Starting the whole holiday shopping early? WalMart hopes so, and is offering the Garmin Nuvi 750 on sale for $169. The widescreen unit (4.3-inches) has text to speech - it says street names, North American Maps, the ability to advance plan routes ahead of time from point A to B.
at WalMart - Garmin Nuvi 750
It's time once again to start looking for those Black Friday GPS Deals. We've made it a tradition of scouring the net to find Black Friday information about what kind of deals will be available for you to jump on and grab a great deal on that GPS you've had your eye on.
Updating this Post
We will be updating this post on a regular basis right through Black Friday - book mark it and come back.
For now, we have Gander Mountain and Sears with some Black Friday GPS Sales and I know the list will grow to be long and interesting.
Gander Mountain
K-Mart
Sears Black Friday GPS Deals
In what could be a death blow to those $50+ mobile phone navigation applications, the NYT reported that Google is launching a turn by turn navigation application for free. Google plans on launching the application to mobile phones with an ad supported model. The convenience of the application that may be pre-loaded onto smart phones could make the millions of smart phone users owners of a pretty solid mobile navigation application. Recently I reviewed the TomTom application for the iPhone and thought that the overall user experience was pretty good on my iPhone. The convenience of having the application in your pocket, ready to go at any time is pretty good. I firmly believe that free and already on my phone can beat $150 stand alone GPS and in my other car. Granted not everyone has a smart phone right now, but many do.
Gauging from the fact that Google is creating their own maps, and that their traffic data is pretty impressive in the road coverage, Google may in fact be prepping an impressive offering. Google is offering the beta application for Android phones already. With the application, you can give the device voice commands, and see the route in satellite view - viewing the road ahead with a satellite picture of the world around you. With the Street View option, you can get a look at the street ahead, what lane to be in and the view of your building when you arrive. Pretty amazing. We'll see if the package really delivers the user experience that they promise.
Garmin has their Halloween Boo Bundle out for the season. Packed with seven vehicles for you to put on your Garmin and enjoy. Check out the Garmin Garage for the Boo Bundle and more. The easy directions on how to download and use the vehicles on your compatible Garmin are available there too.
at iTunes - Top Grossing Apps
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To me, that signals a good holiday season if you want to go shopping for a GPS. While the average is still fairly high, I see a lot of great units below that average number, and expect that you can get an excellent widescreen device to the mid-100's and a standard screen entry level device for around $100, not on sale, and well below $100 for deep discounts like on Black Friday.
ReadMore at WSJ
]]>Thought I would pass this along. Garmin has launched a TV campaign that includes three versions of the commercial above. Take a look; if you want to see the other two, cruise on over to the GarminBlog channel at YouTube, and look in the right column under all the videos they have uploaded.
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Not the first time TomTom has worked on an in dash infortainment unit, but this updated one comes with a lot of great TomTom features, including Bluetooth handsfree calling, Enhanced Positioning technology that helps the unit know where you are when it loses the satellite signal in a tunnel, TMC traffic technology, and the ability to play your favorite song off the radio or an iPod. The unit has a USB port to handle the iPod or other MP3 players; they also speak of an "Optional iPod support" for optimal handling of the iPod. Not sure if there is on screen support or not, but I'd be happy with it working on the USB cable for all iPods and iPhones.
The unit is available in Europe only right now for about 599 euros, or about $900. No word on US launch plans.
Via Engadget
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The Inrix traffic application gets its data from a network of road sensors, and traffic probes like Taxi's, delivery trucks, long haul trucks, and other Inrix Traffic users, yes that's right; you and me. On the Terms and Conditions for my iPhone App, they confirm that the application collects anonymous data, and processes it for the traffic reporting and collection. It reads in part: "By using this App, you agree to Inrix's collection, processing, storage transfer and ...use of your non-personally identifiable information (anonymous) as part of Inrix's comprehensive traffic products."
So, join the crew, see what the traffic is like in your area, and help out the rest of us at the same time.
Full Press Release Below......
]]> INRIX®, a leading provider of traffic and navigation services in North America, announced the immediate ability for millions of consumers to save time and reduce frustration on their daily commutes with the launch of a free app, INRIX TRAFFIC!, for Google's Android-based smartphones.
