Stuff We Didn't Post Today (and Why)

Esquire Sells the Space Beneath Downey's Iron Nuts...No Joy for TomTom's $120 iPhone Car Dock...Amtrak Gets "Free" Wi-Fi, But You Still Have to Pay for the Subsidy, Er Ticket...Voulez Vouz QOOQez Avec Moi? More »

It's Not a Good Day to Be a GPS Manufacturer

Google's free GPS feature on Android 2.0 is great news! Unless you're the fine folks at Garmin and TomTom, in which case, oh shit. [Engadget]

TomTom iPhone Car Kit Hits Apple Store But Misses October Ship Date

The good news: for those of you who want it, the TomTom iPhone Car Kit can be ordered for $120 at the Apple Store. The bad news: while TomTom originally promised the device for October, it's still not shipping for "2-3 weeks." [Apple via SlashGear via CrunchGear]

Navigon Wants an Extra $25 for Real-Time Traffic Data on the iPhone

Fresh off last week's free text-to-speech and iPod control updates, Navigon's back with a new feature announcement for their iPhone app. And hey, this real-time, crowd-sourced traffic data sounds pretty great! But is it $25 great? More »

TomTom's GPS-Enancing Car Kit Delayed Until October

According to the company FAQ, TomTom's much talked about car kit that brings enhanced GPS to both the iPhone and iPod Touch will be available starting in October, and not by the end of the summer as previously believed. [TomTom]

Confirmed: TomTom's GPS Car Kit Will Work with iPod Touch, Third Party Apps

Good news: According to Yann Lafargue, PR guy at TomTom, the incoming TomTom GPS Car Kit will work with the iPod touch, enabling full GPS capabilities in Apple's smart multimedia player: More »

iPhone TomTom GPS Application Appears in New Zealand App Store

The much-awaited TomTom for iPhone GPS navigation app has popped up in the New Zealand App Store with a reported asking price ranging from about $81 to $125. The app price does not include the TomTom iPhone car kit. Updated. More »

Would You Pay $200 For TomTom's iPhone Car Kit?

We've been waiting for the supposed Summer launch of TomTom's turn-by-turn iPhone app and car kit ever since we saw it at WWDC. Now one UK retailer looks to be taking pre-orders for £113.85 (about $195). More »

TomTom's GPS-Enhancing Car Adapter Should Work With The iPod Touch

We first heard about TomTom's car adapter that boosts the functionality of their upcoming GPS iPhone app at WWDC, but some new information has 9 to 5 Mac thinking that the device will work the iPod Touch as well. More »

Homer Simpson Is Not the Ideal TomTom Voice Skin

TomTom users have the notable perk that they can "skin" their GPS with celebrity voices. But I couldn't ride with Homer Simpson for five minutes before throwing his spastic ass right out the window. Here's the clip: More »

Why TomTom Sucks

TomTom's latest Go 740 Live is piled with features, but I've tested TomToms for five years, and in that time, nobody has fixed the platform's inherent problems. In fact they're only getting worse. More »

TomTom Updates Cheapo GPS Navigators With Not Cheapo-Level IQ Route Software

TomTom's two new entry-level GPS navigators—ONE IQ Routes and XL IQ Routes—are a lot like the existing ONE and XL, but with new cases and IQ route software from their pricier models. [TomTom, Thanks Dave!]

Garmin Nuvi 880 Voice-Controlled GPS Lightning Review

The Gadget: One of Garmin's flagship Nuvis, the 880 responds to commands from your voice, triggered by a little remote control you attach to your steering wheel. More »

TomTom Go 940 Live Leaked: Includes Live GPRS Traffic Data and Google Searches

A "leak" at a UK online retailer's site reveals a whole bunch of info on TomTom's Go 940 Live GPS system: it looks like the system comes with a GPRS unit to give it live traffic and fuel-price info and the ability to Google search. Yep, alongside the IQ routing and intelligent lane advice that the Go 930 and the new Pro units have is a TomTom HD Traffic unit using GPRS to garner local traffic info, weather conditions, and lets you Google for whatever info you might need on the road. That traffic info is gathered "via anonymous cellphone monitoring," but whether its these units that do the uploading, or a different system, is unclear. The unit's available on pre-order in the UK for around $800, with the Live service likely to cost $10-$15 per month, but there's no data on when it'll hit the US. [Handtec.co.uk via GPSLodge Thanks, Jay!]

