05:20 AM

TomTom Launches High-End Devices In Bid For Navigation Leadership

Maps of one type or another are found in most smartphones and provide a variety of navigation services. For example, earlier this year Nokia made its Ovi Maps service free.

To stay on top, TomTom, the Dutch navigation device manufacturer, is trying to provide the best navigation services and the best maps. This week it launched its Go Live 1000 devices with some key features.

I attended a presentation by Tom Murray, senior VP of Marketing at TomTom. Here are some notes:

- TomTom acquired Tele Atlas and now has the best maps. It has more than 1 million more road miles than its nearest competitor, a total of more than 8.5 million roads.

- TomTom has about 20% of US market, second next to Gramin.

- TomTom thinks of itself as a software company.

- The latest devices let users add map data and to flag changes. TomTom verifies the changes and sends them out to users. There have been 11 million map corrections based on user input.

- The IQ Route feature collects actual user travel times and therefore it can make a better prediction of travel time based on time of day and day of the week.

- Real-time travel data can offer faster routes for users if there are traffic problems.

- The latest devices understand 130 voice commands, such as "drive to gas station." They also support touchscreen gestures such as swipe and pinch.

- The TomTom iPhone app is the top selling travel app on the App Store.

- The maps are free you don't have to buy individual maps unless you are traveling abroad.

I was given an evaluation unit to try out. I usually know where I'm going but I will try it out and report back.

Here is a demo video.