REVIEW: TomTom GPS for Palm OS Tungsten T3 PDAs

MikeB

At the beginning of the year we reviewed our first Palm OS navigation system. About the time that we released our review both TomTom and Navman announced GPS navigation packages for the Palm Tungsten PDAs. Life was about to get interesting.

We can now bring you the first of these reviews "TomTom Navigator for Palm T3". Thanks to PalmOne who have loaned us a Palm Tungsten and TotalPDA who provided the GPS bundle for review.

TomTom Navigator for Palm is the first of the company's products featuring the new navigation engine that will be in the TomTom GO product due out in a month or so.

Click here to read the review
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Mike Barrett

frmarcus · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:11 am Post subject:

Mike: What isn't made explicit, so far as I can gather, either by yourself or tomtom, is whether the software/mappinng is version 3 - the latest, or not. As you indicate, the software is on a card - but customers will want to know that they have the latest - ie, tomtom 3 - software, before they plump for this Palm version. You mention that the maps are '03 - suggesting the latest maps - but the fact that tomtom (such a silly name...) doesn't make this clear - when is 'the latest maps' actually the latest? - causes confusion.
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frmarcus

Darren · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:41 am Post subject:

TomTom's Palm Version uses a wholly different engine and so cannot be compared in that way. In some respects it has features which Version 3 lacks such as road names on screen in Navigator mode and in others it lacks.

We discussed this with TomTom and the answer was that they were moving to this newer OS independent engine (GO uses it too) which will allow them to release an identical product across multiple platforms but time scales were such that they decided to release Version 3 on the Pocket PC as they had spent time coding the new traffic features and these and custom POIs were not yet available on the newer engine.

So in comparison, the newer platform independent OS has on screen road names but lacks traffic and custom POI's. You can expect the next version on the PocketPC to move to the newer engine at which point traffic and custom POI's should have been added.
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Darren Griffin

MikeB · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:49 am Post subject:

The review clearly states "this is not a conversion of the Pocket PC TomTom Navigator software" and "despite this there is quite a bit of functionality missing fromt ehpackage" so no it is not TomTom 3 on the Palm. This is the new TomTom navigation software which will be introduced in all their new products.

As far as Maps go the TomTom Navigator for Palm are I believe October 2003 since then Teleatlas have released Jan 2004 and will probably be making another release in the next couple of weeks. The date is only of use when you bear in mind that even in the Oct 2003 release there are roads missing that were opened early 2003.
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Mike Barrett

Steveg · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:01 am Post subject:

Thank you for a very interesting review. The screen size of the Palm sounds great, but on the whole I think I am glad I chose the Pocket PC version.

One thing that DID attract my attention however is the paragraph about activation....

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On the Pocket PC you were limited to the number and frequency of installations that you were allowed. Not a problem for people who keep their batteries topped up, never upgrade ROMs or do hard resets, if you do though this can be a real pain.

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Does this mean that on my PDA if by chance I let the batteries run down, for whatever reason (Stupidity normally) then I would need to activate the software again?

For information I have the TT3 software installed onto my PDA and the maps etc stored onto my SD card

I got the imprssion from these forums that the activation codes are deeply embedded into the depths of your PDA and also on any backup that is done and also as a last resort with TomTom themselves.

Any chance of a short explaination of activation matters from someone?

Again many thanks for an otherwise interesting review

Steve

MikeB · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:36 am Post subject:

When you do a hard reset on your PDA you lose everything, from the transient data down to your data backed up in the iPaq file store.

You should not have a problem if you have the software activated on your PC, as this should be able to transfer the license to your PDA.

One of the problems that I have is that I run 2 or 3 versions of TomTom and often rebuild the PCs that I use to install it. Therefore my activation codes are often confused to say the least.
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Mike Barrett

DavidW · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:28 pm Post subject:

The iPAQ File Store is not wiped by a hard reset - the only thing that wipes it usually is switching operating system version (ROM upgrades of the same OS version usually leave it intact).

The problem with hard resets on Pocket PCs (whether deliberate or through flat batteries) seems to come primarily with Toshibas, which can change their device code following a hard reset. I don't remember any other Pocket PCs doing this other than vague recollection that it can happen to a Jornada. Hard resetting an iPAQ leaves it with the same device code (though sometimes a failed ROM upgrade wipes the device code, leaving you in need of help from HP).

If you go to http://www.ttcode.com and enter your Product Code, you should be able to see activations against that product code by device code, and retrieve the appropriate activation code for each activation. It's worth recording all three codes.

David

Steveg · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject:

Excellent David thank you,

I have done this and noted down the 3 numbers concerned as you suggested

Appreciate your help

Steve

dastardly

woodchip · Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 7:36 pm Post subject: Tom Tom Nav. 3 Upgrade

I purchased the upgrade as soon as I was allowed and almost wished I hadn't. I have been useing it almost continuously for the past 2 weeks in north Norfolk and have found that numerous post codes are listed wrong in the mapping and also to say this is an up to date mapping is almost frudulent. I have found estates that have been built for 2 years that have no mapping still. I have emailed tom tom about the problems but all I get is an automated response. My customer satisfaction is fast deteriorating !! The above gripes are not the only ones either. They make the excuse that they only employ a mapping company to carry out that work but we, the customer are paying tom tom for the software and they should be responsible for it. I am seriously considering reloading the nav. 2 programe , it was better in a lot of respects,

Colin Eve

DavidW · Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 8:26 pm Post subject:

I've think you've put the above post in the wrong thread - this one is for Navigator on the Palm, not Navigator 3 for Pocket PC. The Navigator 3 for Pocket PC review comments thread is here.

DAvid

MalcolmS · Posted: Wed May 26, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject:

I notice in the Palm Navigator review that the setup screens allow the configuration of both wired and Bluetooth GPS units and not necessarily those supplied in the TomTom bundle. As someone who already has more than one GPS unit I have no interest in buying Navigator 3 with yet another GPS unit. However TomTom, for the moment, do not seem interested in selling a software only option. Does that mean their s/w is very much tied to the two GPS units they sell? Has anyone tried out the s/w with other units??

Malcolm

andrewh · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:43 am Post subject:

I notice that you do not need to activate TT for Palm. How about when you buy the Maps of Europe? Do I need to activate each one of these independently or does my TT licence cover these?

Also, I have bought TT for GB but live in Belgium. Can I install the SW to the Palm, put the Benelux maps on another SD card (along with Major roads of Europe) and then simply use that other SD card every day, keeping my original as the licensed copy?

Thanks for help
Andrew

TimColson · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 23, 2004 Posts: 1

I have been thinking about getting the wired GPS and TomTom for a while (I bought a PocketPC specifically for TomTom back in Oct 2003 but didn't order TomTom for various reasons.)

After seeing the PalmOS TomTom version -- I bought a Tungsten T3 and reallly like this device. Now I'm ready to buy TomTom... but just today see that PalmOne has a $299 USD BlueTooth GPS + SW package.

Has anyone seen/written a review for that particular GPS unit, compared to the TomTom BT GPS?

Also - I have a Garmin Geko (mostly for biking/hiking) but would love to hook it up to the T3 / TomTom -- anyone know where I can get a cable to do that? :-)

Cheers,
Timo

Garry Platt · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:54 pm Post subject: TREO 600

Will this piece of kit from TomTom work with a Treo 600?

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