[Sebastianmonty]

I think that last screenie looks almost like it's half upside down or something.

[Jay]

I ve got this above combination. The Liquid Aux has a steering wheel remote, for ipod controls of iPhone, I take calls through Blue ant. So once connected to the dash mount, I am set and done. The iPhone's GPS reception isnt too bad at all. The music + (annoyingly) the tomtom voice instructions play through my car's music system.

There are a few issues though.
1. If you start the ipod with the remote while the Tomtom app is working, the phone goes into the screen saver mode, however, if the tomtom is turned on while playing the music the screen saver doesnt blank the screen.

2. As the sound comes out pre-volume control, the sound of the tomtom app cant be set independant of the levels for music.

Since I already had the Liquid Aux and the Blue ant which I got it on a good deal, I dont think I need to care about the TomTom cradle.

Has any one else use this combination?

[rocketxr]

TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

TomTom's probably still dizzy from the hit that Google laid on it just a few days ago, but it has somehow managed to get its bearings long enough to announce that a slew of gratis updates are incoming for its highly-hyped iPhone navigation app. Following in Navigon's footsteps, the outfit has today stated that a free update has been submitted to Apple for approval, and when (er, if) it clears Cupertino's ambiguous review process, it'll deliver advanced lane guidance, text-to-speech, "Help Me," updated map / safety cameras (in select European nations) databases, customizable audio warnings and iPod player control. Not a bad list of additions for the grand total of $0.00, but we wouldn't expect anything less given the lofty admission price.

TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

[kyte]

Originally Posted by rocketxr

TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

<snip>

TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

its getting there, I guess. I was hoping it would bring audible warnings for speeding, cameras and schools but that was too much to hope for.

Improved lane guidance would be a boon: at the moment it doesn't really do a really good job, merely adequate.

[eaglesteve2]

The report says that TT is improving the safety camera database only in selected Europe Nations. I hope it also fixes the safety camera database camera in Australia because too many of the cameras are missing at the moment for it to be useable. Also, hope to see school zone warning. If these are not fixed, then I'll still stick with Sygic regardless of whether there is audio overspeeding warning.

Hope a TomTom representative reads this forum.

[dreambuds]

great review, It help me decide. I think I'll go with TomTom. thanks

[eaglesteve2]

Originally Posted by dreambuds

great review, It help me decide. I think I'll go with TomTom. thanks

According to a representative of TomTom, the Australian safety camera database will be improved.

If the update really lives up to its promises, then TomTom is no doubt the best choice for the Australin Market. I'll wait for the "trial copy" and make sure it does what it says first before re-purchasing it though.

[Sebastianmonty]

I have read some reviews and I think that TomTom is shocking. They have so much experience and pissed it away.

Anyway I have to ask some questions about Sygic as I may take back my Navman and get a refund as it doesn't do what I want for $444.

Basically I want to see the speed limit of the road always and my current speed. I also want to see speed and red light cameras pop up. When they have popped up I want to see my speed again and not have to push a button to have to see it. I have to do that with the Navman.

With the Navman it's a big investment and the problem is the hardware isn't super fast for 3 years of use(they currently come with 3 years worth of map upgrades).

So the gps is quite quick at routing and what not but occassionally will bug or slow down and become un-responsive. In 3 years when every mobile device has a 2Ghz chip and this is sitting with it's 400Mhz or whatever I will regret the investment.

Also updates are not clear as to how to get them and you need windows software to even start there. At the moment I am having not luck getting my Virtualbox up and running for some crazy reason so I am thinking of just getting the iPhone app.

Failing all of these things I will just get a cheap Tomtom Start for $187 from DSE and use that.

Kyte if you could answer those questions that would be great. Also I assume you have been down the F3 and then the Pac Highway to the CBD with the Sygic. If so does it know the speeds of the 2 cameras on The pac highway as 60km/h? Does it even have the speed camera near Wahroonga(Outside of Knox's Grammar school) on the map? My new Navman doesn't.

[Darwiniandude]

Another vote for Sygic here. I don't know how common this is with GPS units, but I love the Itinerary function, with or without 'optimise' function. EG I can create an Itinerary and add heaps of places in that I have to go to. I can then tell it to optimise these places and so provide the most efficient (shortest) route of going to all of them. Can you can have multiple itineraries saved. Handy in unfamiliar cities if you have a number of places to go to.

[kyte]

Originally Posted by Sebastianmonty

Basically I want to see the speed limit of the road always and my current speed. I also want to see speed and red light cameras pop up. When they have popped up I want to see my speed again and not have to push a button to have to see it.

<snip>

Kyte if you could answer those questions that would be great. Also I assume you have been down the F3 and then the Pac Highway to the CBD with the Sygic. If so does it know the speeds of the 2 cameras on The pac highway as 60km/h? Does it even have the speed camera near Wahroonga(Outside of Knox's Grammar school) on the map? My new Navman doesn't.

I've not been into the CBD with the sygic app (I avoid the CBD as much as I can)... I've only been as far as Berowra and at least that far there were no issues.

If you look at the sygic screenies, you can see that the speed is there in a circle fulltime. Your own speed is on your speedo, but if you'd rather look at a small font on an iphone screen, you can do that (but you'd need to take your eyes off the road for longer than is safe, so don't bother... thats what the audible warnings are for, to stop you overspeeding). You can set the speed you want to be warned at... ie 5k, 10k over (or under) etc.

