Apple Begins Shipping TomTom Car Kit in U.S.

[ticman]

I assume u have the unit. I am most interested in where u mounted
it. My concern is being able to see the screen and reach it for calling etc.

Thanks

[wclyffe]

Originally Posted by ticman

I assume u have the unit. I am most interested in where u mounted
it. My concern is being able to see the screen and reach it for calling etc.

Thanks

I don't have it yet, but suppose to ship mid week. I'm going to use the adhesive disk and mount it pretty close on the dash. I've currently done this with another cheap mount and its much easier and safer for answering calls, making adjustments, etc. Here's a link so you can see how close and solid it can be mounted if not using the windshield. In my car, it would end up being too far away from me on the windshield.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etCqq3-7ixo (in German)

[ticman]

thanks for the utube link. It definitely looks like a sturdy mount even on the dash which tends to not be perfectly smooth.

I am surprised it appears in the middle of the dash in the video. I am hoping to use it closer to left of center on a sloping part of the dash for even easier reachability while driving.

You mentioned your dock is shipping midweek. Did you buy from BottomLine Telecommunications for $90?? Says out of stock and on backorder.

Thanks again.

[wclyffe]

Originally Posted by ticman

thanks for the utube link. It definitely looks like a sturdy mount even on the dash which tends to not be perfectly smooth.

I am surprised it appears in the middle of the dash in the video. I am hoping to use it closer to left of center on a sloping part of the dash for even easier reachability while driving.

You mentioned your dock is shipping midweek. Did you buy from BottomLine Telecommunications for $90?? Says out of stock and on backorder.

Thanks again.

I did, and hopefully it will ship when it says on 11/11. They are apparently expecting a boatload of them. We'll see.

And yes, I'm mounting it closer to me (left of center) on a sloping dash, too.

[G4-power]

Originally Posted by wclyffe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etCqq3-7ixo (in German)

I'm really sorry but I couldn't resist correcting. After I was halfway through the video I thought "why the heck don't I understand this if it's supposed to be German?" It was Danish.

[wclyffe]

Originally Posted by G4-power

I'm really sorry but I couldn't resist correcting. After I was halfway through the video I thought "why the heck don't I understand this if it's supposed to be German?" It was Danish.

Ooops...sorry. I turned the volume down almost immediately and didn't listen carefully enough! Thanks!

[ticman]

Yup, the 12/2 date was a disappointment but in hindsight not a big surprise. I am sure many of us jumped at the price and got in line to receive the car kit, hoping to be the first on our block to get it. LOL Might have been good marketing strategy by BLT or an honest demand far exceeding supply as at least one member here did receive their unit from BLT before "take a number and be patient" started.

Regardless I am going to wait it out. I can use my Navigon app for times when I need to--just a little awkward keeping it in the ashtray or cup holder--LOL

[marvel2]

After hearing that they will delay shipping of the TomTom kit until December 2nd, I decided to give my local MacStore a call (not Apple Store). It was only $99.95 with no sales tax in Oregon. $10 more than Bottom Line Technologies, but I have the TomTom kit in my hands right now

[ticman]

Good for you Marvel2. How about a review after you use it. Tstreete did a great one but another perspective is always welcomed.

BTW do you use Navigon? Did you get the Live Traffic update? Love to hear how they each or both worked with the kit.

Thanks,
Mike

[marvel2]

Originally Posted by ticman

Good for you Marvel2. How about a review after you use it. Tstreete did a great one but another perspective is always welcomed.

BTW do you use Navigon? Did you get the Live Traffic update? Love to hear how they each or both worked with the kit.

Thanks,
Mike

I'm going to use it for a few days and a couple trips around town first before I give a review. But my intial impressions of the kit is that it works just as advertised. Doesn't feel cheap, BT syncing is very easy and syncs every time I plug the phone in. Speaker volume is clear but may need to be louder. I still have to give it some time and adjust to my liking first (my car is pretty loud). And yes, I am using Navigon, but I have not yet downloaded their Live Traffice update.

Originally Posted by CKtoph

The key for making this purchase for me is to have at least the option to allow the calls to come in through the car's speakers while using the built-in mic on the dock.

