ‘fiddly’ to me, but it works and you get used to it. I remember a similar experience learning the ‘feel’ of my Harmony One remote.
I had no idea this unit could also help me locate gas stations, restaurants and advise me on traffic conditions. The interface itself took a bit of work for me to get used to it, but now it is getting close to 2nd nature and I am using the basic functions will little or no difficulty now after about 2 weeks of daily use.
I have found this unit will even calculate your trip time and give you a start time based on the time you wish to arrive at your destination. Cool!
Lifetime map updates! I really don’t travel much, but this will eliminate the need to get maps whenever I do. I have only used this GPS for the last two weeks but so far it has not given me any inaccurate directions. I figure sooner or later that may change, but so far so good.
If I had one wish for the TomTom XL 340M it would be for voice command or voice recognition or whatever that is called. As it is, working the touch screen once you know where to press is easy enough and sure a lot quicker than my old method of pulling over to check my maps. The truth is, for me anyway this thing has WAY MORE functions than I will ever use. Guess I can stop using Google Maps now!
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Sunday, July 25, 2010Front Page Staff Correspondent
Apps are more than just a bit of frivolity, these fun bits of phone kit can actually save you money and it seems that, according to recent research*, more of us are catching on to that fact.
