Boy, TomTom sure has chosen the worstpossibletime to release its Car Kit for iPhone, and to make matters worse, its decision to not include the iPhone app is now set in stone. That's right, the hardware alone will set you back the cost of a TomTom ONE nowadays, and the $99.95 app works on the iPhone 3G and 3GS without it. So here's the question: is the car kit worth the extra $119.95? To find out, we got hold of a review unit for a sunny road trip around London. Surprisingly, the car kit uses Bluetooth to connect the GPS receiver and the hands-free function to the iPhone, even though there's a dock connector for charging. Bluetooth connectivity does have its advantages: according to TomTom it can work as a generic Bluetooth GPS receiver for any satellite navigation app -- including Google Maps -- on the iPhone, or any smartphones at all for that matter. TomTom even confirmed that the car kit could potentially compensate for the first-generation iPhone's lack of built-in GPS, but since its app won't run on anything but a 3G or 3GS we'll have to wait and see if that's actually useful. Meanwhile, the company is cooking up a compatible app for the original iPhone and the iPod touch, which could make the car kit more worthwhile. [Update: the app has now been updated to work with the iPod Touch and the original iPhone, but you'll need to get a separate (and slightly cheaper) model of the Car Kit for the iPod touch. Thanks, Philippe!] Read on for our hands-on impression and test videos.
Time to slip the iPhone in: ours fitted flawlessly in the cradle, cushioned by a soft round pad as well as a rubber overlay under the top arm to avoid scratches. On the left side of the cradle you'll find the volume switch for the rear-mounted speaker -- which is significantly louder and clearer than the iPhone's -- and its audio-out line jack, which is right next to a mini USB port for power. We almost missed the pinhole mic just below the dock connector, which worked fine for our driver when he took a call using the hands-free functionality. One of the more impressive features of this car kit is the flexibility of positioning the iPhone: the cradle can slide lengthways and -- for the sake of the app's landscape mode -- can also rotate 360 degrees freely, but it's detented, so your iPhone won't be spinning around while you do a few donuts on the tarmac. Flip over the car kit and you'll see the same EasyPort Mount as used with the TomTom ONE and TomTom XL, connected to the main body by a convenient ball joint. We found the suction pad to be very easy to use: a simple twist on the dial tightly secured the entire kit onto the glass or the supplied sticky disc for the dashboard, and releasing it was just a matter of untwisting the dial and then pulling the plastic tag like you do with most conventional suction pads.
So we're impressed by the car kit's hardware, but what really matters is its GPS performance. To see the difference we installed the TomTom app on two iPhones and placed them side by side on our dashboard: the iPhone 3G connected to the TomTom car kit, while the 3GS used its built-in GPS receiver and sat on a generic phone cradle. Sure, the two phones are different, but we know they share the same Infineon GPS chip, and we thought it would be interesting to see if the car kit can compensate the 3G's slower processor. In our first round of tests we drove around the motorway and intercity roads, and the only significant difference we noticed was that the car kit provided a slightly quicker positioning, shouting out instructions at more sensible times when approaching junctions. The 3GS sans car kit didn't do too badly, but had we driven any faster in the city streets we would have missed a few turns. See for yourself in the video below.
We had a feeling that the car kit would make a bigger impact on the smaller streets, so to prove this we ran a torture test in Central London: we left the route planner on and drove around small streets randomly to test the GPS' accuracy and speed. The result? Again, the car kit proved to be quicker -- even with the slower phone -- and more accurate most of the time. Depending on the complexity of the route the iPhone 3GS' faster processor may even save a further two or three seconds when used with the car kit.
Wrap-up
There's no denying that the TomTom Car Kit for iPhone can make your life a tad better, and it's also a much better looking iPhone cradle compared to a generic-style holder. For those often driving around small city streets you'll get a greater benefit from the car kit, but at a dear cost of $119.95 for iPhone or $99.95 for iPod touch (neither of which includes the app), it's probably worth it if you're still stuck with a GPS-less first-generation iPhone or any iPod touch, provided that you don't mind the lack of a compatible TomTom app for the time-being. For the rest of us, we'll just get a standalone TomTom device, thanks.
How is this obsolete? Many people are happy with their iphones and will want a good navigation app for it.
The apparent consensus that the Android has access to a better (and free) navigation app does not compel me to replace my iphone. There are about 100 apps on the iphone that I would not want to lose. If I want to add a decent navigation app to my iphone, the TomTom app will be sufficient.
It would be absolutely silly to buy this now. You should wait and see if the Google Navigation comes to the iPhone in the coming months before shelling out way too much money for something that may be completely trumped in the near future.
With all due respect to those saying "wait for the Google solution", the Google solution isn't going to benefit from the improved GPS reception of the cradle and louder speaker. I think the pricing is crazy but TomTom won't be the only solution for hardware and it looks like the iPhone will really benefit from something like this. Now, if this works with Google's navigation application then that's another story.
