TomTom Special Media Event on September 22nd?

[Tiffy]

They must release a killer app...

TomTom's only chance of success is to release something far better than the competition :
- Bug free application
- free traffic info (the other competitors will probably release traffic info soon, but probably not for free)
- speed cameras/radars/mobile radars info for free (some competitors already offer speed cameras/fixed radars info, but nothing is said about updates)
- IQ Routes (I am not a fan but lots of people are)
- free map updates for a long period of time (Igo already includes free map updates until december 2010)

All of that without being more expensive than the competitors...

If they don't do something like that, I see no reason to switch from Navigon to TomTom...

 

[TwoBytes]

TomTom's only chance of success is to release something far better than the competition :
- Bug free application
- free traffic info (the other competitors will probably release traffic info soon, but probably not for free)
- speed cameras/radars/mobile radars info for free (some competitors already offer speed cameras/fixed radars info, but nothing is said about updates)
- IQ Routes (I am not a fan but lots of people are)
- free map updates for a long period of time (Igo already includes free map updates until december 2010)

All of that without being more expensive than the competitors...

If they don't do something like that, I see no reason to switch from Navigon to TomTom...

agree. For those who paid a high price - why pay more?
those who paid £26 for copilot, why spend a fortune if it does the job which is a reason to spend £26.

Tomtom, you missed out.

 

[t0mat0]

Same day as Apple's keynote possibly?

iPod touch 3rd gen, tablet, snow leopard etc.....

Not entirely sure it's the iPhone app.

Apple will be doing the Touch along with the iPod refresh, which is normally the 1st, or 2nd Tuesday of September. With Snow Leopard around that time too.
Just seems there's an embargo on 3rd party accessories - and TomTom is effectively saying the embargo will be that date or before. I'd say likely we'll see the GPS accessories coming out

DOn't forget TomTom isn't the only one, along with Navigon out there - Gomite has gone quiet for example.

If you were making an iTablet, wouldn't you want a SatNav app? Maybe we're seeing a potential date for a high end App Store?

If the event is about the iPhone app and dock, then it seemingly doesn't square with when it's likely the iPods and Touch will get refreshed. (also see ZuneHD release/announcement around the 8th September).
Would TomTom hold an event just to show the app/dock, if Apple had an event highlighting it first? You'd think that Apple would make it so that the Touch would be able to use the app/dock too (though maybe only the upcoming new version).

MIght be wrong, but it seems Apple's waiting on the iPod/Touch refresh for hardware and accessory products to get announced/released.

 

[dvince2]

Wanted Tom Tom. Bought Navigon. Love it. Never looking back.

 

[Donz0r]

TomTom's only chance of success is to release something far better than the competition :
- Bug free application
- free traffic info (the other competitors will probably release traffic info soon, but probably not for free)
- speed cameras/radars/mobile radars info for free (some competitors already offer speed cameras/fixed radars info, but nothing is said about updates)
- IQ Routes (I am not a fan but lots of people are)
- free map updates for a long period of time (Igo already includes free map updates until december 2010)

All of that without being more expensive than the competitors...

If they don't do something like that, I see no reason to switch from Navigon to TomTom...

I agree

Also, imho - naivgon has the better software. I don't know about you guys though, but a 'special media event' and the 'future of navigation'... I'm gonna wait and see what they have in store before I drop $80 on navigon. They may have completely revamped their software/features/ etc.

 

[JFreak]

Wanted Tom Tom. Bought Navigon. Love it. Never looking back.

Same here. I've got Europe+USA+CAN for less than what I suspect TomTom is asking for their riduculously overpriced dash mount...

 

[BeyondtheTech]

Had TomTom made an official iPhone announcement with pricing (even if it was $99.99) before August 15, I think it would have held off additional purchases of Navigon by iPhone/iPod touch users.

Releasing this obscure invite for something so far off as September 22 and not even mentioning the iPhone app simply shows lack of insight and motivation to get the userbase in check.