INRIX TRAFFIC! uniquely helps drivers reduce the time they spend in traffic through a better understanding of current AND future traffic conditions. It is the only mobile phone app that combines real-time, "crowd sourced" traffic information from more than 1.3 million vehicles with insight from hundreds of public and private sources to reliably deliver current and expected traffic conditions. Covering more than 160,000 miles of freeways, interstates and highways in 126 cities across the U.S. and Canada, INRIX TRAFFIC! provides drivers with insight into how conditions will evolve over time helping them avoid traffic jams and reach their destination the fastest way possible.
"Nothing's more frustrating than sitting in your car, stuck in traffic, watching the clock knowing that you're going to be late and there's nothing you can do about it," said Bryan Mistele, president and CEO, INRIX. "INRIX TRAFFIC! is the only traffic app available for mobile phones that empowers drivers to improve their daily commutes knowing they can rely on us to provide them with the insight they need for the roads they care about most."
INRIX TRAFFIC! is ad-free and available for download from the Android Market at http://www.android.com/market/free-travel.html. The app works with all Android-based mobile phones including the popular T-Mobile G1 and myTouch3G, the new Sprint HTC Hero™ and other new Google Android devices coming later this year.
INRIX TRAFFIC! Benefits:
What Makes INRIX TRAFFIC! Different:
Recently introduced to much acclaim on the iPhone and iPod Touch with hundreds of thousands of users already in its first 90 days, nearly half of them rely INRIX TRAFFIC! daily to help improve their commutes. On average, consumers spend up to eight minutes a day using the app to check current and future traffic conditions.
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The TomTom App for the iPhone was one of the early Apps for the iPhone from a major GPS manufacturer and easily emulates their standalone models in functionality and quality. Navigating with the iPhone has been an unmet promise since the iPhone launched with its teaser GPS capability, which until its update this summer would not allow turn by turn direction Apps on the device.
TomTom's iPhone App is a straight forward navigator, not really utilizing the extensive connectivity to perform back flips in the navigation world, but instead elects to put its energy into making a high quality experience for users in a simple interface. This sometimes limiting simplicity offers entry level capabilities in a trustworthy wrapper that I think is surprisingly good. What I cannot capture properly in words is the simple convenience of having a capable navigation device in your pocket wherever you go. There is no wondering if you left your GPS in the other car, no wondering if you left it at home while on a business trip (happened to me recently and it was a miserable experience - tried to navigate with built in Google maps while someone else drove; never again), and no wondering if you will get to your destination; your GPS is already in your pocket.
]]> Features and Navigation with the TomTom iPhone App
TomTom includes its base level A --> B advanced trip planning which is a great time savings when you are pre-planning a trip. Sit in your kitchen and see how long that trip from the airport to that business meeting will take. You can absolutely save favorites, and your "Home" making navigation to regular locations a quick tap of the screen. Maps can be in either 2D (North up and direction of travel), or 3D, while the colors can be in night or daytime. The switch between the two is not automatic. Of course, you can elect to search for POI's near you, in a city, near home, along your already plotted route, and near a destination. All very good to have in your pocket, and very helpful when you are trying to bend that navigation capability to fit your need in the moment. I use POI near a destination and along a route all the time when on the road, especially for food and gas. Hungry? Yes. Do you want to eat before we stop or when we get to the hotel? The choice is yours, and the TomTom App can help in either instance.
Navigation in Portrait vs. Landscape Modes with the iPhone - Navigation on the iPhone in the TomTom App takes advantage of the iPhone's ability to self rotate screens - it's a great feature. There are a lot of people who ask why makers don't offer a portrait mode unit as the standard - giving you a better view of what's ahead. Sound argument, but it lumps you into a smallish keypad when typing in a destination. If you look above, you'll see the two versions for yourself. The limiting factor is not so much the map, but the size of the text at the bottom. For the Landscape, the text is plenty large, but with the added street name label (optional) you cut your view ahead dramatically. For the portrait view, the text starts getting small, and takes a bit more than the split second to realize what the numbers mean when you start out. After a few weeks, I was able to quickly and easily glance and know that I was going to arrive at a certain time of day.
