Is it just me?

HandyMac · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 23, 2004 Posts: 52

I received my TomTom 3 kit for my PDA a few days ago. And I find the user interface to be dreadfully complicated! Menu's at the bottom of the screen, menu's at the top of the screen. Buttons which play peekaboo on screen. Where did these guys go to get trained on usability of software programs fer heavens sake?

I fire the system up and it immediately suggests that I'm starting my journey on the border of Scotland (I'm in Berkshire). Eventually I persuade it of my home address - which happens to coincide nicely with where that shiny satellite in the sky thinks I am (dead on accuracy there).

Then I click on the Home icon. "Sorry mate, can't do that, you need to set up your home location as your first in the favourites list".

Click on the favourites list. It's empty. As expected. Useful instructions appear on-screen about clicking on the map in order to set a favourite up.

Only it doesn't tell you that it doesn't work unless you have first defined a journey. You can't set a favourite unless you've got from/to locations set up first, 'cos the favourite menu option just doesn't appear until you have set up a journey. What? Guys, I have a map in front of me showing my home address. I want to set that location as a favourite, and I can't. Confidence in this software already starting to drain away like the confidence in the England footie team being able to get to the world cup......

And now the frigging thing is halfway round the universe somewhere in the middle of the journey I just entered (I haven't left home yet...I'm sitting on my drive feeling pretty frustrated that I'm not getting very far) and I'm displaying the map as a UK wide picture. Right-oh, let's blow this map up so that I can see the street location. Where's the zoom in/out buttons? Oh yeah, they are just plain missing from the UK map. Bummer. No apparent way to zoom in on the journey without leaping thru a few hoops which in common parlance are described as menu's.

After lots of tapping with my PDA tickling stick I eventually get my first favourite defined. Progress being made at last. Okay, let's use a postcode to navigate to. Oh dear, no convenient button for that anywhere is there? I still haven't found out how to navigate using postcodes - and I thought that was introduced with version 3 of TomTom!

Having configured a test route to my parents in law ('cos it's an address I know) I decide to step thru the route. Err, hang on, the first couple of miles take me northwards directly away from where they live on the south coast and there's a much more straightforward route I could be taking. This minger of the PDA world is taking me through a couple of well known traffic holdups which I would always avoid, and also in completely the wrong direction. And the overall journey is 54 miles - funny how I manage to do that same journey in 44 miles then. Maybe I should get my odometer checked out?

Then my PDA gets into a locked situation which I can't get out of when I clicked to open a menu. The menu opened fine, but stayed open and control was lost. PDA is not responding to anything. Even power off doesn't work. The reset button is my friend. Oh dear, as the PDA wakes up I realise I've just wiped the contents of the PDA 'cos it's asking me to tap the screen to calibrate the cursor positions.

Thank goodness I've been reading these forums I say. Following the excellent praise of Sprite Backup over the last few days I bought me a copy and had done a full backup onto my PC after loading TomTom and the UK map, so it wasn't a huge problem to get restored (if we ignore the time I had to spend persuading ActiveSync that it could talk to my PDA that is...).

So far I'm not a happy bunny with the hoops one has to go thru in order to get the system working - and I have yet to take my first journey guided by TomTom 3!

Surely navigation software cannot be this appallingly user unfriendly? I wouldn't mind so much if I were a noddy computer user - but I've been a PC software developer for many years and know my way around using software applications. And I also know about designing user interfaces.

And to complete the novelty factor, I've even read the skimpy user manual that was supplied with this software. Unheard of for a software guy to do that, but.....

Andrew

ttrevor · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 12:26 pm Post subject:

Your heading says it all Rolling Eyes

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oddsock · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 2:45 pm Post subject:

HandyMac Wrote "I received my TomTom 3 kit for my PDA a few days ago".. Hi, I can see no mention of the setup you have! perhaps you could post details ..in the mean time try tapping ..start..help.. Tom Tom Navigator on your pda today screen.
dave

clivers · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 3:01 pm Post subject:

perhaps you should of bought a tomtom go?

just switch on and go
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Ipaq 3970, Ipaq 2210 X2, Smart ST V1, Tomtom V3+V5, CoPilot V5, AA Navigator, Tomtom Bluetooth GPS, Navman 3450i Jacket, Navman Bluetooth GPS, Holux GM270, Fortuna GPS-PocketXtrack
, Tomtom GO V5 Classic, Road Angel Classic.

Rumplestiltskin · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2004 Posts: 3

No its not just you I also find the software difficult to use.
Although its my first GPS I have used a couple belonging to friends so I know the basics.

The interface is not easy to get the hang of & the manual on the cd aint more help either. Crying or Very sad

The thing I found difficult to do was plan a route via several set towns route. Crying or Very sad

It’ll never take off with joe public until they make it easier to use.

However I did find the help on this site very good & have set up speed camera POI’s. Laughing

alix776 · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:39 pm Post subject:

probbably a really stupid answer here but instead of just setting up on the fly how abotu printing off the help file and reading it while playing the the software youve just installed on the pda as this can save alot of time and trouble to by the sound of it you using the map mode if you use the four way button on the ipaq up and down scrolls in and down scrolls out one of my freinds recently got tt3 for his dad after me setting up for him and giving a quck lesson i left them to it after talking him through putting an address in i suggested that they read the help files on paper or on the screen after doing i got call saying oh thats how you use it thanks it saves a lot of hassle in the long run Laughing

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currently using aponia truck navigation on windows phone. Good bye IOS don't let the door hit you on the way out .

Oh the joys of being a courier.
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lbendlin · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:42 pm Post subject:

Interesting to see how opinions differ, especially when it comes to usability. Rest assured, TomTom is way ahead of its competition in this area. What you expect however, will be difficult to accomplish in one program.

Each of the applications reflect the thinking patterns and expectations of their creators. For them it is completely clear that in order to create a favourite you have to go through a logical sequence of steps. For you it wasn't logical at all.

Keep in mind that the Pocket PC platform is always struggling with limited input and output mechanisms, and that the navigation systems are still in their infancy. Given that I think the outcome has been terrific so far.

I don't think there will be one system satifying all cultures and "logics" - maybe that's not a bad thing either.
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Report Map Errors here:
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Tim Buxton · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:14 pm Post subject:

lbendlin · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:33 pm Post subject:

Now I'm curious. What other application would you say has a more finger friendly UI or a cleaner screen real estate usage?
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
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footman · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 7:48 pm Post subject:

The only other street routing application I have is Mapopolis used as a back up. IMHO it is a whole generation behind Tomtom in usability.

Laurence

Robin2 · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 7:56 pm Post subject:

I can't agree that it is all that difficult to get started. I bought a TTN2/Holux bundle last October, and although I am fairly experienced with PCs I had never before handled a PDA, let alone a satellite navigation package. Before starting I carefully read the TomTom quick start guide and the PDA manual. I only had one problem, the default GPS port was set to Com8 and it took me a little while to realise that I needed to select a different GPS receiver and set it to Com1. But I was using it successfully within 24 hours, and subsequently learnt a great deal from other members in this forum.
Robin

HandyMac · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 23, 2004 Posts: 52

footman · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 8:26 pm Post subject:

Andrew

this may help with your post code routing

http://www.digitools.co.uk/home.php

HTH

Laurence

Talkingbollox · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 10:10 pm Post subject:

There is also a useful help file on the PPC itself.

Tap "Start", then "Help" at the bottom, and you should have TomTom Navigator as an option.

Tim Buxton · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:15 am Post subject:

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