Motorola MOTONAV TN20 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech
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Going places has never been so easy. MOTONAV TN20 is a reliable, easy-to-use portable GPS navigation system that relieves the stress of driving in unfamiliar places with spoken street names and turn by turn directions.MOTONAV TN20 provides easy-to-follow, clearly spoken street names and directions along with accurate maps and routing on screen. With over one million pre-loaded points of interest, TN20 will help drivers find virtually any local business, restaurant or gas station along the way. With maps of the entire continental U.S., drivers can use the device no matter where their travels take them.
Features
- Anti-glare 3.5-inch touchscreen
- Hear spoken street names and turn-by-turn directions
- Over one million searchable points of interests, including restaurants, gas stations, banks and more
- Lane guidance shows you which lane to use
- One-year limited warranty
- Dimensions (W x H x L): 0 x 0 x 0 inches
- Weight: 1 pounds
Solid
I bought this a few weeks ago in anticipation of a few trips this summer to places I’ve never been. I “tested” it on a short trip right after getting it, to a place I go quite often. I found it picked up the satelites very quickly, and never lost reception. It is easy to use right out of the box. I didn’t look at the instructions until after I used it. Screen visibility is excellent. I personally prefer the 2D mode over the 3D.
This unit is perfect if you know the exact address where you want to go. On my first long trip, it was flawless. The one negative I found is the search feature for businesses, restaurants, etc. Very limited selections in the areas I was in. It recalculates routes quickly if you miss a turn due to heavy traffic.
For me, this was an excellent buy. I don’t travel all that often, so I didn’t want to spend over $100, but I’m very leary of “factory refurbished” units.
buyers should be aware….
…if users want an inexpensive GPS, they should understand purchase of this model means they will have no Motorola product support for it, that is, in terms of map updates, etc. …with this “as is,” users will have a GPS that might be cost-effective, tho the (many) included locations are for mapped locations only thru sometime in 2005. for any aware of these facts, they might do no better with this than save money and accept this GPS as cost-effective nevertheless, etc. …as with many GPS models, depending on the built-in speaker…could mean difficulties for hearing-impaired users, etc. …as with any GPS systems, drivers should be careful not to take risks by letting the GPS distract them from safe driving, etc. …also, as with many GPS models, users might often avoid some of the instructions by combining the GPS information with better information for better results…for example, using (current) “best routes,” etc., hazard reports, etc., and then using the GPS for merely the “last details” en route, etc. …often, the “preview route” function is useful, yet this model (for example) often cannot provide extensive preview results without resort to several start locations, etc.
Instead of map update I bought this
I struggled with the idea of paying for map updates for my old but trusty Garmin c550. Plus, we only had one GPS that we shared between two cars. So, we purchased this unit for less than the lifetime updates for the Garmin.
After use, I realize that the Garmin had some features that I had taken for granted: 1) the ability to use it as a bluetooth mic/speaker for my cellphone, 2) map colors that provided more contrast, 3) updating display of upcoming streets when in plain GPS mode, 4) rear-facing cable connectors and possibly some others that I can’t recall.
When I first started using this, I was frustrated at my inability to figure out how to get out of the location-finding mode as it was clearly wrong. After playing with it, I found I could tap on the top “bar” of the GPS screen to get the menu I really wanted.
I think any GPS is better than none. So, I am satisfied that I made the right decision but I did get what I paid for.
Great until you try to update the maps
Thought this was a great buy for the money, but now that the one year limited warranty expired, I cannot get any map software updates. How ridiculous is that????
No More Updates and no fixes for broken features.
I received this as a gift within the last year. It worked acceptably, but the software update eliminated half its usefulness, and then Motorola gave up on supporting this product and ceased to make updates available.
The one software update I installed was fine– bought a SIM card just for this use– and with some notable useful benefit to the map itself, but it also took away the original ability to save my “home” location. That meant that I would have to enter my own address (through its cumbersome address menus) each time I wished it to find the quickest way home.
It has been nearly a year since I’ve had it, so I wanted to get the most current software. In particular, I was hoping that it would quit telling me to drive off a cliff in my neighborhood, aptly named “Cliff Street” which does not go where the software thinks it goes! There is cliff there and Cliff Street does not go over it!
Surprise! Motorola considers this product “out of warranty” and no longer produces a map update for the unit– this means that no fix will be available for the inability to set your home address as “home.”
This was Motorola’s entry into the GPS Navigator market as it was my own. I do not know what Motorola may have learned about the market, but I learned not to do business with Motorola again when I buy my next unit.
My alternate title is “glove box stuffer and paper weight.”
Good Basic GPS
This is a good basic GPS and better than many other’s in it’s price range. I liked how it gets a quick fix on satilites. What I don’t like is the lack of brightness controls for night time viewing and how slow or non existing the auto day/night switch is. You have to sometimes click off/on the auto dimming control to get the TN20 to switch from day to night or vise versa.
Beware of the bad support!
Impossible to get any decent support for these MOTONAV units (TN20 and TN30). Disappointing communication and ignorance from the support.
Not bad for the price!
PROS
I bought this at Radio Shack on CLEARANCE! I took it outside and almost immediately it was oriented and ready to go. It is smaller, and faster than my old GPS and the update was easy to install using an XD card in the slot on the side. Its voice is easy to understand and the display is “just big enough”. I’m sure there are better units out there if you want to spend 2 – 3 times as much, but If all you need is a basic, get-me-there unit, and one that is so portable it easily slips into your pocket, you can’t beat this one for the price.
CONS?
They came out with this in 2008, I just bought this NEW but it is discontinued. Will there be more updates available or am I out of luck?
