Review: TomTom ONE

New TomTom products come along at a steady rate – so much so that it’s often difficult to tell the difference from one version to the next. The latest iteration of the entry-level ONE is a case in point: when you turn it on, the theory behind the device appears to be ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. But at least the hardware itself has been redesigned – and in a very impressive way.

The days of the boxy and intrusive satnav in your windscreen are behind us. The new TomTom ONE is small, slim and very discreet. As a budget model it has a 3.5” display, and while this would often be seen as a limitation when compared to a widescreen offering, here it is to its benefit. The ONE is so slim and lightweight that it’s extremely pocketable, and can also be positioned in the windscreen safely and securely.

This is helped by the also brand new EasyPort windscreen mount. Scarcely worth a mention when testing a satnav – unless it’s particularly bad – the in-car mount is perpetually overlooked by manufacturers and users alike. With EasyPort, TomTom has not only given the subject serious thought but has built something revolutionary.

As with the ONE, the key to EasyPort is its compactness. It consists of two rings, connected clamshell-style, one of which contains the suction cup, the other clips to the (very powerful) circular speaker on the back of the device. When open, it can be twisted vertically and horizontally so that the device can be placed in any position or at any angle in the windscreen. When closed, it’s less than an inch thick and adds almost no bulk to the ONE at all – the device and mount together are only an inch and a half thick.

It is successful not just for style and portability reasons, but for security as well. While it’s a given that you should take your satnav with you when you leave your car, most users will leave the mount in the windscreen, proving a temptation for passing thieves. Even with the EasyPort mount attached, the device remains pocketable, making it really simple to take the entire kit with you when you go.

It’s no exaggeration to say that EasyPort is the best in-car mount we have seen, and we won’t be at all surprised if other manufacturers take inspiration from it in their future products.

So the hardware is great, but the software is a little underwhelming. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just that it doesn’t seem to have moved on much in the last few generations. And in a device that’s so light on features – this is a real bare-bones system – it’s easier to see areas where the company might be resting on its laurels.

The menu system is still unrivalled, making this as easy to use as any product on the market, but the whole interface would welcome a lick of paint. And while other companies are enhancing the user experience with 3D landmarks or different reality views, TomTom maps are still flat and beige.

The POI database could be better, too – a restaurant search gave us almost nothing but nearby fastfood chains. With smartphones offering highly specific local searches, the POIs in the ONE hardly count as a selling point. It’s also a little disappointing that some of TomTom’s recent software innovations such as IQ routes haven’t made it into this model either, as they would have helped to differentiate this product from all the others in a similar price bracket.

In fact, it does feel as though TomTom is selling the ONE on the strength of its brand alone. Fair enough, its reputation for quality mapping and reliable navigation might be deserved and is still evident here, but the Regional edition with single country map does seem expensive (especially when full European coverage can be had for only £20 more). Had this model been TomTom’s first sub-£100 system, it would be hard to complain; as it is, shopping around might help you find a bit more for your money.

Map coverage: UK & Ireland
Price: £150
Web: www.tomtom.com

Performance: 8
Design: 10
Features: 6
Value: 6

Overall verdict: 8

Review originally published in Smartphone & PDA Essentials magazine. Words by Andy Betts.

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