Also, the youtube video shows the guy had it stuck on his dash with the adhesive? Anyone have driver's point of view, pictures with it mounted with suction on the windshield? There's no way I'm sticking this thing to my dash.

Per the manual, calls will not come in through your car's speaker but instead the TomTom car kit's speaker.

I currently have the kit mounted on my windshield but I also tried mounting it on my dash. If you do not want to put that adhesive on your dash, buy a Sticky Pad and lay it on your dash. Now mount the TomTom kit as you normally would on the sticky pad as if it were glass. It sticks and works very well. Alternatively, you can put the adhesive disk on the sticky pad if you want the suction cup of the TomTom kit to cling to a hard plastic surface. When you leave your car, just peel the Sticky Pad off of your dash and it will not leave any residue. Essentially it is a GPS friction mount. Or you can buy this, but its just too big for my tastes.

Originally Posted by Jape

What is the name of the store that you got it from? I'm curious to know if I could find one in my area

Here is their website. They are an authorized third party Mac reseller sort of like MacMall, but with a physical location. You can try calling other third party Mac resellers in your area if you don't have "The Mac Store" in your area.

[CKtoph]

Originally Posted by marvel2

I'm going to use it for a few days and a couple trips around town first before I give a review. But my intial impressions of the kit is that it works just as advertised. Doesn't feel cheap, BT syncing is very easy and syncs every time I plug the phone in. Speaker volume is clear but may need to be louder. I still have to give it some time and adjust to my liking first (my car is pretty loud). And yes, I am using Navigon, but I have not yet downloaded their Live Traffice update.

Per the manual, calls will not come in through your car's speaker but instead the TomTom car kit's speaker.

I currently have the kit mounted on my windshield but I also tried mounting it on my dash. If you do not want to put that adhesive on your dash, buy a Sticky Pad and lay it on your dash. Now mount the TomTom kit as you normally would on the sticky pad as if it were glass. It sticks and works very well. Alternatively, you can put the adhesive disk on the sticky pad if you want the suction cup of the TomTom kit to cling to a hard plastic surface. When you leave your car, just peel the Sticky Pad off of your dash and it will not leave any residue. Essentially it is a GPS friction mount. Or you can buy this, but its just too big for my tastes.

Thanks for the tip. How do you feel about the speaker volume on the unit for calls so far? Also, do the navigation instructions come through the car's speakers at all?

I'd still be curious to see how it looks when stuck to the windshield. I've heard some say that it's too hard to see on the windshield.

[infoman]

Originally Posted by CKtoph

Thanks for the tip. How do you feel about the speaker volume on the unit for calls so far? Also, do the navigation instructions come through the car's speakers at all?

I'd still be curious to see how it looks when stuck to the windshield. I've heard some say that it's too hard to see on the windshield.

Mounting it horizontally on the lower left corner of the windshield, near the steering wheel, works pretty good for me. Good visibility and more importantly you don't loose site of the road ahead. Try it.

[marvel2]

Originally Posted by CKtoph

Thanks for the tip. How do you feel about the speaker volume on the unit for calls so far? Also, do the navigation instructions come through the car's speakers at all?

I'd still be curious to see how it looks when stuck to the windshield. I've heard some say that it's too hard to see on the windshield.

I'll let you know when I take a call on it. This is really the first day I have had it. I do not have the TomTom kit plugged into my car's stereo so navigation comes through the speaker of the TomTom kit. What I can remember from the user manual (I don't have it with me at the moment), even when the TomTom kit is plugged into your car's stereo via an auxilary cable, calls and navigation instructions will still come from the TomTom kit and not the car stereo. I currently have no way of checking because my car does not have that input in its stereo.

As far as visibility on the windshield...it's going to vary on what type of car you drive and where you place it. I'm assuming you have never had a GPS unit in your car. It takes up just as much space as most other GPS devices.

[Jape]

Originally Posted by marvel2

After hearing that they will delay shipping of the TomTom kit until December 2nd, I decided to give my local MacStore a call (not Apple Store). It was only $99.95 with no sales tax in Oregon. $10 more than Bottom Line Technologies, but I have the TomTom kit in my hands right now

What is the name of the store that you got it from? I'm curious to know if I could find one in my area