TomTom iPhone App to Gain Text-to-Speech, Lane Guidance

[MacRumors]

CNET reports that TomTom has updated its turn-by-turn GPS navigation application for the iPhone with several highly-anticipated features, including text-to-speech and advanced lane guidance. The updated application has been submitted to Apple and is currently awaiting approval.

The update will add text-to-speech (TTS) for spoken street names and POIs as part of the device's directions, graphic lane guidance which displays a visual representation of complex highway intersections with indications of valid lanes for the route, and a "Help menu" offering a shortcut to emergency number and directions to the nearest emergency services.

Also included in the revised version are in-app iPod controls, map updates, and audio warnings to alert drivers when they are speeding or approaching safety cameras used to aid in ticketing drivers exceeding the speed limit.

The TomTom iPhone application is available in a number of countries and regions, with the U.S & Canada version [App Store] priced at $99.99.

Article Link: TomTom iPhone App to Gain Text-to-Speech, Lane Guidance

 

[Chaos123x]

Free update? Sweet. Thats better than $29.

 

[VenusianSky]

Too late for me. I went with Navigon when they added text-to-speech. If Tom Tom had these features day one, I probably would have bought it. Regardless, I am happy with Navigon.

 

[Magnum318]

Too late for me. I went with Navigon when they added text-to-speech. If Tom Tom had these features day one, I probably would have bought it. Regardless, I am happy with Navigon.

Very happy with Navigon..Took me to Canada and back without a problem

 

[utwarreng]

So basically they're adding everything that Navigon has had for well over a month now. I assume that around mid-December we should be hearing about an in-app purchase soon available for live traffic too? Having used both, I'll take Navigon nine times out of ten, even if they both had similar features. The presentation is much more appealing, and the controls much more intuitive. The only thing I prefer about Tom Tom is the ability to list each step of my route in advance, and then selectively choose if I want to avoid any certain part of the route.

 

[hawkeye23]

So basically they're adding everything that Navigon has had for well over a month now. I assume that around mid-December we should be hearing about an in-app purchase soon available for live traffic too? Having used both, I'll take Navigon nine times out of ten, even if they both had similar features. The presentation is much more appealing, and the controls much more intuitive. The only thing I prefer about Tom Tom is the ability to list each step of my route in advance, and then selectively choose if I want to avoid any certain part of the route.

The only thing I liked about Tom Tom was I thought the routes given to me were better. Navigon has led me on some crazy routes.

 

[fpnc]

I purchased the $35 CoPilot Live GPS navigation application when it first became available and I've been very pleased with the way they've continued to upgrade the program. It now has Text-to-Speech and in-app iPod controls and they have been doing significant upgrades every few months. They also have frequent in-app map updates and state that they will correct any error within 45 days of notification. I can confirm the latter as I submitted two changes in my local area and both were corrected in about one month with a free map update.

Oh, and CoPilot lets you preview the route before you begin and also offers directions via a list mode.

 

[midas001]

Tomtom & Co-Pilot

I agree with the last post. I have Navigon and Co-Pilot and Co-Pilot has contnued to make huge improvements (including live traffic). I find myself using CO-Pilot more than Navigon. I will certainly pass on Tomtom

 

[Nuvi]

I'm happy with my Navigon app which I find far better then TomTom iPhone app. With this update TomTom iPhone app is par with their most basic stand alone navigator. Well done TomTom...

 

[senorhappy]

Too little... too late, TomTom.

Navigon's got everything I want and need... heck, even my G-map East app does more than your way-too-expensive program.

Epic fail, TomTom!

Lovin' my Navigon!

 

[DrewG5]

Way too little way too late I wonder if states will still be listed as countries? Last time I looked a state was just that a state.

 

[MTShipp]

TomTom app = FAIL

Navigon got my $.

 

[severe]

This isn't big news. They had to implement these features, just to stay in the game.

Where's the snoozing guy smilie?

