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Apple Begins Shipping TomTom Car Kit in U.S.

tstreete said:
Everyone with an iphone is paying at least $840 a year for the privilege of using it, and if all you wanted was cell phone service you could pay half that.
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Lets review a few things:

1) Standalone GPS units cost less than $99 today with interfaces similar to the TomTom software and they won't tie up your iPhone while navigating.

2) The hardware itself is far more expensive than it should be given the price point of standalone TomTom GPS hardware. I bought a TomTom GO 730 for about $139 brand new.

3) The Google Maps turn by turn navigation really brings competition that shows just how overpriced these GPS solutions are.

Yes, I pay at least $840 per year for my iPhone that gives me enough functionality to almost call it a computer. The Google Maps navigation software will be included with it soon making it an even better value, but for now the TomTom solution is still overpriced compared to TomTom's own hardware offerings.
 
Jape said:
They do have more of these in stock, but I was wondering if you have used their services before. it seems a little weird that they would offer it at such a low price, and they do not use paypal.
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I don't know how they do it at such a discount, but mine just arrived a day early in fine shape, so at least in my case they came through fine.

I'll try it out this afternoon.
 
tstreete said:
I don't know how they do it at such a discount, but mine just arrived a day early in fine shape, so at least in my case they came through fine.

I'll try it out this afternoon.
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Ok, thats good to hear, let me know how it works when you try it out :) I am considering getting it from there
 
It's remarkable how far TomTom's goodwill swung from enthusiasm in early summer to spite. I see a lot of hate on TomTom not on the merits of the kit itself.

It appears to be a quality mount, BT hands-free kit, built in speaker, and car charger. Add that up and it can get pricey, then top it off with the GPS assistance. If that value doesn't make sense to you, don't buy it. To complain they won't sell it to you for $19.95 is just petty.
 
Jeez. You have to a moron of epic proportions to go this route for a car GPS.
 
ptaylor874 said:
Oh - BTW - Anyone know if they are planning to stock them in Apple stores?

As for the price - everyone complains that it is too expensive for "a mount". But, it's not just a mount. A simple mount wouldn't be worth more than about $30. It's got a GPS chip in it that is similar in quality to a standalone units GPS chip, plus a speaker (the built-in speaker isn't loud or clear enough) and a mic. I understand the enhanced GPS chip is accessed via Bluetooth, so other GPS programs can use it instead of the on-board GPS chip. It can serve as a handsfree speakerphone, so no need to buy a car kit if your car doesn't support Bluetooth (mine don't).

All together, I honestly do think this price tag is a little high - it would be more reasonable at $99, but I'm still thinking seriously about getting one.
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The point is you can buy a dedicated GPS unit for less than the tomtom mount and app.
 
It is cheaper to buy a standalone unit. But then you have to carry around 2 things instead of 1. For some people (including me), that is the major selling point of using the iPhone for navigation. I don't like bringing stuff with me when I travel. The more my iPhone can do, the less junk I need to take with me. It has already replaced my iPod and my laptop. If it can replace my Garmin too, I'm willing to pay extra to make it work.

As for the apps that download maps on the fly, I'm not interested in those as my ONLY navigation solution. There are plenty of places I drive that don't have any cell coverage at all, let alone 3G. I want an app that has the maps preloaded. I haven't decided between the available apps yet, but I am leaning towards Navigon. If their traffic thingy works well, I'll most likely go that route.
 
Jape said:
I was doing some research on bottom line telecommunications and i came across these good reviews: :D

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller770-p1-s4-d1.html

when tstreete comes back and tells me how it works, I will probably order it from this company.
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Gave it a brief test around town this afternoon. MotionX GPS lite status screen reported an accuracy (radius?) of between 30 feet to 50 feet, whereas without the TomTom mount it ranged from about 75 ft to 256 ft or worse. So, yeah, it improves GPS accuracy, and I did notice the difference when using the TomTom app.

The thing is well built and elegant, the nicest carphone mount design I've ever seen. You have to be gentle sticking the iPhone into the mount, but you can do it with one hand. You have to think about where to install the mount in your car -- window, dash, left or right of the wheel etc. -- and you can't leave the iPhone in a case (OK for me, might not be for others). The power and audio cables stick out of the side, which is a bit awkward, especially when you rotate it; I'm thinking of picking up some adhesive-backed clips at RadioShack to keep the wires out of the way as they wind their way down to the power and aux jacks. I've made only one phone call so far, which worked fine, but the phone uses the mount's speaker even when you're plugged into the car stereo (music and/or Tomtom app voice stops in the car speakers, and then the phone call comes out of the mount speaker). I could hear the phone call fine driving around town, but I'm a little worried about how well I'll be able to hear phone calls at freeway speeds in my noisy little car (a Honda Fit).

