Did TomTom actually test the Rider 550?

Downerhouse

I’ve owned many tomtoms over the years and have always found the route clarity, functionality and routing spot on

But the rider 550 is a mess and I am seriously regretting selling my Garmin Zumo.

The key selling points that persuaded my to move away from my Garmin were that the tomtom would give me back the interface that I preferred, had WiFi for easy updates, fast CPU, and iPhone integration

there are so many issues with the Rider 550, even on the latest firmware that I wonder if TomTom actually road tested the product on a proper motorcycle prior to release? Some are bugs, some are just appalling design issues

This is my shortlist of the most (but not all) annoying “features” that the rider has:

1. The WiFi is a joke. Any update, even if just a few bytes, takes forever. (I have a 1Gb fibre connection in my property so am pretty certain my broadband is not the limiting factor)
2. During an update, the WiFi frequently disconnects. After disconnection, the rider reports no internet and then fails to discover the wifi again until you switch device off and back on again
3. There is a total lack of options to customise the sounds and volume control for any of the alerts. TomTom have left such control to the headset you are using. This means that you get an absolute ear splitting warning from speed cameras etc unless you either turn off the warnings or turn the volume down to such a level you can’t then hear the spoken navigation instructions. I have switched off all the warning because it is just too painful in my ears, totally defeating the object of warnings in the first place
4. The “iPhone integration” is nothing more than just a very hard to tap button on the screen that activates Siri. There’s not media nor proper phone & contacts controls.
5. Its a totally random thing whether the rider connects successfully to my iPhone to retrieve traffic data. Most of the time it fails.
6. The on screen buttons are difficult to tap precisely with gloves. I find this very dangerous as too much distraction from the road ahead when eg trying to tap Siri button
7. unless you lock the screen orientation the screen flips when cornering due to lean angle....

i could go on. Overall this is the most unfinished “premium” product I have ever bought and am looking for reassurance from TomTom that these and other points will be addressed

As I type this msg , I am currently updating my unit with the latest 7gb map update. So far it has taken me about 2 hours, the unit has disconnected from the wifi at least a dozen times, been rebooted the same, and is still only on 63%. Of course, rather helpfully it has deleted the existing maps so now unusable until the update is complete.....

Nigel A

Very much doubt it. Wifi is flaky to say the least (although I have just loaded the latest update done a full factory reset and had to reinstall my maps, my pghones wifi has not locked out yet.)most advice is to do the afore mentioned (so if you stop for a coffee be prepared to reset, reinstall etc before riding off !!!)

You cant back up favourites, you cant convert to POIs- not in (tomtom software) Tyre deals with POIs, tomtom rider 550 is of course not compatible with Tyre!

Tomtom Mydrive wont show or use POIs anyway. tomtom says myplaces point are limited and to use POIs, which you cant.

Bluetooth is a whole new ball game, the 550 tells you you must use the Mydrive app, the Mydrive app tells you not to use the app use the device WTF! the conection setup is hiden after a "help" file. You also seem to need 2 bluetooth chanels to get traffic and your phone ?

How any reviewers missed these (and more!) subtle point is beyond me. Most instructions either don't work or are for older devices. I think Tomtom outsourced the 550 and its software and now don't really want to know about it.

Very sad really because to actually navigate with, it is a pleasure, setting it up is not!

ztech6

Sadly I doubt very much that Tom Tom are listening, I've not seen a single improvement made the original 400 series release. I have a 420 and the ONLY reason for not binning is I really like the way the information is presented on screen. I use it as a visual aid only, I mean really. Every other connection is turned off, no voice commands, no traffic, no phone, no camera warning and it works fine but of course I'm using about 25% of it reported functionality ! My advice would be to do the same and also use the USB cable instead of WiFi
My biggest regret is selling my Rider 2013

Blieje

RTFM...
Importing and showing POI's is explained on page 53 and 133 of the manual.

Ste7ios

Nigel A wrote:

You cant back up favourites, you cant convert to POIs- not in (tomtom software) Tyre deals with POIs, tomtom rider 550 is of course not compatible with Tyre!

