In addition to some redesigned sports watches, TomTom has just launched a refreshed version of its GO GPS unit for drivers who still prefer a dedicated sat nav. The hardware comes with interactive 3D maps, a lifetime’s supply of real-time traffic information and up to four free map downloads a year. It’ll be available in 4.3-, 5- or 6-inch models, and purchasers will also get a free three-month trial of the Dutch firm’s speed camera warning system. There’s no word on pricing or availability yet — everything we have is in the press release below.
It looks like Garmin has managed to lock down a very solid deal following its automotive group’s compelling demo at CES. The company’s in-dash GPS software is now set to roll out with future Mercedes-Benz models — Garmin’s navigation system is scheduled to be fully integrated within the next four years, and will begin appearing with select 2014 models. The solution sounds similar to the version we saw on display during CES, and includes a primary panel in the center console, along with a secondary display located behind the steering wheel, tasked with providing key driver stats, along with next turn info, for example.
Mercedes will share more details once specific launch vehicles are announced, but Garmin said to expect features like Advanced Driver Assistance (ADAS), to help out with vehicle positioning, while the car manufacturer will bring tools like a rotary controller and voice commands to the table. What remains to be seen is how TomTom will fit into the mix — last month, the company announced plans of its own to provide HD Traffic service to certain Mercedes vehicles, though it’s unclear if the two GPS giants will be working together on this latest venture.
Update: Garmin reached out to clarify that the company will be providing the GPS software for Mercedes-Benz’s own infotainment solution. So it’s not all Garmin under the hood.
It’s easy for some drivers to think a GPS device is only useful if you’re going on a trip to a destination that you’re unfamiliar with. However, the right GPS device can help you more on your daily commute to and from work and around areas that you know and travel all the time more than you might expect. One of the key features of GPS devices for many users is real-time traffic information.
With real-time traffic information, the GPS device can recognize traffic jams and route drivers around them before they get stuck for hours. I think this is the best feature in many high-end GPS devices. TomTom has announced that it will be equipping coming Mercedes-Benz vehicles with its HD Traffic service.
That HD Traffic service promises accurate and up-to-date traffic information to help Mercedes drivers get to the destination more quickly and save time as well as fuel. The traffic service will be available for Mercedes customers in 12 countries within Europe starting this summer. TomTom says that the real-time traffic information will automatically be included in high-end Comand navigation system as a three-year service.
Research conducted by the German Aerospace Center in 2012 found that the TomTom traffic information is able to save commuters 50 minutes of travel time per week working out to about 40 hours per year. Having used TomTom’s real-time traffic information in the past, I can say that it does work and will frequently offer you an alternative routes to save even a few minutes on your commute.
If you’re a GPS company, one way to keep the smartphone feature creep at bay is to strike deals with car manufacturers, and bake your wares into their vehicles. TomTom has done particularly good securing these partnerships and Fiat is just the latest company to sign on the dotted line. Its navigation software will be built into the Uconnect Radio Nav systems found in the 500L series from the Italian car marker. It will eventually roll out to other vehicles and Fiat brands, but there was no timeline given. TomTom also inked a deal with Toyota’s European arm to put TomTom HD Traffic in any vehicle packing a Touch&GO in-dash device. For more, check out the PR after the break.
Update: TomTom announced that it’ll also be doling out traffic info to select Mercedes-Benz vehicles in 12 European countries via HD Traffic, which will be baked into the luxury car-makers COMAND nav system.
TomTom has just launched their GPS for motorcycles named TomTom Rider. In a press release from Amsterdam, the company introduced design and features of the GPS device: “With TomTom Rider, bikers can not only choose where to go, but more importantly how they want to get there,” said Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director of TomTom Consumer. “We listened to feedback from motorbike communities to create a device that was customized for the way they want to ride. We found that the overwhelming majority of bikers use their motorcycle for recreational purposes and many actively seek out routes that offer fantastic scenic touring experiences. TomTom Rider gives bikers the ability to find and ride the best scenic routes in the world.” (more…)
This week the folks at TomTom have made it clear that the TomTom Rider will not be fading into obscurity, re-releasing a new iteration of the device with the same name here in 2013 with a brand new set of specifications and features. This device is made to sit on and with your motorcycle and allow you to get guided in real time, find local hotspots, and share routes with fellow bikers wirelessly via Bluetooth. They’ll need a TomTom Rider as well, of course, so pick up a few!
