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TomTom Developing GPS Module for iPhone?
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Honestly you can't be serious? What's the difference between the iPhone with an attachment versus a normal TomTom unit? Or an in-dash touchscreen device, for that matter?
Besides, I use my iPhone in the car all the time. One of the first purchases I made for my car was a mount and a new stereo so that I could connect my iPhone. Who doesn't use their iPod or iPhone (BTW, the iPhone is way easier to use in the car than an iPod cause of the touch capabilities - requires a lot less attention than the scrollwheel) while driving? Hell, I even text (though I'm not defending that habit).
i disagree. navigating a touch screen is loads more difficult than a click wheel in car. i know ive used both
Hmmmm... How very patriotic!
But I'm afraid Garmin equals naff and hugely inadequate in the way of their UI whereas Tom Tom is very Apple like in the fact that... "It Just Works!!!!"
Looks fake to me - but I'd deffo buy one if it ever came to light!!!
Hmmmm... How very patriotic!
But I'm afraid Garmin equals naff and hugely inadequate in the way of their UI whereas Tom Tom is very Apple like in the fact that... "It Just Works!!!!"
Looks fake to me - but I'd deffo buy one if it ever came to light!!!
i personally like garmin the best by far
i am . . . not saying, anything . . . just saying.
i'd love a GPS for geocaching, hiking, camping, as well as directions. the size and power use of gps units nowadays wouldn't bulk up the ipod at all, imho, and would add functionality that would be a huge draw for a certain subsection of people. and besides, sales are driven by gimicks. what better way to push a few more iphones than gps built in:
customer: what's the diff between these two phones
sales person: well, blah blah blah and this one [iphone] has gps built in!
customer: ooooh, i'm sold!
how many gen x'ers in the 80's bought shoes with a stupid little pump inside them? those same people now have a ridiculous amount of buying power. cars are selling gps built in, why not phones . . . why not the iphone?!
TomTom says no
This seems fake to me. I sent a request to TomTom last July asking if they intend on developing for the iPhone. Their reply was as follows:
This seems fake to me. I sent a request to TomTom last July asking if they intend on developing for the iPhone. Their reply was as follows:
Thank you for contacting TomTom Customer Support regarding whether Navigator 6 will be compatible with the iPhone. Unfortunately it isn't and never will be. This is because the iPhone uses a completely different operating system than any other PDA or Smartphone available.
If you have any further questions or comments, please email or call us at 866-486-6866 Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM until 7:00 PM EST. Thanks again for writing. At TomTom we believe in showing you the way the easy way.
With Best Regards,
The TomTom Customer Support Team
If you have any further questions or comments, please email or call us at 866-486-6866 Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM until 7:00 PM EST. Thanks again for writing. At TomTom we believe in showing you the way the easy way.
With Best Regards,
The TomTom Customer Support Team
Hmmmm... How very patriotic!
But I'm afraid Garmin equals naff and hugely inadequate in the way of their UI whereas Tom Tom is very Apple like in the fact that... "It Just Works!!!!"
Looks fake to me - but I'd deffo buy one if it ever came to light!!!
Well I dont need much of an interface to put in an address, so i am not sure how much more "adequate" TomTom's interface is. I put in an address and Garmin gets me there without a problem EVERY time. If a road is closed, I simply press the Detour button and a new convenient route is calculated in 3 seconds. Also, every Garmin I have ever owned spoke the street names, TomTom just started that this year in the US market. They are playing catch-up to Garmin, who has been in the GPS business since NAVSTAR went public. I would assume Apple would take care of the interface anyway in a real product and just use the GPS navigation engine of a 3rd party and there is no way TomTom has a better engine than Garmin.
And if more people were a little patriotic in their buying choices they would be doing themselves and the society they live in a service. Japan learned this early on.
This seems like a big deal as there are caches all over, and some near me. I actually found one by accident, didn't know what it was until I looked it up.
The best thing would be to enable the installing of both topographical maps and street maps. Then offer a big screen to mount on the dash or windshield that would display the maps as transmitted by the phone. The screen could be equipped with speakers loud enough to be useful in a car.
Oh, and add an electronic compass and thermometer like those found in the rear view mirrors of some cars.
Another "fake" vote from me.
