May 08

TomTom slips out XL 350, XXL 550 nav units for the US

Posted in: gps, navigation, Today's Chili, tomtom
Intrigued by those XL IQ Routes edition 2 navigation units TomTom rolled out for Europe back in March? Then it looks like you’ll soon be able to get your fix in the form of the XL 350 and XXL 550, which recently turned up on TomTom’s US website. In line with TomTom’s usual naming convention, the XL 350 and XXL 550 pack 4.3-inch and 5-inch touchscreens (non-capacitive), respectively, and are each available with your choice of lifetime maps and traffic options. You’ll also get 7 million POIs on each, along with advanced lane guidance, spoken street names, maps of the US, Canada and Mexico, TomTom’s EasyMenu interface and, of course, the company’s IQ Routes technology. Look for these to set you back between $169.95 and $259.95 depending on the model and add-on options.

TomTom slips out XL 350, XXL 550 nav units for the US originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 May 2010 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 06

TomTom strikes back with Darth Vader voice pack (video)

Posted in: gps, navigation, Star Wars, Today's Chili, tomtom, video

We guess TomTom was listening when we said it had to respond to Nokia’s Own Voice app for custom turn-by-turn navigation instructions, as the Dutch company has announced a new Darth Vader voice pack. Following in the footsteps of such luminaries as Homer Simpson and Burt Reynolds, the Sith Lord has contributed his vocal stylings to the cause of guiding the lost and confused down the right path. Though it wasn’t without hiccups — check out the video after the break for the recording session — the pack is now complete and ready for download, provided you have $13 handy to smooth the transaction. Yoda, C3PO and Han Solo packs are set to follow in the coming months. May the farce be with you.

Continue reading TomTom strikes back with Darth Vader voice pack (video)

TomTom strikes back with Darth Vader voice pack (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 04

Nokia Ovi Maps let you do navigation instructions with your Own Voice

Posted in: navigation, nokia, Today's Chili

Yo TomTom, wake up and smell the competition. While the original gangster of navigation devices is still mulling over an app store, Nokia has raised the smartphone pathfinding bar a little higher by letting people record (and share) their own voice instructions. It’s not the most complex process in the world, you just get the extra Own Voice app to go with the latest version of Ovi Maps and set your vocal talents free. At the end you’ll get a neat little voice pack to utilize on your handset or to share with the world, which is surely just dying to hear your Mr. T impressions. Let the silliness commence!

[Thanks, Brent R.]

Nokia Ovi Maps let you do navigation instructions with your Own Voice originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 01

T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye (update: video)

Posted in: ASUS, gps, in the wild, InTheWild, navigation, t-mobile, TMobile, Today's Chili

Where to, Garminfone? The front of a gracious tipster’s camera, that’s where. Well, looks like someone’s enjoying the navigation smartphone on T-Mobile bands, even if it’s not yet you. More pics below!

Update: And now we’ve got video, too, via TmoNews and after the break!

Gallery: T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye

[Thanks, anonymous!]

Continue reading T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye (update: video)

T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 May 2010 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 01

T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye

Posted in: ASUS, gps, in the wild, InTheWild, navigation, t-mobile, TMobile, Today's Chili

Where to, Garminfone? The front of a gracious tipster’s camera, that’s where. Well, looks like someone’s enjoying the navigation smartphone on T-Mobile bands, even if it’s not yet you. More pics below!

Gallery: T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye

[Thanks, anonymous!]

T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera’s eye originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 May 2010 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 29

TomTom reveals plans for App Store in battle against smartphone navigation

Posted in: AppStore, gps, navigation, Today's Chili, tomtom

You know how TomTom is moving to a WebKit-based UI with its new flagship Go Live 1000 satnav? Well, there’s good reason for it. While TomTom called it a “platform for innovation” at Tuesday’s press event in Amsterdam, going so far as to show a few in-house developed prototype apps for Facebook, Wikipedia, and live street cams, it stopped short of revealing its true plan: an app store it can cuddle and call its own. Pocket-lint had a sit down with TomTom CEO Harold Goddijn who revealed TomTom’s plans to launch the app store by the end of the year. Apps that will easily migrate to its in-car platform, and to and from other WebKit based devices. In essence, it’s TomTom’s consumer-focused survival plan against free turn-by-turn offerings from Google and Nokia. While there’s no doubt that dedicated satnav devices offer greater functionality and better performance compared to their part-time smartphone navigating competitors, selling the average consumer (not hardened road warriors) on the need for two devices won’t be easy. Besides, are Facebook updates really that critical when driving? Pics of the Wikipedia and street cam sample apps after the break.

