Many people like the TomTom VIA devices because they have plenty of nice features at affordable prices. Any of these automotive GPS devices should already be more effective than a smartphone right out of the box because of features such as lane guidance and free map updates. Car GPS devices are also easier to mount and have bigger screens so you can still see the map clearly while driving. Going for a budget TomTom device is recommended if you are looking for basic navigation features since you can save a lot. But if you need some fancier features, there are a number of GPS devices available for prices going above $250. If that price is too high to reach, another option is to get one of the older high-end models as there are plenty of online stores that sell these GPS devices at a much lower price. The TomTom GO 2435TM launched in early 2011 and it still remains as a decent premium navigator.
TomTom GO 2435TM
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Design
The TomTom GO 2435TM looks like any other ordinary GPS device from afar but TomTom put a lot of polish so it feels more premium. It actually feels like one of those high-end smartphones complete with a thin profile and a 4.3-inch glass touchscreen display. This makes the touchscreen more responsive to light taps. It also has multitouch technology so you can perform pinch gestures to zoom the map. Being an outdated model, the car mount is separate from the unit unlike the newer VIA models where the mount is part of the unit. Fortunately, the mount is magnetic so installation should be very simple.
Interface
GPS devices are supposed to be designed for anyone to use regardless of technological experience. The TomTom GO 2435TM easily meets that standard by sticking to the tried-and-tested dual icon home screen. On the home screen, you basically decide if you want to go to a certain destination or to just see the map so you can see where you are now. Several smaller icons can be found on the row below in case you want to change a setting, check out the available TomTom services or read the documentation. Just by using the device, you should be able to discover the many points of interest available in dozens of categories. Since this is a 2011 model, some map data can be inaccurate if places opened or moved in the following years. Fortunately, TomTom can bring the latest map updates to the TomTom GO 2435TM and can continue to do that for the life of the device. As mentioned earlier, the touchscreen is very responsive and feels like a smartphone. But if you don’t want to touch the device too often while driving, you can talk to it instead as the TomTom GO 2435TM comes equipped with voice recognition. It is pretty smart and understands basic English phrases.
Navigation Features
The TomTom GO 2435TM combines its good looks with some power under the hood making them far more reliable than standard TomTom VIA devices and other budget products. Routes are generated faster and the way it does these routes is quite intelligent thanks to the proprietary IQ Routes technology. This technology takes both the map and the time into consideration so you may get different results in planning the same route at different times. This is useful if a particular road experiences heavy traffic periods at certain times. The TomTom GO 2435TM features free lifetime traffic updates so you can rely on this feature any time without worrying about hidden subscription fees. While you are driving, the TomTom GO 2435TM will provide you with voice guidance complete with a text-to-speech engine so street names are pronounced too.
Following the directions given by the GPS device is pretty simple but it is possible to commit a mistake on the highway when the GPS device tells you to turn but you cannot because you are in the wrong lane. With the Advanced Lane Guidance feature, the TomTom GO 2435TM can give you further instructions in advance to be in the correct lane. It uses 3-D visuals so you can not only see these junctions but you can also see any important highway signs that you may have missed.
GPS devices are not so distracting thanks to the voice features but mobile phone usage while driving can be dangerous. The TomTom GO 2435TM comes with Bluetooth which should benefit those that really need to interact with their mobile phones while on the road. It makes driving safer by allowing you to pair the smartphone with the device so you can engage in conversations without holding the phone.
The TomTom GO 2435TM made its debut with a hefty $300 price tag. Nowadays, you can get this device for much cheaper and still enjoy the lifetime map and traffic updates.
Update: There is a newer model > TomTom GO 2535TM
