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Apple Begins Shipping TomTom Car Kit in U.S.

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
 
ticman said:
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
Click to expand...

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)
 
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.
 
ticman said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Tom tom in apple store

I was at a local apple store and they are selling the tom tom car kit already. What a rip off, because you have to pay for the app seperate. I got the griffin car mount for $20 at frys and the navigon app, works great.
 
enquarius said:
I was at a local apple store and they are selling the tom tom car kit already. What a rip off, because you have to pay for the app seperate. I got the griffin car mount for $20 at frys and the navigon app, works great.
Click to expand...

I got my car kit, and I really like. I don't know how someone can call it a rip-off if they haven't used it. It works great with Navigon. The TomTom app is still a joke.
 
can anyone comment on the sound quality when playing music on the iphone via the tomtom kit when it's connected to the car's sound system?

reason for asking: when i use a standard audio cable from the headphone output of my iphone into my car's aux in, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. i basically have to crank up the volume all the way on both my car system and the iphone to hear anything, and even what i hear isn't all that great.
 
G4-power said:
I'm really sorry but I couldn't resist correcting. :D 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. :D
Click to expand...

Ooops...sorry. I turned the volume down almost immediately and didn't listen carefully enough! Thanks!
 
enquarius said:
I was at a local apple store and they are selling the tom tom car kit already. What a rip off, because you have to pay for the app seperate. I got the griffin car mount for $20 at frys and the navigon app, works great.
Click to expand...

If you have to pay the suggested retail price then I do admit its a rip off. However, you can get easily 20% off if you just shop around a little bit. Regarding the TomTom app I fully agree. I actually think its way bigger rip off then the dock.
 
enquarius said:
I was at a local apple store and they are selling the tom tom car kit already. What a rip off, because you have to pay for the app seperate. I got the griffin car mount for $20 at frys and the navigon app, works great.
Click to expand...

I think that in the end, TomTom's iPhone Car Kit is going to be more valuable than their app, or their full blown Nav devices. Look back at my earlier post (#50) and you'll see my reasons. It's currently at $87 and will keep going down over time. It is easily the best dock/car kit out there, and I agree with you about Navigon. I have used both apps and Navigon is the easy winner.
 
I found the sound quality when playing music from the Tomtom car kit (as compared to a cable running from the headphone jack to the aux port) to be a bit improved. I think you get the equivalent of line out via the car kit, which is a slightly different signal from the headphone signal.

My car stereo is nothing special, though, so others might be able to provide a more detailed comparison.
CainIs4Charlie said:
can anyone comment on the sound quality when playing music on the iphone via the tomtom kit when it's connected to the car's sound system?

reason for asking: when i use a standard audio cable from the headphone output of my iphone into my car's aux in, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. i basically have to crank up the volume all the way on both my car system and the iphone to hear anything, and even what i hear isn't all that great.
Click to expand...
 
tstreete said:
I found the sound quality when playing music from the Tomtom car kit (as compared to a cable running from the headphone jack to the aux port) to be a bit improved. I think you get the equivalent of line out via the car kit, which is a slightly different signal from the headphone signal.

My car stereo is nothing special, though, so others might be able to provide a more detailed comparison.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info. I was wondering if I plug an fm transmitter into the car kit and play my music through my car speakers, will incoming phone calls also be sent through the car speakers or the Tomtom speaker? I prefer the phone calls just come through the car kit's speaker alone.
 
Phone calls are routed exclusively through the Car Kit's speakers, whether or not music etc. is routed through the output jack to speakers. A lot of smartphones are like the iPhone in that they won't run phone calls through the base/charger port, but will run the "computer" output, i.e., music and other programs. Has to do with the separate computer/phone circuits, I suppose.

wclyffe said:
Thanks for that info. I was wondering if I plug an fm transmitter into the car kit and play my music through my car speakers, will incoming phone calls also be sent through the car speakers or the Tomtom speaker? I prefer the phone calls just come through the car kit's speaker alone.
Click to expand...
 
tstreete said:
Phone calls are routed exclusively through the Car Kit's speakers, whether or not music etc. is routed through the output jack to speakers. A lot of smartphones are like the iPhone in that they won't run phone calls through the base/charger port, but will run the "computer" output, i.e., music and other programs. Has to do with the separate computer/phone circuits, I suppose.
Click to expand...

