Rand McNally intelliRoute TND 500

I have enjoyed using the 700, it is a terrific tool. However.... there are three primary design issues which make the unit an aggrevation.

Oops, wrong thread. I re-posted into the support thread.

 

That's enough to make me wait......

 

Level 2 is too soft, level 3 too loud? I hadta chuckle........reminds me of a certain story with three bears.

BTW, my damnable USB power cable wore out 'cause I was rough on it. Plugging, unplugging, taking it to my pickup truck or motorcycle when I'm off the road, or putting it away when I'm in the truckstop.
I bought a generic quick charger with USB attatchment and am quite happy with it.

As far as rough and tumble.....Uh.....ok....I guess.

I'm a long haul driver. I'm not out jumping curbs. If my cab was so rough and tumble that I couldn't keep a USB connection going, imagine what else would be wore out in my truck. My TV, microwave, Xbox, and whatever else...not to mention all the soda and food that would be dispersed all over the cab.

I gotta ask....WTH you doing to make a USB connection unreliable?

I will say this....I bought the girlfriend a Tom-tom for xmas. It came with a stick on puck that slaps to the dash and allows the suction cup to mount to it. Guess what? I stole hers and slapped it on a flat spot on the dash to get the GPS off the windshield and closer to me. I feel like a friggin' genius for doin' so... Puts it all at my fingertips and below eye level, which is perfect.

#2 is too soft and #3 is too loud in these rough and tumble trucks? Man...the term "nitpickin'" comes to mind, but hey, to each his own. Oh, and I've never had to wait 5 minutes for a recalc. I don't know what to say about the bright glare on the screen. It's NEVER been an issue for me, but maybe it's where it's mounted?

 

I'm a 48 state OTR driver myself, and have used quite a few GPS systems. I'm not a newbie to this issue. Your comparison of microwaves, etc and talking about food all over the cab, while cute, is not really a valid response to the many experiences of failures of the usb connection in the TND 700 as documented in the support thread. A mini usb connector is not the same as the comparison to a microwave connector, unless of course, your microwave is connected via a usb port and used while driving to power a battery. And while it may work well for you and others, it hasn't worked well for some. The USB connector was designed as a communications port connector, not as a power supply cable. It happened to be useful for such applications, but does not stand up as well in a dynamic environment. I wonder what roads you are driving on? I-35 through minnesota is but one example of of how rough a lot of stretchess of interstate and highways are these days. Heck, I-5 through much of California is a washboard. I said that other roads can be 'rough and tumble', not the cab of a tractor. And it doesn't take jumping a curb, or your other inflammatory descriptors about your vision of my driving, to transmit significant stress on the unit and its power connector... a good sized pot-hole, or a rutted section of pavement will do just fine.

I also don't understand your basis for judging what my hearing level and perceptions are... If you're happy fine, I would like a finer attenuation control for the audio. My other comments in the OP stand as written. As I stated, I like the unit, I think it is the best bet out there, but it could be even better.

 

I wouldn't wait. It is a great product. My comments were designed not to discourage purchasers, but to provide feedback to help make a great product even better. I would still buy the unit in a heartbeat.

 

I would like to see a better plug design as well. I dont think USB was designed for just power initially...It was supposed to be for communications.
But look at all of the cell phones nowadays. Most are indeed mini-usb or even micro-usb for power/connectivity.

I would like to see a power plug that didnt have a 90 degree bend in it that faces the wrong way though... Using a straight cord or a better more robust design (RCA?) might be ideal to make this product perfect.
Certainly no show stopper...

 

Agreed!!!! The 90 degree bend places the cable at an awkward angle, imo. I bought a generic one size fits all quick charger from Motor Trend in the truck stop, the one with multiple attatchments. One of those was a USB plug without the 90 degree bend, a straight USB plug. I'm using that and am pleased with it.

I've no issues with USB ports being used as a combi data/power port, as it keeps from adding more plugs to the unit, and thus more cords to keep up with.

As far as the durability of a mini USB.......It's seen right at 170k in my truck with nary an issue. I mean really.....it's a stationary object with a cord plugged into it. What's to wear out?

That Tom-Tom dash mount puck was handy too. Wish my 500 series had come with one.

 

BBQGUY...

No foul intended, jes' havin' a bit of sport.

