The new costing is as following:
MY30: $249
MY50T: $349
MY55T: $449
MY500XT: $549

The offer kicks off on November 1 and ends January 31 next year, although I can’t imagine the price will go back up then — you just won’t get the mapping updates free anymore.

[Navman]

Powered by Intelematics – the guys behind the SUNA traffic channel for your satnav device – the Google traffic service appears on the maps as a coloured line over a major road or motorway. Green means, good, yellow means average congestion, red is heavy traffic and red/black means you’d be better off walking. The info is updated every few minutes, so it’s always ready to go.

In all honesty, this probably isn’t the most practical way of transmitting traffic information – exactly what is the difference between a yellow and red line, for example – but if it helps just one person avoid being late to a meeting because they went a different way to avoid traffic, then I guess it’s all worth it…

[Google Australia Blog]

Apparently the addition of Canberra brings Suna’s nationwide coverage to over 12,500km of Australian roads, and covers all main Australian cities. Considering that getting traffic on your satnav is a one-time expense when you buy your satnav, it’s a pretty solid reason for a standalone GPS device…

Sydney cabs have been fitted with special GPS units which allow SUNA to monitor their location, route and travel time to improve the traffic notifications for subscribers to their service. Not sure how that works when there’s a line of cabs lined up at a cab rank waiting for someone to hire them, but I’m sure the folks at SUNA would have thought of that.

On top of monitoring taxis, SUNA now also has access to 50 new traffic cameras across Sydney, courtesy of the RTA. Not sure where those 50 cameras are, but really, does it matter? It’s just good to know that Intelematics, the peeps behind SUNA, are constantly trying to improve their service.

[SUNA Traffic]

Interesting factoids to reveal themselves during the interview is the drive of Suna into smartphones and the somewhat missed opportunity of digital radio. Adam also talks about upcoming features, like partnering with parking stations for realtime updates to the number of spaces available at any given time.

But enough from me. Head on over to Lifehacker to read all about it yourself.
[Lifehacker]

This will bring coverage to most of the major metropolitan regions in Australia, considering it already covers Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. Gus has interviewed the CEO of Intelematics, Adam Game to score the news, and we’ll see the interview a bit later this week on Lifehacker.

[Lifehacker]

They also plan on launching traffic information for Perth, Adelaide and Canberra later this year.

[SUNA]

The only potential problem we see with this solution is the lack of voice notifications, meaning that people may be inclined to check the service on their phone while driving. And unlike the satnav solution, this one won’t reroute you around the traffic congestion, it merely informs you about it. Although it will be very intersting to see whether this app will be integrated with any of the turn-by-turn navigation apps that will come out post iPhone 3.0 software. I for one, truly hope so.

The Uniden Trax 436 is SUNA compatible straight out of the box. Considering it has an RRP of $500 and comes with bonus mapping for all of New Zealand, it actually sounds like a pretty good deal. At the moment it isn’t clear whether or not any other models are traffic-compatible with an external TMC antenna, but it would surprise me if they weren’t.

In any case – more satnav options with Traffic is a great thing no matter which way you look at it.

Essentially, it analyses every possible route and works out the fastest trip, not necessarily the shortest, depending on speed limits, roundabouts, traffic lights and other stuff that will slow you down. Then it will recommend which route will take the least amount of time.

In addition to this new tech, both the 730 and the 930 let you enter your destination address by voice – simply say where you want to go, rather than keying in the details. The 930 stands apart thanks to the inclusion of world mapping (meaning you don’t need to pay extra for maps on your driving trip around New Zealand (or Ireland, Europe, the US etc.) and a Bluetooth remote control.

Both models will be hitting shops in November, with the 730 costing $549 and the 930 going for $849. Or, if you want traffic straight out of the box, you can get a version of each for an extra $100.

Drive like a Local with TomTom’s Unique IQ Routes™ Technology

TomTom’s new GO range includes IQ Routes™ technology and Advanced Lane Guidance to inform drivers about the smartest route to take and the situation ahead

Sydney, 14 October 2008. TomTom, the world’s largest portable navigation solutions provider, today announced new ground-breaking features and unique content to its refreshed TomTom GO range – the TomTom GO 730 and TomTom GO 930.

Designed to enhance the navigation experience for users, TomTom’s new IQ Routes™ technology, Advanced Lane Guidance and Voice Address Input, provides customers with the most intuitive and intelligent navigation experience available.

“The new TomTom GO range is suitable for drivers who are looking to purchase a navigation device that not only gets them from A to B easily, but also makes their journey more efficient, safe and comfortable,” says Chris Kearney, Marketing Manager, Australia and New Zealand. “With the introduction of IQ Routes™ technology and Advanced Lane Guidance, we continue to focus our efforts on features and content that improves the overall navigation experience.”

TomTom IQ Routes™
The innovative IQ Routes™ technology is based on real average speeds measured on roads, rather than static maximum speeds per road type. This means the new TomTom GO range determines a route by considering all possible routes and then selecting the one that takes the least time. In almost 50% of all journeys, this results in driving a different and faster route, saving significant travel time as well as saving money and fuel.

Drivers can also be confident that they will always be given the smartest and most efficient route, in particular when driving through suburban areas.

Advanced Lane Guidance
The new TomTom GO series features Advanced Lane Guidance, which provides drivers with a more realistic view of their surroundings and enhanced visual instructions. This new feature also ensures drivers are better informed about the situation ahead.

With the new Advanced Lane Guidance feature, navigating difficult junctions becomes easier than ever before. The realistic representation of highway junctions on the screen including clear arrows indicating the lane direction, provide drivers with timely instructions to take the correct lane. Static images of road signs, in the same colour as the ones displayed on the road, ensure drivers have an even better overview of their surroundings.

Voice Address Input
Voice Address Input allows users to drive to a destination by voice control. Users no longer need to enter the city name and street name they would like to travel to, but they can simply speak out the city and street name where they would like to go.

Availability
The TomTom GO 730 (RRP $549) and TomTom GO 930 ($849) will be available in Australia in early November 2008.

The new GO models will also be available with a traffic receiver in the box. The TomTom GO 730 Traffic ($649), TomTom GO 930 Traffic ($949) will launch in November 2008.
-ENDS-