TomTom ships slim VIA GPS units to US shores
updated 09:25 am EDT, Fri April 1, 2011
TomTom VIA 1405, 1505 ship to the US
Following its brief tease at CES, TomTom on Friday shipped its overhauled VIA GPS navigators to the US. The 4.3-inch 1405 and 1435, as well as the five-inch 1505 and 1535, all have a much slimmer design with an EasyPort mount that more easily grafts on to the dash or the windshield. They mark the formal launch of a reworked interface, both on the touchscreen and through a new natural-language voice command system.
The 1405 and 1505 as the basic versions have North American maps along with TomTom's community-led Map Share updates, IQ Routes for intelligent routing, and lane assist. Getting voice control, as well as Bluetooth hands-free calling, needs a step up to the 1435 or 1535. TomTom is going against trends and won't automatically bundle lifetime maps or traffic, but versions will exist with the two features already included.
Stores should have the lineup today and will start out at $169 for a VIA 1405.
