HD Traffic Accessory UK Launch Postponed

matthewj · Frequent Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 751

Presumably this update info from the TomTom web site should give hope:

Holdfast · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:38 pm Post subject:

Substitute Dubious for Sound given the time scale between the introducton of the 930 and 940
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dave-t · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 25, 2006 Posts: 37

DinAlt · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:38 pm Post subject:

To be honest i was expecting a staggered release by TomTom - catch the early adopters first then grab the rest of us - it wasn't until i read that they weren't intending to release the add on receiver at all that I became concerned.

The whole launch has been very badly handled from a logistics and PR point of view - very odd since they've had so much practice releasing incremental builds...

DinAlt

dave-t · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 25, 2006 Posts: 37

leonz · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3

Realistically, the so called HD traffic receiver is just GSM modem, which is functionally identical to what's built into x40 series.

If I was tomtom, I'd be busy back porting LIVE features into software for x30 and x20 right now. The way they have positioned HD traffic as part of the LIVE bundle suggests with the additional HD traffic receiver, these older units should be able to use all the LIVE bundle services.

If Tomtom is not doing this, then tomtom's product management is not doing their jobs right.

It's more than likely their software development team has just been preoccupied with getting the software right for x40 launch. Given some time, they should turn their attention to port LIVE features into these older units.

I'd be willing to give tomtom the benefit of doubt here. My only complaint is about their market communication. They really should have clarified their position on support for older units together with the x40 launch press release.

dhn · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject:

I'd just like to add something here..........I work for a software development company. Unfortunately, it is not the Development people who call the shots as a rule; it is the Marketing and Financial people who promise the moon and the stars without addressing the problem of providing the wherewithall to Development for additional developers or Development/Testing cycles to actually get the software created, tested and out the door.

Only at the last minute (figuratively) is it realized that the empty promises of Marketing can't be met .... and, as a consequence, items promised at a certain time aren't kept.

While I don't know that's the reason for the delay at TT, I'd like to think they would rather disappoint some now with a delay that everyone later if they did indeed roll out a crappy product -- both hardware/software speaking.

Remember Microsoft's delays in getting their Operating Systems out when they originally said they would? Trust me when I say it was the Marketing people giving the wrong (early) dates, not the actual people involved in Development.
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AndyVaughan · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:43 pm Post subject:

I would have thought by now that people would have realise that when TT give an estimated date for a release of a (working) traffic accessory that they are always 3 to 6 months out!

After suffering the debacle of the original RDS-TMC receiver I personally would rather wait for TT to release a fully tested working HD receiver than some rush release botch like the original RDS-TMC.

Maybe they have learnt a valuable lesson, shame they just don't come out and clarify what is happening. I for one will buy one as soon as it is released and people on here confirm it actually works. I won't be buying a x40 as I have just subscribed to a years map updates on my 920!

Andy

dave-t · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 25, 2006 Posts: 37

AndyVaughan · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject:

Agreed, but that is in Holland. The RDS-TMC worked fine everywhere else other than the UK.

I know the HD Traffic works on the x40 in the UK, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the HD Traffic will work fine on a x20/x30 with HD receiver in the UK. I am pretty sure it will though as the RDS-TMC problems were all signal strength related until Navcore 7 came out, which is an entirely different TT cock up. They were quite happily selling units that could not interpret the delay data and denied there was ever any fault.

My point was mainly about don't believe any release date TT announce as they are very rarely accurate.

No doubt if TT do decide to release the HD receiver in the UK they will want to cash in on x40 sales in the run up to Christmas first.

Graeme2812 · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:55 am Post subject:

Can anyone clarify if there are beta/test HD modules currently working in the UK?
Of course I'm not asking for anyone to compromise any NDA's, or for any usage experience or details etc. The only reason I ask is because if there ARE, I haven't seen any mention of them, unlike the x40 range.
I suspect this would also give us some idea as to Tom Tom's commitment to the accessory in the UK if there are/aren't beta/test modules working here.

I can't help but feel I was one of the first to perhaps start the mild hysteria of the "No HD accessory for UK" after Darren's original suspicion for which I apologise. That wasn't my intention. The fact the speculation/suspicion of it perhaps not being launched in the UK came from an experienced and trusted member was why it concerned me most of all.

As other has said, it makes good marketing sense for them to try and convert new customers with new devices firstly, then offer existing customers the accessory at a later date. However, with the current financial constraints, I think it would have made more sense to offer the HD module first to existing x20/x30 users at a way of demonstrating the capabilities of HD traffic and a chance for Tom Tom to show its commitment (however, I won' go as far as to say obligations) to continual development to those who have already bought into Tom Tom, and how an x40 is capable of the same yet more (the google search, fuel, and speed camera data etc) with this all being available as a single compact unit for the market they have yet to reach.

Personally, I think I'll hold off for the HD module and hope that some of those who buy the x40 range act as the final Beta testers for HD traffic Razz

(only joking) before I get around to buying one.
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mikealder · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:04 am Post subject:

LesP2008 · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject:

ItsMikeE · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

Had a response from Tomtom Support to my query.
"This feature is only available on the x40 series of devices, can you confirm where it stated that you could purchase this as an add-on?"

While it is perfectly possible that the support people don't talk to the developers any more than the marketing people do, it does sound like they could be preparing to wriggle out of this

The support site is unavailable this weekend so I cannot respond yet.
I will quote the March 3rd press release.
Does anyone else have any further 'evidence' that I can use in my response?

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