@Brazell 1- Stop posting Droid links. People who clicked on that link to read this article want to view comments about either the TomTom app or the iPhone. Nobody cares about what holsters they are selling for Droid, they care about the TomTom holster or else they would be on a Droid website. 2- Your website fails. All of the phones in the holsters are Palm Pres. Much better phones than the Droid IMO, not because of Android, I have the Hero and it's wonderful, but a) Droid is on Verizon, who charges outrageous prices for data, voice, and text, and b) it's really big and ugly.
@ Guest Stop posting about how much you hate Verizon and love your Hero. People who clicked on that link to read this article want to view comments about either the TomTom app or the iPhone. Nobody cares about why you hate Verizon or why you love your hero, they care about the TomTom holster or else they would be on an Android website.
Notice it's directly atop the news that the Droid equivalent is $30, and doesn't require a $100 app to make it useful.
I know I won't save any money on my bill with Verizon, and I know they're just as evil as AT&T, but something about this Droid thing is just so . . . attractive.
Well, the obvious answer is that they might not be sufficient to do the job. We wait to see how the Droid fairs in reality but suffice to say that the iPhone has all these functions and the review shows that it benefits from the added hardware. Hardware for this sort of thing is mandatory anyway since you'll want something to hold the device in view and to keep it charged, at a minimum.
I'd really like to TRY the new Google GPS system before I'm convinced about how awesome it is. My hunch is that it's going to be useless when you're in a bad cell coverage area and you need to find something that's not close to your existing location, but I'd like to be wrong about that.
Until I know for certain, my old Garmin StreetPilot stays in the car.
That's what I'm curious about. Can other apps take advantage of the more powerful GPS chip in the TomTom Car Kit? Cause honestly it takes quite awhile for the iPhone to get a sure position and often times it can't find it at all, stopping at the general vicinity which is nearly an entire town. For example, a rainy day like today in Columbia, it took 5 minutes for my iPhone 3GS to pinpoint my location and even still it's flakey going back and forth from a radius of 3 blocks to over a mile. Of course this might really become obsolete when the iPhone includes a more powerful/accurate GPS chip, but as of now, this is fairly nice to have. The price is problematic though, I'm definitely not shelling a benjamin over for a bluetooth speaker with a gps chip inside but no software.
Better, a sensibly priced solution from another manufacturer. I believe Navigon is supposed to have something coming soon and I can't imagine that other 3rd party device manufacturers won't be churning out alternatives. Given the way the the iPhone Navigation market seems to be taking off, expect everyone to try and cash in on it. TomTom won't be the only game in town for long.
"Mystic @ Oct 29th 2009 4:12PM The TomTom cradle paired with the future free Google nav app seems like the way to go."
I think you are right, Mystic. Great software (and free) with an enhanced GPS chip, charging, bluetooth speaker phone, and a direct connect (3.5mm) to your stereo. After awhile this will be cheaper than $120, too.
Hate to sound anti-Apple, but this is par for the course for things associated with their products - overpriced for what it is.
For the same price as this kit + app, you could get a Droid and a decent lunch. Or, buck up another $10 and get the Droid + a car kit.
Admittedly, the need to download maps on the move rather than having them all native is a minor advantage of the jeebus phone + TomTom, but I don't think it's worth justifying the additional cost when the vast majority of the time the Droid will get reception during navigation.
The TomTom/iPhone snail got served a salty beverage in Droid, and the TomTom stock price is showing a slow foamy death already already.
You don't sound anti-Apple, Perry. Because there is nothing you are talking about that has anything to do with Apple. TomTom sets the price on the app. TomTom builds the dock. TomTom sets the price on the dock. Tell me where Apple comes in, other than the pennies-per-unit licensing on the dock connector.
As far as overpriced, it's not, really. As I said before, a Jabra Bluetooth Handsfree kit for the car runs about $80. An external GPS reciever runs $25, An iPod/iPhone charger runs about $20. A TomTom One is about $100. That's about $225 retail, give or take. The fact that you don't have to plug all four of these things into your 12v makes $200 for app+dock seem like a convenient deal, if you drive a lot and already use an iPhone...
You're right, I put too much into Apple. This is a TomTom issue.
My point is that I seem find that accessories related to iProducts often seem to be overpriced due to the hype factor.
In this case, TomTom seems to be continuing a trend of Apple Fanboy exploitation - when you can find stand alone GPS units with docks for quite a bit less than this cradle + software.
@Jimmy Not to defend this clown (Perry) because he taking a jab at apple for being overpriced a day after an announcement (free navigation) that nobody knew about... so it is really dumb to start talking about overpriced apple products... Perry is a one trick pony. Seriously, you cant come up with ANYTHING more original?
That being said... He does have a point about applie being tied to TOMTOM... apple pushed this at their conference like 5 months ago, you can only buy it at the apple store... they have clearly aligned themselves with TOMTOM... here... even if its a minor alignment.
Google saw this and smartly decided to make a huge bet on Navigation being their "Killer APP" to drive sales to their phone.. which is genius.
