Ten nifty city things to do with your TomTom

[NorFowl]

No doubt a number of you after having used your GPS within your city for a while found that you already new the way to the grocery store, etc. and now the device is unplugged in glove box, novelty worn off. Well, I hit that point, then started to dig into features a little more and now one year later have my TomTom permanently installed, and use it nearly every day.

So, I thought some of you “I’m over that” or beginning users might enjoy a “new life” for your device by considering some of these nifty things. Some are very obvious, some not, but I see from reviewing the forums that there are plenty of undiscovered features to give your device more usefulness, even in everyday situations. These are just ten of many. I hope others will add theirs.
Also, I know some of these have appeared elsewhere, but thought this little list might be useful to some.

Caveats emptor:

• These function are found (or not) across various models, For me to list which model can be used for each would take 100x more work and I probably wouldn’t have made this list if I had to do that. (Maybe some model/feature-wizard would like to edit?).
• However, FYI everything on this list I do with my GO 730.
• Experienced users will have already discovered these and more.

Enjoy!

1. Read the (real) manual! No, not the tiny one that comes in the box… the real thing. Go to TomTom.com -> Support ->Downloads and specify your device. LOTS of good information and how-to’s there. Warning! It’s a useful but big document. Go PDF for online viewing and search-ability.
   
2. Is this really the best way? Check all your pre-GPS fastest routes. I found that some of the routes I thought were the fastest, really weren’t. Checking those with your TT might save you some time and hassle. This works even better on the devices with the IQ Routes capability.
   
3. Mark that spot! If you haven’t already built up your list of places you visit, remember that you don’t have to enter the street address of a location. When you visit your main locations, you can use can use the “Add position to Favorites” to mark the exact spot (flip through your main screens to "Add Favorite"). This is not only handy, but you may find that the street address didn’t get you to exactly where you want to go! Also, Favorites can be converted to POI locations if you’d like to arrange them that way. (Change Preferences, then Manage POI's, then Add POI)
   Note: POI handling can be a little confusing, so you might want to read up on them in the manual before doing much. But they're very handy, and you can store many more POIs than Favorites.
4. Are we there yet? Another nice feature of the IQ Routes is the accuracy of estimated arrival time. That can save you considerable sweat if you’re running tight, or through an unknown area. (There’s even a count-down timer to simplify things). Similarly, you can use the Prepare Route function and find out before you leave (even days before you leave) what the drive time will likely be. Again, the accuracy on IQ routes machines tends to be more accurate.
   
5. Take a guided tour. You’ve probably found that in bigger cities that the “Shorted Route” may be shorter but takes longer and really routes through a lot of turns. But, if you’re not in any hurry, use the Shortest Route for your trip, and enjoy the “guided” tour of the neighborhoods between one point and another… knowing you won’t get lost, dead-ended, or back where you started. I’ve found some really nice places that way.
   
   Change it! If you get tired of the above journey, just use the Recalculate for the Fastest Route, and *presto* you’ll be back on the main roads ASAP. You can shift back and forth between “fastest” and “shortest” as needed. (This is also one way to dodge traffic jams).
   
6. Find places to visit – Using something like Google Maps, look around your area for places of interest like lakes, parks, wooded areas, etc. With Google Maps you can export to your TomTom. Then, just place that as a destination and discover some place new!
   
7. Take a break from the Fastest Route. Yes, your device may be giving you the fastest route to your destination, but maybe you get tired of that same ol’ drive? One way to give yourself a break is to use the Find Alternative option: Pick “Avoid part of route” and select the usual road from listing to be avoided. This can have the effect of giving you “the next fastest route.”
   
8. Don’t forget the bread! Ever go out on a list of long errands and forget to stop at a particular place? Use “Interary Planning,” and enter each of your destinations (you can enter then from your Favorites, POIs, etc). This ensures that you will visit every spot. (Note: Currently no TomTom’s will optimize the route for you, so it’s best to have a map in mind or in front of you to create a logical order for your stops).
   
9. Long trip? “Read a book,” or listen to an album. The SD expansion card in most units can be used for more than just maps. It can also store audio books and some of your music collection, all managed by the “Jukebox” function. TomTom is officially supported as an Audible.com device, so you can take an additional copy of a book you’re “reading” along for the ride. On some models you can play the directions and/or other audio through your car's speakers via FM radio. Not bad!
   
10. Keep it simple! After really working the device over, like in the above scenarios, I found I wanted to get to certain functions quickly. To do that, hit “Change preferences,” then scroll to “Quick menu preferences” where you can set up a link to functions that can be accessed from the main screen.

 

[dhn]

A really nice and useful post, thanks.

 

[NorFowl]

dhn,
Well that's the mode in which it was created, but I see it's only gotten 64 views, no responses except yours. Perhaps it belongs in another Thread, or maybe the trash pile?