Nav Screen Customizations - there are several settings that you can change to make the screen appear as you wish. The Day and Night colors can be changed, as in change the color schemes that show up when you manually switch over from day to night colors. Like all GPS units I have ever seen, the unit can go from 2D North up, to 2D direction of travel or out on the main menu, you can elect to have a 3D view of the road. In the Map Settings, there are a couple of important ones to consider, and that revolves around the street name displays on the map. I like seeing what my current street is and then show Points of Interest (POI's) on the map. You can go into a menu to choose which POI's you want to show on the map - trust me you don't want them all. I like ATM's, gas stations and sometimes restaurants. Once you turn these icons on, they rise to the top of the list so it is easy to see what you have turned on. There are a total of 54 different types of POI icons that you can turn on, so you should be pretty satisfied. When you do, small generic icons show up on the map as you travel, offering a quick way to see if you can stop in while in route. The icons are not branded as in some GPS units.
Route Planning - There are several settings here that allow you to control how the TomTom App will route you. Interestingly you can 
shut off IQ routes - I leave them on thinking that if TomTom figured out a faster route for me I'll take it. You can set a default route preference, which I left as "Fastest" - but you can elect to have it: shortest, avoid highways, walking routes, bicycle routes, limited speed, or have it "always ask me". Nicely, you can also elect to set the TomTom App to either avoid, don't avoid or always ask about routing you over Toll Roads, Ferry Crossings, HOV lanes, and unpaved roads. All very helpful. I set these once, and then left it.
Mounting and Charging - I mounted the iPhone to the windshield with an Arkon phone mount that worked well for me. The mount only allows for the portrait view, but the TomTom App allows for landscape view also. I also have an iGo car charger for my iPhone, and used it extensively. While I want the iPhone to run for hours navigating me, and then be ready for a day of web browsing, I realized that wasn't going to happen. Much like any other GPS, the battery will last a couple of hours of navigating before the battery is spent. The issue is that with the iPhone you probably want to get out and use the iPhone when you arrive after a trip. So, just like a regular GPS, you should run with the iPhone charging while driving if you want to keep a decent charge for the rest of your day. You can decide if frequent charging is for you and if that kills the battery life overall. Endless debate potential there, and I am not going to weigh in. It worked well for me navigating a few times a week for trips lasting less than 1 hour.
A Caution on mounting - I have a rubber case on my iPhone that adds to the width and height, so mounts designed to tightly clip onto the bare iPhone won't work without taking off the case. The Arkon (Mount SM215 at Arkon) mount actually ratchets in from the side, accommodating phones of various widths. A quick release button works to pop open the foam-lined grips. I liked this type of mount. Be careful buying a mount that clips directly onto a bare phone if you use any kind of case.
Integration with the iPhone - One big benefit of the iPhone as a backbone system is the simple integration with your phone. Again, the benefit is subtle, but it is powerful. The TomTom App is able to navigate to addresses in your contact list and call Points of Interest. TomTom has not integrated the application with the iPhone's incoming call capability - no idea if this is possible, but you pop out of the application to answer the phone, and there is no navigation while talking. Big upside if you aren't so much of a talker, big downside if you talk the whole car ride. When using the TomTom App, the iPhone is locked to stay on and backlit - a plus when navigating; you really don't want the unit going to sleep while you are driving down the road. This worked well most of the time, but on occasion, it did go to sleep on me. It usually happened when I hadn't shut the phone down in several days. A quick re-boot solved the issue.
Review Summary
The TomTom iPhone App is a solid first step platform onto which TomTom can build a world-class navigation product. The application offers a lot of capabilities that are damn convenient to have right in your iPhone. The trusted TomTom performance and ease of use is in there, as is the familiar layout. It is a simple navigation product that is a great addition to anyone with an iPhone who wants navigation. I have been skeptical for a long time about navigation on mobile phones, but navigation on the sharp iPhone screen is good enough to make me realize that navigating on a phone is comfortable and feasible. I do want to see further enhancements for the product, including Text to Speech, lane guidance and live traffic feeds, but I anticipate that this is right around the corner, and can successfully be build on top of the existing platform.
Available at iTunes - TomTom iPhone App (itunes link)
More info at TomTom's Website
]]>Enhanced GPS Technology:
New Navigate to Contact Engine:
What a lot of people that I talk to are hoping for is the upgrade that includes:
I expect these features to be offered sooner than later.
At iTunes - TomTom App ver 1.1 (iTunes Link)
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TomTom has a pair of new units that appear ready to take the stage as price fighters with US maps, and for the TomTom XL 325S version, added text to speech -it says road names. Last year, TomTom announced a special model; the TomTom ONE 125, a standard screen (3.5-inch) unit that had only US maps, and was the blow out model of Black Friday. It was the re-stage of the TomTom 130 (North American Maps) that would allow TomTom to price at blow out prices, without messing with their overall pricing strategy.
