UPDATE: Read my hands on review of the TomTom XXL 550TM.
Without any fanfare (or news releases), TomTom has snuck the XL 350 and XXL 550 onto their US website. Based on the European XL IQ Routes edition2 models, these navigators will sport the same simplified menu American fans have seen on the TomTom EASE.
TomTom XL 350
The XL 350 will sport a 4.3” screen, and will also be available with lifetime maps and/or lifetime traffic, at MSRPs ranging from $169.95 to $229.95.
TomTom XXL 550
While the TomTom website says this model will have a 4.3” screen, we suspect that’s a mistake and that it will feature the 5” screen found on the rest of the XXL family. It too will be available with lifetime maps and/or lifetime traffic, at MSRPs ranging from $199.95 to $259.95.
Neither will have the capacitive touch screen found on the GO LIVE 1000. Those of us on this side of the pond will just have to wait a while longer for that.
Thanks for tip, Mike!
UPDATE: It’s official. These appear to be mid-range models, albeit one has an extra-large screen. The specs say nothing about text-to-speech, and I expect that has been left out since these are not “S” models. They have the simpler menu (which should translate into fewer customization options), but do include advanced lane guidance. Here’s the news release.
About Rich Owings
the both have text to speech, and from what i can tell the only difference betweent he two is screen size.
Yeah, it looks like they are dropping the S from model names, and just making text-to-speech standard on new models. I should have a 550 in soon for testing.