Tomtom's Pro 4000 and 8000 GPS Units Come with Support Package

Tomtom has just come up with a suite of GPS systems for the "mobile workforce" dubbed the Pro series. The first units are the Pro 4000 and Pro 8000, and while the hardware is essentially unchanged from non-Pro models, there are a few tweaks. Firstly the software has a "menu lock" option, that's supposed to lower distractions and improve driving safety, the maps come with a free update that's to be used within a year, and there's a PIN lock to protect your data. Secondly the support package comes with a two-year extended warranty and a dedicated customer service line. The 8000 also has advanced IQ navigation, which plans routes using actual average drive times, and voice address-input and Bluetooth handsfree calling. The 4000 is out for $330 and the 8000 for $460. [Navigadget]

TomTom on the iPhone May Not Be Completely Dead

In an interview with TomTom spokesperson Yann Lafargue, French site Mac Generation hit on a few interesting tidbits about 3rd party navigation software on the iPhone. During the interview, Lafargue confirmed that there was a version of TomTom software running on the iPhone but he does not know if they will ever actually ship the product. You would think that the major reason for not shipping would be the clause in the SDK agreement that states "applications may not be designed or marketed for real time route guidance," but Lafargue insisted that is not a problem. More »

iPhone SDK Agreement Prohibits "Real-Time Route Guidance" and Saving Lives

It looks like hopes for a more robust GPS app for the iPhone 3G, with say, voice turn-by-turn navigation—or just a different way of doing things—might be well and dashed. The SDK agreement has a curious little clause that would seem to ban TomTom (or anyone else) from working their GPS magic: More »

TomTom Has Navigation App Already Running On the iPhone; Telenav Likely

If you were one of people who was all about GPS on the iPhone, you will be glad to hear that TomTom already has a version of their navigation software running on the device. Unfortunately, no other details regarding a release date, features or pricing have been released—but it stands a good chance of being the first, truly powerful GPS navigator for the iPhone. However, we have also heard that Telenav is hard at work on their own version—although nothing has been confirmed. [Reuters]

GPS Maker "Scared Sh*tless" by GPS in iPhone

Inside a mostly speculative piece about iPhone nanos and GPS on the next iPhone, Popular Mechanics does have one pretty solid nugget: The president of an unnamed GPS navigator maker (figure out who for bonus points) said he felt "scared shitless" by the prospect of an iPhone with GPS, because it'd be good enough for most users to never even glance at a separate GPS unit—with a decent-sized touchscreen and Google Maps interface, just add a carmount and you're good to go on foot or the road. In a way, this was inevitable. More »

TomTom 130, 130s, 330, 330s: One and XL Redesigned, Stow-Away Mount

Today TomTom announces all new TomTom One and XL navigators. The software doesn't appear to be any different, but the exteriors have been streamlined even further, and the company introduced a new EasyPort mount that can stow-away in the back of the device itself, so you don't have to worry about leaving your mount in the car. TomTom also revamped the audio system, so that commands are "even more loud and clear at all times"—apparently previous versions sounded too garbled or weak, but not anymore. More »

YourPND Lets You Record Your Own GPS Nagging

If you don't get enough nagging at home, now you can record your wife's voice on the YourPND website, and in just a few minutes, for $10 you can download files that you can transfer to your TomTom GPS navigation system, giving you the pleasure of having her yelling at you for getting lost wherever you go. Or hey, get your dog to bark at you when you get lost; that would be even better. Even though it only works with TomTom models so far, compatibility with Garmin, MyGuide and Mio GPS devices is forthcoming. [Navigadget]

London Cab Driver Takes on Sat-Nav—and Beats It By 27 Minutes

The BBC pitted the wits of a black cab driver against the latest GPS technology in an effort to find out whether man or gadget rules the mean streets of rush-hour London. And, in a result that will not surprise TomTom-challenged Londoners one bit, although the TomTom GO 720 won the first round, Andy the cabbie completely p0wned the Sat-Nav. More info below. More »

TomTom Teams Up With Google Maps for One-Click Navigation

Google and TomTom have joined forces to make their products compatible. Thanks to the "Send to GPS" button that Google has added to Google Maps, you can send routes from Google Maps direct to your navigation device via TomTom Home. See how it works in the video below. More »

Garmin Renews Navteq Vows

Garmin has decided not to pursue purchasing Tele Atlas, and instead signed a six-year deal with Navteq, agreeing to help Navteq improve its data. For those of you playing along at home: TomTom will likely get Tele Atlas, and Nokia's takeover of Navteq won't affect Garmin's long-term relationship. [Garmin]

Garmin Buying Tele Atlas?

Garmin says it will outbid TomTom for ownership of map provider Tele Atlas. Ironically, Garmin has always used data from Navteq, which is now being purchased by Nokia. Soooo Days of Our Lives. [Garmin]

Panasonic Introduces Strada CN-GP50U, Its First Portable GPS Navigator,

When Panasonic introduced its Strada in-dash GPS system, I was like, "Where's the portable, dudes?" Well, it's here. The $500 Strada CN-GP50U will have the usual premium features such as Navteq maps of US, Canada, PR and Mexico, an SD slot and Bluetooth for hands-free calling, but it will also have Voice Command for setting destinations without touching the screen. TomTom and Magellan have both promoted this feature, but we have yet to see it really take off. We'll be sure to play around with one when the arrive in December, and let you know how it goes. (Jump only if you want the press release.) More »

Nokia is buying Navteq, the world's biggest digital map maker, for $8.1 billion. Nokia wants to be a leader in location-based services, and buying Navteq gives it the best access to the best database. GPS-maker TomTom is in the process of buying Tele Atlas, Navteq's only major worldwide competitor. [NYT]