The TomTom XL 325 and XL 325S are a pair of wide screened units (4.3-inch) with US maps, MapShare, millions of Points of Interest, EasyPort mounting, easy and quick re-touring if you miss your turn, and for the "S" version Text to Speech. The units come with the "Latest Map Guarantee" which means that if they upgrade maps within 30-days of you getting your GPS, they will give you a free upgrade.
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The Magellan Roadmate 1220 is an entry level GPS from Magellan that offers some nice features, often at a pretty good price. The standard screen unit (3.5-inch) offers a quick one-touch menu shortcut that can get you to key functions without tap after tap, text to speech capability - it says street names, think ahead city searching that helps you to more quickly tap out the names of cities, multi-stop routing (you order the destinations yourself), Maps of the US and Puerto Rico, branded icons, auto re-routing, and an automatic change from daytime to nighttime colors on the screen.
At Amazon - Magellan RoadMate 1220
The unit brings IQ Routes, TomTom's data based routing engine that delivers more accurate routing based on actual drive times collected from users, and Lane Guidance a graphical representation of highway interchanges that makes figuring out where to go and what lane to be in a lot easier.
The TomTom XL 335S will be listed at $239, and includes maps of US and Canada.
]]> TomTom, today announces a new addition to the world's best-selling portable navigation device portfolio, the TomTom XL 335S. The new model incorporates a design that features a 4.3 inch touchscreen, text to speech, TomTom's innovative IQ Routes™ Technology and Advanced Lane Guidance. The XL 335S has a suggested retail price of $239.95."The XL 335S offers first-class navigation at a competitive price point," said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. "It allows drivers to take those routes that only well-informed locals know, reducing the stress of not knowing where to go and when you will arrive. In addition, our Advanced Lane Guidance feature gives drivers the information they need to drive more safely and more confidently when traveling through complex road junctions."
Optimal Routing
The TomTom XL makes smart use of the driving experiences of millions of TomTom users worldwide. It taps into over 800 billion speed measurements on the map to plan the fastest route (IQ Routes™ technology) and allows users to make their own map changes and benefit from thousands of free map corrections made by TomTom users every day (Map Share™).
Advanced Lane Guidance
The TomTom XL 335S also incorporates TomTom's Advanced Lane Guidance feature when navigating in the US. Advanced Lane Guidance provides users with realistic representations of complex highway junctions and lane-specific visual directions that take the stress out of navigating these otherwise challenging areas.
Additional Features
In addition to the above mentioned features, the new TomTom XL 335S device comes with:
Availability and pricing
The new TomTom XL 335S will be sold at retailers in the US and Canada for $239.95.
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TomTom thought about the entire customer experience when they designed their iPhone mount, not just looking for something that held the iPhone, opting instead to add a supplemental GPS receiver, a speaker, an AUX out so you can play your iPhone through your stereo, and a charging capable interface so that your iPhone arrives with enough charge to use it for a phone when you get to where you are going.
The question I have is, do you need it? It went on sale today in Europe, and it's retail price is 99 GBP or about $150 which is a lot of money in addition to the $99 application. I have been using the iPhone App, and overall I will say that it is quite good; a full review is coming shortly, but I have been pretty happy with a regular cradle and a iPhone car charger
The volume is sufficient, the GPS fix has been good, but I haven't pushed it in tough situations like an urban canyon, and I don't have an AUX in on my stereo so I can't play the iPhone through the stereo anyway. Look for my review soon, and I am sure the TomTom iPhone cradle is hitting the US soon too.
Those of you who have an iPhone navigation App, in particular the TomTom App, what do you think? Do you need the TomTom cradle?
The GPS Trainer helps keep track of your training runs with a ton of data that can then be downloaded and analyzed on Garmin software.
At Amazon - Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor
The Nuvifone just released and is a review column was just put up by David Pogue from the NYTimes. In his column, he takes a look at the Nuvifone, it's navigation capabilities and its phone capabilities. Overall, he sounds thrilled with the well designed, high quality navigation functionality, with slick integrations that allow for navigation from a contact list, from an address found on the web and more. He calls it a "Fantastic" navigator. The Pogue love-fest ends there though, as he picks his way through the concerns he has about the phone side, and its rough hewn features.
