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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Display Upgrades In Recent GPS Technology

By Yusef Naser


Automotive GPS devices have evolved over the past few years and it isn't just the internals and technologies that power them. Although improved navigational technologies are usually the best reason to make the upgrade, some design improvements can make a device better too. TomTom is one of the popular GPS brands that are aware of this and they want to stay competitive by offering models like the TomTom VIA 1535T 5-inch GPS navigators just like some other big GPS manufacturers are doing.

Early GPS devices used 3.5-inch displays, but now people are accustomed to the 4.3-inch widescreen displays. Buying a unit with a 5-inch screen might seem like an expensive upgrade, but that doesn't need to be the case. TomTom offers a couple of inexpensive TomTom GPS navigators with 5-inch screens. For example, the TomTom VIA 1505TM is affordable but gives you the same benefits as typical 5-inch devices.

The Benefits of 5-Inch Displays on GPS Units

Although the screen size increase from 4.3 inches to 5 inches does not affect the overall screen resolution, the pixels appear bigger that is already significant for an automotive GPS device. GPS devices are made to be mounted on your car dashboard or windshield and depending on the type of car, the screen may not be very readable. Zooming in can help but that means you have to touch zoom controls to make that happen. 5-inch displays remain clear to read on more zoom levels and the menus are easier to read as well since the overall text size is bigger. These devices still remain light as well especially when you consider the TomTom VIA devices which boast slim profiles.

A Quick Buying Guide for 5-Inch GPS Units

The most affordable TomTom VIA device which is the TomTom VIA 1535TM costs around $150 which is good if you are looking for the basic functions. Although the 1505 is basic compared to something like a TomTom GO device, it still has plenty of nice features including maps with detailed roads and lots of points of interest along with useful technologies like Advanced Lane Guidance, Eco Routes, and IQ Routes.

But if you are upgrading from a smaller 4.3-inch device, you are better off going for something a bit more midrange like the TomTom VIA 1535T. This way you are not getting just a screen upgrade but also a functionality upgrade where you can take advantage of Bluetooth and voice recognition features. These features used to be on high-end devices and now ordinary consumers can have a chance at better convenience.

It is even better if you go for a device with the TM suffix because you get lifetime traffic updates as well as lifetime map updates so you get the best value without worrying about subscription fees. Real-time updates are important when you want to take the best route at a certain time and it is also important to update your maps every now and then when new places surface. Therefore a device like the TomTom VIA 1535TM is an excellent purchase and it still costs less than $200.




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