 

[Arno]

Well, lets see why I looked at it but did not send a reply.

1.Printed than manual before the initial charge completed.

2. That's a given.

3. Got that in my Quick Menu option.

4. Set up Distance to go, Time go within the first week. Only use Arrive at a particular time if I need to meet a ferry in a strange area. Could have used that years ago when I said I am there at that time and would leave early enough to take care of eventualities or relax in the coffee shop before the appointment. Today I say ten-elevenish. If they don't like it, just too bad, retirement is great.

5. Always took alternate and odd routes if there was spare time. Helped a lot during traffic jams to be familiar with side roads and byways.

6. Haven't got enough time for the places I want to visit, never mind additional ones. Always plan any major trips with Google maps. Just finished 14,050 km Toronto > Black Hills > Yellowstone >Seattle > Sidney, BC > Chiloquin, OR (Train Mountain) > Salt Lake City > Durango > Chama > San Antonio > New Orleans > Chattanooga > Blue Ridge > Home.

7.Very rare that I must be somewhere very fast these days. I: we got about half an hour to spare. SWMBO: .oh, not another detour. It's always been like that. Since TomTom I can now say: look we are on the route Kate says is the right one.

8. Don't like TomTom's itinerary planning. Maybe I am just not doing it right. If not at the Roundhouse work party or working at the Live Steam track we go every day for coffee at a local shopping centre, passing 4 of the 5 stores where we food shop regularly. No contest.

9. SWMBO likes to get CD books from the Library and prefers the sound through the car stereo.

10. See response to 3.


My guess is that quite a few readers would be interested in some of the points you spell out .
I feel you would have gotten more of a response if you had explained in item 3. how to set it up.

I got a friend of mine to buy a 930 a month ago but he is not into computers or electronics. Nothing comes to him intuitively and he must be led by the hand.

You may have opened the eyes of some like him but they might just be too timid to ask for details.

Cheers,
Arno

 

[NorFowl]

Arno,

Thanks for the input. This was not intended for a TomTom expert such as yourself. That breed has already discovered all this stuff and much more. That's why I put it in the General section. It would best belong in a "Used to Use My TT But Don't Anymore" thread. Wouldn't expect many hits there!

I hate to get into the How-to's 'cause as you know they change, but your point's well taken on #3 and I tweaked it up a bit.

Re your #9, yeah I like it through the car FM radio too. Sound's not that bad. But if you get a lot of spoken directions, the interuption can get anoying!

 

[Arno]

This was not intended for a TomTom expert such as yourself. That breed has already discovered all this stuff and much more.

That breed has also forgotten things. I had spent very little time in the list over the last six months. A friend of mine bought a 930 and I had to go back to basics to start him off.

That's why I put it in the General section.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the thread in this section but it would be up to dhn to decide on that.

My habit with this list is that I click on the link in the eMail notification of subscribed threads if I feel it need a reply or delete it without. when I have some time I click on what's new and look at the threads posts since last I was there. These days I I do not read any that cover specifically the X40 + series, Traffic or data service but often will look at a dhn reply to see if the thread my have some information of benefit to me.
I hate to get into the How-to's 'cause as you know they change, but your point's well taken on #3 and I tweaked it up a bit.
{quote]Re your #9, yeah I like it through the car FM radio too. Sound's not that bad. But if you get a lot of spoken directions, the interuption can get anoying![/QUOTE]
I may have not expressed myself properly. I do not listen to audio books via FM broadcast.
Where I like every single frequency is occupied. Some with not much more than static. None the less, there is broadcast and my device creates an extremely unpleasant sound.

I meant to try it in the prairies but forgot about it and it isn't important to me as I find most books delivered in such a monotonous voice that it is putting me to sleep so I shut off the radio anyway.

 

[dhn]

This forum tends to have the most views, from experienced to first timers. And even 'experienced' always can learn from others. I certainly have learned a great deal from members of TomTomforums. I think this specific forum here is just fine for this thread.

 

[bmike]

The last cool thing I did with my GPS is to take it on a flight to Florida. It was fun watching the MPH go to 550, at about 30 minutes out from the airport we slowed to 500 and I was tempted to ask the flight attendant to question the pilot on why the aircraft had slowed down. I didn't though.

 

[Arno]

What kind of a road display did you get?
Wonder if you have Height installed on your device. ;->)

 

[NorFowl]

I meant to try it in the prairies but forgot about it and it isn't important to me as I find most books delivered in such a monotonous voice that it is putting me to sleep so I shut off the radio anyway.

Amen! But I've found that purely a function of who the publisher (?) picks to do the reading. Some chose professional actors that are just as entertaining as the book itself, but some are a good match for the engine drone. It's a shame they can render a good book unpleasant by that choice.