Continue reading TomTom reveals plans for App Store in battle against smartphone navigation

TomTom reveals plans for App Store in battle against smartphone navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 28

Garmin-Asus A10 brings pedestrian-optimized GPS to European and Asian Android lovers

Posted in: Android, AndroidOs, ASUS, gps, navigation, Today's Chili

You ain’t nobody if you don’t have an Android handset (or two) these days, and Garmin-Asus has just added the A10 to its own stable of devices. It’s a pretty humble 3.2-inch HVGA communicator, but it has a healthy 1,500mAh battery, a multitouch-friendly WebKit browser, and an autofocusing 5 megapixel camera with automatic geotagging. Coming with preloaded Garmin Navigation maps and software, the A10 eliminates the need for a web connection when looking up your local topography, and similarly retains turn-by-turn voice instructions while used offline. It’s not altogether clear what the pedestrian optimizations are, aside from the public transport-aware cityXplorer maps, but in-car navigation is also obviously fully supported and encouraged. We’re told to expect the A10 in mid-2010 for European and Asia-Pacific markets. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Garmin-Asus A10 brings pedestrian-optimized GPS to European and Asian Android lovers

Garmin-Asus A10 brings pedestrian-optimized GPS to European and Asian Android lovers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 27

TomTom rolls out Urban Rider motorcycle GPS

Posted in: gps, navigation, Today's Chili, tomtom
We didn’t get a glimpse of this one when we checked out TomTom’s new Go Live 1000 navigation unit earlier today, but the company has also just introduced a new GPS device for motorcycle enthusiasts: the Urban Rider. This one sticks fairly close to the company’s previous RIDER units, but apparently simplifies even further with a revised interface designed to allow easier operation with gloved hands — yeah, you can bet this screen is resistive. Otherwise, you can expect features like TomTom’s IQ Routes and Map Share, along with advanced lane guidance, and a promised six hours of use from the battery — that larger battery comes at the expense of an SD card slot this time around, though. No word on a release over here just yet, but this one will be available in Europe next month for €249 (or about $330).

TomTom rolls out Urban Rider motorcycle GPS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 27

TomTom Launches GPS Device With Capacitive Touchscreen

Posted in: gps, navigation, Today's Chili, tomtom
TomTom_Go_Live_1000.jpg
TomTom has announced the Go Live 1000, a next-generation navigation device with a capacitive touchscreen, just days after Garmin unveiled its own capacitive touchscreen-based PNDs.
The connected Go Live 1000 features a 500 MHz ARM11 processor, a redesigned WebKit-based user interface, and the ability to easily integrate third-party apps, plus a full year of free Internet service. TomTom also upgraded its back end server systems to improve delivery of rich content and downloadable apps.
This all means the company is leaving behind its formerly closed, difficult-to-expand OS, and is at least delaying, if not eliminating, the expensive monthly fees surrounding the TomTom XL 340-S LIVE and other current connected devices.
The Go Live 1000 also includes improved IQ Routes and HD Traffic, a high resolution display, a new magnetic windshield mount, and a Park Assist feature for finding places to park (as opposed to the park assist you’d find in some of today’s cars that actually helps you parallel park–this is different).
So far, TomTom has partnered with Vodafone to provide connectivity in Europe, and plans to release the device there sometime in the summer. No word yet on pricing or availability in the U.S.
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Apr 27

TomTom Go Live 1000 to offer capacitive touchscreen, WebKit-based UI

Posted in: arm, breaking news, BreakingNews, capacitive, gps, navigation, Today's Chili, tomtom

TomTom has just outed its new flagship PND, the Go Live 1000, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s the first of the company’s stable to offer a capacitive touchscreen. This comes mere days after Garmin updated its lineup with capacitive options. The 1000 is a little slimmer than its predecessors, but its major feature is “instant” route planning and re-planning once it has a satellite lock — the industry’s fastest. Achieved using a custom-built Broadcom GPS module, that capability is backed up by a 500MHz ARM11 CPU (yawn), 4GB of storage, 128MB of RAM, a new WebKit-based UI, and 12 months of free TomTom Live services. Beginning in June, this suite of services will be rolled out to 33 countries across Europe, featuring local information about petrol prices, services and weather, while its headline HD Traffic — which tracks congestion on secondary roads as well as motorways — and safety camera alert features will come to only 16 nations. It’s a decent year-long freebie to have and TomTom promises it’ll cost less than €50 ($67) per annum thereafter. That’s more reasonable than the previous $9.95 monthly cost, but still not price-competitive with Google and Nokia’s offerings. There’s also a SIM card slot, but don’t expect to be developing new modes of sidetalking, it’s most likely there purely to facilitate all those data transactions. Check out the new UI in the gallery below and expect the TomTom Go 1000 Live to show up in Europe some time this summer.

Gallery: TomTom Go 1000 Live to offer capacitive touchscreen, WebKit browser

Continue reading TomTom Go Live 1000 to offer capacitive touchscreen, WebKit-based UI

TomTom Go Live 1000 to offer capacitive touchscreen, WebKit-based UI originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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