TomTom GO Expert: Truck GPS

I was hoping to find an alternative to the standard map apps, as I won’t use Google and Apple Maps has become progressively less usable (just try to navigate pins and saved places across platforms!), so I was willing to pay a well-known third party to try their navigation in CarPlay. Unfortunately this isn’t it. The maps seem ok, and the interface has some interesting elements - like a progress bar to your destination with distance to gas stations (although how often do you need that to be a permanent map element?) - but the voicing for turn by turn is atrocious compared to Siri and the Google voice. The “computer” voices that can announce street names talk in a stilted manner circa 2010 and even mispronounce simple common street names like “Whatever Ave” (“Whatever ayve”). There’s also no mention of live traffic rerouting, though I guess it’s possible it exists, and no browser or desktop-based companion. What I really want is simply to be able to create my own routes like you’ve been able to do forever using drag and drop in Google Maps desktop, then sync those specific routes to your phone. Oh well, back to Apple Maps I go, and hope that it can eventually clean up the pinned locations and sync the desktop and mobile apps properly. And, maybe, someday allow me to just make my own routes without clunky waypoints.

I use this great navigator all over USA, Europe and even Russia. Works great everywhere except Boston MA. Boston has many very complex intersections and road configurations. I think other cities must have also but Boston is the most complex I have ever driven. My 26 year old daughter who lives in Boston finds it as difficult as I do. This results in missed turns or making the wrong choice in a multiple choice situation. The cause is two fold. First there are many - very many - intersections on the map that are just not laid out the way shown. Not totally wrong but enough so that it is confusing to choose the correct road. There are three places that are completely wrong and in two of them the wrong choice will send you miles and miles away until I can correct. Second flaw is that in these situations the graphic route lines are too wide to really define the correct choice precisely. I give this app a five because it is light years better than anything except Google Maps which my daughter now uses. But Google does not have the superb route side bar and other important features. You can download the latest maps internationally. I know. Trust this app. Just wish they had more attention to difficult nav situations in dense urban areas with the profile of Boston. Which is unique in difficulty on my experience.

Like most everyone out there I’ve used all other major driving apps, this one is the best hands down, from audible alerts to lack of distractions….I’ve never been a fan of hitting buttons to alert or where every Dunkin’ donut is in my area, just need directions and TomTom does it well!!! Only have two complaints…. Please give the street maps a little more contrast, I like to be able to see how many streets I need to pass before I make a turn, probably just a personal habit but when I’m sitting at a light on a different route I don’t want to be looking at street names, a quick glance at the map could give you a quick ballpark idea of how many blocks before one needs to turn. The only other issue is exit names when driving on a highway, other apps do a much better job of matching what the exit names as displayed on the road signs, this makes it easier to know you’re taking the correct one. TomTom is more generic and doesn’t quite match so if I was driving on a new road I would probably use a different app because don’t want to get rear ended trying to second guess if I’m taking the correct exit.