To say that apple is agian being overpiced... yes is a pathetic and too often repeatable line... but I think Google just saw a huge void that people REALLY WANTED Navigation on these devices and Apple left it up to TOMTOM to deliver.
"As far as overpriced, it's not, really. As I said before, a Jabra Bluetooth Handsfree kit for the car runs about $80. An external GPS reciever runs $25, An iPod/iPhone charger runs about $20. A TomTom One is about $100. That's about $225 retail, give or take. The fact that you don't have to plug all four of these things into your 12v makes $200 for app+dock seem like a convenient deal, if you drive a lot and already use an iPhone..."
IF YOU DRIVE ALOT AND ALREADY HAVE AN IPHONE YOU WILL DEFINITELY HAVE A CHARGER and you will probably own a bluetooth. You don't need an external GPS, because the phone has one. You don't need a hands free speaker phone, because the phone has one...
And the app and dock will be $220, not $200.
Once the google maps with turn by turn directions comes out, this accessory and app will add about $20 worth of functionality to your phone (the windshield mount). I promise you that someone has probably already made a windshield mount that will charge the phone and has a speaker phone built in.
Get over it, this this is overpriced because they grossly over-speced it. If you get rid of the GPS receiver, you probably knock $75-$80 off of this thing and it ends up in the realm of reason.
If this program allowed you to download at least a road map (no satellite) onto your phone, it would be worth it. As it stands, lose signal and you will lose your maps pretty quick.
No, it's not free elsewhere because the free solutions do not include the maps on your device so you'll need a fairly reliable data connection. Google Navigation may cache your route in case of outages but if you need to deviate from your route then you are screwed without a data connection.
The external GPS antenna is a nice added bonus to this, but I hardly see how that makes this $120 holder when a typical GPS holder is $30 and external GPS receivers are $20 at most. I think this is kind of a rip-off even overlooking Google navigator.
Apparently you are not fmailiar with jailbreaking.
Jailbreaking DOES NOT allow us to "steal" software. Jailbreaking DOES NOT allow you to install apps from the regular app store free.
Jailbreaking DOES allow you to bypass the app store and install 3rd party apps that the greedy smug apple gods deem not worthy for us. And that's the whole reason behind it. Apple should not be dictating what is or isn't worthy to go on the iphone. They had their chance, but used their approval power to stifle competition and collude with providers (see: google voice fiasco).
It really has nothing to do with stealing software at all. Many of the jailbroken apps available still require purchase (paypal, usually).
@ Michael, Hey dumbass, do your homework first. Apparently YOU are not familiar with jailbreaking. Jailbreaking DOES allow us to "steal" software. Jailbreaking DOES allow you to install apps from the regular ap store free. What, you never heard of Installous?
I've had mine for nearly 2 weeks know and its great. First of all it looks and handles way better than any other iPhone mount I've seen so far. Secondly the Hands free feature is realy good and at last I can trash my Tune base FM transmitter that makes my Tunes sound like trash.
OK it's not the cheapest of all but its worth it in my eyes. (Not speaking of the App)
@google fanboys: What does this piece of hardware have to do with a software on another platform?
That's my confusion with all of the google comments... Yeah, free turn by turn is great, but Google has said its only for Android. I'm not switching to that OS until its fully baked. I haven't seen anyone do anything with it that was worthwhile, other than tout that it's open source.
for kicks and grins, did anyone test to see if the usb port works for more than just power? i.e. if you have ipod music playing while the app is running, will the audio go over the usb port? i know they have the headphone jack right there for that, but because of my car stereo setup, I have been very curious to see if the usb works with audio as well, and not just power.
That's exactly what I want to know too. I recently replaced the head unit of my car stereo with a nice Alpine deck that has only FM and USB. It will be a real shame if the USB port is only for power.
Assuming you appreciate the limitations of the free solution then that's fine. Personally, I'll go with a paid solution that puts the maps on my device, although probably not TomTom.
dear Tom Tom, Why would I buy your forthcoming backwards compatible satnav app AND this hunk of hardware for some $220 US... when I can buy a refurbished 3g iphone fror $50 US and use motionX software for $25 a year... and have a better solution, OR by a droid and get the new Google Nav included and also have a better solution?
PS. I'm still pissed I can't transfer my Tom Tom winmo app to the iphone, so I'm out $150 for 16 months use, and I never used it because it is just so PAINFUL to program for a trip.
Did anyone actually READ the review? Because I read it and it said that it could be used with OTHER GPS apps as well. What that means to me is that I can use the Navigon or many other GPS apps on the app store.
What the hell do Google have to do with this car kit? Do the free software transform into a car kit too?
Everyone is jumping to conclusion. The new google nav has yet to prove itself. Just because google is giving it for free doesn't mean that is way better than its competitors. How many of you would give up Microsoft office for google apps. You get what you pay for.
Agreed. I bought a garmin 2 years ago for 400 bucks and though its amazing for giving directions (something google maps is really not good at). I hate the unit itself. The hardware some of these companies push out suck really bad. Very low tech. The touch screen is terrible. They use a touchscreen that is meant for a stylus. Not accurate or responsive. The actual directions and and software are flipping amazing. I think the hardware is worth less than what I paid.
