LIVE is much more detailed traffic.
PLUS runs on the European LIVE server and uses pretty much the same back-end platform, but Tomtom only pays for Inrix data on the PLUS feed, so its quality is pretty much like RDS-TMC. In fact, as Inrix coverage has grown to occasional sideroads, PLUS hasn't. It's almost as if Inrix has classes of service, and PLUS is on the cheapest one. Tomtom phone support said they are abandoning PLUS, and it seems they're trying to wean all their customers off of it.
For LIVE traffic, Tomtom pays for high-end Inrix and adds Trafficcast, and it also uses other LIVE units as traffic probes. So it's data is much better.
But PLUS is lightning fast. A plus traffic download runs at 3g speeds (if you have a 3g phone), and takes 2-3 seconds to download traffic. LIVE traffic takes 15-30 seconds, because the Tomtom modem is only 2g speeds. RDS-TMC is the slowest, taking 1-2 minutes in rush hour.
PLUS really is the gold standard technology-wise, but I'm sure Tomtom support was overwhelmed with all the "how do I connect to bluetooth" phone calls, so they decided to integrate the data into the device to make it idiot proof. Still, the 740 is really a generation behind the 720. The 740 is inferior in every way except for the quality of the traffic feed they decided to put on it. It's a real shame.
So I'm stuck with the dillemma that Tomtom has forced upon high-end American customers. Do I take the 930, with the stability of app 8.302, the music player, the accuracy of EPT? Or is the much better traffic of the 740 worth the other downgrades?
Every time I drive with one device, I get mad and wish I had a feature from the other. WIth Sirius music stinking more every day, it makes the decision harder and harder. I'm almost settling into using the 930 all the time except for weekday evenings. And put up with the 740 just for the weekday evening errand runs during rush hour. Or I may just carry both all the time so I can switch on demand.
Tomtom could make this all go away by offering the high-end traffic on the PLUS system on the 930, or by selling a 940 in the US. But I gave up on Tomtom doing either.
It's pretty clear that Tomtom doesn't have any idea how to please high-end American consumers. Their traffic is so good and saves me so much time that I can't live without them, but they've managed to find one way after another to p**s me off again and again.
I'm really hoping that Apple doesn't kill off Nokia, because I really want Navteq to be able to invest in cloning IQroutes and HD traffic. My hope is that these technologies make it into Honda/Acura navigation soon, so I can trade up to a new car and enjoy navigation again.