The acid test will be a substantial trip that includes some skyscraper canyons in a big city.

Last I checked it looked like BLT had sold out and was awaiting more shipments.
 
tstreete said:
Gave it a brief test around town this afternoon. MotionX GPS lite status screen reported an accuracy (radius?) of between 30 feet to 50 feet, whereas without the TomTom mount it ranged from about 75 ft to 256 ft or worse. So, yeah, it improves GPS accuracy, and I did notice the difference when using the TomTom app.

The thing is well built and elegant, the nicest carphone mount design I've ever seen. You have to be gentle sticking the iPhone into the mount, but you can do it with one hand. You have to think about where to install the mount in your car -- window, dash, left or right of the wheel etc. -- and you can't leave the iPhone in a case (OK for me, might not be for others). The power and audio cables stick out of the side, which is a bit awkward, especially when you rotate it; I'm thinking of picking up some adhesive-backed clips at RadioShack to keep the wires out of the way as they wind their way down to the power and aux jacks. I've made only one phone call so far, which worked fine, but the phone uses the mount's speaker even when you're plugged into the car stereo (music and/or Tomtom app voice stops in the car speakers, and then the phone call comes out of the mount speaker). I could hear the phone call fine driving around town, but I'm a little worried about how well I'll be able to hear phone calls at freeway speeds in my noisy little car (a Honda Fit).

The acid test will be a substantial trip that includes some skyscraper canyons in a big city.

Last I checked it looked like BLT had sold out and was awaiting more shipments.
Click to expand...

Thanks a ton for for your review, I am now going to buy the kit from BLT. They are on backorder with the product and will be recieving a shipment in on the 11 of nov, but for this low price I believe it is worth the wait ( about %30 off). Thanks again.
 
tstreete said:
I've made only one phone call so far, which worked fine, but the phone uses the mount's speaker even when you're plugged into the car stereo (music and/or Tomtom app voice stops in the car speakers, and then the phone call comes out of the mount speaker). I could hear the phone call fine driving around town, but I'm a little worried about how well I'll be able to hear phone calls at freeway speeds in my noisy little car (a Honda Fit).
Click to expand...

By any chance do you have a bluetooth headset to test with? I'm wondering if the iPhone can be connected to this kit for the improved GPS while using another bluetooth device for the handsfree calling.
 
weing said:
Jeez. You have to a moron of epic proportions to go this route for a car GPS.
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Because?

I use the TomTom app with a DLO vent mount, car charger and stereo with 3.5mm input. Total cost including the mount was about AU $100.

I had a Navman S45 which cost $280, heavily discounted. It was stolen from my car (I'd hidden everything, but they broke in anyway :() and the TomTom/iPhone route is actually more convenient for me because:

1. I now get voice instructions over the car speakers
2. I don't have to worry about my GPS being stolen from my car
3. I can navigate to anyone in my address book without having to enter an address (assuming I have it to begin with)
4. I don't have to juggle car chargers. Dedicated GPS's don't last long without them, neither do iPhones that are pumping music for long periods :)
5. My nav app is now with me everywhere, I don't get the "Oh man I wish I brought my Navman" problem anymore.

Granted, I didn't pay $150+ for the cradle. But even if I did, it would still be cheaper than the S45 and does a much better job IMO. Note I have the TomTom, but any of the other two nav apps would likely be the same experience.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the convenience far outweighs the cost. Although the fact that we Australians get raped on GPS prices probably doesn't help :)
 
If Apple made this carkit themselves, I bet that everyone here would accept the price with no questions asked.

I'm glad that this device is not selling in Europe for the usual Apple rate of 1 dollar = 1 euro.
 
Does it work with Navigon?

Has anyone tested the unit with Navigon? That would be the only reason I would buy it.
Also, with Google coming up with a free turn-by-turn navigation app... what will happen with the ones we have to pay for?
 