ReadMore at NYT
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The TomTom 340 XL widescreen GPS is available today on Woot for $109+$5 shipping. Pretty amazing price for this high quality unit. Maps of North America, spoken turn by turn directions (not text to speech), widescreen, automatic route recalculations, easy programing of destination, advanced lane guidance and IQ Routes.
Thanks Jay for sending this in.
At Woot
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Key Features:
Best routing and maps
Usability and personalization
Other country maps are also available, including: Colombia, Belgium/Netherlands/Luxembourg, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Poland/Czech Republic/Slovakia, Hungary/Austria/Croatia and Hong Kong/Macau. Map providers and prices vary by region
Canada is available for $45 - an intro price good for a limited time.
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The simplified menu displays a two button user interface, 'Plan route' and 'Browse map', which is eerily similar to Garmin's interface.
While the unit is entry level, it is not totally stripped down as it comes with IQ Routes, TomTom's data based decision engine on estimating accurate travel times during different times of the day based on other user's own travel experiences that they collected over the years. The TomTom Start also comes with MapShare capabilities too; see a problem on the map, fix it and share it back for TomTom to change.
The unit will be available in Europe for about $149 list prices with changeable covers for about $20 too. The covers come in a full range of colors. No word on US availability.
The TomTom Start is specifically designed for occasional drivers and drivers who haven't had a chance to experience the benefits of car navigation.
The simplified menu displays a two button user interface, 'Plan route' and 'Browse map'. The device is lightweight, has a compact 3.5" screen and has a semi-fixed EasyPort™ mount, making the whole navigation package fit into a pocket, small bag or glove compartment.
"With the introduction of TomTom Start, we have taken another step in democratising navigation by making it easy to use, accessible and affordable, but without compromising on providing drivers with the fastest route," says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director TomTom. "Available in six stylish colours, the TomTom Start is equipped with the unique innovative solutions IQ Routes™ and Map Share™ technology."
IQ Routes technology provides users with the fastest route any time of day with accurate travel times. TomTom has a database of over 800 billion speed profiles worldwide, which are included in the device's map so that users get smart route planning wherever they are. The device also comes with Map Share, TomTom's unique technology that allows users to make their own map changes, and benefit from thousands of free map corrections made by TomTom users every day - free of charge.
The simplified menu gives users easy access to the safety camera database and thousands of Points of Interest pre-installed into the device.
For further personalisation, users can go to TomTom HOME desktop software to download a wealth of content, including start-up screens and a range of fun voices.
Availability and pricing
The TomTom Start standard edition is available in black and white (EU map only), from retail stores at for Є129 for a regional map and Є149 for a European map.
TomTom Start will become available in the UK and Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.
Changeable covers (StartSkins) are available via www.tomtom.com/startskins and retailers for only €14.95 per colour.
Notes for editors
TomTom Start standard key features include:
Easy to use
* Plug & Go - no installation needed; plug in and tap the touch screen.
* Simplified menu - two simple buttons 'Plan route' and 'Browse map'.
* Lightweight (128g) device with a 3.5" screen and Semi-fixed EasyPort™ mount folds neatly onto the back of the device, making the whole navigation package fit into pockets, small bags and glove compartment.
* Loud and clear voice instructions.
Best routing and maps
* IQ Routes technology - calculates the fastest route any time of day.
* Map Share technology - benefit from thousands of free map corrections made by TomTom users every day.
* Latest map guarantee.
Enhance safety
* Realistic visual instructions - replicated road signs, making them easier to follow.
* High quality speaker - get voice instructions at adjustable volume.
* Help menu - provides direct access to emergency numbers and directions to the nearest emergency providers.
Accessories - optional upgrades
* Changeable covers (StartSkins), including matching protective bags. StartSkins available in store: Flaming red, Ice blue, Electric green Deep purple. Sunburst yellow and Flaming orange are also available from www.tomtom.com. Priced at 14.95 euro per colour.
* Carry case, 19.95 euro
* USB home charger.
* USB car charger.
Via Foolish Gadgets
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Below you will see a pretty good Unboxing Video from Techno Buffalo, that was posted a few days ago, and it walks you through the unboxing process, product and features of the unit. Nice.
Navigon has already teamed up with Kensignton to create an iPhone mount that amplifies the sound coming out of the unit, without draining the iPhone battery. Teh acoustic amplification would be a welcome addition to anyone using a navigation application; it would be priced at $39.
