Ever since TomTom's latest ONE navigator hit back in April, we've been left waiting, wondering when the next ONE XL would ever surface. Thanks to the FCC and its all-knowing database, we can confidently say that the unimaginatively named ONE XL II (what, ONE XXL was taken?) is well on its way to a US release. The user's guide doesn't give us much in the way of actual specifications, but based on the magnificently taken external photographs, we suspect this one will be more evolutionary and less revolutionary. Not that you couldn't guess that from the name, but whatever.

TomTom is really pushing the connected capabilities of its navigation devices with this new x40 LIVE series, which hit IFA this year as rumored. The GO 940 LIVE, GO 740 LIVE and GO 540 LIVE include a "new and extended" version of IQ Routes, which can adjust your route for predicted and actual road conditions, based on historical data and TomTom's HD Traffic feature. The units include Safety Alerts for alerting to speed cameras, Fuel Prices, and Local Search, which is powered by Google and allows you to plan a route to your search results. Also onboard is voice command and control, letting you plan routes and make phone calls using only your voice. The series will be available in the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Switzerland this fall, starting at £299 (about $544 US). LIVE services are £10 a month. Unfortunately, the versions we played with at IFA didn't have a live connection, but software looks easy to access and easy to use. Too bad the actual hardware looks circa 2003.

Call it a hunch, but we'd say TomTom is gearing up to have some real fun at IFA. With the PRO 4000 / PRO 8000 units being outed yesterday and this newfangled GO 940 LIVE surfacing today (930 pictured), we get the feeling it's planning a Garmin-esque onslaught here in just a few days. Nevertheless, a pre-order page up at Handtec shows off this all new navigation system, yet completely fails at delivering any pertinent information outside of a price. And given that said price is pegged at £468.83 ($871), you probably couldn't care less.

[Via GPSLodge]

TomTom's new "PRO" series of GPS units, the PRO 4000 and PRO 8000 aren't that different than your regular old amateur nav slab, only these have the PRO moniker, which means they're supposed to be taken oh-so-much more seriously by your corporate masters when expensed. The $330 and $460 units include perks for the "mobile workforce" like a premium ruggedized sleeve, dedicated phone support line, two year warranty and a PIN lock. Both units sport 4.3-inch widescreen displays, with the 8000 (pictured) adding on IQ Routes, Advanced Lane Guidance, Voice Address Input and Bluetooth. Neither one will do your crappy job for you.

[Via NaviGadget]

As if the iPhone 3G launch could really have any more misinformation floating around, we've got yet another tidbit that needs clarification. Shortly after Apple's second iPhone was announced, out flew a report from Reuters suggesting that TomTom already had iPhone navigation software ready to go. French site Mac Generation was able to get ahold of TomTom spokesperson Yann Lafargue, and here's the gist of what he had to say. First off, the aforementioned Reuters statement was said to be inaccurate, though he did affirm that an iPhone version of the software was running in the labs and working "pretty well." Unfortunately, the question of "will you guys ship this for the iPhone?" was answered with a "We don't know" style response, but he did clarify that the questionable SDK verbiage we saw wasn't an obstacle at all. Check out the full interview in the read link below -- hope you're fluent in French and / or machine translation!

Apple's always been known for its amusingly-conservative disclaimers (you can't use iTunes to "design a nuclear weapon," for example) and it looks like the products-liability team at the Fruit has had their way with the iPhone SDK agreement as well, inserting a provision specifically prohibiting developers from creating apps "marketed for real time route guidance; automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management; or emergency or life-saving purposes." Yep, that's right -- no real-time route guidance (or, uh, fleet management) allowed. That'd be a huge bummer -- except, of course, that TomTom has already come out and said that its app is ready to go on the iPhone. Assuming TomTom used the SDK and not the jailbreak toolchain, we'd bet that Apple is just covering its ass here and that it's worked out an agreement with TomTom to pass along any liability -- you can bet Steve doesn't want to get sued when iPhone users start careening into sandpiles and into oncoming trains. We'll see for sure when the App Store finally launches, though -- until then, it's all just cheap speculation.

Update: Astute commenter Austin points out that these terms are copied almost word-for-word from the Google Maps API terms -- which means that TomTom and others are probably free to use their own maps to do real-time guidance.

