GPS Navigation Systems are the bomb diggity. Period. No doubt about it. I love them.

When I leased my current vehicle, a 2006 VW Jetta Diesel TDI, I chose the nav system as an option. It added quite a bit to the price, but I figured it was well worth it. XM Satellite and in-dash GPS nav system with large Points of Interest (POI) database. Overall I am pleased, however:

• In dash systems generally can't be synchronized or accessed on-line
• In dash systems generally use DVD-ROM to store their data and need new DVD-ROMs, which are published rarely, to update their maps
• In dash systems stay with the car that they are in
• In dash systems give you no ability to correct errors in them without waiting for a new DVD-ROM

I expected that at least for the life of my lease I'd be getting free updates to my map data, apparently not. I tried in vein, on-line and in person, to get an updated DVD. Finally I got an email from VW telling me that my map data was probably old and for $200 they'd send me a new DVD ROM. $200?!?!? So I went looking.

Garmin, Magellan, TomTom all make portable GPS devices, each has a different line up with many options. All are priced between $125 and $900 or so. Yes, they have full GPS devices with new maps and new software for less than the "refresh" DVD ROM. This means that purchasing that DVD ROM is close to downright stupid, since I'm not keeping the car long term anywho. So which one to get?

Recently I visited my kin out in the promised land we call California, my sister has a cute little GPS device called the TomTom One XL that they call Lewis (after Lewis & Clark), I borrowed it for a trip and liked it. Checked out some details on line and found out that:

• Seemingly free map updates forever. Although not promised anywhere the map updates from TomTom as well as from the TomTom community (since you can do some corrections right on your device) are free!
• OK, they didn't promise it so perhaps they'll change their mind and I'll have to buy new maps. US & Canada only $99!
• You can download and/or create your own POI collections!
• You can set up an itinerary consisting of multiple stops and plan out a whole trip (VW system only will do 2 stops)
• You can search for stops along your route!
• 3D or 2D view (VW system only 2D)
• Some offer text-to-speech so you don't have to take your eyes off the road and read the next turn!
• Easy alternate routing! (VW system was difficult to use)
• Custom voices include Mr. T!
• Yes, Mr. T!

So what model do I choose, there are just so many. TomTom's product adviser told me that I wanted one of a few, and their product comparison lead me to choose the TomTom One XL·S which runs $300-$400 or so around town, I picked up one from Dell on special $279 only $79 more than the DVD update would cost me and it can read street names!

So, after a couple of weeks, is it all I hoped?

Here's what I found out:

• The VW DVD-ROM has a LARGE database of stores and places in it, most everything I'd want to find is already in there. TomTom? Not so much.
• TomTom, however, supports the ability to upload my own Points of Interest (POI) collections. With a utility called GPS Babel I can convert collections for any GPS product or even Google Earth to a TomTom POI collection. With a bit of help from TomTom I can even include extra details. And with the work of a community site like POI Factory I can use other people's hard work and share mine. A bit more work, but I have so much more control.
• Mr. T can't read out street names via text-to-speech. There are, however, a male and female American and male and female Brit to choose from (once you figure out how to download new content using TomTom Home)
• TomTom is smart. I have used the "find an alternate route" to find 4-5 different routes to the same destination. It shows me the map and gives me an approximate time so that with my knowledge of traffic and traffic lights I can choose a route that looks longer to the TomTom but is actually a bit quicker.
• TomTom is portable and does walking directions. When you park, save a favorite of your location, TomTom will help you find your car!
• Google Maps does TomTom (kind of). Go to maps.google.com and search for "business near location", there will be a list of A-X businesses. Choose "Send" and "GPS" and then pick type "TomTom" and select the result you want from the drop-down. Press the button and TomTom Home should launch and let you navigate to the business or add it as a favorite. Where does this fall short? Only does businesses for now, not your friends house or what have you. Also doesn't handle ampersands correctly. Still neat.
• Custom boot-up and shut-down screens. Mine are from Mario Kart, 'cause I'm a geek.
• TomTom's Traffic data is supported 2 ways. One with an antennae that receives a free broadcast with traffic data. Doesn't seem to have much support in the US outside of major urban areas, most recommend the other way. The other is TomTom's traffic feed, fed via Bluetooth from your phone, provided your phone isn't a T-Mobile Dash. Not sure what phones they do support, but mine isn't one of them.
• Oh, this puppy does up to 12 satellites! So many more than my old system, it's usually tracking at least 7 of them, and it find your location quick. And it's rarely off. And route calculations are much quicker than my old system.
• SD Card. It has a slot, but I've read that you use either the internal memory OR the SD card so to switch to an SD card I have to copy the entire system over to an SD card and that can take quite a while. I haven't done it yet, but plan to at some point.
• Suction cup mount. Since it's not in-board there has to be a mount. I stuck mine on the windshield and it hasn't fallen off once (contrary to some reviews I read on-line).
• Power. You can recharge via USB on your PC or give it power in the car with a car adapter that comes with it. And you'll need it, the battery will last no more than an hour or so.

Basically, when it comes down to it, since the price is so low I'm recommending that everyone get some kind of TomTom if they don't have a GPS Nav device already. Garmin or Magellan would be fine as well, they appear to be very similar in design and features, though I can only vouch for TomTom. Oh, and they have POI collections with gas prices and traffic cameras, if those float your boat...