The database knows about the 7-11 across town but not the one a few blocks away?
Worst GPS I have used
I bought this because it had received good reviews on a few sites.
Right away, I did not like the display and the options, and it was slow to respond, compared to other GPS’s I have used.
When I started to enter the destination address (very difficult to do- the number and letter buttons are so tiny), it completely froze up on me. It remained frozen and was completely useless. I plan on returning it.
Very surprised this GPS gets good reviews.
What a deal!
My First experience with a GPS. I thought it was great. I did not expect much for that price but boy, was I surprised!
Small and missing a lot of features that the others have
There is nothing wrong with the Motorola GPS. Its very light weight, small with a 3.5″ x 2″ screen. It has plenty of features like search catagories (fuel, hotel, shopping and so on), enter names of businesses to search, favorite places with catagories and of course enter an address.
First I’ll start with the good stuff:
You can navigate your way by the shortest time or shortest route. You can even create detours. That is a nice feature. You can select what to avoid like ferries, gated communities, toll roads and highways.
The signal is comperable to many other GPS devices. It gets a signal after being outside 3-5 minutes, but can’t get a signal in downtown Chicago due to the buildings.
And now the bad stuff. The voice is very robotic compared to others.
This is my 4th GPS, and quite honestly I like the others. The Motorola is just lacking. You can search for businesses, but it rarely finds the one you are looking for. Searching “Best Buy” will never show the popular business, even when standing outside of a Best Buy that has been there 15 years. However, it will find “Best Buy Chinese Restaurant” 29 miles away.
Another major issue is the fact that it sometimes when entering a direct address, it will tell you there are no address numbers at all on that road and it will point you to the halfway point of the road. Huh? Even a street with dozens of houses on it, the GPS will tell you that there are no addresses and tell you to set it to the halfway of the street.
Searching for shopping in general is a chore, because there are no catagories or filters. Everything appears as one long list.
This GPS cannot find anything. I’ve tried, it is a little frustrating. Its like you need to be at the location and mark it as a favorite in order to find it again. Not always, but a lot of the time.
I don’t like it. There is nothing wrong with it, but I just feel there are better GPS devices out there.
MOTONAV TN20
Great little unit for the price. Doesn’t always pick the best route. Touch screen a little cumbersome, but one can navigate with relative ease.
Great little GPS!!
Maybe there are GPS systems with more bells and whistles, but I love this unit. It was our first experience using a GPS, and it was very easy to learn how to use. How did we manage before?! The only thing I would change would be that I would give options on how many times you’re told that your turn is coming us. This unit tells you: “turn right in 1/2 mile”, “turn right in 1/4 mile, “turn right in 20 feet” “turn right”. It seems like over-kill, but I suppose that is better than not enough. I think I would set it at 1/2 mile and 20 feet, if that option were available. I have no hesitation in recommending this GPS.
GPS
I bought this because it was the cheapest one I found. It does not have all the bells and whistles like other GPS units on the market but it does what I was needed. After I figured it out it was smooth sailing or should I say driving! I make a wrong turn every time I visit my sisters in 2 different towns and now I am sure I’ll save time and frustration when I visit them. I recommend this GPS to anyone who has simple driving needs; nothing fancy with this unit but it serves the purpose well.
Great Buy…Easy to Use…
Finally got a GPS and now feel confident about going anywhere and not getting lost!!!very easy to use..mounted in my Honda CRV cupholder…and I have no obstruction whatsoever…was satisfied with delivery…and Amazon “wins” again with my business… I have already had 2 of my girlfriends buy this product from Amazon at this great price!!!
It Got Lost..
The unit I got didn’t work properly. On a 21 mile trip it would only give me street directions when there’s a FWY ramp just four blocks from my house. There were so many little streets I got dizzy. I decided to take the FWY after all, at which point it got lost and told me I was on a street I’ve never heard of. Finally I think it recognize the FWY I was in (or maybe not) because on every ramp I pass it kept telling me to exit, all this while the map got stuck and kept going over and over the sames streets I had gone by like 5 miles ago.
Aside from that trip I tested on trips to local stores I usually go to. Not happy with the results there either, it got lost when I turn onto a major Blvd told me I was on a whole different street.
Not happy with this unit, so it’s going back.
Great GPS !
Got this nice little GPS on sale for $79 and with my gift card, only paid $59. What a bargain! I’ve had it out on the road once, and it works very well. It re-calculates your route in a matter of seconds if you miss your turn. Text to speech is very easy to hear and understand. The unit also lets you know which side of the street your destination is located on, once you arrive. The only drawback that I can see, is the small database of POI. Based on what I paid and how the unit works, I’m not complaining. Just letting other potential purchasers know what to expect.
So far so good.
I purchased this for my son who had his mio stolen. He said it runs much quicker than the mio and has no problems with it.
nice nav at good price
just tried it on vacation, did a great job,the voice is not real clear sometimes…….
but all in all did fine
Thought Motorola could have done better
I recently purchased a MOTONAV.(love motorola Phones)..for a upcoming trip my Wife was taking..I have a Magellan in my truck. After messing around in the setup screens for over an hour, It still wouldn’t “hold” my home address in the unit. This is My 4th or 5th GPS..having used several GPS units on my boat and cars..I found this one hard to use. A buddy came over with a new Tom Tom 130..what a pleasure compared to my unit.
Time being short I went rite then and purchased one like His for my Wife’s trip. The Motonav was back in the box that day. Thank goodness I used Amazon, the ease of return is GREAT. There weren’t any reviews …I just thought $79 for a new unit..not bad.
Dale