The TomTom PRO 7100 – Specializing sat navs in the run up to Christmas

Since sat navs first hit the high streets at the turn of the new millennium they have evolved at perhaps a slightly less rapid pace than other technologies in recent years and seem to have remained relatively generic rather than specific. Recognizing a niche in the sat nav market for more specialist GPS devices, TomTom has launched the PRO 7100, a sat nav designed specifically with truck and lorry drivers in mind.

If you’ve ever been a trucker – or been married to one- you’ll know of the frustration when you arrive at a road only to be informed of access restrictions for larger vehicles. One of the greatest features of the TomTom PRO 7100 is that not only does it inform drivers of such access restrictions throughout Europe, but its enhanced guidance system favours major roads over minors, endeavours to reduce sharp bends – another bane of trucker’s lives – and locates roads that allow lower speeds for heavier vehicles.

Although improved route guidance is far from being the only great feature of this technologically intelligent GPS device. The PRO 7100’s large 4.3 inch touchscreen makes operating the device more manageable than typically smaller sat navs and is an appropriate size for larger vehicles’ dashboards. Hands free calling is an essentiality for all long-distance drivers, and naturally is incorporated in the PRO 7100, likewise a pre-installed 8GB SD memory card.

The Sat Nav’s built-in IQ routes include 45 European maps, live chat support, map share and text to voice abilities. For £349 the TomTom PRO 7100 is quite a bargain if you consider how dramatically a trucker’s tedious tours of European roads can be improved.

Sat navs make great Christmas presents and John Lewis expect a 300% increase in GPS devices in the run up to Christmas. At £109.95, the TomTom Start GPS Navigation System, with intelligent route planning and compact design, is great value and one that John Lewis predicts will be one of their top-sellers this Christmas.

The TomTom GO 1000 LIVE GPS Navigation System costs £249.95 and is compatible with TomTom’s LIVE service, enabling drivers to be connected to the most up-to-date real time route information. This highly featured sat nav can inform users of weather forecasts, alternative routes, safety alerts and even fuel prices.

The Garmin nuvi 1490TV GPS Navigation System is much more than a mere sat nav. Users can benefit from an in-built digital tuner, enabling access to Freeview digital TV and radio stations from across Europe. With this amount of entertainment available, the Garmin nuvi 1490TV GPS Navigation System is a great long distance companion and could be the perfect Christmas gift for a trucker.