Thanks...I was hoping this was true! I do not like my phone calls booming through my car speakers as its too big a sound. I wondered about this connection as the GPS chip is connected by bluetooth I believe, so I wasn't sure what else might be.

Have you found the bluetooth speakerphone to be working well enough for you and the person on the other end?

Thanks for all your help.
 
You better believe I promptly cancelled my order with Apple for $128.05 shipping Nov 25 (just have to send it right back to Apple once it arrives for full refund) and ordered from BTL for $89 with estimated ETA weeks before Apple's ship date.
 
So far I think the phone calls sound fine for the person on the other end, and OK on my end; at freeway speeds my car is loud so I have to listen carefully.

I think the mount's GPS chip signal is actually routed through the dock connection. Just phone (and app voice, if necessary) connect through bluetooth. Maybe this is because Apple doesn't let non-audio devices of any sort to connect through bluetooth; if they did, then we'd all have been using external bluetooth gps receivers long ago.

wclyffe said:
Thanks...I was hoping this was true! I do not like my phone calls booming through my car speakers as its too big a sound. I wondered about this connection as the GPS chip is connected by bluetooth I believe, so I wasn't sure what else might be.

Have you found the bluetooth speakerphone to be working well enough for you and the person on the other end?

Thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...
 
I ordered my TomTom car kit fro BLT this morning and got an email saying they will be in stock Nov 11th. Hopefully it ship then.

*edit*

Got a new email saying they wont receive them until Dec 2nd :'{
 
Just a side note to all the discussion in this thread. I just searched the Navigon site for the European Version of the iPhone mount and the price to buy it is 39.95 Euros + VAT charges = 44.90 Euros (or $67.48), and does not count the shipping charges. At $67, it makes the purchase of the TomTom Car Kit at $87 an amazing deal. The Navigon kit is only the windshield mount and a charging cable.

Here's the link if you want to look for yourself:


http://www.navigon.com/portal/int/s...html?produktFamilieId=14970&produktId=6964612
 
LOL I keep checking the Bottomline Telecommunications site for updates that they received their shipment and my shipment is emminent. Oh well patience is a virtue. Did I mention that i wasn't virtuous. LOL
 
Also, this illustrates one of the more elegant aspects of the design of the TomTom car kit, which is it allows for one-handed insertion. With ordinary mounts like Navigon's, you have to first connect the iPhone to the charger -- a two-handed operation -- and then put it in the mount.

wclyffe said:
Just a side note to all the discussion in this thread. I just searched the Navigon site for the European Version of the iPhone mount and the price to buy it is 39.95 Euros + VAT charges = 44.90 Euros (or $67.48), and does not count the shipping charges. At $67, it makes the purchase of the TomTom Car Kit at $87 an amazing deal. The Navigon kit is only the windshield mount and a charging cable.

Here's the link if you want to look for yourself:


http://www.navigon.com/portal/int/s...html?produktFamilieId=14970&produktId=6964612
Click to expand...
 
So now BTL says that the shipment is coming in on 12-2. What happend to 11-11? How do you all feel about this? I personally am not sure if I should cancel or not.
 
Jape said:
So now BTL says that the shipment is coming in on 12-2. What happend to 11-11? How do you all feel about this? I personally am not sure if I should cancel or not.
Click to expand...

You know, I was a lil mad at first when I saw that, but the facts are that Apple wasn't going to ship theirs until Nov 25th with a Dec 2nd estimated arrival date, and for saving $40.00 I'm willing to wait a few extra days.

And at this point.. like the previous poster said.. $87.00 is worth it for me when regular mounts without anything are around $40, so $87 is decent for bluetooth, GPS chip and cool look/setup.. however $120 ($130 when adding in tax) just isn't worth it in my opinion.
 
prominence said:
You know, I was a lil mad at first when I saw that, but the facts are that Apple wasn't going to ship theirs until Nov 25th with a Dec 2nd estimated arrival date, and for saving $40.00 I'm willing to wait a few extra days.

And at this point.. like the previous poster said.. $87.00 is worth it for me when regular mounts without anything are around $40, so $87 is decent for bluetooth, GPS chip and cool look/setup.. however $120 ($130 when adding in tax) just isn't worth it in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Yea I agree with you about the price being worth it, Im not going anywhere important soon either... Lol, but I did call the apple retail store and they do have them in stock now.
 
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
 
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