New Tomtom Go App for Android released worldwide.

[dabotsonline]

Nice work, Uriel. To summarise:

Old thread:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18613711&page=3

Uriel's comments on the official TomTom forum:

https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/t...options-removed-975505/index1.html#post982960

https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/t...-more-countries-974987/index3.html#post982990

 

[Uriel]

I tread carefully on their official forum. Some of the mods aren't keen about mentioning competitors by name. Route 66 is an odd one as it licenses Tomtom's info and Tomtom used to promote it their own press releases before their own Android appswere released. Some mods seems happy with people mentioning them - others don't.

 

[mattyfez]

How often are their maps updated?

Can't speak for others but I reported an error to google maps, a no through Road which looked like a regular Road.

They emailed me about 2 weeks later to thank me and the map has been updated.

 

[Uriel]

Yeah. Mapping errors and changes I've reported to Google have generally gone live in a few weeks.

Tomtom varies in how long it takes for changes to be added to maps. Most changes I report make it into the next quarterly release but it's been 2 or 3 quarterly releases in some occasions.

I note that the new TT Go app does not yet have the mapshare feature of full Tomtom PNDs (or the current iOS app), which lets you submit corrections to Tomtom in device (or app).

 

[Smeghead]

It'd be nice if the apps which use the Open Street Map data were better designed. All of the ones I've tried are horrid.

 

[Terrier_Jimlad]

Installed it alongside the old App, paid my 50p for 3 yrs sub, gave it a whirl on the way to work, UI is a lot better than the old and much quicker, and it quite rightly highlighted the tailbacks on the opposite direction side of the bypass, was quite impressive.

I noticed when I marked on the route that I had seen a camera, on the way back it notified me of the camera spot, then when i drove passed, it asked me if it was still there. Would this info be pretty quickly available to other users of the app travelling on the same route? Would imagine that feature would be good for mobile camera vans

 

[Uriel]

Would this info be pretty quickly available to other users of the app travelling on the same route? Would imagine that feature would be good for mobile camera vans

Yes, it's shared with other users. It also gets fed into Tomtom's free speed cameras app and vice versa.

I'm just waiting for them to implement the road closure report sharing that they have on the full PNDs.

You can do that via the website though : http://www.tomtom.com/mapshare/tools/

Reports of road closures on A Roads upwards are automatically checked agains traffic probe data they have. If they detect that traffic isn't making it through a road block will show up in live traffic within a few minutes. The system isn't perfect. I normally report a temporary blockage at both the start and end to make sure it shows up.

The automated thing doesn't work for smaller roads but they eventually (typically a few days to a few weeks) get looked at buy a Tomtom employee and may be added to the Traffic service. These minor road closures reports usually need to be accompanied by a report from an offical source like a local authority website.

Edit:

I've checked a few more test routes through traffic incidents now. For nearby destinations Tomtom and Route 66 seem to plot the same route around traffic most of the time; however, the ETAs are not exactly the same. My guess is the two routing algorithms are not quite making the same assumptions but they are using essentially the same road speed information (live and historic averages). This will occasionally lead to differences in routing.

 

[Unicorn]

Uriel u seem to know ur stuff here, best free android satnav app

appstore or not avail on appstore doesn't bother me as ill sideload it

 

[Uriel]

Temporarily, the 30 day free trial for Route 66 Navigate.

Properly free I'd say Google Maps or Here

 

[Unicorn]

Thanks

 

[leaskovski]

Wait so Vodafone users are tracked without their permission, to provide traffic information?

*locks windows*

I'm pretty sure googlecsources traffic info from location services as well.

 

[Uriel]

Google has an off switch.

 

[413x]

Since my navigon stand alone broke AL I have used is Google nav
For a free product the traffic is spot on.

Can't see the need to pay.

Main annoyance is the lack of warning in regards to roundabout exit!

Best update.. British lady voice!

 

[Uriel]

Since my navigon stand alone broke AL I have used is Google nav
For a free product the traffic is spot on.

Can't see the need to pay.

Agree that Google traffic is very good indeed given that it's free.

The free 30 day trial of Route 66 Navigate (includes traffic and speed cameras) should be enough for anyone to decide for themselves whether it's worth paying for TT Traffic in some guise or other.