Via TWICE
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Thought I would pass this along - Do it Yourself street level cameras for taking those images just like Google did for their street views. The rig has eight webcams, a route and a GPS all tied into his laptop. Apparently the pictures snapped are pretty good even at 60 MPH. I assume that's in plenty of light. So just in case you wanted to set up your own competitor to Google Maps and drive most major cities, you're all set. Personally, it seems like a great project to just see if you can do it.
Via Crunch Gear
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Garmin announced that their G60 Nuvifone will be available on October 4 in AT&T stores. The price will be $299 after a $100 rebate. The new phone will come equipped like a high end GPS, with a very full featureset, allowing you to get turn by turn directions from preloaded maps, while searching millions of Points of Interest. The Nuvifone will come with a 30-day trial to Nuvifone Premium Connected Services which includes traffic updates, white pages, weather, movie, local events and fuel price content are available after the trial for $5.99/month.
One beautiful feature that seems enabled only due to the total integration of the GPS is the Location Link feature - "Garmin's location link, which parses addresses on the web with latitude and longitude information, allows customers to easily navigate to addresses they discover on the web by simply touching the address."
Full Press Release Follows....
]]> DALLAS and OLATHE, September 29, 2009 -- AT&T* and Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) today announced the Garmin nüvifone G60 will be available beginning October 4 only for AT&T customers in the U.S. in AT&T stores and online at www.wireless.att.com.The nüvifone G60 provides one of the easiest-to-use location experiences available because it is the only phone to fully integrate the world's best selling GPS navigator with voice, data and mobile web.
"Personal navigation devices are already all about mobility and taking the Garmin experience everywhere as your mobile phone is truly compelling for customers who travel often," said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "We expect the nüvifone to be the guide for local restaurants, the least-expensive gas and the nearest coffee shop for many customers."
"The nüvifone weaves location into nearly every facet of its functionality making it ideal for people who depend on location to navigate everyday life," said Cliff Pemble, Garmin's president and COO. "The nüvifone has Garmin's easy-to-use interface, so navigating to a meeting directly from its calendar or contacts pages, or geotagging an email or photograph with a location stamp, is intuitive, useful and fun."
Navigate with turn-by-turn guidance
The nüvifone G60 has the same core features as a high-end Garmin nüvi® and comes preloaded with maps and millions of points of interest (POI) for North America. Customers who purchase a nüvifone will have everything that they need to use the device as an in-car navigation unit including a dashboard and windshield mount. The device can easily be mounted in the car or detached for portable navigational use.
Because the maps reside on the nüvifone customers always have access to navigation and they can receive turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions that speak street names to millions of destinations. If a turn is missed along the route, the nüvifone will automatically recalculate a route and get the user back on track. The nüvifone is able to provide reliable location information in the most challenging conditions because it has a real GPS receiver with Garmin's HotFix™ technology and assisted GPS.
The nüvifone also has a "Where am I?" feature so users will know their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, nearest address, intersection, hospital, police station and gas station with one touch of the screen. Another great feature of nüvifone is for users who cannot find their car in an unfamiliar spot or crowded parking lot, nüvifone will automatically mark the position in which it was last removed from the windshield mount.
Surf the web
Nüvifone customers are just one click away from a full HTML browser that can be accessed via the nation's fastest 3G network, or AT&T's more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots. Garmin's location link, which parses addresses on the web with latitude and longitude information, allows customers to easily navigate to addresses they discover on the web by simply touching the address. The touch-screen virtual keyboard which includes predictive text, is customizable to QWERTY or A to Z to allow customers to easily type in web addresses or send and receive text messages.
Capture quality photos
The nüvifone G60 also includes a three megapixel camera with auto-focus. The camera automatically geotags images with an exact latitude and longitude reference of where the image was taken. Customers may then save the image so they can navigate back to the location, or email the geo-tagged image to others.
Stay connected
In addition to millions of preloaded POIs, customers can supplement the data with additional free and subscription content. The nüvifone includes free access to AT&T's Yellow Pages, flight status and converter. Premium Connected Services gives customers subscription access to real-time traffic information, fuel prices, White Pages, weather and more.
Price and Availability
The nüvifone G60 will be available in AT&T stores or at www.wireless.att.com on October 4 for $299 with a two year service agreement after $100 mail-in-rebate. Nüvifone Premium Connected Services which includes traffic updates, white pages, weather, movie, local events and fuel price content are available for $5.99/month after a 30-day trial.