If the Pacific highway where you are concerned about the camera speed is normally a different speed to 60km, then no... sygic only knows speed cameras at their normal speed. There is a variable speed cam at Gateshead, a suburb of newcastle, it drops to 40 in school zone times. Sygic only warns of a 60 so you have to be on the ball. No big deal, IMO. You won't get variable speed cameras on any dedicated devices as standard either, its like asking the device to know that school zone restrictions are in place only on weekdays and during term time. There's no way thats possible, because its different in every state, and from public to private schools. Too much to ask. Not going to happen.

No device or application is going to be perfect. The only thing I have learned is that any device/app using Navteq maps is behind the 8-ball in Australia (perfectly fine in many other countries) so at least for iphone apps at the moment, its between sygic and tomtom. If you don't like tomtom then sygic is the go. If you have a 3GS phone, don't think twice, just do it.

[kyte]

Originally Posted by Darwiniandude

Another vote for Sygic here. I don't know how common this is with GPS units, but I love the Itinerary function, with or without 'optimise' function. EG I can create an Itinerary and add heaps of places in that I have to go to. I can then tell it to optimise these places and so provide the most efficient (shortest) route of going to all of them. Can you can have multiple itineraries saved. Handy in unfamiliar cities if you have a number of places to go to.

Also handy for me as a community nurse doing multiple home visits in a day. Once I've done it a couple of times I don't use the app anymore but its handy to get it worked out.

[Sebastianmonty]

I don't expect Sygic to know to drop to 40km in school zones. My questions were essentially if they are up-to-date with a speed camera which has been there for over 6 month(in place in March).
My 2009 just released Navman doesn't have it. The Tom tom I used prior said another one was 70 speed limit and not 60. I am just asking as I know the speed cam is there. On other roads I want accuracy too.

I will most likely get the Sygic app and give it a shot. Thanks.

[kyte]

Originally Posted by Sebastianmonty

I don't expect Sygic to know to drop to 40km in school zones. My questions were essentially if they are up-to-date with a speed camera which has been there for over 6 month(in place in March).
My 2009 just released Navman doesn't have it. The Tom tom I used prior said another one was 70 speed limit and not 60. I am just asking as I know the speed cam is there. On other roads I want accuracy too.

I will most likely get the Sygic app and give it a shot. Thanks.

Oh, ok, I didn't quite get that.

No, the cam database isn't completely up to date, but none of them will ever be, because there's no way of receiving live updates (there could be if they wanted, it just hasn't been done). I think the tomtom dedicated devices are probably the most accurate as they have an update nearly every time you log in to tomtom home. Unfortunately the camera db from the dedicated device does not always translate directly to the app, and the tomtom app is way behind in everything.

In my area, Sygic has all speed cams available. I have heard that there are some missing around Sydney, but I don't know where those are.

Good luck, I think you'll be happy enough with it.

[Sebastianmonty]

I just bought it and have given it a quick go. It's quite good. Not as fast as the dedicated Navman but I didn't expect that.

[kyte]

Originally Posted by Sebastianmonty

I just bought it and have given it a quick go. It's quite good. Not as fast as the dedicated Navman but I didn't expect that.

I like it... but I am tempted to buy the tomtom again... its features are almost up with Sygic except for the road speed display which is in a tiny font in the info bar.

As far as it being fast... unless you're an Ambo, I cannot imagine when speed becomes mission critical. It will get you where you want to go. Occasionally it will take you via an unexpected route, and why that is, is a mystery... but overall, you'll reach your destination and thats why we get these things.

[polo]

if we are talking gps RunKeeper is a great app for runners

[eaglesteve2]

I'm very very disappointed with Sygic's latest update. No more golf courses, no airport, four or five sets of duplicating safety camera simply dumped into Sygic without trying to consolidate them...

I had put up with its terrible UI for a long time because everything else was the best. But the latest update has destroyed even my strong liking of it. I thought of simply using an older cracked version, but don't like the idea now. After all, I've paid for it.

I'm now going to go to another imperfect, but less imperfect GPS, which is TomTom. Why still imperfect? It does not warn me when I approach school zone, and the safety camera database is still thin in coverage. However, at least I could find out how to get to major POIs, and enjoy the excellent user interface.

[Darwiniandude]

I don't know if this will help you, but it's worth a try: delete and re install Sygic. From personal experience, upgrades on both my girlfriends and my own iPhones with Sygic have not always gone smoothly. Once hers had no Speed camera options at all, despite being the same version number. I don't know why. A removal and re-load fixed it. This means you loose your favourites, and settings, but has encouraged me to use the iPhone's contacts app rather than Sygic's favourites anyway.

[toholio]

For people still shopping, Choice magazine have reviewed three of the big players.

iPhone GPS applications review and compare with Choice.com.au

It's paid content but it probably will be or is in a current paper issue.

[kyte]

Its also grossly outdated, they've made some comment about it in the small print but overall, I'm not that impressed. Unsurprisingly, I reckon my reviews are better I'm a Choice member so was able to have a great deal to say on the matter Unsurprisingly also, Tomtom came out on top, even at version 1. Woeful.