There is no shortage of route-planning devices on the market but most need the aid of a PC or handheld computer before they can operate. Not the TomTom Go, however. Simply switch it on and this all-in-one electronic navigator will pinpoint your exact location. Then, using the bright, touch-screen menu system, enter your destination and a course will be plotted.

You can view various points of interest on your route, from restaurants and shops to petrol stations and cashpoints. TomTom Go will also display your estimated time of arrival, time from departure or time to the next instruction.

You can choose to follow a moving 2D or 3D colour map or a list of instructions based on road names and turnings. The voice instructions may sound robotic but are invaluable when keeping your eyes on the road. It will even plot an alternative course if you go wrong.

Maps are supplied on SD memory cards, so there's no need to download content from a computer. The TomTom Go comes with a 128Mb card complete with a UK map.

On our travels we found the TomTom Go to be excellent. Voice and on-screen instructions were clear and the GPS never lost its signal. However, it failed to recognise the new M6 bypass, and therefore presumed we were racing over cross-country at 70mph. Unfortunately, you can't download new maps to the memory card, so you will have to buy a new SD card map if major roads change.

Because it's a standalone GPS product, it is inevitably more expensive than the handheld computer-orientated devices that are available. However, when you consider the cost of a handheld PC, the TomTom Go works out quite reasonable in comparison.

Contact: TomTom
www.tomtom.com