TomTom lost my sale. I'm purchasing Navigon on the 15th.

 

[JFreak]

TomTom lost my sale. I'm purchasing Navigon.

I bet there are tons of people thinking just like you. Me myself included, even though I was very excited about TT announcement in WWDC. Then came Navigon out of nowhere and released "v0.9" software for great intro price with detailed promise of following ("v1.0") updates - and more to follow - so I decided a map is a map is a map therefore I bought Navigon simply because it was available, easy to use and was priced right. TomTom already failed with two of these, and the third is up to debate.

 

[boxstboy]

Tried Navigon free edition. Couldn't see any street names without getting up close to iphone, especially with that horrible color scheme. Wasn't impressed.

Will probably be getting iGO as it seems to be the best of the current lot. Also guaranteed free map updates for 1.5 years, TTS upgrades, etc.

 

[dkhenkin]

Will the Navigon app work with the TomTom mount? Any ideas..?

 

[robbieduncan]

Will the Navigon app work with the TomTom mount? Any ideas..?

As in will it work with the additional GPS receiver etc? I'd be amazed if it will. To use the dock connector the app and accessory have to be designed for each other.

 

[brasscat]

I'll save more than any of you! I plan on figuring out how to get somewhere before I leave the house. That way, no need for a GPS.

 

[VenusianSky]

September 22...boo! I thought for sure the Tom Tom app would be out this month.

 

[dkhenkin]

As in will it work with the additional GPS receiver etc? I'd be amazed if it will. To use the dock connector the app and accessory have to be designed for each other.

Damnit the dock was a big selling point for me. Bluetooth speaker and line in port. Maybe I will have to hold out

 

[FearlessFreep]

There's really no spinning it. Tom Tom has bungled this release about as bad as you can. Their marketing strategy is SHOT. The stand alone GPS apps have demonstrated that there is no need for a GPS-chip dock and that the iPhone can handle TBT just fine without one. Really, that was their only hope - to be first out of the gate with their solution whereby people would say "hey, this works great." By essentially being the last to the party (excepting Garmin), they've eliminated any competitive advantage the hardware solution may have had. Even if they come out with more features in the software, the other software houses will simply release an updated package themselves. And TT won't even release pricing.

Epic fail.

I'm buying iGo My Way or Navigon on Friday.

 

[pdmpolishing]

I too was waiting for TomTom, as I've use TomTom for many years I thought I would wait, after waiting so song for any information regarding a release date and pricing I decided to try Co Pilot.

Well after using Co pilot for a few days I think TomTom should be worried, at £26 this App is great, it works well, there is plenty of information regarding POI's, doesn't need any extra hardware at extra cost.

If TomTom want to sell their App at a higher cost, it's going to have to be very good indeed. I.E. iQue routes, speed camera warnings, free map updates, Map share, text to speech. If TomTom's App has the ability to use the phone in App I think they would be onto a winner, lets wait and see.

 

[Londonluke]

to be honest , i am laughing at Tomtom. I hope someone really loses their job over this mess. For far too long they have taken the **** out of their customers. Now they are going to suffer! people have moved over to Navigon etc or a stand alone tomtom gps unit. The investment they have made in this new iphone system will be the death of them

if your reading this "mr Tomotom" bet you get the smile wiped off your face

 

[dkhenkin]

I caved and just bought the Navigon. Worked right after install, no GPS issues like some people reporting. The price is too good to pass up and who knows what and when tomtom will do. Also ordered a nice 6$ car mount that had great reviews and will go nicely into my car.

 

[Eso]

I wonder if it is an issue with in-app purchases. They probably want to sell the standard app and then let people purchase whichever maps they need. Has anyone seen in-app purchasing yet? It's possible Apple is not ready for that yet and that is what is holding it all up.

 

[RichieCat]

I've been waiting a long time for tomtom to release their iPhone application but i just got fed up with waiting!