I think its good that google is giving these companies a run for the money and that the application is free. It will make these companies lower their inflated prices. However, if google nav is mediocre or poor for what its meant to do, tell accurate and concise directions, I would rather pay for something that is quality.
TomTom is out of their minds to think anyone wants to pay more than a PNA for their app AND their dock... And their app on iPhone is probaily the least featured of them all, especially compared to Navigon.
Plus, I am sure the Google Navigation app will have potential but there's a HUGE issue with it: Its another cloud GPS, aka, you lose signal = your dead in the water if your in a location that your not familiar with. Its the big issue I noticed with TeleNav clients like Sprint Navigator, AT&T Navigator, etc. But we don't know how it works yet. If it caches the maps, then that eliminates that issue altogether and it could show HUGE potential. Especially since in typical Google fashion, I expect this to be out on many different phone platforms eventually.
Would buy this. But in 8 months, when I upgrade to the latest iPhone, the chance of this cradle fitting is slim. Apple won't keep the same form factor for another generation, that is almost a given.
Why not? All generations of iPhone and iPod Touch have had the same form factor. The height, width, and Dock connector placement has never changed - just some tapering on the back. Similarly, the iPod never changed its height, width, or Dock connector from the time the connector was introduced on the 3rd gen iPod all the way to the final iPod Classic.
I'd wait for the price to drop - but not because you think the iPhone form factor will change.
Next up tonight, comparing an Apple to an Orange...
Again, this isn't a complicated concept - the free solutions don't store the maps on your device so if you don't have a data connection, or if you don't want to pay for data (not everywhere has unlimited data plans and roaming data charges are a nightmare) then the free solutions aren't good. You don't have to pay TomTom-money to get a good solution but I would always go with a solution that stores the maps on my device rather than a free service.
Strange as it may sound, I'm still tempted by this, and I have no interest whatsoever in the TomTom GPS software! I want a good car mount that provides line-out, power in, keeps the screen visible and accessible, and is a snap to click the iPhone in and out of. This meets those criteria, and throws in a louder speaker and enhanced GPS to boot. Obviously, I'm not too crazy about the price; it will have to come down some - but the hardware itself is quite nice and sounds well-designed.
And for all those screaming "Google Navigation" and "Droid" - this is hardware. Once Google Navigation hits the iPhone (whether built into Maps or separately) you can use it with this mount/GPS combo just as easily as the TomTom software.
Has it been confirmed that this will work with other GPS apps on the iphone? I'm sure it has the potential to, but I would think the app would have to be designed to use it.
this test proves how terrible the TomTom software is. In order to make an expensive app perform better you need to spend more than double to get it to work correctly. I would like to see this done against Navigon
Though I just share a ludicrous piece of news from Australia, the NSW and Victorian governments are banning the use of mobile phones as navigation device.
I wonder what will happen to those who are planning to purchase or have already bought TomTom and use their iPhone down here?
Tread lightly and watch the majestic Wireless Zealots (Cellphonus Ridiculous) as they pointlessly yet passionately defend their territory. We are witnessing an all too common struggle of forces as a relatively minor incident regarding the Apple flock's new accessory causes yet another all out squawking war between all factions in the name of shallow superiority. The male Zealot is a tenacious creature who suffers a short lifespan largely due to the fact that it is usually too involved in these very types of lengthy exchanges to gather food or attract a mate. A curious species indeed.
"We almost missed the pinhole mic just below the dock connector, which worked fine for our driver when he took a call using the hands-free functionality."
What about when you have a bluetooth headset. How does it work then?
I rather use Ovi maps/nokia maps v3.0 and garmin mobile xt I've used both since i have the 5800xm and it connects so much faster and 80CAD a year for turn by turn and voice nav with free downloadable maps and the use of offline mapping hell all i need is the phone cradle and i'm good to go
OVI MAPS + 80CAD YEARLY+ CAR CRADLE equals god combo And the service carries over since it's on your sim card And i have 5800 i don't need a cradle lol i have garmin xt and ovi maps woot Iphone fails again for retarded pricing for everything from app to accessorie ...apple is too greedy
Why is everyone ignoring the idea that Google could very easily allow the Droid (or any other phone with the app) to simply download a copy of Google maps that would fix the problem of always needing a connection? I know Google likes to do everything in the cloud, but it sounds like it would be a fairly simple fix that would really enhance functionality. Let's face it, maps don't change all that much over a short period of time, and the 3g connection would still be used to give traffic conditions, Street View, and the like. Checking for updates once a month or so would solve any problem with outdated maps.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted Oct 29th 2009 4:05PM
OBSOLETE.
I'd rather use the $200 to pay AT&T an ETF!
They must really think no one is aware of DROID...
Also known as a "bag of hurt..."
How is this obsolete? Many people are happy with their iphones and will want a good navigation app for it.
