I’m not new to GPS devices, so I’m probably the right guy to give advice. I have two built-in units and a Garmin i5. I like the TomTom fine, and the screen quality, even though smaller than my others, is just as good. I like the way that it was quite usable. I got it up and going quickly, and I was pleased with the TomTom’s website, more so than with the Garmin’s because the TomTom Home site is friendlier and more intuitive. There are some basic problems with this edition of the TomTom though. Its lack of clear voice commands is a major problem for first-time GPS users. While calling turns out in yards might be okay for some, the fact that it doesn’t call out street names and that it uses yards instead of feet make it particularly hard to know for sure which is the correct turn.

The TomTom 3rd edition is simple, easy to use, but as with most low-end products, you do pay a price. In busy highways, such as in cities with several lanes of traffic, the voice sometimes comes too late, causing a major problem. Even if the GPS reroutes quickly, it is nevertheless annoying to miss a major turn. If you plan to have your family drive in a car with this GPS installed, you will probably want to step up in price a little to get a bigger screen so that you don’t have to look at it so often, one that speaks out in feet, and one that calls out street names. You will find it safer for your family.