new iPhone App released: adds TTS, lane guidance, reality view, and ipod control

[mvl]

So far, Tomtom has kept the same numbering convention on all its maps.

Here's a change in map 835:

In providence rhode island, when going from 95 south to 195 east, the exit used to be on the left going across the bridge east of ship street. That exit was demolished in December 08 and the ramp was moved to a right lane exit across a new bridge where Globe Street is/was.

Map 835 has the new exit, map 830 doesn't. Anyone want to check their old/new Tomtom map?

 

[mvl]

Thanks Mike, a point I hadn't considered. Since the original iPhone map was designated 8.15, some of us assumed it was 1st qtr this year and based on their normal naming convention. And since no 8.25 was offered for the iPhone, it makes sense that they're following the same map designations whether pnd or mobile. But you're correct, it's possible they decided to name them differently.

From reading Mikes notes, my understanding was:

iPhone app 1.0, navcore 8.150, map 830
iPhone app 1.1, navcore 8.150, map 830
iPhone app 1.2, navcore 8.150, map 835

 

[rnewland]

To adjust the volume levels set the iPOD player going then launch TomTom, with the Nav app showing the main Nav screen tap the bottom center of the display, to adjust the music volume tap the music symbol on the right and slide the volume control to the required level. To set the Nav instruction volume tap the lips sign on the left and while the device is actually issuing a Nav instruction adjust the slider to the required level.
Once these levels have been set the device will auto switch between the two levels as required, in use it's quite effective although personally I would prefer the music to go to a lower volume rather than pause the iPOD play back - Mike
Edit to add, for the software to read out road names make sure you have a computer voice selected otherwise you will only get basic spoken instructions, adjacent to each voice name that supports the text to speech is a mention of computer voice - Mike

Mike, when the iPhone is connected to the car kit, I am unable to make any volume adjustments. All I get out of the headphone jack is a fixed signal. So, if I am listening to music loud and navigating, I hear the tomtom voice at the same level as my music. There needs to be a way to allow for variable volume adjustment within the app, even if the phone is docked.

 

[mikealder]

When you tap the bottom center of the screen do you see the volume control appear? and if so does it look like this:



If thats not appearing when you tap the bottom center does the little white info symbol lower right go from dim to bright with each press of the bottom center of the screen? I appreciate the above screen grab doesn't show the little white "Info" sign but it will be present IF the volume control/ iPOD track control doesn't appear - If so try a reset network settings on the phone, don't ask me why but I have seen this before and reset seemed to cure it - Mike

 

[mvl]

I just noticed from some posts that the iPhone app uses vocalizer voices (eg: Samantha in the US).

My guess is that the TTS delay was because the iPhone didn't have the horsepower to be a phone, run IQroutes, and run the high-end Loquendo (Susan) voices at the same time.

 

[FastLaneJB]

Hi there,

New to this forum but not to TomTom. Anyway yesterday I brought the TomTom car kit and today I brought the TomTom app (I've also got Navigon).

When using the iPhone in Navigon or TomTom and not with the TomTom car kit you can control the volume, when it's sat in the car kit the volume slider is no longer available and it tells you to adjust the volume on the mount. As mentioned above the catch is you cannot adjust the volume of the music and spoken instructions seperately.

Also when in Navigon and it's connected to the TomTom dock the volume control slider vanishes so I'm guessing their is a by Apple design thing rather than something Navigon and TomTom are doing but I could be wrong.

As mentioned about the power of the iPhone. Certainly as far as I know the iPhone 3GS has a huge amount of processing power as it's running at 600Mhz and with the latest ARM v7 core which is much more efficent than the ARM v6 core. Even the 3G has a 400Mhz ARM v6 core which should be roughly the same at a guess as what most of the TomTom PND's are / were using.

So other than limits Apple puts on the device in terms of day phone calls, etc. I don't believe there isn't anything that is done on a PND that cannot be done on the iPhone if they wish to bring it across. It's got the power and enough RAM along with the ability of an app to go up to 2GB in size. It's got data which is normally for most people unlimited or at least a huge amount so things like traffic data over the Internet as well as reporting back how fast your going or not can all be done. Navigon have added a traffic feature not unlike HD Traffic to their app only not yet available in the UK.

The way I see it is the mount is not cheap but the selection of applications on the iPhone for navigation is huge. I'll also keep my iPhone up to date hardware wise regardless so just need to keep the Sat Nav software up to date. Where as with the PND's they normally make you buy newer hardware to get some newer features even if it doesn't need newer hardware to make it work. I don't believe this will be an issue that affects the iPhone software, it just depends if TomTom wish to bring all their features across or not.

EDIT: On second thought even though the iPhone 3G has 128MB of RAM not so much is free for applications to use so this might be the issue. The 3GS has 256MB of RAM so doesn't have this issue however they need to make sure the app works on the 3G as well so the 3GS's advantage in RAM will be ignored.

 

[mikealder]

I have deleted the Bluetooth pair to the car kit and just use it for GPS, if I employ the iPhone built in speaker I get two different volume levels, if I select either my TT Car Kit via Bluetooth or the iO-Play system for audio via Bluetooth to the car speakers the levels are pre set and none adjustable which looks the same as you have found.

Not too happy with this as its not how I think it should be working so this will be fed back to TT via e-mail, sorry fort any confusion in earlier posts I have made but I honestly thought you could set two different volume levels when using either the BT output or the built in speaker - real shame its worked out that you cannot - Mike