[Via BoingBoing Gadgets]

That sound you hear is the not-yet-released nüvifone trembling in fear, as TomTom has just announced that an iPhone-ready version of its famed navigation software is practically ready to rock 'n roll. More specifically, a TomTom spokesman was quoted as saying that its "navigation system runs on the iPhone already," and he made the statement hot on the heels of the iPhone 3G announcement. Sadly, he wouldn't disclose an estimated release date for the software, but it's safe to say that the TomTom touch could make Apple's darling a formidable nüvifone opponent.

[Via GPSReview]

Coincidence is a funny beast, is it not? On the very same day, releases have been put out touching on both of the major navigation deals that have long since been pending. To kick things off, we've got TomTom and Tele Atlas in quite the celebratory mood, as TomTom intends for Tele Atlas' listing on Euronext Amsterdam and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange "to be terminated as soon as legally possible." Can't blame a brother for wanting what's his, right? Moving on, we're hearing that Nokia will receive clearance from EU regulators "to buy digital map supplier NAVTEQ, as no formal charges are to be levied against the deal." It's also noted that the time for sending a statement of objections has passed, so from the outside looking in, it seems the two can at least move forward with their plans.

[Via Washington Post]

Read - TomTom / Tele Atlas deal
Read - Nokia / NAVTEQ deal

Despite issuing an early statement of objection, the EC has come around to see the merits of a TomTom / Tele Atlas deal. In fact, the two companies have received "unconditional clearance" from the European Commission for the proposed acquisition. The US already approved the deal in October. Thing is, shareholders better get a move on since the bidding-war-boosted $4.2 billion offer (plus another $300 million thanks to the weakass dollar) made in November is set to expire on May 30th. Although it could be extended. Of course, Garmin made a move for Tele Atlas early on with a $3.3 billion bid of its own. Nevertheless, with TomTom profits heading downward and Garmin's own, hotly anticipated Nuvifone on the horizon, maybe Garmin will be laughing last after all.

The war for the low end of the GPS market promises to be a bloody one, and it looks like TomTom's suffered the first major injury: quarterly profits at the device maker dropped 83 percent from last year, and the company says it's due to competitive price cuts. TomTom made a net profit of just €7.3M ($11.4M) this quarter compared to €44M ($66.2M) in the year-ago quarter, results which led the company to lower its outlook for the entire year. The company actually sold 50 percent more devices than it did a year ago, but as PND prices steadily fall, it looks like TomTom will have to figure out a new way to pad those margins and refill its piggy bank if that $4.2B all-cash Tele Atlas deal goes through.

[Via TrustedReviews]

With prime motorcycling weather nearly here, TomTom has prepped an update to bring a handful of new features to its RIDER 2nd Edition. Aside from including Map Share technology and the "Help Me" menu, the enhanced 2nd Edition GPS will also provide a latest map guarantee, trip statistics and itinerary planning. Reportedly, the upgraded unit will go on sale early next month for £349.99 ($691) / £399.99 ($790) depending on whether you're picking up UK / Ireland maps or all of Europe, but existing 1st Edition / 2nd Edition owners can snag the update gratis via TomTom HOME. No word on a North American release just yet.

The fine folks at GPS review have gotten their hands on the new TomTom GO 930, a followup to the GO 720 -- TomTom's previous flagship device. As far as looks go, the 930 is pretty much a 720 in shiny black clothing, so the review concentrates on the new features included like Active Lane Guidance, static intersection images and IQ routes. Nothing's going to blow you away if you already have a 720, but the lane guidance should help with that all-important "which lane should I get in?" conundrum, while IQ routes has significantly improved route time estimations. Intersection images were too few and far between to be much help, but overall this is a decent improvement to an already impressively-reviewed device.

[Thanks, Tim]

Thought TomTom was done after introducing the GO 930 and 730 at CeBIT? Think again, as the company is also unveiling the GO 530, which is the reported successor the GO 520. For starters, this one is slated to arrive and stay in Europe, and its map content will depend largely on what region it is purchased in. As with its higher-numbered siblings, this bugger will also boast IQ Routes and the Advanced Lane Guidance, and it'll also feature a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 resolution display, a 400MHz CPU, 1GB of internal memory, an SD expansion slot, built-in Bluetooth and a Li-ion cell good for around 5 hours. If all that's good enough for you, it'll be ready to grab this April for around £235 ($466).