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TomTom Go 930 and Go 730 IQ Route Knows Best Way to Go On Monday or Saturday
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 2:00 AM on March 4, 2008
The TomTom Go 730 and Go 930 are refreshes of their 720 and 920, with two new headlining features: IQ route and advanced lane guidance. Using data collected over the last year from other TomTom devices, IQ route actually tells you the best way to go depending on the day—like, the freeway on Saturday afternoon, but backroads on a Monday morning. Right now it's only by day, but as they collect more data, it'll be increasingly specific—morning vs. night, etc. Advanced lane guidance is basically a little movie demo of massive highway junctions and turnoffs, so you don't take the wrong one. Full specs below.
TomTom reveals revolutionary IQ Routes™ technology on new TomTom GO series~ Unique route calculation method provides smartest routing on the market ~
Concord, MA - March 3, 2008 - TomTom, the world's largest portable navigation solutions provider, today announces ground-breaking features and unique content on the new TomTom GO range, including its exclusive IQ Routes™ technology and Advanced Lane Guidance.
The innovative IQ Routes™ technology is based on actual average speeds measured on roads, rather than posted speed limits. This means that the new TomTom GO range determines a route by considering all possible routes and then selecting the one that takes the least time based on recent historical data. In almost 50% of all journeys, this results in a faster route, and saves significant travel time, fuel, and money.
In addition, the new TomTom GO series includes TomTom's Advanced Lane Guidance feature. Advanced Lane Guidance provides users with realistic representations of complex highway junctions and lane-specific visual directions that take the stress out of navigating these otherwise difficult junctions.
The two new features will be available with the new TomTom GO series, the TomTom GO 930 and TomTom GO 730, starting at the end of April 2008.
"With the introduction of IQ Routes™ technology, we continue to focus our efforts on features and content that improves the core navigation experience," said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. "IQ Routes™ delivers what we call 'intelligent routing' - an even smarter and more efficient way of planning your daily route that will help TomTom GO users save time, fuel and money."
TomTom IQ Routes™
The new TomTom IQ Routes™ technology is based on actual average speeds on roads, rather than the posted speed limits. This intelligent routing technology is based on anonymous historical speed profiles of over 6.2 billion miles of driven roads, gathered over the years by millions of TomTom users. It takes into account all the factors that may influence the time it takes drivers to get to their destination, including traffic lights, rotaries, steep slopes and speed bumps.
The TomTom IQ Routes™ speed profile database continues to grow at the rate of over half a billion measurements per day, so the time and spatial accuracy of TomTom IQ Routes™ technology will continually increase. Drivers can be confident that they will always be given the smartest route, incorporating detailed local knowledge. This allows for more efficient daily route planning, in particular when driving through urban and mountainous areas.
Advanced Lane Guidance
With the new Advanced Lane Guidance feature, navigating difficult junctions becomes easier than ever before. Advanced Lane Guidance provides users with realistic visuals of complex highway junctions and lane-specific directions. Static images of road signs, in the same color as the ones displayed on the road, ensure that drivers have an even more realistic view of the road ahead, and their specific route.
A host of extra features
In addition to IQ Routes™ and Advanced Lane Guidance, the new TomTom GO range has a new premium look with a high-quality finish, expanded map coverage and comes pre-installed with the latest navigation features, including:
- TomTom Map Share™ technology, enabling users to make updates and corrections to their own maps instantly and to benefit from improvements made by other users, completely free of charge. New Map Share features include the ability to change turn restrictions and posted road speeds
- Latest map guarantee so users always have free access to the latest map at time of purchase
- Voice address input so that users can drive to millions of cities and street names by simply announcing the address of their destination
- Clear voice instructions and text-to-speech to enable street names, places, traffic alerts and SMS messages to be read aloud as part of the spoken instructions
- Enhanced Positioning Technology (EPT) for uninterrupted navigation even in tunnels or highly-built areas (TomTom GO 930 only)
- TomTom RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver, as a compatible accessory, for detailed traffic information
- Large 4.3 inch touch screen with new generation icons and an updated user interface to navigate drivers to their destination even more easily
- Enhanced hands-free calling with high-quality sound system via Bluetooth® to allow drivers to keep their eyes firmly on the road while making phone calls in the car
- Extensive safety features, including the 'Help Me' menu that give drivers direct access to emergency services and roadside assistance
- Built-in FM Transmitter to play music and navigation instructions seamlessly over the car stereo
- New smart & fun extras to personalize users' devices, including recording your own driving instructions, view documents, exchange positions via SMS and Bluetooth™ wireless technology and select a favorite car icon on the screen
- Free TomTom HOME software and content from the TomTom community to keep your TomTom device up to date at all times
- Full range of accessories to match the design and finish of the updated GO range
Map Coverage
- The TomTom GO 930 comes pre-installed with the most up-to-date maps of US, Canada and Western and Central Europe stored on the internal memory
- The TomTom GO 730 includes new expanded map coverage, including the latest maps of the US and Canada
AvailabilityThe new TomTom GO range will be available across North America and Europe starting at end of April 2008.
Product technical specifications
- 4.3" widescreen 16:9 format LCD (WQVGA: 480*272 pixels)
- CPU 400 MHz
- TomTom GO 930: 4 GB internal flash memory, TomTom GO 730: 2 GB
- SD card slot
- High sensitivity GPS receiver
- Bluetooth™
- Lithium-polymer battery (up to 5 hours operation)
- Dimensions: 118 mm x 83 mm x 24 mm- convert to inches 4.6 x 3.2 x 1
- Weight: 7.7 ounces
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
paul booth
Posted August 7, 2008 2:57 PM
Hi I cannot wait to purchase the 930 as I an hitting the road and its just what Iam loking for. I have a navman n40I at the moment and its not very good.