TomTom has announced a new mid-range connected GPS - the TomTom XL 340S LIVE. This thing may sound like a mid-range, but the unit is packed with connected and regular features to keep most users well outfitted.
LIVE features include - high quality traffic updates, gas prices, weather, and google search capabilities. Its connectivity is being provided by AT&T; something that TomTom mentions in the Press Release and something that must play into the strategy somehow. Not sure if it distances itself from the existing models, or tries to position itself versus the Nuvifone that is working with AT&T. Interesting nonetheless.
The TomTom XL 340S LIVE also comes with IQ Routes for better trip duration accuracy, maps of North America, speaks road names, and advanced lane guidance.
The unit is list priced at $299, which is what the TomTom GO 740 LIVE is going for right now at Amazon. I am sure that once the TomTom XL 340S LIVE hits the street its price will come in line under its big brother. The GO 740 adds Bluetooth hands free among other features.
Full Press Release After the Jump......
]]>TomTom, the world's leading provider of navigation solutions and digital maps, today announces the newest addition to its GPS product line, the TomTom XL 340S LIVE. Following the success of TomTom's LIVE Services on the premium TomTom GO range, TomTom brings LIVE Services to mid-range navigation devices with TomTom XL 340S LIVE. The connected portable navigation device provides the industry's best routing and helps drivers take control of their daily drive via automatic delivery of helpful features including: Local Search powered by Google, real-time traffic information, TomTom Fuel Price Service, TomTom Weather and QuickGPSfix™.
"With the new TomTom XL 340S LIVE, we are bringing unrivaled quality and truly connected navigation to the mass market," said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. "Now backed by the strength of AT&T's network, we're giving drivers the very best foundation on which to enjoy a range of useful, real time services."
Local Search powered by Google
The TomTom XL 340S LIVE features Local Search powered by Google. In addition to millions of Points of Interest that are pre-loaded on the TomTom XL 340S LIVE, customers can also access countless shops and businesses via TomTom's LIVE Services from wherever they are and navigate directly there.
Optimal Routing
The TomTom XL 340S LIVE enables users to always drive the smartest and most efficient routes, whenever or wherever they go. The TomTom XL 340S LIVE includes TomTom's exclusive IQ Routes™ technology. It calculates routes based on historical speed measurements for every time of day and for every road segment, from large highways to small local roads. In up to 35% of all cases, drivers get a faster route, saving significant travel time, money and fuel.
Wireless Real-Time Traffic Feeds
In addition to TomTom's embedded IQ Routes technology, the XL 340S LIVE automatically and wirelessly receives real-time traffic speed and incident reports every two to five minutes. Traffic delays can be heard audibly and are displayed on the screen. The driver can either choose to remain on their current route based on the new estimated time of arrival, or can take advantage of a faster, alternative route suggested by the device based on its knowledge of current and historic traffic conditions.
TomTom LIVE Services - The TomTom XL 340S LIVE also comes with a range of other relevant services delivered directly 'over-the-air.' All LIVE Services work right out of the box via a built-in wireless modem. Three months of service is included in the box.
TomTom Fuel Price Service - Get the latest fuel prices on the go or in your area. Locate the lowest priced fuel and navigate directly to it.
TomTom Weather - Receive local and five-day forecast so you can make plans based on the latest weather and road conditions.
TomTom QuickGPSfix™ - Locate satellites automatically and begin your trip even faster.
In addition to the above mentioned features, the new TomTom XL 340S LIVE comes with:
* Full maps of the US, Canada & Mexico
* Seven million points of interest, so users have access to information and location details of more restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc. than ever before
* Advanced Lane Guidance for realistic representations of complex highway junctions and lane-specific visual directions that take the stress out of navigating these otherwise challenging areas
Availability and Pricing
The new TomTom XL 340S LIVE will be available in retailers across the United States. The new TomTom XL 340S is priced at $299.95, which includes three months of LIVE Services.
I particularly like the waypoint averaging, where you are able to let the Colorado sit at a location (i.e. a Geocache that you are placing, or a particular trail waypoint), and let the Colorado average readings over time to get a more accurate assessment of the true location. With the advancement in the sensitivity of chipsets, some argue that this isn't needed, but I will take the capability and the added accuracy anytime, especially in dense tree cover or other challenging locations.
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