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TomTom iPhone Carkit gets FCC Approval
Article by: Darren Griffin
Date: 1 Sep 2009
 TomTom's iPhone Carkit took a step closer to becoming reality this week with news that it has been tested by and received FCC approval.
Detailed photos and a copy of the user manual appeared briefly on the FCC website before TomTom submitted a short term confidentiality request which has now hidden them from view.
Little more than what was already known has been revealed other than the fact that it uses a SiRFStarIII chipset from CSR. Bluetooth is present for handsfree and the mount uses the solution previously seen on current ONE models which allows use in portrait and landscape modes.
With TomTom PR still promising a summer launch we can only hope it will be hitting the shelves soon but at what cost?
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 Posted by gstenson on Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:33 pm |
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Knowing TT it will be expensive. I am ever hopeful they will price it competively as it does look a good piece of kit.
Audi S4
HTC One M8 & CamerAlert |
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| Posted by JockTamsonsBairn on Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:02 pm |
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| News Team Wrote: | | With TomTom PR still promising a summer launch we can only hope it will be hitting the shelves soon but at what cost? |
Are they working on the basis that summer(time) ends on the last Sunday of October?
Jock
TomTom Go 940 LIVE (9.510, Europe v915.5074 on SD & 8.371, WCE v875.3613 on board) |
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| Posted by Chriskaraokeman on Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:37 pm |
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I hope with this cradle the app will work properly,because its nigh upon useless at the moment! I also dissagree with the people who say its a result of poor reception on the Iphone. I use runkeeper pro , and that works perfectly !
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| Posted by mikealder on Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:52 pm |
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GPS reception seemed to improve on my iPhone when I compared the original Navigon application to the newer update version they released so I would agree the software can have some bearing on reception issues.
That said the receiver in the iPhone is pathetic and probably no better than the technology that was available three or four years ago in terms of reception sensitivity - Mike
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| Posted by Darren on Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:02 pm |
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Mike i don't know why you don't throw your iPhone away, you clearly hate it 
My 3GS works fine, GPS reception does vary between apps albeit it varies from good to excellent in most apps.
I have no need of TT's carkit but it will be interesting to see if it can be used for 3rd party GPS apps.
Darren Griffin |
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| Posted by mikealder on Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:08 pm |
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I can assure you there have been occasions I have considered throwing it in frustration as its (well we won't go there, it only annoys the Apple fans)
What I want is Apple to add the Serial Port Profile to the device so I have an option to use other devices with the phone such as external GPS receivers or communicate with the car engine management system (another strange hobby which we don't need to cover here), the lack of SPP forces users to employ the poor quality receiver fitted in the phone - 3GS might be OK, 3G is four years old in comparison to more modern receivers that are built in to other phones - Mike
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| Posted by anothergpsmike on Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:41 am |
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Wouldn't want to throw a red rag to the bull, but I get so far fine reception on my 3G with Sygic, on the dash, on the aiir vent, and it seems to work when iPhone is stood up on the console. I do have quite raked windscreen - top is level or just behind dash line - and a glass sunshine roof. I would guess that gives a better path for signal?
Mike
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| Posted by MikeB on Wed Sep 02, 2009 4:53 pm |
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| Chriskaraokeman Wrote: | | I hope with this cradle the app will work properly,because its nigh upon useless at the moment! I also dissagree with the people who say its a result of poor reception on the Iphone. I use runkeeper pro , and that works perfectly ! |
Hi Chris,
What iPhone version are you using 3G or 3GS? Where are you using it?
I have been doing some extensive trials of a number of the iPhone Nav Apps here in the USA and all have performed reasonably well. All have had some faults but none have been useless...
My test conditions have been in Florida where there are no urban canyons, just pretty much open roads. Only on a couple of occasions has the GPS failed in TomTom and CoPilot. A couple of other apps have frozen once or twice, but nothing has been a disaster.
Mike Barrett |
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| Posted by Chriskaraokeman on Thu Sep 03, 2009 5:10 pm |
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Hi Mike , its a 3G, I have tried it in the car as a passenger holding the phone against the side window,and in a holder mounted on the windscreen. Navigon is glitchy,but nowhere as bad as TT. As I have stated before,when cycling,i use runkeeper,the phone being in a nylon bag,under slung the crossbar,and it works perfectly , with google earth !
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| Posted by bedbug on Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:25 pm |
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| Shinymera Wrote: | | Handtec have it listed on their site with a price of £113 inc VAT |
TomTom are said to have disowned this here.
iPhone 4/4S (iOS 5.1.1); TomTom Western Europe (1.10)/USA & Canada (1.10); CoPilot for iPhone (8), UK mapping, Mac OS 10.8/XP Pro/Win7; Tongue firmly in cheek! |
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