The apparent consensus that the Android has access to a better (and free) navigation app does not compel me to replace my iphone. There are about 100 apps on the iphone that I would not want to lose. If I want to add a decent navigation app to my iphone, the TomTom app will be sufficient.
It would be absolutely silly to buy this now. You should wait and see if the Google Navigation comes to the iPhone in the coming months before shelling out way too much money for something that may be completely trumped in the near future.
@Franz: The Google navigation is coming to the iPhone as well.
@TomTom
FailFail.
@Franz: the general consensus is that you can get a better, stand-alone device, and save 100 bucks.
With all due respect to those saying "wait for the Google solution", the Google solution isn't going to benefit from the improved GPS reception of the cradle and louder speaker. I think the pricing is crazy but TomTom won't be the only solution for hardware and it looks like the iPhone will really benefit from something like this. Now, if this works with Google's navigation application then that's another story.
Hey engadget,
why dont you review my belt holster.
i dont really have one.
but you see my point.
Looks like a custom carrier logo... so I assume this works with jailbreak devices.
Google Maps looks set to be the future, this im not sure about!
i wouldn't want to use a 'connected' sat nav on an important journey, just too much risk of getting lost in a low service area.
I don't trust phone navigation for important (or distant) journey. We have trusted paper map for that. Of course, I print them out using Google map.
It was stillborn. :(
Google just made this completely worthless.
Wow, Google came out with cradle too? STFU moron fanboy.
@ Mystic... why reinvent the wheel?
http://www.onlydroid.com/cradles.html
+1 poor tomtom and garmin
@Mystic
Motorola has already announced a dock and car kit accessory. In fact it was shown in the hands on.
@Brazell
1- Stop posting Droid links. People who clicked on that link to read this article want to view comments about either the TomTom app or the iPhone. Nobody cares about what holsters they are selling for Droid, they care about the TomTom holster or else they would be on a Droid website.
2- Your website fails. All of the phones in the holsters are Palm Pres. Much better phones than the Droid IMO, not because of Android, I have the Hero and it's wonderful, but a) Droid is on Verizon, who charges outrageous prices for data, voice, and text, and b) it's really big and ugly.
@ Guest
Stop posting about how much you hate Verizon and love your Hero. People who clicked on that link to read this article want to view comments about either the TomTom app or the iPhone. Nobody cares about why you hate Verizon or why you love your hero, they care about the TomTom holster or else they would be on an Android website.
Why are you even having this review? Rubbing the wounds ?
Notice it's directly atop the news that the Droid equivalent is $30, and doesn't require a $100 app to make it useful.
I know I won't save any money on my bill with Verizon, and I know they're just as evil as AT&T, but something about this Droid thing is just so . . . attractive.
True, you won't save money on the Verizon plan, but at least you won't be paying out the (_!_) for a craptastic network.
except it's not "equivalent".
The Android Cradle has...
No GPS Chip
No Bluetooth
No Handsfree
No External Speaker
No Mic
and, I believe, no charging...
You can pay $100 or more for a Jabra Bluetooth Handsfree device. If that's your thing, this TomTom thing isn't a bad deal.
I don't drive much, living in New York City, so I'd never pay, but it could be useful to some.
If only the Droid was releasing on Sprint. Their plans are deliciously priced.
@ jimmy
Why would a phone that already has:
A GPS Chip
Bluetooth
Handsfree
External Speaker
Mic
Need a separate cradle containing all that hardware again?
@ChazClout
Well, the obvious answer is that they might not be sufficient to do the job. We wait to see how the Droid fairs in reality but suffice to say that the iPhone has all these functions and the review shows that it benefits from the added hardware. Hardware for this sort of thing is mandatory anyway since you'll want something to hold the device in view and to keep it charged, at a minimum.
What about the battery life?
Can the kit recharge the battery?Expecially when you use it?
Mine don't.
bye,Renz.
it does charge the iphone's battery
fail
after google navigation all of this is just FAIL. Period.
I'd really like to TRY the new Google GPS system before I'm convinced about how awesome it is. My hunch is that it's going to be useless when you're in a bad cell coverage area and you need to find something that's not close to your existing location, but I'd like to be wrong about that.
Until I know for certain, my old Garmin StreetPilot stays in the car.
The TomTom cradle paired with the future free Google nav app seems like the way to go.
That's what I'm curious about. Can other apps take advantage of the more powerful GPS chip in the TomTom Car Kit? Cause honestly it takes quite awhile for the iPhone to get a sure position and often times it can't find it at all, stopping at the general vicinity which is nearly an entire town. For example, a rainy day like today in Columbia, it took 5 minutes for my iPhone 3GS to pinpoint my location and even still it's flakey going back and forth from a radius of 3 blocks to over a mile. Of course this might really become obsolete when the iPhone includes a more powerful/accurate GPS chip, but as of now, this is fairly nice to have. The price is problematic though, I'm definitely not shelling a benjamin over for a bluetooth speaker with a gps chip inside but no software.
