New TomTom VIA satnavs launch

[Darren]

TomTom announced two new VIA models yesterday. The VIA 52 and 62 support pairing with a smartphone to enable Bluetooth hands-free, real-time traffic and live speed camera alerts.

Once paired, the drivers smartphone can remain in his/her pocket and Lifetime Maps and Lifetime Traffic are included in the purchase price.

The VIA 52, featuring a 5-inch display is available to purchase right now with prices starting at £139.99 for the UK maps version. The 6-inch display equipped VIA 62 will go on sale next month.

Source: www.tomtom.com

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Darren Griffin

[Privateer]

[M8TJT]

A. Because they can
B. People are gullible enough to buy them
C. The expectation of satnavs must be diminishing.
Bear in mind that it's only the enthusiast who use satnavs to their full extent, therefore miss stuff that 'it used to do'. Had peeps left TT because they couldn't add PGPSW speedcams in their droves, they possibly would have re instated the facility. But why would they do that when you are trying to sell Mr. customer your (possibly inferior) product. Doesn't sound like a good marketing ploy to me. Sygic also withdrew the camera alerts to a lot of peeps dismay and complaining. But they also have effectively said up yours to their third party speedcam users.

[Juniper]

So what is the difference between a 52 and a 510 I wonder? You would think that the longer model number was better, but the 510 is cheaper (well it is with Amazon prices http://amzn.to/299FXtS ). I guess that is just RRP versus the real world.

[xtraseller]

In a workplace with around 15 sat navs in total, in typical daily use I am the only one who updates the software regularly, the maps every time, and use imported (ie. mass) custom POIs

So I guess while people can complain all they like, they have gone for the mass market - and why not? Its a business and if it is cost v return then maybe they are right

Of course, there are loads of features and possible features that we all want from our Sat Navs - some will happen, some won't - and nothing will ever suite everyone

Personally I think it will come to the current generation TomToms because they include Speed Cam updates for life across the new connected range, it is no longer a revenue stream (selling Speed Cam Data like PGPSW), so no reason (other than development time and cost) not to - but I guess because of (possible) low demand it's not on their priority list
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TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

[M8TJT]

[xtraseller]

[M8TJT]

They are probably right commercially.

[colin_thames]

One of the big appeals if these models is the lifetime traffic, rather than having to pay nearly 50 quid per year for a subscription on the models with their own sim card. The downside is that you have to connect through your mobile phone with bluetooth. This is fine if you're also using the TomTom for handsfree, but you prefer to use your car's built in handsfree or a third party handsfree, like Parrot, you can't connect to both at the same time.

I thought of two solutions, neither of which is ideal:
1. 'install' a cheap mobile phone in the car with a bluetooth connection permanently on just for the TomTom. Not easy to do neatly.
2. Buy a bluetooth dongle that would connect to 3g/4g, but I can't find one sold in the UK. There seem to be a few models sold in china but only if you'd want to buy 50 at a time!

Does anyone know of a solution to this problem?

[xtraseller]

[colin_thames]

[xtraseller]

Used to be the case, but on most new systems it just works - paid to what ever you want as usual, and when for example you switch on the ignition and your car stereo, TomTom and whatever switches on, they will (should) re-connect

My only caveat is that if you are talking on your phone for example (over bluetooth, of course), in a relatively weak signal area for a long period of time your phone may choose your voice chat over data signal. In 4g and strong 3g areas it seems fine

Good excuse to keep calls when driving to a minimum!
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TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

[colin_thames]

Wow, thanks. You've just saved me about 60 quid, so I can get the TT 510 instead of the 5100!

[Kremmen]

Interesting

As posted above my old HTC One m7 would either connect to my car or the Garmin, not both. When I turned on the car it was roulette whether the car or Garmin would win.

So what you're saying is my bang up to date HTC One m9 should bluetooth connect to both the car and the Garmin simultaneously?
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

[marksfish]

I'm going to try with my S6
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Garmin Drivesmart 51 LMT-D Europe

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