TomTom Via 120 - GPS impressions

[Krow]

Maps on the dash


A look at GPS devices, which locate those elusive destinations and act like personal navigators

- Pranay Parab



For a recent assignment, I had to venture into a remote sector of Noida, outside Delhi. I was looking for a “well-known” international school, and boy, was it difficult to locate. Even asking around did not help; it seemed the local people were as clueless as I was. If not for faithful Google Maps, I would not have even reached near my destination. After several failed attempts, I found the sector. But because of no proper signboards, I wasted another half hour looking for the school. If only I had a GPS device, I thought.

Luckily, TomTom’s Via 120 GPS navigation device, in a light, soft-green box, found me a few days later. Well-designed with a brushed metallic finish, the Via 120 comes with a 4.3” screen, which can be clearly seen from a distance. The power button and a USB cable port, however, are hard to spot as they have been neatly integrated into the unit.

But I was a little disappointed once I’d switched on the device. It took around 10 minutes for the unit to lock into my location. Even though it took less time when I was stationary, I would still warn users to boot it well in advance.

Once booted, the GPS signal remained pretty steady. There is no dearth of features on the Via 120. You can set a home location or add favourite places for quick route-planning. The voice-control feature also saves one from constantly fiddling with the screen. You can say many commands aloud, so that you are not distracted while driving. This feature responds only to English commands, although the Via has 11 Indian languages to guide you while driving.

To customise the device for India, TomTom has introduced landmark navigation, enabling users to find their way to any landmark in over 5,000 supported cities. This is a smart move as one can simply search for “Express Building, Delhi” over the more cumbersome “9 and10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg”. There is also a “what’s nearby” option, which allows one to search for places close to the landmark.

The Via 120’s route planner is one of the most efficient features of the device. When you miss a turn, it gives a new route plan within 15 seconds. By default, it calculates the fastest route, but you can also ask for an alternative, to avoid roadblocks. Weather and traffic updates will soon be introduced, claims the company.

TomTom also plans to introduce its map-sharing feature to India. This will allow users to add and edit the map according to what they see on the road. This device comes with free map updates for one year, after which users will have to shell out money about once in three months.

The “help me” emergency service, which will come to your rescue in case of a breakdown by locating the nearest garage, police station or hospital, sets this device apart. It comes loaded with important phone numbers as well. So if your phone supports Bluetooth, just pair it to the Via and you are ready for emergencies.

TomTom has taken special care by providing safety options. Warnings can be issued when speed limits are exceeded and cautious driving is encouraged around schools, hospitals etc.

Overall, the Via 120 is user-friendly, with a fairly responsive touchscreen and a keyboard suitable for large fingers. The battery life is only about two-and-a-half-hours, so keep that car charger plugged in.

The TomTom Via 120 works more like a personal navigator than just a GPS device. Although it is a tad expensive, it has nearly enough features to merit the Rs 17,000 price tag.