News
TomTom Car Kit appears on Apple Store
By Jesse Hollington
Applications Editor, iLounge (Google+)
Published: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
News Category: iPhone Accessories
The TomTom Car Kit for iPhone is now available for ordering online from the Apple Store in the U.S. and the U.K. The kit, designed as a companion accessory for their TomTom iPhone app (iLounge rating: C), sells for $120 and does not include the TomTom iPhone app; it must be purchased separately from the iTunes App Store for $100.
In addition to mounting the iPhone 3G or 3GS, the accessory can charge either model, and adds an additional microphone and speaker for hearing voice guidance instructions and making hands-free calls. An audio output jack is also provided for connecting your iPhone to your car stereo. More notably, the device also promises enhanced GPS performance even in urban areas through a built-in GPS receiver in the car kit itself. Contrary to initial suggestions of iPod touch compatibility, it is listed as working only with the iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS.
Note that the U.S. Store lists no availability or ship date, while the U.K. Store lists the car kit as shipping with 3-4 weeks. The TomTom Car Kit is not yet available on the Canadian Apple Store, despite the TomTom iPhone app’s availability in Canada.
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21
Mitch,
as long as all your devices are for your own use, you can load the app onto as many as them as you want. the DRM is tied to the purchase account. I have mine primarily on my iphone 3gs but i also have a copy of it on my iphone 3g to use as a hot spare in case my 3gs breaks. it also gives me the flexibility where if i’m expecting lots of phone calls, i can simply use my 3g as my gps while using my 3gs to make phone calls.
Posted by bn on October 22, 2009 at 12:35 PM (PDT)
22
TomTom are “marketing fools”! The majority of the worldwide sales of iphones are U.S.based and they decide to make this product available in Europe in September and U.S. in December????
What Fools!!!!!!
Posted by Terry on October 22, 2009 at 1:37 PM (PDT)
23
Ok.. I cant find it on the web site, maybe I am missing something. But for up here in British Columbia (Canada), where by January 1/2010, using a hand held phone while driving, will be against the law. I am looking to this to give me a hands free phone, the rest is gravy. Yes it is way to expensive and my TomTom XL maps wont load on the iPhone, but its a start. Maybe a consumer revolt will help.
Posted by Marc on October 22, 2009 at 3:26 PM (PDT)
24
#22,
How so? Tomtom are a Dutch company.
But then Apple never releases products in regional stages do they?.....
Posted by Bob Levens in UK on October 22, 2009 at 3:47 PM (PDT)
25
I’t is no longer on the Apple Website & TomTom’s site claims coming soon (still). I had found it on Apple Store yesterday but it’s not their now!
Posted by David on October 22, 2009 at 4:12 PM (PDT)
26
#25: It disappeared briefly from the U.S. Apple Store yesterday, although it remained on the U.K. one. As of today it appears to be back on the U.S. Store.
#23: We’re in the same boat in Ontario, and in fact the new legislation comes into effect on Monday. The TomTom Car Kit does now appear on the Canadian Apple Store as well, although it’s currently listed without any availability date, so it’s uncertain when it will actually be showing up.
Posted by Jesse Hollington in Toronto on October 23, 2009 at 6:01 PM (PDT)
27
Jeremy (#20)—
Thanks for the additional insight. I guess I’m back to shopping for dedicated units. The notion that the 3GS would make it possible to avoid acquiring yet another gizmo is so appealing ... it’s a shame that the sophistication and pricing of the software and ancillary hardware just don’t seem to be there yet.
Posted by orgel in Falls Church, VA on October 26, 2009 at 7:43 AM (PDT)
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