Show me the jam-free way home

TomTom's Go Live 1050 alerts drivers to congestion. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

What is it?

TomTom's Go Live 1050 portable satnav device is not one of its cheapest at $649, but includes HD Traffic and IQ routes free for a year, maps of 49 countries already installed and the ability to act as a hands-free car kit; it even delivers local weather forecasts.

HD updates traffic info every two minutes, with information garnered from the AA and by reading what other TomToms are doing - so you can avoid jams. Set a departure time the next day and it'll calculate conditions then, not now.

Going out on foot? The unit quickly unclips from its magnetic mount.

We like

HD Traffic is worth its weight in gold; most appreciated in car tests on the UK's packed roads, but also back home to avoid roadworks and unexpected traffic delays. We like the option to select eco-friendly routes instead of the more common "quickest" or "shortest", too.

We loathe

The 13cm screen is easy to see, but too big for many wind-screens. You get the same info free at www.aamaps.co.nz, albeit only on your desktop.