Better, a sensibly priced solution from another manufacturer. I believe Navigon is supposed to have something coming soon and I can't imagine that other 3rd party device manufacturers won't be churning out alternatives. Given the way the the iPhone Navigation market seems to be taking off, expect everyone to try and cash in on it. TomTom won't be the only game in town for long.
"Mystic @ Oct 29th 2009 4:12PM
The TomTom cradle paired with the future free Google nav app seems like the way to go."
I think you are right, Mystic. Great software (and free) with an enhanced GPS chip, charging, bluetooth speaker phone, and a direct connect (3.5mm) to your stereo. After awhile this will be cheaper than $120, too.
Hmmm, $220 for a 'car kit' and an app?
Hate to sound anti-Apple, but this is par for the course for things associated with their products - overpriced for what it is.
For the same price as this kit + app, you could get a Droid and a decent lunch. Or, buck up another $10 and get the Droid + a car kit.
Admittedly, the need to download maps on the move rather than having them all native is a minor advantage of the jeebus phone + TomTom, but I don't think it's worth justifying the additional cost when the vast majority of the time the Droid will get reception during navigation.
The TomTom/iPhone snail got served a salty beverage in Droid, and the TomTom stock price is showing a slow foamy death already already.
i can sense make a lot of with have already already.
I shall hang my head in shame and downrank myself.
You don't sound anti-Apple, Perry. Because there is nothing you are talking about that has anything to do with Apple. TomTom sets the price on the app. TomTom builds the dock. TomTom sets the price on the dock. Tell me where Apple comes in, other than the pennies-per-unit licensing on the dock connector.
As far as overpriced, it's not, really. As I said before, a Jabra Bluetooth Handsfree kit for the car runs about $80. An external GPS reciever runs $25, An iPod/iPhone charger runs about $20. A TomTom One is about $100. That's about $225 retail, give or take. The fact that you don't have to plug all four of these things into your 12v makes $200 for app+dock seem like a convenient deal, if you drive a lot and already use an iPhone...
You're right, I put too much into Apple. This is a TomTom issue.
My point is that I seem find that accessories related to iProducts often seem to be overpriced due to the hype factor.
In this case, TomTom seems to be continuing a trend of Apple Fanboy exploitation - when you can find stand alone GPS units with docks for quite a bit less than this cradle + software.
@Jimmy
Not to defend this clown (Perry) because he taking a jab at apple for being overpriced a day after an announcement (free navigation) that nobody knew about... so it is really dumb to start talking about overpriced apple products... Perry is a one trick pony. Seriously, you cant come up with ANYTHING more original?
That being said... He does have a point about applie being tied to TOMTOM... apple pushed this at their conference like 5 months ago, you can only buy it at the apple store... they have clearly aligned themselves with TOMTOM... here... even if its a minor alignment.
Google saw this and smartly decided to make a huge bet on Navigation being their "Killer APP" to drive sales to their phone.. which is genius.
To say that apple is agian being overpiced... yes is a pathetic and too often repeatable line... but I think Google just saw a huge void that people REALLY WANTED Navigation on these devices and Apple left it up to TOMTOM to deliver.
HUGE MISTAKE.
"As far as overpriced, it's not, really. As I said before, a Jabra Bluetooth Handsfree kit for the car runs about $80. An external GPS reciever runs $25, An iPod/iPhone charger runs about $20. A TomTom One is about $100. That's about $225 retail, give or take. The fact that you don't have to plug all four of these things into your 12v makes $200 for app+dock seem like a convenient deal, if you drive a lot and already use an iPhone..."
IF YOU DRIVE ALOT AND ALREADY HAVE AN IPHONE YOU WILL DEFINITELY HAVE A CHARGER and you will probably own a bluetooth. You don't need an external GPS, because the phone has one. You don't need a hands free speaker phone, because the phone has one...
And the app and dock will be $220, not $200.
Once the google maps with turn by turn directions comes out, this accessory and app will add about $20 worth of functionality to your phone (the windshield mount). I promise you that someone has probably already made a windshield mount that will charge the phone and has a speaker phone built in.
Get over it, this this is overpriced because they grossly over-speced it. If you get rid of the GPS receiver, you probably knock $75-$80 off of this thing and it ends up in the realm of reason.
If this program allowed you to download at least a road map (no satellite) onto your phone, it would be worth it. As it stands, lose signal and you will lose your maps pretty quick.
wow, $99 for an app that can had be free elsewhere? tomtom is gonna be priced into irrelevance.
No, it's not free elsewhere because the free solutions do not include the maps on your device so you'll need a fairly reliable data connection. Google Navigation may cache your route in case of outages but if you need to deviate from your route then you are screwed without a data connection.
Blimey, this isn't a difficult concept.
The external GPS antenna is a nice added bonus to this, but I hardly see how that makes this $120 holder when a typical GPS holder is $30 and external GPS receivers are $20 at most. I think this is kind of a rip-off even overlooking Google navigator.
Wow so $99 for the App, then $129 for this? Are they crazy? I got a Garmin Nuvi on sale at Best Buy for $99 a year ago. And it's dedicated!
This is why people just Jailbreak their phones and steal this software.
