Q: I recently purchased the TomTom app for the iPhone 4 and I am interested in picking up their car kit when and if it comes out. I am also interested in getting a Bluetooth adapter for my current car stereo which will allow me to stream my audio directly from my phone without the need for wires. If I have my iPhone connected to the TomTom car kit will I simultaneously be able to stream my music with my Bluetooth adapter over my car stereo?
– George
A: This depends somewhat on how you plan to use the audio features on the TomTom Car Kit. The iPhone actually makes two different audio connections to the TomTom Kit: Music, stereo audio and voice guidance passes through the Dock Connector by default while the kit pairs with the iPhone over Bluetooth to be used as a speakerphone for phone calls. The Bluetooth pairing process is not mandatory so you can easily just choose to not pair your iPhone and the TomTom Car Kit together and the iPhone will basically ignore the Bluetooth on the car kit and use whatever other Bluetooth device you’ve paired with it instead.
Further, if you pair with a stereo A2DP Bluetooth device rather than a monaural phone headset then you will be able to send all of the audio from the iPhone out to your stereo instead of sending it through the Dock Connector on the car kit, including voice navigation instructions. When paired with an active A2DP device the iPod app on your iPhone displays an extra button by the volume control allowing you to choose where you want to send your audio to, allowing you to select either your Bluetooth stereo adapter or the Dock Connector in this case.
