September 28, 2009 7:00 AM PDT
TomTom prices iPhone car cradle
(Credit:
TomTom)
TomTom has finally released pricing for its iPhone car cradle, which is due for release next month. You can expect to lay down $120 when you go to pick up your cradle. That price doesn't include the TomTom turn-by-turn iPhone software, which will add an additional $99 to your purchase price, if you haven't already downloaded it.
So, that means that--at the end of the day--your pockets will be $220 lighter for the whole app and cradle kit, which is only about $20 more than we initially predicted.
Those wondering what you get for the extra cash should look here. If you're still interested after that, the TomTom iPhone cradle goes on sale in October 2009.
They have been using the standard connector for years on the ipod and iphone
What about that rounded DVI connection on the G4's? Still using that one? VGA? No. There is absolutely no guarantee Apple in it's infinite fickleness would keep the same port. Past behavior with them does not equate to how they will perform in the future. Who would have thought 2 years ago they'd abandon backwards compatibility with PowerPC chips. Oh, that's right. Me. Apple can not be trusted to maintain backwards compatibility with anything because they have limited resources to devote to older technology and drive to move forward and forget the past.
What "older" charger are you referring to? I have a 4th gen ipod with the firewire wall charger and it works perfectly fine with my 6th gen classic ipod. I know of a friend who borrowed the charger that came with a 1st gen Nano to charge her iphone. As far as I've seen, there's complete compatibility across any generation I've come across.
The connector is consistent, but functionality is neutered per generation. A car charger/radio tuner that I bought for my ipod several years ago worked fine (charged and transmitted audio to the stereo via tuner) on my 1st generation iPhone. The same accessory used when I upgraded to the iPhone 3g would still charge the iPhone but no longer allowed it to transmit the audio signal. After one of the last iPhone software updates, all functionality is gone. The same accessory still fits perfectly but will no longer charge the device OR allow it to transmit audio to the tuner.
Firstly, I'm sure that you understand that 6 years in the tech world is a terribly long time, particularly for a single company/single device proprietary connection.
Secondly, backwards compatibility is overrated. I've still got N64 games lying around my house. Should I expect Nintendo to continue to support this 10+ year old software? How about the controllers? Then why should Apple have to do the same with its hardware? Why doesn't the iPhone not support 3.5-inch floppies? Because progress happens.
At the end of the day, when the new iPhone comes out next year, the year after, or whenever Apple feels like updating, your current iPhone 3G(S) will still work. The accessories that you bought for your current iPhone will still work with it. No one's going to flip a switch and turn your current device off. The choice to upgrade is yours. But part of the opportunity cost of upgrading may be leaving the old device and, potentially, its accessories behind. Armed with that information, if you still choose to upgrade then it's your own decision.
I'm no Apple fanboy and I wholeheartedly agree with your venom for closed "standards" and walled gardens, which is why I don't own an iPhone. But that's a different issue from backwards compatibility. If you don't like what Apple--and by extension, TomTom--is doing with its loose standards, then just buy something else. Vote with your dollar and support any of the more flexible DAPs or smartphones on the market.
Apple has built it's company on leaving people behind, which as far as I'm concerned is why it produces niche products.
This particular product however is frankly too stupid to even consider. It's not like a 20 dollar shell or windshield mount and something already being offered for less that is more reliable.
That's really expensive. I think they should drop the price of the software down to more like $50 if they want people to buy it. At $220 you might as well buy a dedicated GPS device for your car. That's what I would do anyway.
Tom Tom you were too slow at getting this product out! Should've came out at the same time as OS 3.0, and do something with your price man I can buy a stand alone unit for less that will provide text to speech!
There is an arguement for spending another $80 on a GPS program, but like most of my friends who swear the Iphone is awesome, would like to only carry one piece of equipment around.
I already owned an iPhone charger, and the aux cable for connecting in my truck. I bought the TomTom app, and a $20 cellphone vent clip holder at Target. It's one of those universal expanding ones that fit almost any phone. It will hold the iPhone both vertically and horizontally. I bought the TomTom app the day it came out and have been using it everyday, even for cross country trips and I have yet to have ONE issue. Every now and then it shows me being off the road but it recalculates and corrects itself within a matter of 2-3 seconds.
I turn off the turn by turn voice and I plug in my aux jack and listen to my iPod, make bluetooth calls, and everything works seamlessly.
I seriously think that most of the complainers on CNET don't take into account everything they are getting for $120. GPS chipsets aren't really cheap, and a included power charger worth at least $20, I know it's hard to believe but companies do like to make money so they can pay their employees!
I think you're missing the point of this forum. It's here so people can bash and voice their opinions. If we couldn't, companies would never do anything to better themselves. After reading these posts I agree with most of the posters. This TT product is pretty cool, but way over priced.
If it were $100 for both the software and mount I might buy. If it also included and fm transmitter I might be even more interested. However, as things stand right now, I could not justify spending that much on a product that, I can only guess, won't perform as well as a stand alone unit.
And I highly doubt companies peruse CNET so they can see what the people that seem to misunderstand the free market think, and then try to better themselves. Companies release a product and people either buy it or they don't, and then the companies react accordingly.
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by jasonschlachter
September 29, 2009 11:15 AM PDT
- crazy price - I could buy a stand alone TomTom for $100 that would be just as good. I think $100 for software and mount would be my upper limit.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (44 Comments)In a year, I think we'll see it at the $100 mark.