TomTom Ease

Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
1,158
Location
Florida
TomTom Model(s)
TomTom 930
TomTom announced a new model today for the US. Named the Ease, it's TomTom's new entry-level device, retailing for $100. It appears to be very similar to the already announced Start in Europe (in fact may be identical except for maps), with 3.5" screen, EasyPort mount, US maps including about 3 million poi's. The simple 2 button menu still offers IQR, Help Me and TTS. Not yet appearing in retail outlets, but look for it (in black or white:rolleyes:) sometime before the end of March.
 
Thanks for the information.

The Ease is the US equivalent to the European Start as you point out except for one thing ... the European model has 32 megs of ram and NO Text to Speech. The Ease with TTS has 64 megs of ram.
 
Maybe an oversight but under the listing for What's in the Box, there is NO mention of either a car charger OR a usb cable.
 
Canada Maps are included

I just got a new Ease and I thought that I would have to add Canada maps, but it is the full North American (2meg) map, and it includes Canada. That was a nice surprise. The bad part is I have yet to be able to link it to my old or brand new account. No matter what I try it simply won't link. I have seen others complain about this and I am waiting to hear from TomTom. I don't really like calling them on the phone but I may be forced to. But in any event, there's Canada....
 
When you first connect it to Home, Home should say that there is no account associated with the unit and would you like to create a new one (which you should). At that point (after you say 'yes') a screen for providing an email address/password should appear. Use a different email address than for any other unit you've registered, it doesn't even have to be a real email address.
 
When you first connect it to Home, Home should say that there is no account associated with the unit and would you like to create a new one (which you should). At that point (after you say 'yes') a screen for providing an email address/password should appear. Use a different email address than for any other unit you've registered, it doesn't even have to be a real email address.

Unfortunately, that does not work. It is not as simple as it appears. I set up a new account with a new email address but it fails every time I try to link. I uninstalled and then picked apart all other remaining data and other files, and followed TomTom's instructions and deleted even the empty HOME and TomTom files and Downloads (all empty), reinstalled--multiple times!!--and it fails to link. It did update the system, and installed the quickgps fix. But it won't link, and it therefore won't give me an updated map nor let me buy map updates or other maps.

I can't be sure but I think they didn't update HOME to accept the Ease. One of the errors says that HOME does not match the device application, or something like that. I am not a complete newbie in these things and it looks like something more than can be fixed from this end. I've filed two error reports and am waiting.

In fact, it looks like a TomTom server problem. I think their server expects other units, but not this one for which perhaps it has not yet been modified. Here is the beginning of one of the error messages I get:

"ERROR: 573/#https://home.tomtom.com/account/setDevice: Error from server: You have an invalid version of the TomTom application installed on your TomTom device. To use HOME you need to install the correct version of the TomTom application.
You have an invalid version of the TomTom application installed on your TomTom device. To use HOME you need to install the correct version of the TomTom application.
Error code: 573"

I get another error which says essentially the same thing, although it says I may still have "functionality," which I do except for linking and, therefore, getting map updates.
 
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I do have a test EASE unit here that I can create an email account for but the emulator doesn't work with it.

Keep pursuing the issue with Customer Support at 866-486-6866. don't waste your time with email. Call them. Ask for 2nd level support.
 
Unfortunately, that does not work. It is not as simple as it appears. I set up a new account with a new email address but it fails every time I try to link. I uninstalled and then picked apart all other remaining data and other files, and followed TomTom's instructions and deleted even the empty HOME and TomTom files and Downloads (all empty), reinstalled--multiple times!!--and it fails to link. It did update the system, and installed the quickgps fix. But it won't link, and it therefore won't give me an updated map nor let me buy map updates or other maps.

I can't be sure but I think they didn't update HOME to accept the Ease. One of the errors says that HOME does not match the device application, or something like that. I am not a complete newbie in these things and it looks like something more than can be fixed from this end. I've filed two error reports and am waiting.

In fact, it looks like a TomTom server problem. I think their server expects other units, but not this one for which perhaps it has not yet been modified. Here is the beginning of one of the error messages I get:

"ERROR: 573/#https://home.tomtom.com/account/setDevice: Error from server: You have an invalid version of the TomTom application installed on your TomTom device. To use HOME you need to install the correct version of the TomTom application.
You have an invalid version of the TomTom application installed on your TomTom device. To use HOME you need to install the correct version of the TomTom application.
Error code: 573"

I get another error which says essentially the same thing, although it says I may still have "functionality," which I do except for linking and, therefore, getting map updates.

That means Tomtom HOME doesn't think you have the right software installed for your EASE. Try backing up per these steps, and letting HOME recreate the software on its own per these steps.

