RoadTour audio visual GPS tour guide reviewed

Darren

RoadTour provide audio/visual guides for Satellite Navigation GPS devices. Taking advantage of the 'Rich POI' features now appearing on some platforms brings a unique audio commentary to the driving experience with fascinating information on UK heritage sites including castles, stately homes, historical sites and more with each commentary triggered as you pass nearby.

It's a unique product and one that I was hooked on after using it on a long journey to the South West of England. The information is concise with most commentaries lasting between 60 - 90 seconds but it certainly made the boring journey more interesting and much of the information was new and enlightening.

Take a tour of RoadTour with PocketGPSWorld's review, click here to read more...
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Darren Griffin

GJF · Frequent Visitor Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 894

Fantastic, now that is what POI's on a Sat Nav is all about.

I am going to install the demo and if it is as good as it looks I will buy the full version although at 400mb not a small package, but at £24 - 95 looks like good value for money.
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TomTom Go 60
Garmin Nüvi 660, Firmware v4.90
Drive-Smart GPS with Loader v1.4.16
HTC Advantage X7500 MS 6.1 Tchart Speed Sentry
Satmap Active 10, Software v1.16
Fuzion 32 HUD Bluetooth GPS receiver

SpikeyMikey · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:03 am Post subject:

Good review, thanks Darren.

I have a question though. Forgive me if I'm being stupid but ... Confused

I've looked on their website and it looks like the application integrates itself with the Garmin software, but on the Windows Mobile interface it appears to be a standalone programme.

Will it work alongside Tom Tom Navigator 6 on a PDA?
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Mike
TT GO6000 (Europe); iPhone and iPad Pro with iOS TT GO & MyDrive + CamerAlert

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:07 am Post subject:

Indeed, it is a standalone application on Windows Mobile. If you have WM6 configured to share GPS with multiple apps or use a third party utility such as GPSGate then you can use it besides a nav app that is also running.

However I haven't tested this so can't say what if any issues may arise such as memory etc and the commentary would not mute when a navigation prompt is played.
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Darren Griffin

SpikeyMikey · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:16 am Post subject:

Thanks. I'm on WM5 though.

Even so I'm sufficiently impressed to give it a go.

Maybe they'll do a Tom Tom version eventually, athough I suppose thats not likely with Navigator is it? Wink

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Mike
TT GO6000 (Europe); iPhone and iPad Pro with iOS TT GO & MyDrive + CamerAlert

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:22 am Post subject:

TomTom don't yet support this kind of guide but I can see it becoming very popular, it's cheap enough to use on a single holiday and makes the journey fun after all!
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Darren Griffin

GJF · Frequent Visitor Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 894

Well i've installed the demo, unless you live 'on route', it's not a good selection to try out, my corner of England isn't included.

For me it contained -
One restaurant 64miles away,
One Inn 322 miles away,
Twenty eight Heritage sites, the nearest 67 miles away, of which five are in London and the remainder up to 440 miles away.

Unless you are near the POI's the only way, is to follow it while sitting in a chair at home, you won't get the feel of driving into it unless you are travelling near.

However the audio 'tour' is very good with history dates and features to look for, (see the Flash demo) it comes complete with a graphic, i presume so that you can recognise the building when you get there.

On the Sat Nav demo the Heritage sites covered are -
Windsor Castle, Blickling Hall, Oxford Castle, Stonehenge, Kenilworth Castle, Battle of Bosworth, Bath Roman Baths, Letocetum Roman Wall, Tintern Abbey, Aberdulais Falls, Greenway, Fountains Abbey, Washington Old Hall, Hadrians Wall, Inveresk Lodge Garden, St. Andrews Castle, Falkland Palace & Gardens, The Tenement House, Drum Castle & Gardens, Balmoral and Grays Printing Press.

The restaurant is Harden's Gaucho Grill at Canary Wharf, London
The Inn is Sawday's Star Inn Penzance, Cornwall.

If you look on the web site it gives a list of the POI's in the full version - I guess to try it out I will have to take the full plunge, but if you have an interest in Heritage sites it definitely looks good.

I wonder what POI's will be added next?
_________________
TomTom Go 60
Garmin Nüvi 660, Firmware v4.90
Drive-Smart GPS with Loader v1.4.16
HTC Advantage X7500 MS 6.1 Tchart Speed Sentry
Satmap Active 10, Software v1.16
Fuzion 32 HUD Bluetooth GPS receiver

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:53 am Post subject:

Did you read my review at all Wink

I've included a sound file of a part of the audio commentary as well.
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Darren Griffin

GJF · Frequent Visitor Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 894

Darren · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:19 am Post subject:

Sorry, that was my poor attempt at humour, it wasn't a dig!
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Darren Griffin

SpikeyMikey · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:58 am Post subject:

I've just downloaded the Windows Mobile version demo.

Just in case anyone else has a problem, when I tried to install it from the desktop a message came up on my Exec that said the installation was unsuccessful. I looked and found that the CAB file had been transferred so I ran it manually, this worked OK and the programme installed.
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Mike
TT GO6000 (Europe); iPhone and iPad Pro with iOS TT GO & MyDrive + CamerAlert

CliffEdge · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:23 am Post subject: Road Tour problems on a Nuvi 770

I've just bought the SD card version for the Heritage sites. I'm trying to run it on a 770T, & am finding its been written for a 660 etc. Some of the options / selection don't appear to be availalble???

1. How do I stop the "load card data" message appearing every time I start the unit.

2. How do I adjust the radius of detection?

Or it it me???

Thanks

Cliff

CliffEdge

On a slightly different note, does anyone know the capacity of POI downloads on a 770. I locked my old 660 up with the 257 problem.

I've also downloaded the speaking camera alerts - excellent.

Cliff

Darren

CliffEdge · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:07 pm Post subject: Adjustable radius option.....

The adjustable radius option is defined here...

http://www.roadtour.co.uk/howitworks/

but not how to do it.

... & can find no option to not show... "new extras found on card, would you like to install......" selecting No, as instructed, goes straight to the driving while using notice.

Cliff

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