 

[dbmzk1]

Google has never failed me. Don't see why I should pay for anything when it works so well.

 

[Uriel]

Google has never failed me. Don't see why I should pay for anything when it works so well.

So Google has never guided you into a traffic jam of which it wasn't aware?

If so, it may be luck of the draw depending on where you are, to an extent.

There are two specific roads near my commuting route that are often busy but on which Google is technically incapable of detecting and reporting traffic.

If traffic builts up on the main route Google will divert me on to those roads.

Tomtom is capable of detecting traffic jams on these roads (or any road for that matter as long as there is some mobile phone coverage) and does so reliably. With Tomtom or Route 66 Navitate I am usually only diverted onto these roads if they are clear.

Road closures are another matter. Tomtom often misses closures on secondary A roads downwards but so does Google.

Edit: I keep checking Google's traffic road coverage. It does periodically improve and if Google one day provide a free service that matches Tomtom traffic I won't be renewing my subscription - simple as.

Edit: Although admittedly the following study is sponsored by Tomtom it does reflect my own experience: http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitst...sGuAAAA4gul9A==&bcsi_scan_filename=102984.pdf (although the Inrix app has had a significant improvement in road coverage since the study was written and now has coverage similar to Google)

(garmin SIM is essentially -RDS-TMC traffic delivered via data modem)

 

[George Hincapie]

If you look on Google Play there is a new app called "Tomtom GPS Navigation Traffic", released worldwide today. It's basically the same software that Tomtom use on their Tomtom Go series of satnavs. (Tomtom Go 5000, 6000, 400, 500, 600, 40, 50, 60).

It's been in Beta in Italy for the last few months.

The model is 'Freemium' so you get up to 50 miles navigation free a month. Anything over that you have to pay a subscription.

Users of the existing Tomtom android app can get a 3 year subscription to the new app for 50p, via an in app purchase within the old Tomtom app. This can be claimed back from Tomtom as cashback so it's effectively a free upgrade.

I'll probably give this a go and see if it will usurp Route 66 (which uses Tomtom maps and traffic) as my Satnav app of choice.

Ignore - I can see it has been answered above.

 

[Uriel]

When I have used my mobile for Nav, I've just used Google maps which I have found to be sufficient. What additional functionality do they offer to justify payment?

Better traffic detection and avoidance (see graph and link in the edit to my previous post), speed cameras, offline maps and a few other features.

If you just want to get from A-B and aren't bothered about such features I would say there is no point in paying extra.

 

[George Hincapie]

Better traffic detection and avoidance (see graph and link in the edit to my previous post), speed cameras, offline maps and a few other features.

If you just want to get from A-B and aren't bothered about such features I would say there is no point in paying extra.

Speed camera indication is a very useful feature. Our main satnav is a Garmin Nuvi - TBH we have serious concerns about it's traffic avoidance suggestions and tend to ignore it. It doesn't work well at all. It is an old model though (4 years since we bought it and it wasn't new then).

 

[Uriel]

Garmin's traffic covers a very limited number of roads compared to Google and Tomtom. There is practically no coverage from B Roads downwards. Navigon uses the same system, which is where I've used it (they are owned by Garmin). Usually what happens is it detects traffic on an A Road or Motorway and diverts you onto roads about which it has no live information, which may or may not be clear.

This is still the case with Garmin's newest models with digital traffic. It's just updated more regularly than the old models.

However Garmin does have an advantage over Tomtom in some circumstances. It had much more extensive details of road closures on secondary A Roads (off the HA's stategic road network). If, for exampe, I wanted to know if the A57 Snake Pass between Sheffield and Manchester is closed due to snow, Garmin / Navigon is usually spot on and very timely. That info is also available in the Inrix traffic app, which is free (Garmin get their closure information from Inrix). With Tomtom such closures are often not detected, or are not shown in a timely fashion.

Google is plain dreadful regarding closures for anything other than Strategic Road Network closures, or closures long-term enogh to make it into map updates.

I currently have Google Maps, Navigon, Tomtom Go and Route 66 Navigate installed and often compare them when I'm aware of nearby traffic incidents.