Product: TomTom Go 740 Live
Features: This is TomTom's first wireless GPS in the United States, which taps into real-time traffic, gas prices and weather reports, along with being able to Google-search any destination. Has a 4.3-inch LCD touch-screen and features Bluetooth connection for hands-free calling.
Price: $399.95, which includes three months of wireless service. After that, the Live Services costs $9.95 a month.
Ups: The Live Services, which include things like Google search, really make this a fantastically helpful GPS. You can search for general things, like a nearby comic book shop, and it'll route you to nearby stores (and lists phone numbers if you want to call the store before you go). Or if you want something specific, like a nearby Outback Steakhouse, just type that in and get the closest one.
You can also route yourself to a nearby gas station with the cheapest gas. And if traffic is really bad, it'll warn you how bad the delay is and change your route to the fastest one.
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Downs: Don't expect the traffic and gas reports to be exact. Gas prices are based on how often it's updated online -- which sometimes was about 30 cents off. Also, I couldn't get the TomTom's Bluetooth to connect properly with a few different models of cellphones, so that was a big annoyance.
Bottom line: When I went on a family vacation last week, the Live Services were a real lifesaver in getting us around. But you have to dish out an extra 10 bucks a month just to do all these amazing things! It's certainly not the GPS for someone on a budget.
