TomTom announces XL 340S Live

[dhn]

See a review here

 

[gatorguy]

TomTom is playing the old Garmin trick of numerous models with the same hardware, but adding/subtracting a feature here and there and giving it a new model number. That strategy gets complaints from Garmin users and I predict the same complaints from TT owners. An advantage that TT used to have is the model line stayed fairly understandable (except for the Ones) With new 530's, 540's, 325's, 325S, 340's, 340S, and x50's the lines are definitely blurred. As will the buyers eyes trying to sort out what they're buying or want. Wouldn't you think a newer/higher model number would have all the features of a previous/lower one? Not true anymore. What's wrong with the K.I.S.S. principle?

 

[mvl]

Just on schedule - the day the detailed info was released on the FCC.

Also, from here, "Vigreux added that TomTom and AT&T intend to collaborate on more advanced connected features in the future." Looks like Tomtom may have abandoned Vodafone and may be pairing with AT&T for HD traffic in the US.

AT&T already specifically said in my contract that they have the right to track my cellphone movement for real-time traffic purposes.

 

[gatorguy]

I'm not sure that rolling out their own developed, gathered and supported HDTraffic makes good economic sense anymore and that it's still in TomTom's plans for NA. There's several HDTraffic sources already available or soon to roll out here. Some will probably pop up free or nearly so in the not too far future. No sense in reinventing the wheel if it's cheaper to just buy one already made.

Unless they sell 250,000 340's and 740's in the US over the next 6 months, there's no way it's economically feasible to roll out their own anytime soon IMHO. The few thousand 740's sold so far aren't going to support it. But choosing to purchase/use someone else's data? Perhaps.

 

[mvl]

I just took a look at the XL LIVE on the FCC website. The screen's 5 inches.

I also never saw an XXL on the FCC, and Tomtom says it has bluetooth so I'm going to have to dig a bit more....

 

[maxe]

live 340s

does the 340s live have bluetooth for hands free calling? if not its like taking one step forward and a step backwords. its really not much differance than 740 live. its like you said give you one feacher but take another one away. what are they really getting at anyways.

 

[mvl]

If it matches the european XL IQroutes LIVE, then (compared to a 740), the 340s LIVE will takeaway bluetooth, voice commands, an sdhc slot, compatibility with an ipod player, and compatibility with a remote.

By its naming, (and if it matched the european model), it should have a 4.3" screen. However Tomtom doesn't mention a screen size, and the FCC says it's 5". You shouldn't 100% trust the FCC site and rather wait until Tomtom announces, because the FCC site can change.

Also, Tomtom is deemphasizing its high-end models, especially in the US. The 740 hasn't sold well here - my guess is that it is a combination of a poor economy, and the fact that many potential buyers were waiting for a true top-of-the-line model (eg: 940 or 950) before upgrading their earlier GO models.

 

[maxe]

new technology

thanks mvl for the information. i also was hoping they would come out with a 940 live, but will see what happens. i am kind of intrested in the 340s.

 

[gatorguy]

A couple of things to consider: The current 740's are already readily available for the introduction price of the 340. And they come with 3 months of live service. The 340's will reportedly only offer 30 days. Waiting until at least December, perhaps January to buy and I won't be surprised if the 340's can be found closer to $230-$250. By then TomTom may have a better monthly subscription plan too.

 

[maxe]

340s

i am sure the price will come down. only thing i dont like is the monthly fee. sams club sells the 740 live for 298 dollars. will see what happens to the 340s live.

 

[doctormstein1]

A couple of things to consider: The current 740's are already readily available for the introduction price of the 340. And they come with 3 months of live service. The 340's will reportedly only offer 30 days. Waiting until at least December, perhaps January to buy and I won't be surprised if the 340's can be found closer to $230-$250. By then TomTom may have a better monthly subscription plan too.

I think its coming with 3 months free

 

[gatorguy]

Per NaviGadget: "The connected services for TomTom XL 340S Live will cost $10/month after the first month."

Even tho it's been mentioned on a couple of other review sites, that statement could be a mistake. I'll see if I can confirm. I suspect you're correct at three months.

 

[mvl]

This press release says 3 months free.

 

[gatorguy]

Drmstein/MVL, three months is correct. Navigadget likely posted a typo that was then picked up by a couple other sites. I'm sure they meant to say "after the first three months".

 

[maxe]

340s live

does anybody know if the 340s live will have alg in canada and traffic. thanks

 

[dhn]

Traffic with a rds antenna is possible. Live traffic, no. Also, the only ALG I'm aware of in Canada are 4 junctions in the Maritimes. That's it!!!

 

[mvl]

Interesting - Tomtom had removed all product detail from its US website for the past few days, but it did show the XL340 LIVE as one of the products.

Now it put back the product detail, but this time it removed the XL340 LIVE from the list.

Amazon says it will be a November 10 release, but why hide the detail?

I can still dream/hope for HD traffic... we'll see.

 

[maxe]

gps

i notice the same thing you did. i wonder whats up with that. and nov 10 is that when the 340s will be in the stores thanks.

 

[mvl]

I just noticed that the 340s LIVE is in stock in all my area best buys. I'll see if they have a demo on display so I can post some specs.

 

[mvl]

I played with a 340s LIVE demo model at Best Buy.

Menus seem identical to 340s, with the addition of the 740's LIVE menus. There was no LIVE reception, so I wasn't able to tell if the traffic was PLUS-level, 740-level, or somewhere in between.

The App is 8.560, map is usa/can/mex v835 (August 09)., and has 64mb of ram. It doesn't have bluetooth handsfree.

The bottom of the device only has the USB jack, nothing else. However, the display model had the bottom sticker partially pulled off and I could see the sim card slot under the sticker.

Without plugging into a computer, you can't tell how big the internal flash memory is. But my guess is 2GB. Tomtom "played it safe", only loading one computer voice (Susan) so that there wouldn't be problems with fitting the USA/CAN/MEX map 835.