Lizard_King
Posted 4:31 AM 4/3/08
I've used Tom Tom stuff in the past, but since I've discovered the abilities of Mapsource, I cannot go back. I spent the better part of 30 hours plotting a rigid course from San Diego to Annapolis using Mapsource, something that would be impossible on the Tom Tom (from what I understand about it).
Without PC (or Mac!) based route planning, I cannot use Tom Tom. It's a shame.
Lizard_King
Elcheecho
Posted 4:31 AM 4/3/08
@ARP: agreed; i'd rather not plan according to "average" speed or based on a historical database. I want to plan/drive according to current conditions. Everyone get a TOM TOM!
Elcheecho
ARP
Posted 4:31 AM 4/3/08
Great concept, especialy for city/suburban commuters. Does this functionality combine with any sort of Real Time traffic functionality? Not clear from the article. That would be the ultimate- a system that picks the best route depending on the time of day AND traffic conditions. While the freeway may be faster on a Saturday, it may not be if there's an accident.
ARP
four12
Posted 4:31 AM 4/3/08
I'd just be happy with maps that were reasonably up to date. My 910, even with updated US maps, is spotty at best.
four12
MeNotYou
Posted 4:31 AM 4/3/08
I have a TomTom Go 3rd Edition and find it to be a good lil nav unit. If TomTom can get the map accuracy under control this unit should be stellar.
MeNotYou
blachole
Posted 4:31 AM 4/3/08
Uh, lets hope they update the 920 software for TomTom IQ Routes and Lane Guidance. I loved my 920, but would love it even more if it was update-able to this. I don't see why it cant be since the specs are almost identical to the 920.
blachole
Lizard_King
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@drewheyman: I'm not using the waypoints as things I want to see, I'm using them as turns on a course....It would be easy for me to mark thing's I want to see as a POI and not have that 500 limit restriction.
It's for Race Across America, a bike race from San Diego to Anapolis. The route is rigid, cannot be deviated, and as a backup and for assurance, I am pre-plotting it on the GPS. I use pre-plotting a lot, and if Tom Tom had a GPS software element, I might have better luck, because of this, Tom Toms are limited in function.
Lizard_King
Lizard_King
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@pantsonfireliarliar: That's my whole point....On my Garmins, I can have it map on the fly or use pre-planned routes. Mapping on the fly is cool, and this feature of the Tom Toms where it can pattern traffic is cool, but what would be most important to me is this "avoid area" feature. Unfortunatly we would have to know the area we were avoiding, right?
I'll stick to using my GPS as an electronic map, thanks!
Lizard_King
drewheyman
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@Lizard_King: you can type in addresses for your tomtom on your PC, and each destination you type in can have like 10 or 20 waypoints.
though i can't even think of anywhere close to 500 sites i'd want to see in the US, so i believe you when you say tom tom is not for you.
drewheyman
sp00nix
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@pantsonfireliarliar: I think it was a tomtom that had the "avoid area" option. i think thats what it was intended for.
sp00nix
sp00nix
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@Lizard_King: I had MS streets and trips get me lost in Patterson City in New Jersy. It took me down the shadiest streets i have EVER seen, and i love near philly. "Hey look at this little white boy in his old volvo wagon, he must be lost!"
sp00nix
pantsonfireliarliar
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@Lizard_King: I don't think any GPS unit has the "avoid bad neighborhoods" option.
pantsonfireliarliar
Lizard_King
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@digitalhen: Following turn by turn directions for a specific course. I have to setup 3 GPSes for the course, and unfortunatly, Nuvis only hold 500 Waypoints....I have over 500 now, and still about 500 miles of mapping to go! We will most likely be asking for 60CXSes for the capacity to hold more waypoints.
With this in mind, and the fact that in everyday life I prefer to plan a route than follow the GPSes route (just it's directions) Tom Tom is not for me, and maybe not others. Ever had a GPS route you through the wrong neighborhood? West Philly is not nice.
Lizard_King
digitalhen
Posted 5:43 AM 4/3/08
@Lizard_King: you could have driven that in 10 hours more. why did you spend 30 hours planning it?
digitalhen
bassnote
Posted 6:48 AM 4/3/08
"In almost 50% of all journeys, this results in a faster route," ... so in the majority of cases it makes no difference or could actually be slower?! WTF!
bassnote
aelver
Posted 7:54 AM 4/3/08
Uhhh talk about a Navman and Dash ripoff.
I will never buy a Tomtom again. Awesome hardware, but customer support is the worst I have ever seen ... E.V.E.R.
aelver
matt buchanan
Posted 7:54 AM 4/3/08
@ARP: IQ Route is not real-time—it'll be updated every couple months with map updates.
@bassnote: It should get more accurate/specific as they aggregate more data. There's a statistical reason for the 50 percent accuracy, I think.
matt buchanan
matto
Posted 7:54 AM 4/3/08
This would be awesome if the stupid TomToms worked with either my wife's iPhone or my VZ Blackberry. But it fails at both. Maybe I'm supposed to get a third phone just to use with the GPS!?
matto
Franssu
Posted 6:09 PM 4/3/08
Eh, this IQ route sure looks like a software thing. Can I have the corresponding update for my Go 720 ?
Franssu
everzen
Posted 10:55 AM 5/3/08
Garmin 800 series is the way to go guys.
everzen
priceytoys
Posted 10:55 AM 5/3/08
Note this part from paragraph 3: "In almost 50% of all journeys, this results in a faster route". To me, that means in MOST cases, it finds you a SLOWER route. Am I reading that wrong?
priceytoys
rimplestultskin
Posted 1:47 PM 6/3/08
fucking figures that my dad just got himself a 720 last month, and its already phased out.
rimplestultskin