Apparently you are not fmailiar with jailbreaking.
Jailbreaking DOES NOT allow us to "steal" software. Jailbreaking DOES NOT allow you to install apps from the regular app store free.
Jailbreaking DOES allow you to bypass the app store and install 3rd party apps that the greedy smug apple gods deem not worthy for us. And that's the whole reason behind it. Apple should not be dictating what is or isn't worthy to go on the iphone. They had their chance, but used their approval power to stifle competition and collude with providers (see: google voice fiasco).
It really has nothing to do with stealing software at all. Many of the jailbroken apps available still require purchase (paypal, usually).
I tried the software, and its not even worth stealing :)
@ Michael,
Hey dumbass, do your homework first. Apparently YOU are not familiar with jailbreaking. Jailbreaking DOES allow us to "steal" software. Jailbreaking DOES allow you to install apps from the regular ap store free. What, you never heard of Installous?
The mount looks good enough, but the TomTom app looks like crap after seeing the new Google Mapping app on Android.
Google and Apple, please kiss and make up so I can have that on my iPhone some day.
k, thx.
I would not mind spending a good $50-60 on the mount (even without the added gps chip inside)... and use it with Google Navigation :P
I've had mine for nearly 2 weeks know and its great.
First of all it looks and handles way better than any other iPhone mount I've seen so far.
Secondly the Hands free feature is realy good and at last I can trash my Tune base FM transmitter that makes my Tunes sound like trash.
OK it's not the cheapest of all but its worth it in my eyes. (Not speaking of the App)
@google fanboys: What does this piece of hardware have to do with a software on another platform?
That's my confusion with all of the google comments... Yeah, free turn by turn is great, but Google has said its only for Android. I'm not switching to that OS until its fully baked. I haven't seen anyone do anything with it that was worthwhile, other than tout that it's open source.
@ Richard
Yeah, no, Google said it is NOT only for Android. They will be working with Apple to bring it to the iPhone.
I would rather just buy a whole GPS unit for the cost of this.
Don't you mean TWO whole GPSs?
$119 + $99 for the lulz.
Anyone who buys this should be spending their money on a brain, instead.
Here we have more components of the ecosystem.
Key for success. Something bb nokia lg moto samsung pre droid just doN t get.
for kicks and grins, did anyone test to see if the usb port works for more than just power? i.e. if you have ipod music playing while the app is running, will the audio go over the usb port? i know they have the headphone jack right there for that, but because of my car stereo setup, I have been very curious to see if the usb works with audio as well, and not just power.
That's exactly what I want to know too. I recently replaced the head unit of my car stereo with a nice Alpine deck that has only FM and USB. It will be a real shame if the USB port is only for power.
Modded you up b/c I'd like to know also.
Does this mount works with iPhone with case? Specifically the incase slider case.
You have to take the case off.
Curses! I hate taking off my case every time I use an accessory!
$220 vs Free....
Yeah, tough choice.
Assuming you appreciate the limitations of the free solution then that's fine. Personally, I'll go with a paid solution that puts the maps on my device, although probably not TomTom.
dear Tom Tom,
Why would I buy your forthcoming backwards compatible satnav app AND this hunk of hardware for some $220 US... when I can buy a refurbished 3g iphone fror $50 US and use motionX software for $25 a year... and have a better solution, OR by a droid and get the new Google Nav included and also have a better solution?
PS. I'm still pissed I can't transfer my Tom Tom winmo app to the iphone, so I'm out $150 for 16 months use, and I never used it because it is just so PAINFUL to program for a trip.
Did anyone actually READ the review? Because I read it and it said that it could be used with OTHER GPS apps as well. What that means to me is that I can use the Navigon or many other GPS apps on the app store.
What the hell do Google have to do with this car kit? Do the free software transform into a car kit too?
Just buy the cradle, jail break your iphone, and download the tom tom app for free. Heh.
Because iPhone's GPS antenna is weak. When you are under a bridge or the metal roof of your car, you will lose reception.
Everyone is jumping to conclusion. The new google nav has yet to prove itself. Just because google is giving it for free doesn't mean that is way better than its competitors. How many of you would give up Microsoft office for google apps. You get what you pay for.
Yes, but is the TomTom app + dock worth $220? It isn't to me...
Agreed. I bought a garmin 2 years ago for 400 bucks and though its amazing for giving directions (something google maps is really not good at). I hate the unit itself. The hardware some of these companies push out suck really bad. Very low tech. The touch screen is terrible. They use a touchscreen that is meant for a stylus. Not accurate or responsive. The actual directions and and software are flipping amazing. I think the hardware is worth less than what I paid.
I think its good that google is giving these companies a run for the money and that the application is free. It will make these companies lower their inflated prices. However, if google nav is mediocre or poor for what its meant to do, tell accurate and concise directions, I would rather pay for something that is quality.
Sadly both the unit and the Iphone are obsolete.
Try again!
Sure they are...
TomTom is out of their minds to think anyone wants to pay more than a PNA for their app AND their dock... And their app on iPhone is probaily the least featured of them all, especially compared to Navigon.
