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TomTom for iPhone Set to Gain Real-Time Traffic Updates, Local Search
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Interesting thing though is recently TomTom have started including so-called lifetime updates for their new devices. What it means is that traffic etc data won't incur a regular charge for users. It's just bundled into the price of the unit I assume.
Really? Do you have an example? I too have never seen this and thought it was impossible. That's why people release brand new apps called *App Name* 2, rather than just updating their current app - right?
Does the volume lower while speaking during background music play, or does it still pause? Very annoying.
Does anyone know if you can download the voices (Homer, etc.) for the Iphone version like you can with the stand alone device?
For podcasts, it's better if the player pauses (so you don't miss anything). For music, it's better if it reduces volume (so the rhythm is not messed up). Some nav apps do one, others the other. It should be a choice in all of them, though.Does the volume lower while speaking during background music play, or does it still pause? Very annoying.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
The definition of healthy competition
Now this is why competition is healthy. There's no way Tomtom would be so good as to give us free (so far) meaningful updates if it wasn't for competitive nature of the App store. Bring on the traffic and this would be perfect.
If this had been their standalone unit you would have probably had to bought a new device to get updates like this..
Now this is why competition is healthy. There's no way Tomtom would be so good as to give us free (so far) meaningful updates if it wasn't for competitive nature of the App store. Bring on the traffic and this would be perfect.
If this had been their standalone unit you would have probably had to bought a new device to get updates like this..
Has anyone here used Tom Tom's traffic feature on their other GPS devices? I'm just wondering how good all these real time traffic updates are. It's a feature I would love living in NYC but if it's the same as google maps traffic updates than it's not of much use.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
it'll be interesting to see the approval turnaround rate. supposedly it has improved dramatically
You tap the lower portion of the active driving screen and a volume slider, tap the left/right side and you are adjusting spoken voice or music volume from inside the app.
That works when you're using the built-in speaker or headphones, but any audio device that uses the dock connector's line-out (such as TomTom's own car kit) get's 100% voice audio with no way to lower it. The voice side of the slider you mentioned disappears when plugged into the car kit. Hopefully that's been fixed in 1.3.
Wrong. Paid updates don't exist as of today. An update issued for a paid app currently in the store will always be free. The only way to charge money is to create a whole new app with a new name (like loren did with Tweetie 2) and remove the old one from sale.
I own both TT and Navigon for iPhone. I'm also long time TT stand alone navigator user. However, from my subjective perspective I find Navigon iPhone app better. I've used it both on 3G and now 3GS. Start up time with 3G was slow but after that it was fine. Regarding the features, TT started with as bare bones navigator as you can get. On the other hand Navigon has been very active in introducing new features and even in the beginning it was on par with mid range navigators.
Its good to see TT adding traffic and Google functionality but then again Navigon has had those features for months. In Pocket Lint they said Traffic will be in app purchase. Regarding Navigons new 1.3 features I think its safe to say that 3D panorama is something we will not see in TT for long time since TT doesn't have anything like that even in any of their top of the line navigators.
The problem that I have with TT is their lack of pushing the envelope of iPhone navigation. It seems they always play catch up with Navigon and now they've come to a point in which they can't add more advanced features because they don't have the technology to begin with. Anyway, as a consumer I'm loving this. Nav developers are pushing the capabilities of mobile navigation and creating good opportunities for us as consumers.
EDIT: According to Pocket lints interview its subscription based service:
£8 is roughly $12... and according to Lint, Traffic will only be available in UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium with France following shortly after. <- this is not good. Navigon charges lot less on their stand alone navigators but as we know on iPhone its only one time fee. Why can't TT never learn...
Its good to see TT adding traffic and Google functionality but then again Navigon has had those features for months. In Pocket Lint they said Traffic will be in app purchase. Regarding Navigons new 1.3 features I think its safe to say that 3D panorama is something we will not see in TT for long time since TT doesn't have anything like that even in any of their top of the line navigators.
The problem that I have with TT is their lack of pushing the envelope of iPhone navigation. It seems they always play catch up with Navigon and now they've come to a point in which they can't add more advanced features because they don't have the technology to begin with. Anyway, as a consumer I'm loving this. Nav developers are pushing the capabilities of mobile navigation and creating good opportunities for us as consumers.
EDIT: According to Pocket lints interview its subscription based service:
£8 is roughly $12... and according to Lint, Traffic will only be available in UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium with France following shortly after. <- this is not good. Navigon charges lot less on their stand alone navigators but as we know on iPhone its only one time fee. Why can't TT never learn...
