On March 4th 2008, Tom-Tom announced that they would be releasing another product, the Tom-Tom Go 530 as well as their other, similar products, the Tom-Tom Go 730 and also the 930. The Go 530 will only be available in Europe, and have maps set to the region in which the purchase is made. Equipped with great, up to date navigational tools, it’s really a steal at prices ranging from only £235-279.
The greatest reason, if you are already a Tom-Tom user, to upgrade is that the 530 comes equipped with new IQ routes, smart routes that change according to up to date traffic conditions, time of day, day of the week, and history of the route. The device is also compatible with Tom-Tom HD traffic.
The screen is a gorgeous 4.3″ wide screen with (480 x 272 pixels) making your directions easy to see. The CPU includes 400 MHz as well as having an internal memory of 1 GB to allow you to store some of your more frequent routes. It also includes an SD card socket if you need to download a route to or from your PC. A great device to have if you are an avid laptop user as it is also Bluetooth compatible.
The battery made of lithium polymer will last you a total of up to five hours before requiring a recharge. It is incredibly compact at only 118mm X 83mm X 24mm and weighs only 220 grams so it is easily connected to your dashboard for simplified viewing.
It was the previous model, the Tom-Tom Go 520 that introduced voice recognition to the system, in certain European countries, that allowed for hands free directions. You could now simple say the address you wanted instead of having to reach up and type it in. The Go 530 is very similar in appearance and is the new entry level gadget in the Tom-Tom line of global positioning units.
The two units are very similar, since the Go 520 was such a huge success as a model. The same body curves and slightly rubberised outer casing has proven to be useful in attempting to keep the unit from becoming damaged. The casing is in a stylish black colour, easily blended into your cars décor.
It is recommended that you get a dashboard mount with a swivelling ball mount for easy adjusting. All though the unit is quite small, in fact it is perfect for stashing into the glove box. It’s also handy to have available to hand so that you don’t have to go looking for it. Its small size does not take up much room, and easily fits into your dash board panel.
The only reason that you would need to spend more money on the 730 or 930 models, which are the only ones available outside of Europe, are if you would need a larger memory for larger maps or more regions. For the average traveller, whether your purchase is for business or pleasure, the Go 530 has all your requirements for easy navigation for travel around your nearby region. It is jam packed with information, without further need of upgrade or downloads as long as you purchase the unit in the region that you plan to use it in most.
Installation
Installing the device is pretty straight forward. Basically the TomTom Home software is included on the actual Satnav, so when you plug it in via the supplied USB dock, it attempts to do the install. From there, simply follow the on-screen commands and away you go
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