Plus, I am sure the Google Navigation app will have potential but there's a HUGE issue with it: Its another cloud GPS, aka, you lose signal = your dead in the water if your in a location that your not familiar with. Its the big issue I noticed with TeleNav clients like Sprint Navigator, AT&T Navigator, etc. But we don't know how it works yet. If it caches the maps, then that eliminates that issue altogether and it could show HUGE potential. Especially since in typical Google fashion, I expect this to be out on many different phone platforms eventually.
Would buy this. But in 8 months, when I upgrade to the latest iPhone, the chance of this cradle fitting is slim. Apple won't keep the same form factor for another generation, that is almost a given.
Sticking with CoPilot for £25.
Why not? All generations of iPhone and iPod Touch have had the same form factor. The height, width, and Dock connector placement has never changed - just some tapering on the back. Similarly, the iPod never changed its height, width, or Dock connector from the time the connector was introduced on the 3rd gen iPod all the way to the final iPod Classic.
I'd wait for the price to drop - but not because you think the iPhone form factor will change.
Yo TomTom, I'mma let you finish, but Google has the best turn-by-turn navigation of all time.
if TomTom GPS is horrifying to use (at least in united states), then I must conclude the $200 carkit+gps app would be a horrifying experience as well.
Sticking with a dedicated Garmin for US Auto navigation.
F A I L.
GPS NAV came free with me Palm Pre.
Next up tonight, comparing an Apple to an Orange...
Again, this isn't a complicated concept - the free solutions don't store the maps on your device so if you don't have a data connection, or if you don't want to pay for data (not everywhere has unlimited data plans and roaming data charges are a nightmare) then the free solutions aren't good. You don't have to pay TomTom-money to get a good solution but I would always go with a solution that stores the maps on my device rather than a free service.
Strange as it may sound, I'm still tempted by this, and I have no interest whatsoever in the TomTom GPS software! I want a good car mount that provides line-out, power in, keeps the screen visible and accessible, and is a snap to click the iPhone in and out of. This meets those criteria, and throws in a louder speaker and enhanced GPS to boot. Obviously, I'm not too crazy about the price; it will have to come down some - but the hardware itself is quite nice and sounds well-designed.
And for all those screaming "Google Navigation" and "Droid" - this is hardware. Once Google Navigation hits the iPhone (whether built into Maps or separately) you can use it with this mount/GPS combo just as easily as the TomTom software.
Has it been confirmed that this will work with other GPS apps on the iphone? I'm sure it has the potential to, but I would think the app would have to be designed to use it.
this test proves how terrible the TomTom software is. In order to make an expensive app perform better you need to spend more than double to get it to work correctly. I would like to see this done against Navigon
How about using the Tom Tom kit with the MotionX GPS app?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CO5Zen541I
Though I just share a ludicrous piece of news from Australia, the NSW and Victorian governments are banning the use of mobile phones as navigation device.
I wonder what will happen to those who are planning to purchase or have already bought TomTom and use their iPhone down here?
Please provide a source for this statement
Would it be possible to use this cradle and have all functioning features of said cradle, with other navigation solutions?
Tread lightly and watch the majestic Wireless Zealots (Cellphonus Ridiculous) as they pointlessly yet passionately defend their territory. We are witnessing an all too common struggle of forces as a relatively minor incident regarding the Apple flock's new accessory causes yet another all out squawking war between all factions in the name of shallow superiority. The male Zealot is a tenacious creature who suffers a short lifespan largely due to the fact that it is usually too involved in these very types of lengthy exchanges to gather food or attract a mate. A curious species indeed.
I already downranked it.
"We almost missed the pinhole mic just below the dock connector, which worked fine for our driver when he took a call using the hands-free functionality."
What about when you have a bluetooth headset. How does it work then?
I rather use Ovi maps/nokia maps v3.0 and garmin mobile xt
I've used both since i have the 5800xm and it connects so much faster and 80CAD a year for turn by turn and voice nav with free downloadable maps and the use of offline mapping hell all i need is the phone cradle and i'm good to go
OVI MAPS + 80CAD YEARLY+ CAR CRADLE equals god combo
And the service carries over since it's on your sim card
And i have 5800 i don't need a cradle lol i have garmin xt and ovi maps woot
Iphone fails again for retarded pricing for everything from app to accessorie ...apple is too greedy
Why is everyone ignoring the idea that Google could very easily allow the Droid (or any other phone with the app) to simply download a copy of Google maps that would fix the problem of always needing a connection? I know Google likes to do everything in the cloud, but it sounds like it would be a fairly simple fix that would really enhance functionality. Let's face it, maps don't change all that much over a short period of time, and the 3g connection would still be used to give traffic conditions, Street View, and the like. Checking for updates once a month or so would solve any problem with outdated maps.
Google doesn't like offline. Think about iPod Touch with 64GB storage doesn't have Google Map offline version.
I'm pretty sure Google's Maps will be ad-supported meaning a connection will be required to use it (to download ads)