The TomTom GO 750 is a joy to use. You turn it on, enter your address instructions and away you go. It's that kind of menu simplicity that has the TomTom head and shoulders above their competition. The touchscreen (480 x 272) is very responsive and the menu is among the simplest that we've used.
The screen of the 750 is a tad larger at 4.3in and the unit weighs 221g, having gone through a sleek redesign since the GO 730.
The GO 750 is an overall more exciting package. It's not quite as portable as the smaller TomTom (Start) which we reviewed recently. But that's to be expected, as this unit has more screen real estate and easier to read directions as a result.
Voice controlled
With the GO 750, you can also operate the unit via voice controls, although the controls are not perfect. With over 140 voice commands available, you need to choose the right phrases or things won't happen as smoothly.
The commands can get a little robotic, and you'll need to speak up to ensure the unit's microphone can hear you correctly. External noises such as radio speakers, air conditioning and the windows wound down - all managed to test the 750's voice software accuracy.
Solid mount
But not everyone is buying a GPS for voice controls. It's in these other areas that the TomTom excels. The mounting port, called an "active dock" is miles ahead of TomTom's previous mounts, which sometimes fell off unexpectedly.
We were very impressed with the suction capabilities of the new active dock mount. TomTom mounts used to suffer from problems sticking to glass windows, but that seems to have been solved with the active dock; the best mount we've come across in GPS devices thus far.
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| The TomTom GO 750 features excellent lane guidance, for those busy motorways |
Smarter directionsIQ Routes continue to be a helpful feature in the TomTom range, and though not unique to the 750, they still provide a welcome, yet useful data analytical tool for keeping tabs on popular routes driven on a regular basis. IQ routes offer up alternatives to those busy peak hour routes.
Changes to the data are reflected by the thousands of individual TomTom users each and every time you connect to the TomTom web interface on your PC.
Text to speech capabilities are provided by generic international computer voices, but like the cheaper TomTom Start, there's still no Australian voice option. Struth.
Choose the right lane
One of the best features of the unit is the lane guidance feature. It's designed to help motorists on freeways and motorways, where busy intersections and lane divisions might create confusion.
Images (complete with road signs) that show exactly where to turn on a motorway are integrated as a separate static image on the screen. It's handy in those last-minute turning situations, where we sometimes have a tendency to misjudge which turn we should make.
Handsfree
Bluetooth technology is also included on the 750, a common feature of premium GPS devices these days. Coupled with voice-guided street directions, hands-free calls create a safer GPS driving experience. Theoretically, you could never need to touch the GPS during your trip.
Standard features like speed and red light cameras are also pre-loaded. That also includes school zones. The maps are provided by Sensis (Whereis) and our first impression is that the map data is very acurate in the areas we drove.
Missing is an imbedded TMC antenna (traffic receiver), but keep in mind this unit is not the most expensive on the market (we've spotted it at under $400 online).
Our first impression
TomTom have managed to provide what excellent navigation capabilities at a reasonable price. Based on price and features alone, we would recommend anyone looking for a GPS to include the TomTom GO 750 in their shopping comparisons.
