Use Latest Map Guarantee - or you shouldn't believe in it!

[IvanH]

I bought TomTom GO 730 last week and installed TomTom HOME 2.6. On HOME > Tools > Use Latest Map Guarantee, it said that the Australian Map was version 815.2057 and the latest already.

But, what's confused me was that the bottom of TomTom HOME had an advertisement "BRAND NEW MAPS OUT NOW" and when clicked in, the new map's version was 830.2352 and asked me to pay A$139.95 for it. So, my device is not installed with the latest map.

I believe I am totally eligible for the new map.

I posted my question to TomTom but there was no response.

Is "Use Latest Map Guarantee" fake?

How can I obtain and use the latest map?

 

[doctormstein1]

your probable going to have to call support and tell them when you bought your unit. They ususally require that you email or fax a copy of your purchase receit to themj. Then they add the latest map to tom tom home

 

[dhn]

Doctor is exactly right. The Latest Map Guarantee in Home is notoriously buggy. Call Aussie support as advised.

I can't imagine all the poor souls worldwide that see the LMG tell them they have the latest and never pursue the issue, instead getting stuck with an older map.

 

[sageuvagony]

I can't imagine all the poor souls worldwide that see the LMG tell them they have the latest and never pursue the issue, instead getting stuck with an older map.

Isn't this some form of fraud? It's sickening that TomTom is able to hide behind the "It's a bug" excuse.

 

[drledger]

The LMG certainly has issues. I know of several who just finally gave up when support could (would) not help. This is a process that needs to be simplified and streamlined. Just give everybody one free map and forget it.

 

[ezerhoden]

Isn't this some form of fraud? It's sickening that TomTom is able to hide behind the "It's a bug" excuse.

It is. This is a selling feature and it just does not work, ever. If one thing disappoints me about TomTom it is that the LMG is a joke. They should not use this as a selling feature until it works. I could see a class action lawsuit being filed against them because of this.

 

[pianoCM]

In order to help out all Tomtom new owner, the admin/supermod of this site, this particular site SHOULD make sticky thread clearly telling them that DO NOT trust the LMG in Home, just go ahead checkout the latest installed maps, compared and CALL CSR if needed.
Please forget about HOME.

 

[gatorguy]

As DHN mentioned, there is likely a very large percentage of new TT owners who are never offered the latest map. It doesn't say they can't determine your current map version, nor that the system is currently experiencing issues so contact TT support. Instead clearly states the user already has the latest map. But new versions of home and apps are promptly and correctly offered while LMG has remained unreliable thru numerous Home updates. Why just that feature? Obviously it would be very advantageous to sell a map rather than give one away. IMHO, it at least has the scent of intentional. It's no secret to some that I've been no huge TT fan in the past, tho I've warmed to them quite a lot over the past year. But two issues bug me to no end. LMG and their over-the-top or marginally misleading advertising. They have a deserved reputation, alongside Garmin, for building the best available PND's today. But LMG in particular looks suspicious, at least to me.

End of rant.

 

[dhn]

Rant? That isn't a rant.....just an observation

You want to see rant?

Check this post by mikealder at pocketgps:

Click here

Now, THAT's a rant!!

 

[sageuvagony]

I could understand that TomTom would like to get away from giving out free maps by tricking customers into thinking they have the latest map, but this should have been something of the past, when TomTom didn't own Teleatlas.

When TomTom didn't own them, TomTom would get charged for EVERY SINGLE MAP that TomTom sold or gave out. I think it's similar to a license fee (or is one.) TomTom would have to pay Teleatlas to allow another map to be used on their devices. If you purchase a map, Teleatlas would get a portion of that price you paid for using their maps, and TomTom would keep the rest. When ever anyone gets a LMG, TomTom would lose money because the customer isn't paying for it, but TomTom still had to pay Teleatlas

Well now TomTom owns Teleatlas and things have changed. They shouldn't be pulling stunts like this still.

It's all dhn's fault!!!!!

 

[gatorguy]

Dang DHN. Milke makes me look like a TomTom Fanboy. A bit of a surprise, tho I do agree with his points. Home has been active long enough to get right. Pity the users who don't know about sites like this. How many TomTom's do you suppose are just stashed in a box somewhere, marginally working or perhaps not at all, with the owners having no idea what to do?

 

[mvl]

As we sit here as moderators on Tomtomforums, I can feel Mike's frustration on constantly having to invent/devise ways to clean up and workaround tomtom's mistakes.

Personally, the ONLY reasons I put up with Tomtom's TERRIBLE after-sales software development, are their three unique groundbreaking features:
1) map self-correction
2) IQroutes
3) LIVE traffic

Tomtom appears to devote 99% of software development effort to new product sales (new models, with their out-of-the box software are pretty reliable), and they appear to devote 1% to after-sales development/upgrades. EVERY map or application upgrade suffers from a bug (whether it's loss of features, broken features, or if we're lucky only resetting of pins and/or favorites).