Xtoo said:
Has anyone tested the unit with Navigon? That would be the only reason I would buy it.
Also, with Google coming up with a free turn-by-turn navigation app... what will happen with the ones we have to pay for?
Click to expand...

Haven't tried it with Navigon, but I have tried it with Google Maps, MotionX GPS lite, and G-Map east, and they all work fine (i.e., using the TomTom mount's gps, not the iphone's internal one), so I can't think of a reason why Navigon wouldn't work.
 
wacky4alanis said:
It is cheaper to buy a standalone unit. But then you have to carry around 2 things instead of 1. For some people (including me), that is the major selling point of using the iPhone for navigation. I don't like bringing stuff with me when I travel. The more my iPhone can do, the less junk I need to take with me. It has already replaced my iPod and my laptop. If it can replace my Garmin too, I'm willing to pay extra to make it work.

As for the apps that download maps on the fly, I'm not interested in those as my ONLY navigation solution. There are plenty of places I drive that don't have any cell coverage at all, let alone 3G. I want an app that has the maps preloaded. I haven't decided between the available apps yet, but I am leaning towards Navigon. If their traffic thingy works well, I'll most likely go that route.
Click to expand...
So i assume you will be carrying the TomTom mount and iPhone as one piece at all times? :rolleyes:
 
Who cares.
It's an epic rip off.

I hope the next report out is how they only sold 10% of what they forcasted for these pieces of junk.
 
Thanks to Tstreete and Jade for sharing information about the TomTom car kit and "other" places that it can be purchased at a discount. Also thanks for researching other vendors. Also, whoever posted info on the Arkon Friction Mount--also thanks as that may be a good option to avoid window mounting.

I am waiting for Tstreete to do his "acid" test and hopefully report back.

Couple of questions:
Assume you mounted on windshield. How was "view" while driving. Could you see the iphone and maps easily? Might a dashboard mount be better as it would be closer?

Also, how do you connect the mount to your radio system? Sorry if stupid question but haven't seen anything on it other than you need audio cable. Is it hardwired or a plugin somewhere near the radio. From reading the above posts it appears that spoken directions come thru radio speakers as would music BUT phone calls come through iphone/tomtom speakers. Correct?

If I have bluetooth via the steering wheel can that be incorporated with the car kit? not sure i would want to as it was a pain to use when i had it set up in the first place. I also had a BlueAnt bluetooth that I used with my BB Storm but it will not sync my contact list while using the iphone. Might I be able to use this feature? again might just be easier to use iphone voice dialing.

Thanks all for helpful information. I too agree that we each make our own decision on whether or not to by the tomtom dock. It depends on what we are trying to accomplish. Bashing the price point is really counterproductive as we each have the option to buy it or not. oops didn't mean to get on a soapbox here.

Thanks again,

Mike
 
It'll be a month or so before I get to visit a big city, but over at gpspassion.com some people are doing some fairly sophisticated testing of the mount so you can see exactly how well it works.

I mounted on the dash, just left of center, so that it would be in easy reach. My windshield is steeply sloped, so I'd either have to stick it to the windshield right up at the top with wires dangling down from there, or it would be out of reach. The mount comes with a disk, with sticky foam on one side that can stick to a slightly curved dash, and hard shiny plastic on the other that the mount's suction cup can stick to. (There are inexpensive third party mounts of various sorts that can work with tomtom mounts, which would give you more options.)

The mount has a standard stereo mini-plug outlet, just like the earphone jack on a standard mp3 player, so if your car has an "aux" jack, you can use a cable, or if it has a tape player you can plug in one of those tape-player-to-cable adapters.

Not sure about the various bluetooth possibilities, but when you first establish the bluetooth connection in the iphone's preferences, it gives you a choice of which devices to select, so it might be the case that you could use a bluetooth headset or hands-free set while also using the mount.

ticman said:
Thanks to Tstreete and Jade for sharing information about the TomTom car kit and "other" places that it can be purchased at a discount. Also thanks for researching other vendors. Also, whoever posted info on the Arkon Friction Mount--also thanks as that may be a good option to avoid window mounting.

I am waiting for Tstreete to do his "acid" test and hopefully report back.

Couple of questions:
Assume you mounted on windshield. How was "view" while driving. Could you see the iphone and maps easily? Might a dashboard mount be better as it would be closer?