This version of the TomTom Rider allow you to use Bluetooth to listen in on directions inside your helmet – all you’ll beed is a pair of Bluetooth-friendly earbuds. There’s a new charging bike dock with this model that turns the device on or off with the ignition on the bike you’re riding, and the display you’re working with is improved as well. This newly enhanced 4.3-inch screen is touch-friendly and biker glove-friendly – so you wont have to de-glove each time you want to tap!
The lovely scene and mini-movie you’re seeing above should encourage you to pick one of these devices up, if only because it makes you feel so flowery and friendly inside. According to Managing Director of TomTom Consumer Corinne Vigreux, the TomTom team sought out feedback from motorbike communities that they then used to create this newest-gen device. They found that “the overwhelming majority of bikers use their motorcycle for recreational purposes”, this leading the TomTom team to include features that allow the biker to find and ride “the best scenic routes in the world.”
With Tyre software you’ll be able to search and create routes on your PC at home before you head off into the wild blue yonder, uploading them to your TomTom Rider device before you head out. From there you’ll be able to share the route with fellow riders (as mentioned above) with this device’s “Upload Routes and Go” feature. You’ll be able to use this device in all types of weather without worrying about damage, and you’ve got Free Lifetime Maps with your purchase as well – updates forever, free!
All this and more are available for pre-order today for 329.99 GBP or MSRP $299 USD – get pumped up about the Summer season right this minute! Note: that’s a MASSIVE price cut compared to the 2nd Gen model of the Rider – things are looking up!
It isn’t quite street riding season in the NE but come spring, TomTom’s Rider GPS for motorcyclists will help navigate you to your intended destination. More »
It seems a safe bet that any contemporary Easy Rider reboot would be vastly different from its predecessor. For one thing, there’s the whole GPS thing to contend with — and surely there’d be a little friendly product placement in the form of the TomTom Rider (New Orleans isn’t gonna find itself, after all). The company has updated its long-running motorcycle GPS line to feature a new 4.3-inch “glove-friendly” weatherproof display and the ability to create, upload and share routes via Bluetooth. Bluetooth functionality also makes it possible to get in-helmet audio directions, so you don’t have to stare down at that screen the whole time (when you should be looking at the, you know, road). And for those who don’t like the straight and narrow path, there’s the Winding Roads to help you find routes with more bends. The Rider is currently listed at £329.99 ($511) for pre-order.
No matter where you are, hailing a taxi isn’t always easy, and when you’re not willing or able to flash them to get them to slow down, it can be frustrating, especially in a foreign country. There are a few different apps that allow you to hail taxis, but this new system by TomTom looks pretty interesting.
The free TomTom Taxi app was based on terminals that TomTom had installed in Amsterdam, allowing people to hail taxis to specific terminals. The app will call a taxi to your location, and will automatically let you know how long it will take for it to arrive. The app even lets you learn about specific drivers, and lets you order your favorite driver – if you actually have one.
There are already several Taxi-ordering apps available, including HAILO and Taxi Magic, but this is the first to incorporate TomTom’s award winning GPS and map tech.
TomTom Taxi is available now for the iPhone, and is coming soon for Android devices. For now, there’s no indication whether TomTom will extend this service beyond the Netherlands, but I can see this being useful almost anywhere.
Finding a Taxi in New York City isn’t that difficult of an experience if you know where Taxis usually travel and congregate. But for out-of-towners, it could be a confusing and frustrating experience, which makes mobile apps dedicated to hunting down Taxis even more important in major cities.
TomTom introduced a new taxi hailing service last September in Amsterdam that allowed travelers to call for a taxi from specific terminals. The idea was a good one, although finding a terminal while you’re head is spinning from binge drinking might be a challenge. That’s why TomTom is introducing an iPhone app that allows people to use its taxi hailing service right from their phone.
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