 

[Stately]

Kinda tired of hearing about these nav systems.

 

[Rad99004]

What will it take for me to buy?

Tom-Tom Listen up !

Lower your price and I will again consider your product.

Right now your at the bottom of my list.

In the past everyone was waiting for the car Kit and updates to the app.

In the end the price and the lack luster features of the shipping app made us all walk away.

Last chance don't blow it this time.

 

[peterdevries]

I'm happy with my Navigon app which I find far better then TomTom iPhone app. With this update TomTom iPhone app is par with their most basic stand alone navigator. Well done TomTom...

Did you try and buy both?

 

[iphones4evry1]

"to alert drivers .. approaching safety cameras used to aid in ticketing drivers exceeding the speed limit."

A GPS App that tells you where speed cameras are??? PRICELESS !!!!

 

[Nuvi]

Did you try and buy both?

Tried both of them but only bought the Navigon one. I took a trip of over 1 000 km with the TomTom iphone app and wasn't impressed. I've used TT stand alone navigators a lot in the past. In my opinion Navigon iPhone app easily beats TT iphone app.

 

[Nuvi]

"to alert drivers .. approaching safety cameras used to aid in ticketing drivers exceeding the speed limit."

A GPS App that tells you where speed cameras are??? PRICELESS !!!!

Most of them do that...

 

[fleshman03]

Too late for me. I went with Navigon when they added text-to-speech. If Tom Tom had these features day one, I probably would have bought it. Regardless, I am happy with Navigon.

+.5. I bought Navigon because of TomTom's ridiculous pricing on their car dock. I would have been plenty happy to give them $150 for their app+dock.

At the time I made my purchase, Navigon had more features. I'm not looking back.

TomTom - you lost me as a customer.

 

[Lesterm1109]

Very happy with Navigon..Took me to Canada and back without a problem

Magunum, did you get charged data roaming or other expenses using navigon going to/in Canada?

I plan on going to Canada from the US and back, but thinking about data roaming

Navigon is a far better app than TomTom.

 

[wwchris]

Unfortunately, they all have something going for them.

I own TomTom, Navigator and Co-Pilot and a Garmin (cause I have a sickness for tech).

The main thing TomTom has going for it is that is gives better routes and has all of the addresses in it (at least after the address book fix update).

Navigator has a great sounding voice and is the only one that consistently handles music reduction on the ipod properly every time. Strangely enough, even with the traffic add on, it was directing me into traffic congested areas even when a direct route with no traffic is available. The POI stuff is horribly out of date too.

Co-pilot is lousy with addresses, but it is cheap and has most of the features of the other ones.

 

[fluffer]

Am I the odd one out? I thought £59 for the TT app was ok. Bought it and after the last update have been really happy with it. Love it's menu and routing. Only have issues with the slightly over priced dock and it's lag (that the last update has fixed.)
@Stately, if you're Kinda tired of hearing about these nav systems, surely it makes sense not to click on the thread and even more, not to bother posting?

 

[Nuvi]

Strangely enough, even with the traffic add on, it was directing me into traffic congested areas even when a direct route with no traffic is available. The POI stuff is horribly out of date too.

I'm not sure if its due to the location (I'm in Europe) or something else but In my experience Navigon has more straight forward and better routing. If configured "correctly" to use optimum route (not the fastest) it gets you to your destination as fast as TomTom if not faster (I've used them side by side... I know... two navigators side by side... hopefully no one saw me ) However, my main problem with TomTom is the poor Tele Atlas POI data base or more like the lack of it. I mean there are only very very small number of POI's when compared with Navigon POI data base. Its true that some of the data is old but vast majority is spot on and there is a very strong possibility that this data is missing totally from TomTom data base.

 

[jlanuez]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

I bought TomTom when it FINALLY came out, mostly disapointed but since I already paid the $99, glad to see an update!

Still waiting to see the dock in person though.