I've brought Copilot live, which for £25 for the UK edition is an absolute bargain and it's actually pretty good too!

I do like tomtom but unfortuantly even if they'd been releasing it tomorrow they'd have left it too late - Sept 22nd is just stupid! What are they thinking?

Unless tomtom's new app does something amazing and really is "the future of navigation" (yeah right) and is a priced to compete with likes of Copilot then there's no chance i'll buy it.. and im really not sure many other people will either.

Unless they sell this app for a competitve price then i can see that theres likely to be lots of hacked copies going around... might be a reason to Jailbreak for lots of people ;-)

 

[0311]

Couldn't wait anymore!

Like alot of people, I realy liked my Tomtom, it was stolen from my car. When Tomtom announced an app at WDC i was excited. Never did i think it would take 3 months for them to get it out, and that's only if it actually comes out on Sept.

i went ahead and bought the Navigon app and I couldn't be happier with my purchuse. I bought a cheap $15 window mount and it works perfectly. I get a signal lock in about 30 seconds and have only lost it wehere you'd expect to loose a gps signal, in tunnels and some other locations in manhattan where my tomtom also lost signal.

While the navigon could use some tweaking, I can't imagine that tomtom will debut will be anything better. Even at the exorbitant prices that are rumored.

Go Navigon!

 

[Illusion986]

It is taking them quite a while to release it. But i decided to be patient with this and see if i should buy app for Iphone or stand alone unit. But if they will want $199 or something like that for their mount then forget about it!

 

[Veinticinco]

What's the Dutch for "business seppuku" again?

"Later this summer" indeed. What a crock of *****. September 22 is practically Q4, and the leaves will have started going red/brown and falling.

Anyone else drop their email address in their 'update' field back in early June and received zilch the last two months? It's already long overdue, and yet now apparently they're all ready to launch it....... in ANOTHER SIX WEEKS!!! Will probably have the same inferior graphics to the competition as well.

The delay is obviously the bloody cradle isn't it? The software has been unofficially working for ages now. So what they should have done is release the software via the App Store, get customers on board and then release the cradle when it's ready as both a standalone and a combined package. We'd have understood, or at least been sated.

Achterlijkes, the lot of them. Probably sitting round picking their noses Beavis and Butthead-style in a circular argument about pricing.

Overpromising and then underdelivering is probably the worst mistake a company can make re. pissing off a potential customer base, and I really hope TomTom learn that lesson the hard way.

[/end_rant]

 

[apolloa]

I too was waiting for TomTom, as I've use TomTom for many years I thought I would wait, after waiting so song for any information regarding a release date and pricing I decided to try Co Pilot.

Well after using Co pilot for a few days I think TomTom should be worried, at £26 this App is great, it works well, there is plenty of information regarding POI's, doesn't need any extra hardware at extra cost.

If TomTom want to sell their App at a higher cost, it's going to have to be very good indeed. I.E. iQue routes, speed camera warnings, free map updates, Map share, text to speech. If TomTom's App has the ability to use the phone in App I think they would be onto a winner, lets wait and see.

I read Co-Pilot will give free map updates every 12 to 18 months (I can't see many new UK roads in that time being built?)

Also coming in the next update:

Safety camera alerts
QWERTY Keyboard
Improved GPS performance
Improved Walking mode
Smart call handling to remember your destination after a phone call
Improved initial activation
Dial a POI

They are also bringing live traffic updates to it as well, they currently charge £35 for this for a 2 year subscription.

Really not sure just how TomTom can improve on what is already out there?

A September 22 release is also an utter joke, as said the software I thought was finished last year?

 

[BriGuy20]

This is getting ridiculous. I was considering holding out for the IQ routes but no mention of a release date and an event that may or may not signify the launch of the GPS app has taken me within 1% of my remaining patience. If I don't hear anything before August 15th I'll probably get the Navigon.