Details and Video Ad of TomTom for iPhone

[confucious]

I'm very much looking forward to this, however if it's going to be more than £50 (combined price of stand and app) I'll have to give it a miss.

You will be giving it a miss then - check out the price of TT Maps alone for other devices.

I'll wait for CoPilot - it won't be long after TT and is so much better

[itsnolongfing]

How much do u lots think the application would cost? Cheers

[andrunious]

saweeettt!!

[glydewake]

I think the best thing to look forward to here is not just the TomTom app, but more importantly, competition. If Apple simply chose one app or one company to partner with and be the go-to GPS app for the iPhone, we'd be stuck with one price, possible one too expensive for its own good. Hopefully the future will bring greater and greater GPS options at lower and lower prices.

[Happy Noodle Boy]

I'm very much looking forward to this, however if it's going to be more than £50 (combined price of stand and app) I'll have to give it a miss.

Be ready for give that miss, pretty sure the stand alone was announced to be around $40 by itself.

[NakedFaerie]

And to the person asking about the internet connection. No. TomTom will have built in maps so that it can always work offline. (That will cue a load more complaints more than likely that the maps will take up a gig, "oh man what a piece of s**t i only have 8 gigs i aint gonna waste 1 on a sat nav"...can see it now. Jeez.) The only thing it may require a net connection for is to update traffic info and the like, but i expect that to be subscription based as well, just like their standalone units and their previous mobile software.

Why would the maps be 1gig where the PDA version is just over 100mb?
The last map I got was 130mb and that has TTS in it so its bigger than normal.

[badlydrunkboy]

I'm assuming that the software will be cracked fairly shortly after being released and therefore available for jailbroken iphones anyway?
I'd hate to have to by the seperate stand thing as i only bought one a couple of months ago which hold my phone perfectly.

[adp]

What's the difference between having a stand-alone unit and having to buy the "nav-pack" or whatever its called? Seems like a wash to me... I really hope they don't require you to buy their hardware... that would be a deal-breaker for me. As has been stated, XGPS is pretty good and I use it routinely.

I also use xGPS, but the iPhone itself has a very weak antenna. That is why it always places you on the wrong road or keeps going in the wrong direction for a few seconds. The black holder that the iPhone is placed (in this video) will provide a stronger GPS antenna and hence to capability of true turn-by-turn navigation. I guess you can download the app without buying the hardware, but it won't be as accurate as standalone units.

I wonder how flexible this app will be, and I wish Pandora would work in the background so we can listen to it while using this (or any map) app. I also wonder how they're going to deal with connection to the car for audio, as many people listen to their iPhones using direct connection through the USB cable, or the crappy radio signal. Will this unit limit us to listen to music through the headphone jack?

[thecork]

Why would the maps be 1gig where the PDA version is just over 100mb?
The last map I got was 130mb and that has TTS in it so its bigger than normal.

Erm it depends on the map. For TT6 Western Europe, which i use is 960 meg (or there abouts, i can't remember exactly). The UK and ROI maps are 240 meg (that is with the software obviously, but all takes up space...) I don't know what they are on other places, i guess you are using a very localised map, or live in a small country, or are just very lucky. To be honest as others have said, its all irrelivant anyway, *cough* ********** *cough*. Hence why i think a lot of people are hoping it will work standaone without their hardware, they we will actually have to fork out some money!

I wonder how flexible this app will be, and I wish Pandora would work in the background so we can listen to it while using this (or any map) app
Will this unit limit us to listen to music through the headphone jack?

A) Officially, no, iPhone does not support background processes remember, but it does support access to the iPod library in the new SDK so maybe TT will write that functionality in, but don't count on it, would be great if they did. But as always, there is always backgrounder for jailbroken devices.

B) It looks like it. It looks like it will be sending GPS signals through the dock connector, and has it's own proprietary connector to provide power via the same dock connection from the car 9V. Who knows, there may be a passthrough dock connector hidden in that cradle somewhere, but again, i doubt it...

[CZroe]

I like the idea of this being integrated into my phone, which leaves the car when I do. As opposed to some dedicated GPS unit that you either have to hide and hope doesn't get stolen, or drag with you in a bag.

Other than some factory GPS units, they are all designed to be taken with you, though not all are battery powered. Even if it's not useful when carrying around, it is useful for switching vehicles (for instance, renting vehicles while on business trips in unfamiliar cities) as well as theft-prevention.

...
A) Officially, no, iPhone does not support background processes remember, but it does support access to the iPod library in the new SDK so maybe TT will write that functionality in, but don't count on it, would be great if they did. But as always, there is always backgrounder for jailbroken devices.
...

