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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/7575
very long to get to know the software well
enough to set up my first route. As a
whole, the interface was well designed; a
touch on the map gives you access to all
the menu settings, but the list of
navigation menu options is fairly long and
I found myself wishing I could customize
the order of the list.
Without the Car Kit, driving with the
iPhone was a bit cumbersome. I had the
device resting in a dashboard cup holder,
a setup that limited the GPS reception and
was probably a challenge for the iPhone's
compass. The iPhone's built-in speaker did
a reasonable job of reproducing the verbal
instructions, which, in the initial release
version of the software, didn't include
street names. It still did an admirable job
of getting me where I needed to go. I
threw it a few curves by departing from
my planned route and it hung in there
with me, first steadfastly trying to
directing me back to the course it initially
planned. It then had the flexibility revise
its directions when it found a better way
home from where I actually was. But the
phone was working incredibly hard. My
battery level dropped by several pixels
after just under 30 minutes of driving. It
also proved that a Subaru cup holder is
not an ideal mount for an iPhone.
A Noticeable Improvement
Coincidentally, my Car Kit and version 1.2
of the application arrived on the same
day. They both provided many welcome
improvements. TomTom 1.2 added the
missing text-to-voice feature, allowing the
app read street names aloud, providing
added confidence that both TomTom and
I were on the same page. It also
introduced Advanced Lane Guidance for
multilane highway driving that includes
verbal instructions when to be in a driving
or exit lane as well as some added visual
cues at the base of the screen. A new
Help menu holds a list of emergency
services for quick access to directions as
well as phone numbers.
The real game-changer was the Car Kit.
With it, you can easily attach your phone
to the windshield or with a plate that
provides a suction cup-friendly attach
point on your dashboard. The mount also
includes a Dock connector that gets
power to the phone (Car Kit to iPhone
communication is handled via Bluetooth),
a mini-USB jack for the included cigarette
lighter charger, a stereo mini-plug to
connect to your car stereo (this only works
for iTunes and not driving directions or
phone calls) and an integrated 3-inch
speaker/microphone for navigation
instructions and hands-free calling. The
speaker/mic also works with the iPhone's
Voice Command feature for dialing and
iTunes control (and whatever else Apple
may have planned in the future). The Car
Kit has its own more sensitive and better-
positioned GPS receiver as well as a
volume control.
The built-in speaker provided sound that
was crisp and clear. The microphone
function worked well enough for Voice
Control, but got mixed reviews with phone
calls. However, in a quiet car on a smooth
road, the results should be more than
acceptable. The external GPS receiver with
a wider view of the heavens provided a
significant improvement in navigation
responsiveness and accuracy. TomTom has
also placed a free app in the App Store to
monitor the status of the Car Kit.
The bottom line is this: Even though you're
paying the price of a decent, low-end,
standalone GPS, you're getting a pretty darn
good navigation system. We can be certain
that TomTom will keep the maps up to date
and it will be interesting to see how the
software matures in future versions. The Car
Kit is well-built (I would expect nothing less
from TomTom), but the price does seem a
bit high. Overall, however, it's a very good
value. There are numerous advantages to
having your car GPS integrated into a device
as smart and talented as an iPhone. And
when you get to your destination, it can do
a whole lot more than just wait around to
take you home.
Product TomTom iPhone App for U.S.
and Canada
Made by TomTom