Rand McNally TND 700/710 junk?

[Monty]

Our biggest wish for the Rand TND710, we would like a laptop version of the software. Windows7 64bit compatible please and just in time for Christmas.

I agree, and when I quizzed customer service about that option several months ago, I once more got the "We are not a mapping service, and we do not offer such product".

I suggested they develop it, and was wished a good day.

So me and DeLorme continue to be laptop buddies.

 

[greg334]

If rand was serious about improving their product line and customer service, they should hand it over to a product development company that has a good track record for putting out a product that satisfies the customer.

Without going into much detail, this is a cluster**** of a mess when you have customer service people saying what they are saying, beta testers being the interface for the customer and so on.

The best solution is to scrap this model, refund all the money back to the customers who do not want the junk and fire those involved within the company AND START OVER.

BUT I don't believe rand is serious about anything except paper maps.

By the way, my cheap Chinese version survived the drop test and is still going strong, 43 hours past the ran unit which died at 80 hours.

 

[dletheridge]

I had one TND that died, sent it in got another. The new one worked fine until I got the map update. Had to get an SD reload chip and then reload the software into the unit.

I have dropped mine from the cab onto concrete, getting out of the truck, and it worked until the before mentioned map update. I've stepped on it (by accident) and it worked.

Mine also freezes up on occasion, my tomtom did to. I've noticed that it will freeze up most when I have more than 5 stops programmed.

What I wish they would do:
1) On the multi-stops give an option of making them waypoints not stops
2) TomTom had a neat feature that it would find a road to start with and then put a dashed line up to that road (like if you are in a truck stop or customer).
3) A little bit more common sense on routing, eg instead of turning right to get to an interstate it will make your turn left and drive 10 miles to get to the interstate.
4) Extend the hours for tech support
5) Find more people in tech support that can speak English understandably.

 

[bobwg]

We purchased a TND710 at the last Mid America truck show. It failed within the first 7 days of use. Got a return authorization, sent it back and received a new unit at the office within 10 days. There have been several “freeze ups”, but no real problems with the unit since its return.

We bought the TND as a comparison to our current GPS navigation system. There are some great features on the TND and they go like this. The navigator voice is very distinctive and easy to hear in the truck cab. The voice information as to exiting, and the maneuvers necessary as, and after you exit are very good. Speed information for trucks as to posted speed limits are excellent and the verbal warnings provide you an amount of security that you should never receive a speeding ticket. Screen resolution is above average. The TND’s ability to allow you to enter latitude and longitude numbers makes using Google Earth in combination with the TND a huge plus over many other GPS units.

Now for the room for improvement on the TND; the unit’s recalculation speed is to slow and a missed turn can become a bigger problem because the units processor is to slow to perform the recalculate of the new route quickly. The two choices for routing, fastest and shortest, are too deep in the device menu and needs a quick link on the Map screen. The power connection should be placed on the rear of the unit and needs a power connector as you would find on a laptop computer, the current power cord connects to the side of the unit and is too fragile for long term service. The unit needs the capacity to create “route profiles” and then offer quick access to those custom profiles for the driver. This lack of having multiply custom route profiles pre-determined by the driver is the most contributing factor, in our view, why drivers are often not pleased with the TND’s choice of routing. We use approximately 6 different route profiles with our other navigation unit with quick access to secondary route choices of; quickest, shortest, allow tolls, and avoid tolls if possible and no tolls.

We use the TND and like many of the route choices it does make, but there is room for improvement.

Our biggest wish for the Rand TND710, we would like a laptop version of the software. Windows7 64bit compatible please and just in time for Christmas.

I agree with your suggestions for the improvement but dont hold your breath that Rand will pay any attention