Why would it need access to your library when you can already play music in other apps? The way I see it, the new API is for adding to or parsing through the library.

[thecork]

Other than some factory GPS units, they are all designed to be taken with you, though not all are battery powered. Even if it's not useful when carrying around, it is useful for switching vehicles (for instance, renting vehicles while on business trips in unfamiliar cities) as well as theft-prevention.



Why would it need access to your library when you can already play music in other apps? The way I see it, the new API is for adding to or parsing through the library.

Many reasons. You are right, you can play music already in other apps (as in you have to start it from the ipod then load the app...), but if you want to actually do anything in your library, play albums/playlist etc, you have to quit the app you are in to load the ipod app. Yes you can use the double tap home button method to load the controls (IMO it is combersom doing this while driving..., but what i was getting at was it would be sweet if TomTom used the new API to allow full access to the iPod library from within their app, meaning you wouldnt have to quit their app to do so. Just my opinion, but thought that would be quite a nice extra.

[thetoothfairy]

As for me I probably won't be the first person to buy it... would like to see others and see feedback if the price will be a big higher..... but I would love to buy it because I would rather have one gadget then a gadget for this and that and... and...... Love the ad for it!

[shawn o]

I purchased Garmin Mobile XT for my wife's Nokia E71 about 6 months ago and it cost $99. Same price for Blackberry.

I'd expect the TomTom software to be about the same.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11413

[severe]

I also use xGPS, but the iPhone itself has a very weak antenna. That is why it always places you on the wrong road or keeps going in the wrong direction for a few seconds. The black holder that the iPhone is placed (in this video) will provide a stronger GPS antenna and hence to capability of true turn-by-turn navigation. I guess you can download the app without buying the hardware, but it won't be as accurate as standalone units.

I'm not sure how accurate this information is. I use G-Map for the iPhone and very rarely am placed on the wrong road or in the wrong direction. As a matter of fact, their auto correction feature works very well with the iPhone's stock GPS.

I welcome the enhanced GPS that TomTom is offering, but I believe xGPS could be your issue.


Here's a review of the new G-Map app that will be available after next week. It looks a bit more refined, and now offers landscape view and voice guidance instead of an audible tone. Not bad for $25.

G-Map U.S. iPhone Voice Guidance Preview


Options are nice.

[Amraam]

I'm not sure how accurate this information is. I use G-Map for the iPhone and very rarely am placed on the wrong road or in the wrong direction. As a matter of fact, their auto correction feature works very well with the iPhone's stock GPS.

I welcome the enhanced GPS that TomTom is offering, but I believe xGPS could be your issue.


Here's a review of the new G-Map app that will be available after next week. It looks a bit more refined, and now offers landscape view and voice guidance instead of an audible tone. Not bad for $25.

G-Map U.S. iPhone Voice Guidance Preview


Options are nice.

Wow, G-Map (I'd sooo have to get a Half Life 2 G-Man theme for it! ) looks pretty impressive. Can't wait to see how it runs on the iPhone!

[confucious]

The GPS in the iPhone keeps dropping the signal. TomTom have gone the hardware route to fix this ALK are trying the software route so you won't need additional hardware for CoPilot.
The accuracy isn't an issue, proper satnav has auto correction to show your correct position. xGPS was a great effort for free software but is nowhere near as sophisticated as proper SatNAv.

[cricketlang]

i just want that freaking adapter kit for my car! ill get just that to start

[pharmaceptas]

hi Thecork
u seem to know a lot tell me this, will that tom tom navigation kit have a charger in it?
p.s. and i hope it will work internationally yes ?

[thecork]

hi Thecork
u seem to know a lot tell me this, will that tom tom navigation kit have a charger in it?
p.s. and i hope it will work internationally yes ?

It was specifically said in the keynote that their nav-kit will keep the iphone charged.

And i would assume it will be like all other of tomtom's software, be it standalone or mobile/pda, it will work anywhere that you have purchased a map for. They have maps for most of the world these days. How it will work, whether there will be a different app for different countries or what i dont know. I suspect they may make the most of the new in-app purchase api, allowing people to go to their store and purchase new maps that way...

[adp]

I found a really good review for this app. Here are the major highlights I got from it:

• External kit will have its own microphone/speakers to replace the ones from the phone

• Line-out jack will have to be used to listen to music. No FM transmitters

• Downloadable maps (at a price, most likely)

• National&International maps

• Apparently, app will work fine without hardware

I'm still curious about how hands-free dialing will be activated. Will we have to reach to the windshield, press a button and talk? This seems like an interesting idea while driving 80mph. And those of us who use pandora are out of luck (unless you use Backgrounder).

Read the review here: TomTom iPhone App GPS Review