I'm long haul and drive the same freeways you do. When you mentioned "rough and tumble" in the same sentence with long haul it jes' struck me as humorous.

Having hauled stuff off road, both in the Army and domestically, long haul and rough and tumble just don't belong together. I drive the same roads you do in a truck I assume to be similar to yours. Under the roughest paved road I can think of in my travels in this country, rough and tumble do not come to mind.

Lemme take you to Graf or Wildflecken in a Hemitt or the old 915 and well, then maybe rough and tumble come into play, but in this country our freeways don't qualify.

The RM USB port is NOT fragile, no more or less than the ones used to charge a host of other electronic device we all know and use daily. It is an industry standard and the RCA jack is being relegated to older technologies.

The glare on the screen is just that....GLARE. No screen, not TV, p.c., or yes, even GPS is immune from it. It is one of the laws of our universe that light reflects off of ANY transparent screen. I'd suggest mounting it where the effect is minimized.

And to ask for 10 levels of attenuation is REALLY nit picky. If you want to hear it, turn it up. If you do not, turn it down. You say you can hear it at level 3. I'd say, "Problem solved"....turn it up to 3 when you want to hear it, or 2 when you do not. I use mine on level three and can't say that it's so loud as to be intrusive.

You are allowed your criticisms as we all are. And your criticisms are valid...for you. To me they are a non issue which have never come into play.
I jes' wanted to offer the OTHER side of the coin because someone may come along and consider your criticisms common to others, which I would have to say are definitely not. I'm not trying to attack you or demean you or your views. Just wanted to offer a a counter point for a more balanced view.....nothing more.

To indicate that these very minor things, things which are based PURELY on a personal preference, are DESIGN FLAWS, is misleading in my opinion. Screen glare is not a design flaw. Being able to hear it on level 3 in a 5 level system instead of getting a level 4 on a 10 level system is not a design flaw. Using the UBIQUITOUS mini USB as a power source is not a flaw, it is fast becoming an industry standard. I just took umbrage at this being laid out, as it was in your intitial post, as serious design flaws when they clearly are not.

I understand you like the device and agree with you there. I just felt you either used hyperbole or mispoke in playing up your preferences as some sort of design weaknesses. I can assure all reading that it was designed well and that I have never had an issue over what you indicated were major flaws. I'll also assure you that if it can take the pounding of my big vibrating American motorcycle, which it has logged many a mile on, then the much smoother confines of my Peterbilt cab offer no challenge.

I jes' wanted to offer a fair and reasoned rebuttal from the other side of the aisle. I meant no harm and have no desire to start a pissing contest.

All the best, and I hope you find smooth roads in your travels.

 

What you offered was not a rebuttal, it was an argumentative diatribe directed at me. A reasonable rebuttal would have offered your observations without dragging your editorial opinion of my driving, whether something is nit-picky, and other assorted detritus into the mix. It is sufficient to simply say, "I disagree".

Your use of inflammatory language can't be covered up by hordes of 'smilies', or shrugging it all off by writing that you was "jes' havin' a bit of sport. At lest be honest. When you state that you took 'umbrage' to what I wrote, it is apparent that you decided to personalize the issue, otherwise that statement makes no sense whatsoever.

As I stated before, what I having written about the need for refinements stands, the processor being the number one priority. I also suggest that you peruse the technical support thread an take a peek at the number of complaints about the usb port/plug. The TND 700 would benefit from a stronger, more positive locking power port/connector. And as far as your continued mischaracterization of what I stated about screen glare, I wasn't complaining about the glare, I was commenting on the need for a higher brightness level to overcome the washout that can occur. I also suggest that your presumption, without fact, that I have not tried various positioning alternative, makeshift hoods, and screening to be a further example of my objections to your personally-directed comments.

As far as the volume selection, there is a substantial increase of volume on my unit between step 2, and step 3. This is not a nit-picky issue, it simply makes sense to increase the number of steps in the volume control in order to allow individual users to better select what volume works best. Some drivers have bad hearing, others have normal hearing. What is loud to one person may seem too soft for someone else.

BTW, I drove supply runs in Germany and Vietnam. That has little to do with the fact that our highway system is prety beat up in a many areas of the country, and things get jolted around a bit when one drives on those stretches.