Tomtom still functions like a startup company, innovation first, reliability second. Us tomtom loyalists have just learned to live with it.

 

[gatorguy]

As a TomTom wakeup call. two of the three reasons MVL mentions will be available from other than TT wihin the year if projections hold true. The third is probably in plans somewhere. They need to stay focused, clean up their after-sale support and testing, and bite the bullet and invest in a new hardware platform. Some of their competitors (and one big potential one) smell blood.

 

[Vorlon]

Latest Maps

Hi guys

Just to clear up some possible confusion in relation to the latest map which TomTom offers free of charge to its new customers.

When you purchase the device you have 30 days from when you first switch the device on to use the LMG or a certain amount of KM's, if you go past this it will not allocate the latest map. In this case you will need to contact the customer care and explain to them whats happened.

If the device has been sold before and it has been sold onto you via the retailer this can also cause problems, the quickest and simplest way is to call them and ask for help, they will ask you to send in the proof of purchase and will ask for a system info from the TomTom.. They will explain this to you.

Hope this helps

 

[canderson]

When you purchase the device you have 30 days from when you first switch the device on to use the LMG or a certain amount of KM's, if you go past this it will not allocate the latest map.

That last criterion surprises me. I don't think that any of us were aware that a TomTom tracked the owner's mileage, nor have I ever seen anything on any TomTom site that talks about mileage being a factor in the LMG. Can you point us to something that talks about this?!?

 

[mvl]

That last criterion surprises me. I don't think that any of us were aware that a TomTom tracked the owner's mileage, nor have I ever seen anything on any TomTom site that talks about mileage being a factor in the LMG. Can you point us to something that talks about this?!?

When a tomtom submits anonymous data on the driving history (per this link), it must hold a hidden GPS log to do so. Seems like tracking an owner's mileage would be an easy calculation based on that log.

I see sense in the mileage restriction as a doublecheck on faulty/hacked LMG calculations, but if there is a mileage-based expiration, HOME should say something like "LMG cannot be offerred by home at this time. Please call support".

Saying "LMG expired" or "No newer map is available" would be misleading.

 

[mikealder]

Well I have to say earlier tonight I had to use the TomTom Home software to update a new device purchased on my advice for good friend of mine who doesn't have internet access or even a PC, as you will know I am not a great advocate of the Home software, but I had no option:

Purchased a One Western Europe with Easy Port mount and Mini USB style RDS-TMC Receiver for the bargain price of ?99 at a local retailers, but supplied with very out of date software and maps, let the "fun" begin.

First of all a Windows Explorer back up (old habits die hard) this took 25 Minutes

Create a new account for the device, for this I used an e-mail address address that simply doesn't exist, but its one that I will remember, ask yourself though, where is the security in being able to use e-mail addresses that are "invented" on the fly that simply don't exist! "[email protected]" will never answer anything sent to it, but it does work for map activation!!!!

Next, Home took two goes at updating the application, firstly to version 7,522 then secondly it went to 8,010 these two updates and associated reboots took around 6 minutes.

With the unit running the latest application I used Latest Map Guarantee and it downloaded the latest v830 map, it also installed it, this took a little under an hour,

Another Windows Explorer back up which took a further 25 minutes.

After 2 hours I now have an up to date device that I will give to my mate in the morning, I still don't trust the Home application as it offers no information in use, but in the end on this occasion it worked - lord knows how many others stumble with LMG due to the fact some devices need more than one update, lets face it only regular users of forums associated with TomTom devices or GPS technology would have any idea of knowing what the latest versions of applications or even maps were. I had no idea idea 8,010 was the latest application for the device I was "playing" with, but it seemed right from what I have read.

Hope you enjoyed my little "ramble" from last week and in no way is this intended to detract from what was said, I still maintain the Home software is akin to playing Russian Roulette with your hard earned cash - Mike

 

[dhn]

Mike, it was seeing your rant at pgpsw (which I agree with and enjoyed reading) that provided motivation to me for a rant in another site (gpsreview.net) about TomTom NOT being an appropriate gps for Canadians to consider. See this link. It's in the thread.

Couldn't have done it without you, my friend!

 

[mvl]

Since this thread started to take an interesting tangent, I moved the further discussion on "submit anonymous data" here.

 

[dandes]

free map within 3 days of purchase

to get the latest map free within 30 days . hook the unit up and open the home softwear, in the tools tab at the top youll see ----- use use my free map update---- just click on it and go. it may give you some kind of warning if their server is down so youll have to wait and try again later. i would suggest you back up the unit before getting the new map just in case you have a problem such as a power interuption or net goes down. got this info from tek support and it worked perfect fo my xl340s.