Tomtom's traffic does a very good job on all highways, as does most live traffic options from other brands. The Tomtom application is unique that it has iqroutes for all the sideroads as well. So when there is a jam on a highway, it can automatically figure out which sideroad alternative (or the original highway) will get you to your destination the quickest.
My experience in NYC is that Tomtom traffic is phenomenal. We have family in the area, and have been driving to and around NYC for decades. Before my Tomtom, I had to have 1010 wins on to check the best way to drive anywhere. Nowadays the Tomtom just decides for me (avoiding all the stress), and it does a much better job than that I could even after using 1010 wins. I probably get twice as much done every time I visit NYC as I used to before I had Tomtom traffic.
If I had to drive around NYC every day, I'd gladly pay $50 per month for the convenience this would save me. My guess is Tomtom will charge something in the range of $5 to $10 per month.
Google traffic is only informational (from what I hear). It doesn't appear to intelligently route you around problems (or through them if faster) when traffic is identified.
Navigon has historically been the most innovative in new features, time-to-market, and appearance of their navigation interface.
Tomtom's strength and innovation has been in routing, doing an unparalleled job in avoiding congestion and finding the fastest way to your destination. Finally iPhone users will get to see just how good it is.
It all comes down to which meets your needs better.
I've tested both TT and Navigon side by side and navigation wise I haven't seen a difference in providing better routes either way. Yes, sometimes Navigon gives better routes and sometimes TT does it better but overall there really isn't much difference in that department. I'm not too sure about TT's traffic usability for vast majority since it seems to be still limited to only few countries and expensive. Simple TMC won't do for the rest. You really require good floating car data. Regarding TT HDTraffic it really isn't any better then Navigons Live Traffic.
Mmm, I went for co-pilot, regular updates with nice features and a much nicer UI, in my opinion anyway
I agree Tomtom HD traffic is much better than TMC.
In the US, TMC is powered by Inrix or Navteq. The Navigon app uses Inrix, and Tomtom TMC also uses Inrix.
But there's a higher class of traffic that will be used by the Tomtom app, the same traffic as Tomtom's GO 740 standalone device. It uses Inrix data, plus Trafficcast data (which covers many more sidestreets), plus realtime speeds relayed from other Tomtom 740live and 340live owners. It's noticeably better than Inrix alone.
More importantly, the IQroutes system when layered on top of the live traffic gives Tomtom the big edge. In less congested areas, the difference isn't noticeable. But in cities, IQroutes will take into account predictable things like traffic lights, and school hours, especially when deciding whether sidestreets are better than the highway traffic jam. That's what really gives the edge.
What I was trying to say is that if Tomtom were the only option, I'd pay $50/month for the convenience and hassle that it saves me. Just to illustrate its worth in my eyes. If someone else is close enough for $5/month, than of course I'd choose the $5 instead.
This should all be a moot discussion point soon as I really really doubt the iPhone app traffic will cost more than $100 per year.
Both TT and Navigon use several data sources. First TomTom Live had only Traffic Cast but latter added Inrix as data supplier since Traffic Cast lacked in floating car data density.
Regarding IQroutes its true that Navigon iPhone app hasn't had similar feature. However the new Navigon 1.5 app will have "My Routes" which is similar to "IQroutes". IQroutes and My Routes are historical data regarding time of travel between point A to point B in relation to day of week and time of the day. Yes, in a way it includes traffic lights and school hours but not in reality. However, in its really hard to say how much use these IQroutes and My Routes are in future when real time traffic data gets better and better. After all I'm more interested to know how traffic flows between point A to B now and not a year ago...
Regarding the price point, iPhone software market is highly or I'd say insanely competitive. $100 for traffic data per year is very expensive. On PND market you can easily get that but on iPhone... not a chance. Anyway, from consumer standpoint its good to be iPhone owner.
Navigon Myroutes is your own historical time of day info (one GPS device). So MyRoutes will only work in places and times that you drive frequently.
Tomtom IQroutes is the historical info of all Tomtom owners who choose to share it. So it's crowd-sourced.
Real time traffic will only help to a point, historical traffic is necessary if a decision point is needed far in advance (eg: when I drive from Boston to NYC, should I take Merritt or 95? should I take Deegan or Cross Bronx? Or when going into DC to I take 95 or 295?, which way do I go around the belt? etc..)
The TomTom subscriptions on their hardware navs are to pay for the 3G data it uses to transmit the traffic updates to the tomtom, (some of them have 3g radio's and sim's in them) on the iphone you pay for the 3g data already so I really doubt they'll charge for this..