 

I didn't question your driving. I questioned your characterization of our work envrironment as "rough and tumble" enough to somehow render the mini-USB inadequate. You were using OBVIOUS hyperbole to make a point.

And I don't mean anything personal when taking umbrage to your hyperbole in trying to make a point. I merely tried to use humor to point out the over exaggerated nature of your comments. I had visions of you bouncing off the ceiling, coke bottles bouncing off the windshield and bunk matteresses flying around in your cab in this "rough and tumble" environment of ours. "Why, it's so bad my USB simply can't take it."

It made me smile uncontrollably and then type out a reply where my first thought was......
Oh Puuuuuh-leeeeze...

It jes' struck me as odd, gave me an irreppresible vision of hill jumping long haul OTR drivers and made me laugh. Steering wheels snapping off, CB's spontaneously rattling apart, and USB ports unable to hand the stress. I HAD to point it out.

I've NEVER, not one time, had mine come disconnected unless I disconnected it. You know why? Because there's nothing moving around between cord and device to cause it to come uncorked. Know what else? None of my OTHER USB devices seem to come unhooked either. May I suggest operator error on this most simple and common of connections?

Why am I able to see the screen in my Pete during the strongest of daylight? My vision isn't THAT good, yet......the image still shows up well. Am I using a different sun than you? Do you have a disco ball in your truck causing reflection issues? (again, an exaggerated claim on my part making light of what I assume to be one on yours)

While I've been told that the people of my home state of Texas might be dimmer, I've never heard of our sun being characterized as anything less than brilliant. I stand by that......so why does mine work? Did I get the good one in the batch?

Also...if we look at the volume adjustment on the device we see it is in 20% increments. You'd like 10% increments because it's....uh....too loud? Really? It's shaking the cab with its ultra thumping base? That litte 1/2 inch speaker has you on edge? How can you hear it over those rough and tumble roads you seem stuck on? You have 20% increments but call the lack of 10% increments a "Major design flaw"? Oh NOOOOOOOOO....that's not nit picky at all, is it? (he said tongue firmly in cheek)

I'm grinning as I write this because I KNOW human nature......THEIR personal preferences are the BEST preferences without fail.

Know what? If it had 10% increments I'd be unhappy. It'd be a "major design flaw." If the screen were brighter (I think you mean contrast) it'd be a major design flaw. If they used antiquated RCA jacks (great ANOTHER cable to keep up with) along with USB ports for data transflow it'd be a step BACKWARDS. While we're at it, can I get mine with 8-track?

I'll agree a stronger processor would ALWAYS be desireable (I think you mean memory tho). I'd also like a rocket powered engine on my motorcycle, but hey......can we ever TRULY have it all? And if we CAN, do we want to PAY for it?

I'm sorry that extra 10% on the volume is shattering your ear drums, waking your bunkmate, and causing the coke bottles to rattle off your dash, but I'm POSITIVE you are CLEARLY nit picking. I'm also pretty certain that I made my case with light hearted jabs at over exaggerated claims. At least THAT'S the way I see it. (insert smiley face here)

Attention Rand McNally.....I NEED the $100 bill dispenser on mine WITH the Playboy channel and screenshots of serene moutain landscapes. I'd like a root beer float holder on it as well. Anything less is a MAJOR design flaw.

Again, I'm using sarcasm and absurdity. Not to belittle you, but to point out that what YOU think of as major design flaws are actually just PERSONAL preference. None of these issues have EVER (that means not one time) reared their head with ME in my rough and tumble world of trucking.

I do wish it came with a stick on dash puck tho'. Woulda have saved me from stealing the one out of my girlfriends xmas gift.

RM, don't fix ANY of HIS issues or you'll ruin the dang thang. Fix MY issues (can I get it in sonic purple with a cool ringtone and a female German accent?) or I'll INSIST you've got MAJOR design flaws.

Again...I'm jes' joshin' at your expense. It doesn't mean you're dumb, or a liar, or that you beat your wife. It jes' means that your criticisms put a smile on my face.....and for that I truly thank you.

Now jeeez.....lighten up. You have your views. My views found yours funny. It doesn't mean we have to be mortal enemies...but take note that hyperbole met with equal and/or opposite hyperbole doesn't do anything but cause us all to laugh.

Red