* No sign of Apple/iPhone GUI styling or even fonts
* No sign of buttons or controls
* Ubercheesy diagonal "shine" from bottom left to top-right
* Add-on appears to totally miss the dock connector and be sitting flat on the table instead
* No top-bar with battery status etc.
* The usual world's-worst-quality photo, like other fakes
* "that device is clearly not in a car heading to Rotterdam"
* No sign of Apple/iPhone GUI styling or even fonts
* No sign of buttons or controls
* Ubercheesy diagonal "shine" from bottom left to top-right
* Add-on appears to totally miss the dock connector and be sitting flat on the table instead
* No top-bar with battery status etc.
* The usual world's-worst-quality photo, like other fakes
* "that device is clearly not in a car heading to Rotterdam"
Garmin did no originate GPS - Also, GPS Should be in iPhone
You are higher than a kite. Garmin did not originate GPS, it was developed by the US Dept of Defense for military applications. Commerical GPS was originally developed at HP and their intellectual property was bought by Charles Trimble, who founded Trimble Navigation, which introduced the first commercial GPS systems (today, Trimble only manufactures high-end, specialized GPS systems, such as survey units, scientific instruments, and high precision (mm level) systems, plus OEM products). The only "original" commercial GPS manufacturer around today is Magellan, which was founded many years after Trimble, and years before Garmin. Jeez, your facts are so way off.
Next point.
Today, all cell phones (every one manufactured after 2006) are required to have built in GPS, meaning that the iPhone should by US law, have a GPS chip inside. Not sure why no one has turned this into a service, but it might have to do with a limited capability GPS chip or limited GPS antenna--could be either--that can only be used for 911 emergency purposes.
Anyone know why GPS has not been exploited in the iPhone?
You are higher than a kite. Garmin did not originate GPS, it was developed by the US Dept of Defense for military applications. Commerical GPS was originally developed at HP and their intellectual property was bought by Charles Trimble, who founded Trimble Navigation, which introduced the first commercial GPS systems (today, Trimble only manufactures high-end, specialized GPS systems, such as survey units, scientific instruments, and high precision (mm level) systems, plus OEM products). The only "original" commercial GPS manufacturer around today is Magellan, which was founded many years after Trimble, and years before Garmin. Jeez, your facts are so way off.
Next point.
Today, all cell phones (every one manufactured after 2006) are required to have built in GPS, meaning that the iPhone should by US law, have a GPS chip inside. Not sure why no one has turned this into a service, but it might have to do with a limited capability GPS chip or limited GPS antenna--could be either--that can only be used for 911 emergency purposes.
Anyone know why GPS has not been exploited in the iPhone?
yeah fake
Yeah it has to be fake or maybe the prototype is for some reason slanted? with that fake cardboard behind it? but Im sure something like this will come out when the iphone comes to the Verizon network and gets VZ navigator! please
Yeah it has to be fake or maybe the prototype is for some reason slanted? with that fake cardboard behind it? but Im sure something like this will come out when the iphone comes to the Verizon network and gets VZ navigator! please
Meh...
I've had my Pharos Bluetooth GPS with my Windows phone for a couple of years.
Nice to hear that Apple might someday have something like that...
I've had my Pharos Bluetooth GPS with my Windows phone for a couple of years.
Nice to hear that Apple might someday have something like that...
Bluetooth?!
Why not just add support to the google maps app for tethering to bluetooth GPS receivers?!
Why not just add support to the google maps app for tethering to bluetooth GPS receivers?!
Not true.
The requirement is that the carriers be able to pinpoint your location in an emergency. GPS is one way to achieve that goal, but it can also be done with cell tower triangulation.
It will be, voice directions are only in Dutch. "Sla over 100 meter links af"
Which translates into English (according to freetranslation.com) as "Salad over 100 meters left off"
The iPhone can't do my laundry. Or wash my car. Or do my homework. Or handle my taxes. Or reformat my hard drive. Or pick up the dog poop on my lawn. Or make me breakfast. Or create a clone of myself. Or spawn a body and go to work for me.
hahah so true... what if the GPS unit had speakers of it's own as well? that would definitely solve the problem...
or if the GPS unit was a dock type thing where you could rest your iPhone into a cradle that supports your iPhone. That'd be cute.
I don't need GPS
First, I think this picture is beyond fake. It's a poor fake that some kid did in class because he was bored.