All TomTom devices can load POIs in TomTom's OV2 file format. Tyre supports it as all of TomTom compatible formats (ITN for routes & GPX for tracks) and other...
There's no compatibility problem.
Tyre is not included any more with latest devices like 550 not because there is a technical problem but a business decision (I guess TyreToTravel want to promote their MyRoute-App and TomTom has its own solution with MyDrive). There's no reason to pay anymore a 3rd to support their devices...
Favorites stay in MyDrive and you may recover them in any device just by logging in...

Tomtom Mydrive wont show or use POIs anyway.

Truly, MyDrive is a very basic solution. That can be a problem but there are alternatives like Tyre or better MyRoute-App.

tomtom says myplaces point are limited and to use POIs, which you ccant.

You can't see the pois but you can upload and see them to the device.

Bluetooth is a whole new ball game, the 550 tells you you must use the Mydrive app, the Mydrive app tells you not to use the app use the device WTF! the conection setup is hiden after a "help" file. You also seem to need 2 bluetooth chanels to get traffic and your phone ?

BlueTooth's operations are problematic from Rider 400 days and it seems that it remains that way...

I agree that the manual is not right, especially for not technologically experienced people.

Also the manuals that covers an entire platform (but many models at onces) can be confusing and time confusing.

http://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/23302/~/connecting-your-phone-for-data,-hands-free-calls,-and-smartphone-messages

How any reviewers missed these (and more!) subtle point is beyond me. Most instructions either don't work or are for older devices. I think Tomtom outsourced the 550 and its software and now don't really want to know about it.

Very sad really because to actually navigate with, it is a pleasure, setting it up is not!

http://download.tomtom.com/open/manuals/Rider_Wi-Fi/html/en-gb/index.htm#UsingcommunityPOIlists-MyPlaces-PratoNav4.htm


http://download.tomtom.com/open/manuals/Rider_Wi-Fi/html/en-gb/index.htm#ImportingacommunityPOIlist-MyDrive-CONNECTED.htm

Nigel A

Thanks for your reply stev7ios but,

Tyre is NOT compatible with the 550

My route offers no more than Mydrive it will send to the device but will not comunicate or deal with POIs (the paid for version says it will, but am not going to wast any more money on an already flaky device)
PS you actually say there is no need to pay for 3rd party software ?

I only ask about POIs as tomtom say my places are restricted and to use POIs I would like to back up my places but the 550 will not communicate with anything.

I can get POIs to the device but you cant see them in any planning software ? (what's the point ?)

After the latest wifi update I can now get Bluetooth working ! - provided I keep wifi disabled (Don't go there !)

I would be quite happy if I could back up my favourites (then I could clear down my favourites list that I wont want again till next year) this seeem a bridge to far for tomtom to contemplate

I had use of a 450 before I purchased what I thought was an upgraded version, instead the 550 is a Slightly faster, but dummed down version of the 450 with functionality effectively disabled.

YamFazMan

Hi
@Nigel A

See my post Here... It seems to answer your comments....
https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/mydrive-connect-apps-474/opening-poi-files-unavailable-in-mydrive-still-1037056/index1.html#post1233433

ATB YFM

Stu369

Damn! And I thought my 450 was bad. Seems like TomTom just get worse and worse the more you pay for them.

eatonjb

I agree. the 550 is kinda junk. Like you said, no updates that are really updates, stability is a joke. My 550 will just ranomly reboot for no reason, and god forbid if I try to record my route, and then it reboots, the entire file is corrupt and is now lost.

so many things wrong, no more tomtom's for me, I will be looking into a way to get a more android approach that is secure and waterproof.

eatonjb

Ugg.. now TomTom decided to delete my message for some reason. This product is short of junk, it reboots constantly for no reason at all, and 99% of the time it's a strugle to get it to connect to traffic and cloud.

Deleting my other post is the last straw, I will have to find a new GPS, this one is going back.