Sudden need, not much time to reasearch.. need to choose

[v'ger]

Greetings, forumites

I currently have a 340S, and it's served me faithfully over 3 years.

My commute has drastically changed and now takes me through the heart of two counties with mad traffic. I need something with realtime traffic.

I've narrowed my choices to the 1505 and 2535 with Lifetime Maps and Traffic and have questions that I've not been able to answer through a day of googling, lookign at tomtom.com and searching this forum, and would like your input to help me decide:

• For both the 1505 and 2535, (Lifetime Maps and Traffic) do these use cellphone for traffic updates, or are they the old-style RDS?
• Is there a cost for HD traffic? If so, what is it? WOuld it be worth it over the "normal" traffic info?
• The GUI in the 340 could be set so the page is "sideways" -- the navigation info and controls along the side, instead of the bottom. I prefer it on the side. Can the new units still do that?
• The 340 speaker is a piece of work, it's loud, clear, no distortion. How do the speakers in the 1505 and 2535 compare?
• Same question for the mount -- the 340 mount is superb, if cup and glass are squeaky clean, they simply won't part until you say they do. How effective are the new mounts? The last thing I want is a heavy unit crashing into my thin, old, brittle dash.
• And last but not least: The OS speed in the 340 is pitiful. In searching locations, there is a second's or two pause from key press to feedback. Similarly, re-routing after a missed turn on a long route can end up in the re-route taking so long that you miss the next turn as well. How's the 1505 and 2535 handle compared to the 340? Fast and crisp, or like a wet sponge?

Thanks in advance for your input,

V'ger

 

[dhn]

The units with Live functionality use a sim card imbedded in the unit and get their info from the AT&T network.

First year free then $60/year to renew,

Yep, you can have the status bar set to vertical.

Subjective. I have a 2535 NON Live model and the speaker is ok.

The 2535 uses a magnetic mount setup. I find it quite good.

Think you'll find the response time is ok in the 2535. Best to 'test drive' one in a store near you.

 

[Andy_P]

Response to key presses can still be quite slow at times, but the routing calculation (and especially re-routing) is lightning fast compared to the old models.

 

[v'ger]

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

The non-Live models -- how do they receive traffic data?

 

[dhn]

If the unit has a combo rds-tmc traffic/car charger, traffic info is via fm signal on your radio.

This traffic info is neither as accurate nor current as LIVE traffic. It also only covers main highways, not side streets as LIVE does.

 

[v'ger]

So then, it looks like the 2535 GO LIVE is the only logical choice.

Thanks, folks. I'll be getting it today or Friday.

 

[canderson]

I'm curious ... What kind of POI do they include on an astronavigation device?

 

[Andy_P]

Eh? Where's that mentioned?

 

[v'ger]

V'GER has only one POI: Earth ;o)

My name in this forum is v'ger from Star Trek: TMP -- a fictional 1970's Voyager probe which was found by a "planet of machines", who modified and outfitted it to fulfill it's programming -- to learn all that is learnable, come back home, and relay that to the Creator (NASA). When the craft was found it was so battered, the name plate which once read "VOYAGER" was interpreted by the planet of machines as "V GER" Some speculate this "planet of machines" was what later became the Borg. Roddenberry had long been playing around with the idea of a living machine, a machine-like planet, a collective.

So, to make the joke work, V'GER's sat nav has one destination, and it's Earth.

Why is my name here v'ger? I travel a lot -- a voyager -- hence my need for a solid, quick GPS with wicked-good traffic capability ;o) I just made it v'ger because the character fascinates me on many levels. Slow film, but when I saw it when I was 10, it made me think a lot, and it led to me questioning a great many things I was told were "true." It's a very "thinky" movie vs. a "blow it up" movie.

 

[Andy_P]

Ahh! Light dawns.... I never got much beyond the original StarTrek (Tribbles and the like...)