Second, I have a GPS in my car. I don't need one on my phone. If I can't find something while walking down a street and using the map app on the iPhone I might as well give it up right now.
I REALLY don't want GPS if it's going to cost me. I can buy a handheld GPS for less than $100 and don't because I don't need it.
And here's the funny thing. I had a GPS about 15 years ago when no one had them because they were huge and cost a fortune. I had one because I owned a hiking store. I quickly discovered I really didn't need it because I know how to read a map and use a compass. Now certainly the GPS units of today are much more advanced than those old ones were but the only reason I have one in my car is because my wife is directionally challenged. I rarely use it.
The people who say they won't buy an iPhone because it's not 3G and doesn't have GPS won't buy one when it does because it doesn't have Office or they can't use it to control their garage door or it doesn't give them a hummer on their afternoon commute. The naysayers will always find an excuse.
Keep the iPhone simple, elegant and easy to use and let the whiners moan about what it lacks. No one cares what they think anyways.
First, I think this picture is beyond fake. It's a poor fake that some kid did in class because he was bored.
Second, I have a GPS in my car. I don't need one on my phone. If I can't find something while walking down a street and using the map app on the iPhone I might as well give it up right now.
I REALLY don't want GPS if it's going to cost me. I can buy a handheld GPS for less than $100 and don't because I don't need it.
And here's the funny thing. I had a GPS about 15 years ago when no one had them because they were huge and cost a fortune. I had one because I owned a hiking store. I quickly discovered I really didn't need it because I know how to read a map and use a compass. Now certainly the GPS units of today are much more advanced than those old ones were but the only reason I have one in my car is because my wife is directionally challenged. I rarely use it.
The people who say they won't buy an iPhone because it's not 3G and doesn't have GPS won't buy one when it does because it doesn't have Office or they can't use it to control their garage door or it doesn't give them a hummer on their afternoon commute. The naysayers will always find an excuse.
Keep the iPhone simple, elegant and easy to use and let the whiners moan about what it lacks. No one cares what they think anyways.
I rarely use it because I rarely go somewhere I haven't gone before.
But even in that context, it has one use that I value: If you're on the highway in the middle of nowhere, even if you know you're going the right way, it can tell you how much longer you have to go (in both distance and estimated time). No need for back-seaters to ask - it's on the display.
Though it is super fake, I like to thank these 'artists' for stirring up so much discussion and mobilizing a demonstration of how much users want one such device.
I am quite convinced that the all-seeing-eye at infinity loop watches these and would act accordingly.
I am quite convinced that the all-seeing-eye at infinity loop watches these and would act accordingly.
It's inevitable that something like this will come to the iPhone, but I always thought it'd make more sense tied into google maps...
Also, that Tomtom GPS module will significantly reduce the iPhones battery life, and as most people use sat nav in their cars, they'd want to have it plugged in...but the device looks like it takes up the dock port, meaning you can't charge the iPhone while its in use! This would be a major problem anyway, nevermind with the sat nav reducing the battery life.
It'd make a lot more sense if it was Bluetooth (yes, Apple would have to update the Bluetooth on the iPhone for this), with power coming from the vehicles 9v socket; or, when on foot with NO other options, then it can be plugged into the iPhone for its power, and convenience. Or better still, make it a bit wider so it can accomodate some AAA batteries. My navman Bluetooth gps receiver took 3 AAAs and lasted for about 15 hours of continuous use.
I agree though, satnav on the iPhone would be great. My tomtoms touchscreen really doesn't hack it after I've been using my iPhone all day!
Also, that Tomtom GPS module will significantly reduce the iPhones battery life, and as most people use sat nav in their cars, they'd want to have it plugged in...but the device looks like it takes up the dock port, meaning you can't charge the iPhone while its in use! This would be a major problem anyway, nevermind with the sat nav reducing the battery life.
It'd make a lot more sense if it was Bluetooth (yes, Apple would have to update the Bluetooth on the iPhone for this), with power coming from the vehicles 9v socket; or, when on foot with NO other options, then it can be plugged into the iPhone for its power, and convenience. Or better still, make it a bit wider so it can accomodate some AAA batteries. My navman Bluetooth gps receiver took 3 AAAs and lasted for about 15 hours of continuous use.
I agree though, satnav on the iPhone would be great. My tomtoms touchscreen really doesn't hack it after I've been using my iPhone all day!