CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/18/2009
- Updated on: 04/06/2009
Editors' note: Portions of the Features section was taken from our review of the TomTom One 130S since the two GPS share similar capabilities.
The TomTom One 125 isn't the newest or flashiest portable navigation device on the market, but that's OK. Not everyone needs the latest or greatest. What the One 125 offers is a solid, entry-level GPS for first-time buyers or for those looking for the most basic navigation functions. Similar to the TomTom One 130S (except it doesn't include Canadian maps or text-to-speech functionality), the GPS is easy to use and affordably priced at $179.99. There are some trade-offs, of course. For example, you get a 3.5-inch display instead of a 4.3-inch screen and, as we noted earlier, you don't get text-to-speech functionality. However, it delivers where it counts, with accurate tracking and clear, audible directions.
Design
One thing you'll notice about the TomTom One 125 right out of the box is its simple and compact design. It's similar in shape to the TomTom One 130S, measuring just 3.8 inches wide by 3.2 inches tall by 1 inch thick and weighs 6.7 ounces. It's small enough that you could hold it in your hand for navigating on foot or mount it to a bicycle, and the GPS has pedestrian and bicycle routing modes as a bonus.
On front, you'll find a 3.5-inch WVGA touch screen. With a 64,000-color output and 320x240 pixel resolution, the picture is pretty sharp, though the display is on the smaller side. After having reviewed a number of 4.3-inch models recently, the One 125's screen looks particularly tiny. Still, we were able see maps clearly and read the menus easily. The user interface is simple and intuitive, with two main menu pages and large, easy-to-understand icons. Under the Preferences menu, you'll also be able to change map colors, adjust the position of the status bar on the map screen, choose night mode, and more.
The onscreen keyboard is slightly cramped given the smaller screen, so we did make some errors while inputting addresses. The good news is that the One 125 offers predictive text, so it will start to surface possible results as soon as you start entering letters. We appreciate that you can choose between QWERTY and ABC format, and there's also an option to switch from a larger keyboard to a smaller one, though we can't imagine any reason why you would want to do so.
There's not much else to the PND. On top, you'll find a power button. A mini-USB port/power connector is on the bottom of the device. The speaker is located on the back with the brackets for attaching the car mount.
The TomTom One 125 comes packaged with an EasyPort vehicle mount (windshield and dash), a USB cable, a car charger, and reference material. The EasyPort car mount is the same as the one included with the TomTom One 130S. The accessory consists of a large circular ring that attaches to the back of the GPS and an adjustable arm for securing to the windshield or dashboard disc. To ensure a secure seal, there's also a knob to lock the accessory in place.
The EasyPort mount doesn't look particularly sturdy and we did encounter a couple of problems on the road. We used the dashboard method--since technically windshield mounts are prohibited in California--and for the most part, the GPS stayed in place, but there were a couple of times when we drove over some rough parts of the road and the One 125 popped out of the cradle. We understand that TomTom wanted to keep things simple and small, but we'd take a larger accessory if it meant more security.
Features
Like the rest of the company's One series devices, the TomTom One 125 offers the basic navigation features in an easy-to-use package for first-time buyers and minimalists. The system comes preloaded with maps of the United States only, and you can enter your destination by address, city center, zip code, or intersection. Alternatively, you can choose a location from your Favorites or Recent destination lists and automatically route home from your current location by touching the Home icon.
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