I got the TomTom One, and you have to pay a subscription for traffic info via bluetooth. Also, you can't use the bluetooth in any meaningful way; it's just for downloading traffic data via your cell phone.

No, you can pair the 720 with your phone and use it as speakerphone. With windows up it works well for me.

Also, you can enable voice-input on this device. This is fairly simple for some people. For others it can be a little trickier. Google it and/or search TomTom 720 forums.

does anyone know if there is a GPS (or online mapquest like software) thats allows you to route the most efficient route bewteen 10-12 locations?

The order doesnt matter, I just need something I can plug all 10 locations into, and get the best route to take, with my starting oint being my house!


Thanks!

The tomtom will do it. I can't recall, but I think you get more than 10-12 waypoints. Garmin only gives you 1.

#2, do you know if the mic on this thing (for bluetooth pairing) is any better than the Garmin Nuvi's? If I'm sitting still with the car off, people can hear me fine on my nuvi, but since it has ZERO noise reduction, if I'm moving even very slowly in the car, the background noise is such that the mic doesn't pick up my voice at all.

I own 720 and this thing is awesome! Pretty much fully customizable (there are ways you can modify the menu to your liking - gotta search the web to do that). You can also enable VR (voice-recognition) so instead of typing the address, you just "speak to the unit." This is one of the reasons why 920 is more expensive than 720 - so by enabling VR on 720, you just saved yourself $150. Not to mention that you can actually get 920's POI and put them on 720... so in essence, 920, IMO, is overpriced 720. However, w/ 920 you can enable gap prices (it will show you cheapest gas and location relative to your current GPS position), where you don't have that option on 720. Features like this (including traffic) are free for the first year (just call TT CS to get this enabled).

This unit does have BT and depending on the phone, you are able to sync it (pretty easy) and use it as a "hands-free unit" (ie, speakerphone). In addition to that, you can d/l GPSquickfix (every now and then TT releases GPS fix, so TT does get satellite reception faster than Garmin, IMO). You can also d/l map updates via phone, etc.

As far as maps go, you have the first 30 days free to make map updates. You can also d/l them via torrents (I have Western & Central Europe that I d/l and NA that came pre-installed). Probably the best thing about TT vs Garmin is TT's MAPSHARE feature: users make changes to the map and you can d/l them for free (you have options of only TT certified changes, certain changes, or all of them).

Just FYI - just b/c a new map was released, it doesn't mean that it is bug free...


**EDIT**
W/ 720 or 920 you have what is called "itinerary" which enables you to plan multiple routes, so yes, you can do that w/ this unit. Garmin only lets you plan 1 stop (unless you go w/ 7x model tha... [Truncated]