If it still errors then you're right, probably Tomtom didn't configure the EASE into the HOME server's model roster yet. I expect this will be resolved as more EASE models are sold and the support calls start coming in. As dhn said, go call them and specifically mention that it is blocking the download (I presume) of 845 via LMG, so that they notate you account so you can get the map later when things are fixed.
 
No Joy

Thanks for the advice. I followed it all to the letter and still it won't' link giving me the same error messages. I suppose I'll call Tomtom when I have sufficient motiviation to put up with their idiocy. Thanks again!
 
So I remember why I hate to call TomTom. First of course hold for 20-30 minutes. Then no option for the EASE--no option at all! If you pick "4" which is "none of the above," or something similar, they just hang up on you after 30 seconds!

So I called using a different, inaccurate response, asked for a level 2 tech and of course the person insisted on talking to me anyway. He put me through the update routine, and actually had me remove my apps. When he went back and tried to reinstall, I told him that my setup put all my tomtom files on my E drive (which I do to save space on my C). Thus there was nothing he wanted on C, and he got very silent for almost 60 seconds, and when I asked if anyone were there, he finally came back and sasid, "Sorry, I was just told that the Ease needs to be sent back because the application is not properly formatted. You will have to bring it back where you got it."

I told him it was Amazon, and he said, okay, he would give me a number and give me to someone else to arrange to have the unit replaced by TomTom. When I got to that next person, he told me it would take 2 months to reconfigure their server to handle the Ease. When I asked then why I had to return the device if the problem was the server, he said I didn't have to, and that the techie was an idiot who didn't understand what the problem was. He said I would have to wait two m onths "max," but that he thought that within 2-3 weeks they would have their server reconfigured.

Can you believe it!!!!????!!!?? Finally I told him at least they could work on their phone system so that there was an option for the Ease, he said in the future just use the "ONE" option, since it was the same basic setup.

end of story. Yikes!!!!!
 
TomTom has been notified.

I forgot the best (worst?) part...the guy left me, obviously with an unuseable unit--he had me remove the application. If I had not had the foresight to backup everything before I called, I couldn't have reinstalled, which fortunately I did successfully. Can you beat that? I suppose that's why he wanted me to send it back, because he realized he had bricked it and didn't know how to get the app back, and wasn't smart enough to ask if I had just possibly backed it up earlier. Double yikes!
 
For what it is worth......

Got feedback from TomTom, inc representative:

Hi DHN,

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. We are aware of this issue, and it actually should be fixed as of today. I was able to link my retail EASE to an account this morning.
 
For what it is worth......

Got feedback from TomTom, inc representative:

Hi DHN,

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. We are aware of this issue, and it actually should be fixed as of today. I was able to link my retail EASE to an account this morning.

Great! (We'll see.....) I'll try it tonight when I get home, and report back here! Nice! Thanks!
 
The good the bad and the ugly

Well, the good is that I think it linked (never before having linked, I wouldn't really know--it doesn't confirm with a message "you're linked" or anything, but it checked my maps and offered to sell me more, so I guess I'm linked). So, thanks for the help; it was invaluable, especially in light of TomTom's level of user-friendliness.

The bad (perhaps...but perhaps I'm wrong) is that it says my map is up to date but when I tried to sign up for the four quarterly updates, it said I had to pay an additional $11.00 because "we have released 1 quarterly map updates since the release of your North America map meaning that your map isisn't as accurate as it could be." What is this all aboutr? Either I have up to date maps or I don't. And what about that guarantee? I just bought the unit less than a week ago (and let's face it they weren't ready to issue the unit until today anyway), so either I am up to date as they tell me or I am not. Huh? Did I miss something?

But thanks again. I guess I can bear $11.00, but it does seem deceptive.

Sorry...here is the ugly: When I go to the Latest Map Guarantee, it says, "Your device already has the latest map. Currently there is no newer map for your device." But, as I say above, when I go to update maps, it says there has been one quarterly update, and I have to pay to have the latest map!!!! Triple Yikes!!!!! Does this company suck or what??????
 
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It's not the company, it's Home that is crappy.

Call support at 866-486-6866 and tell them you want the 845 map for your unit. Unfortunately, they are used to this type of call.
 
It's not the company, it's Home that is crappy.

Call support at 866-486-6866 and tell them you want the 845 map for your unit. Unfortunately, they are used to this type of call.

I'm not sure I understand. I already have the map, right? My screen says version 8.545. Is that the app, and not the map?

I'm afraid if I call them and tell them I want the 845 map (which I must have, musn't I???), they won't understand -- especially becuase I don't. Can't I just tell them that when I update and use the guarantee it says I have the latest but when I try to subscribe to updates it tells me I have an out of date map? Won't they understand that better? No? I'll give it a try when I have the energy to call them again. And thanks.
 

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