With 158 years in the business of making maps and atlases, Rand McNally has garnered a considerable reputation for providing the public with clear, concise, and accurate information concerning all things of a geographical nature. The company has taken its expertise into the age of digital information by developing its own line of GPS navigational aides. With heavy input from actual experienced truck drivers, devices like the Rand McNally IntelliRoute TND 720 have been assembled to make delivering cargo an easier chore than ever before.
Physical Assets
At just a pound, the TND 720 can be safely secured to any truck window with its sturdy suction cup that includes an adjustable arm. The device is only 7/8th of an inch thick yet sports an extra-wide 7-inch brightly lit touchscreen faced with a tough glass cover designed to withstand the rough conditions of a truck cab. The device comes with a power cable that plugs in the back. Just to ensure steady power, it also contains a lithium-ion battery that holds an hour’s worth of juice. To keep it charged, both a standard home recharging cable and a vehicle recharger that plugs into the cigarette lighter are supplied.
Screen Time
With a big display, it’s simple enough to select the desired icon on the touchscreen and see large, sharp maps and animations when needed. The TND 720 also provides audio instructions through its speaker located on the back, so the driver can keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the traffic. For times when background noise may be too much, the device possesses a rear port to attach an external speaker for increased volume. There’s also a connection port for an external rear-facing camera with the sizable screen allowing the driver an unobstructed view once it’s activated with a quick press of the on-screen icon. You can get a great deal on Rand McNally TND 720 here.
| Garmin dezl 760LMT | Rand McNally TND 720 | Magellan RoadMate 9270T-LM | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Screen Size | 7 inch | 7 inch | 7 inch |
| Screen Resolution | 800 x 480 pixels | 640 x 480 pixels | 800 x 480 pixels |
| Live Traffic Updates | Yes | Requires Subscription | Yes |
| Free Lifetime Map Updates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lane Guidance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Junction View | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MSRP | $369.99 | $349.99 | $349.99 |
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| Reviews | Reviews | Reviews |
Professional Guidance
Since Rand McNally is synonymous with maps, it’s no surprise that a key feature of the TND 720 is a lifetime supply of free maps. To stay current with any transportation changes, the maps are updated on an annual basis. In Junction View mode, the screen provides a detailed three-dimensional animation of any approaching, tricky lane-changing situations that includes a guiding arrow so the driver only has to align their own position to match the image on the screen. Another popular feature of the TND 720 is its WiFi connectivity. The GPS device can tap into any available WiFi signal. This can include utilizing either an Apple or Android smartphone as a portable hotspot. While on the web, the driver can link to Rand McNally’s own free website that provides information on weather conditions, fuel prices, and trucking-related services like truck stop and restaurant locations. The operator has the options of viewing the information in text form or as overlays on Rand McNally maps. An expanded, paid version of the website also offers up-to-the-minute reports of traffic conditions anywhere in the country.
Go Figure
As a computer, the TND 720 handles things like fuel purchases, addresses, and times can be stored and used to determine fuel economy, route feasibility, and distance. The Virtual Dashboard rapidly displays these and other important information like mile markers, construction alerts, or the driver’s own entered warnings. It’s also possible to contrast existing routes to potential replacement routes in graphical form on one of the numerous maps. In addition, two separate accounts for time and miles can be stored for team situations.