Also, how do you connect the mount to your radio system? Sorry if stupid question but haven't seen anything on it other than you need audio cable. Is it hardwired or a plugin somewhere near the radio. From reading the above posts it appears that spoken directions come thru radio speakers as would music BUT phone calls come through iphone/tomtom speakers. Correct?

If I have bluetooth via the steering wheel can that be incorporated with the car kit? not sure i would want to as it was a pain to use when i had it set up in the first place. I also had a BlueAnt bluetooth that I used with my BB Storm but it will not sync my contact list while using the iphone. Might I be able to use this feature? again might just be easier to use iphone voice dialing.

Thanks all for helpful information. I too agree that we each make our own decision on whether or not to by the tomtom dock. It depends on what we are trying to accomplish. Bashing the price point is really counterproductive as we each have the option to buy it or not. oops didn't mean to get on a soapbox here.

Thanks again,

Mike
Click to expand...
 
slipper said:
So i assume you will be carrying the TomTom mount and iPhone as one piece at all times? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Of course you need to bring a mount - you need a mount either way. When I say "carry" I don't mean I keep it in a fanny pack 24/7. I mean I bring it with me when I travel. So let's count for the slow people...

Mount + Garmin + iPhone = 3 items
Mount + iPhone = 2 items

Gee - 2 is less than 3! Yay.
 
Bought TomTom car kit and although I still think its too expensive its handy if you travel a lot by air, rent cars and try to keep everything compact. If you don't have a need to switch you GPS from car to car a stand alone unit would be better due to bigger screen and more features.

Regarding the software Navigon works perfectly with the car kit. The features are close to those you could find in high end stand alone unit meaning its light years a ahead of TomTom's iPhone app, which is just as basic as you can get. In some way its funny how TomTom has a "high end" car dock but their iPhone app is more basic then in their entry level stand alone unit.
 
wacky4alanis said:
Of course you need to bring a mount - you need a mount either way. When I say "carry" I don't mean I keep it in a fanny pack 24/7. I mean I bring it with me when I travel. So let's count for the slow people...

Mount + Garmin + iPhone = 3 items
Mount + iPhone = 2 items

Gee - 2 is less than 3! Yay.
Click to expand...

OK so for the slower people why would you separate the GPS unit and mount when it is being used on a day to day basis? The TomTom mounts are so slim and there is no other use for the unit so there is no point to separate the two for storage. The iPhone is mainly a phone and i would need to separate the two on a regular basis.
 
slipper said:
OK so for the slower people why would you separate the GPS unit and mount when it is being used on a day to day basis? The TomTom mounts are so slim and there is no other use for the unit so there is no point to separate the two for storage. The iPhone is mainly a phone and i would need to separate the two on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

The entry level TomTom units have the slim dock but the more advance ones have the bulky active dock / or non active but still bulky ;) (5x0 - 9x0 series). There is no way you would want to carry around the more advanced units attached to the dock but if you can just leave the dock sticking on your windshield then this is not a problem.

Anyway, iPhone has one undeniable advantage over the stand alone units and thats the ability to choose the software. However, the screen on iPhone is small and the features will probably never be par with high end stand alone units.
 
Tom Tom Car Kit

I've now read through all 48 comments and I just ordered the Tom Tom Car Kit for $87....here's why. At this price, its a phenomenal deal for the following reasons:

a) I needed a Bluetooth Speakerphone (the law in CA) and was looking at the BluAnt for $79. For a few dollars more, I get a lot more.
b) I love that it is a powered cradle/dock as the current one I have is always a hassle trying to plug in for power, and these apps drain power big time. I use Navigon....it's fabulous.
c) I can directly connect the 3.5mm line out right into my car system and even plug in an FM transmitter when I travel to output the sound from my iPhone 3Gs. Now I can tuck these cables away leaving enough slack to turn it to landscape, but its all ready to use by just snapping the phone in.
d) The enhanced gps receiver chip seems to make quite a difference in the numerous tests you can view on Youtube. Much faster response time when re-routing occurs in "low signal areas". One test in particular left the un-aided iPhone without a signal for quite a long time. Even if we all start using the new Google Maps app, this chip will greatly enhance its performance, too.
e) Landscape mode is fast and easy which is not available in my current dock configuration. A simple, no frills dock like the Kensington that has no power connect, no bluetooth speakerphone, no gps chip, etc lists for $40.

This purchase at this price is a no brainer.
 
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