Thursday, August 28,2008 @ 9:30am
TomTom GO x40 LIVE adds road history, HD traffic
TomTom used the prelude to the IFA expo to introduce an update to its GO GPS units. While cosmetically similar to earlier models, the GO x40 LIVE series is billed as the first to have an extremely detailed history of the travel times for roads in its coverage area, letting its IQ Routes feature automatically pick the best route to avoid traffic congestion at rush hour regardless of the actual street. The upgrade also adds HD Traffic support for European maps that TomTom claims is the most accurate of its type and which can catch unusual spikes in traffic that IQ Routes may miss.
The LIVE title is also earned through built in data features available during a drive, including a Google search for local points of interest, fuel prices, and user-to-user notifications of speed cameras and other warnings. Every new GPS also has an active dock that can integrate more tightly into the car's electronics and voice-activated commands as an optional substitute for touch input.
TomTom doesn't illustrate the full differences between models but reveals that there will be 540, 740, and 940 versions of the LIVE, each of which correlates to upgrades of the existing 530, 730 and 930 models that carry 4.3-inch screens. The 740 and 940 are likely to add Bluetooth on the 740 and, for the 940, full maps of both Europe and North America as well as lane assist and other features reserved for the top end. Pricing hasn't been revealed, though the Netherlands-based company plans a launch in Europe first during the fall and will offer LIVE as a 10 Euro monthly subscription service.