Is the XL350TM a step back from my 140s?

[jtpryan]

I handed down my 140S to my son and bought an XL350TM, primarily for the traffic and map updates for life.

But I'm beginning to think it is a huge step back. I can't seem to put in an itinerary, I can't set a speed warning, and I don't see where I can add a favorite from my current location. This is only after setting it up for about an hour, but so far I'm not thrilled.

Oh, I also don't see where I can have it notify me when I'm near a POI. Plus, every POI I search for that the 140s found is not found in this one.

I hope I'm missing something, I gave up my nice small screen as well for this big one, which I have never been able to see the value in, but that seems to be all that is available.

I hope at least the traffic updates are good. I guess that is what the oval thing in the power cord is for.

Thanks for any help...

-Jim

 

[dhn]

The 350 comes with the 'EasyMenu' application which means reduced user functionality.

See here for a way to add back a custom menu which includes Itinerary Planning:
GpsPasSion Forums - [TIP] Enabling POI Alerts on TomTom Start/Ease

 

[canderson]

EasyMenu based units are less painful for people without prior experience with an automotive GPS - they have lower expectations. You've quickly picked up on a couple of the more serious shortcomings of the EasyMenu system.

That said, yes, that little oval thing is for traffic, and you did pick up a lifetime map subscription with the new unit, so in a couple of ways, it's steps forward.

I'd take dhn's advice and consider the menu tweak he points you to that opens up more options. At least one of your desired features (the missing itinerary planning) becomes available again that way.

 

[jtpryan]

I tried it

I tried that menu tweak, but then I have to clear the first screen each time to plan a route. The one thing I did like about the new, stupid, menu was the immediate ability to click on planning a route. Plus, you lose the Help me thing with this menu.

I think, after using it for a day, the thing that bothers me most though is it's complete inability to find a POI when you do a search. I have tried searching for several large, but local, chain stores and supermarkets and it immediately returns none found. These are things my 140 found routinely. I mean if I can't search for say "Starbucks" when on the highway, what is the point? Sure, I can download the Starbucks POI's. but that is a singular solution. For example on my 140 I could search for "Market Basket", a supermarket chain here in NH, and it would find it. On this, nothing. Same even with "Woodcraft", a very small woodworking store chain. I even tried "best buy", nada.

I don't know how they search for these things, but one would think they use the same database. Why did my 140 work and not this one?

I don't know, think I may be jumping to Garmin at this point. I really want the lifetime maps and traffic, but I don't want to not be able to search for POI's.

 

[canderson]

If you still can, you might want to trade in that 350 for a 340TM. That unit is still available (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-4-3-In...P2C4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309386481&sr=8-1 ) and should meet your expectations for a 140 + lifetime maps and then some.

 

[jtpryan]

Well, I had a nice conversation with TomTom support last night. It was impressive, especially since I got a nice, english (native) speaking American. Long time since that happened.

Anyway I subsequently deleted the application and the map and re installed both. This solved the POI issue and now it finds lots of stuff.

I'm still not happy with the reduced interface and may go with the 340TM or a Garmin, still mulling that over.

But I did have a weird thing happen today. I punched in an address:

200 High St
Boston, MA.

It couldn't find it. Said the numbers only went to 99. Then it routed me to somewhere no where near High st. The reason this is weird is that my 140 found this same address way back when (2-3 years?) when I purchased it. So, if it was on the old map, would it not be on the new?

Anyway, do they have a place on the web to send in an update? I know about the map correction thing on the device, but it is cumbersome at best.

-Jim

 

[dhn]

You can report map corrections to TomToms' mapping division directly. See here:
Map Insight

 

[pat3500]

Sometimes there are many variations of the same road, for example Main St, E Main St, W Main St. It can be sometimes confusing as to why you can't find a given adress.

 

[Rick F.]

Sometimes there are many variations of the same road, for example Main St, E Main St, W Main St. It can be sometimes confusing as to why you can't find a given adress.

I thought the same thing that maybe there should be a N, S or E etc, but when I googled for it, looks to me like it should have found it.

200 High St Boston, MA - Google Maps

 

[canderson]

But I did have a weird thing happen today. I punched in an address:

200 High St
Boston, MA.

I've had a load of (not) fun in and around Boston when I discover that the address I'm looking for is instead in one of the bazillion peripheral burgs - but not actually in Boston - and that same address is duplicated in Boston. Streets with names like "High Street" are everywhere back east.

Anyway, your problem was no doubt complicated by the fact that there ARE at least two different High Streets - one is in the Charleston "area" of Boston. The top address there is 143 (although TomTom reports the top as 99). In fact, when you go to search for Boston, be careful *which* Boston you select (there are likely two entries, totally confusing things). If I pick the 2nd of the two Boston entries, I can enter 200 High, no problem.

It's the 2nd Boston in my list that is likely the one you wanted (near International Place). I have a different model, so our maps may be just a bit different.

OK - this is going to bite, but watch what happens. Search for the right area of Boston (per TomTom) by doing a search for zip code instead, 02110, and I bet it will work.

 

[dhn]

You would think our colleague mvl would have trouble getting out of his street, eh? :lol:

 

[canderson]

You would think our colleague mvl would have trouble getting out of his street, eh? :lol:

Geez, no kidding. To be fair, these issues occur in quite a few places along the east coast, but Boston certainly is one of the bigger problem children. Any east coast city that assimilated (literally, through incorporation) many adjacent smaller towns over the years is prone to this. The locals tend to be a bit parochial with regard to their street names, so they're not always rationalized in terms of the overall incorporated city.

What keeps it entertaining is that too often, even the locals don't distinguish (or sometimes even KNOW) that their little 6 square block piece of the world is still known on some maps by a name Paul Revere would have remembered, but the mapping companies sometimes don't forget so easily.

 

[revmrf]

Canderson: A very good reply. When towns are incorporated into a larger 'mess' think how many Church Streets there are... or Main St., etc? And how does the city council determine the new name without getting folks upset? It gets to be a real mess.