TomTom has grasped the opportunity to announce another new generation of GO's at the annual consumer electronics fair IFA in Berlin. This new generation consists of the GO x40 series which is shipped with the new LIVE services. As well as this new model, there's also the new entry level GO, the GO 630.Device
The new GO x40 LIVE series, which will be available as the GO 540, 740 and 940, features a new look, but the difference between the x20 and X30 series are not Earth shattering. The light sensor and the opening for the microphone are fitted to the right of the screen, instead of on top. This makes the x40 somewhat wider than the first GO models. On the other hand, the new series is also a bit thinner than its predecessors. TomTom also added a new, less sensitive on/off button to the devices. The x40 LIVE weighs 220 grams, which is just a tad more than the x30 series.Technical
Technically, the new GO x40 LIVE is different from the x20 and x30 series. The newcomer in the GO family features a new take on connections. There's no direct connection with USB cable, RDS/TMC antenna or iPod, and the SD card slot has been replaced by a micro SD card slot.
The x40 is shipped with an entirely new active car mount. The X40 sits in this mount. The only connector on the X40 is the docking connector that it slots into when attached to the mount. This mount is, in case of the GO 940 LIVE, equipped with connections for the 12V power supply, RDS/TMC antenna and iPod. This way, TomTom is making life easier for the motorist. There will be no need to keep connecting and disconnecting cables. The active mount of the 540/740 LIVE models do not feature the RDS/TMC and and iPod connections. The mount is attached to the windscreen or the dashboard of the car by means of a suction cup with a turning knob.
For home use, TomTom GO LIVE is shipping with a docking station. This is for the charging of the unit, connecting it to the computer and using it with the desktop application TomTom HOME.
The new GO models feature a new, larger speaker on the back of the device. The space taken by the speaker seems 50% bigger than that of the previous models. The new speaker should provide more volume and better sound quality.
Software
Also with regards to software there is news to report. The x40 is shipped with the new 8.2 version of TomTom's NavCore software. This version features new, fresh icons and the option of controlling the software with your voice. Combined with the new v8.10 maps, the owner of an x40 can use the next generation of the IQ routes technology. When calculating a route, this technology takes historical data into account on each roads that lies on the route, every day of the week, every time of day, with an interval of 5 minutes. Depending on the predicted road congestion on the different roads, the optimal route is calculated.The new NavCore version contains improved and expanded functionality for the lane guide assistant ('Advanced Lane Guidance') and Map Share. The GO 940 LIVE features EPT, an FM transmitter and an MP3 player. These features are not available with the GO 540 and 740 LIVE.
LIVE
An entirely new feature with the GO x40 LIVE are TomTom's LIVE services, a package of services which should lift the navigational experience to a higher level. For the LIVE services, the GO x40 uses a built-in SIM card which downloads the necessary data automatically via GPRS.An important part of LIVE is the HD Traffic service, which is already operational in Holland. An entirely new service is Safety alerts, a service for real-time information on safety cameras, with which users can keep each other up to date. Other new LIVE services are Fuel Prices (up-to-date information on fuel prices) and the option of searching for destinations with Google, after which a simple tap of the screen is enough to plot a route to this destination. Already existing features like Weather and Buddies are now also a part of LIVE.
The TomTom GO x40 will appear in the shops this autumn. First in the Netherlands, Germany, The UK, France and Switzerland for the price of £ 349 for the TomTom GO 540 LIVE. This is including three months free use of LIVE. After this period, users can pay for a monthly flat-fee subscription of £ 9.95.
TomTom GO 630
Another surprising introduction at IFA is the TomTom GO 630 which is meant to be the new cheap entry-level model within the GO range. The device is more or less equal to the GO 730, but it's shipped with the maps of 22 Western European countries. The 630 also does not feature an MP3 player or FM transmitter. Depending on the country where the unit is bought there will be three different versions of this SatNav: one without traffic information (GO 630), one with RDS/TMC antenna included (GO 630 T) and one with a HD Traffic receiver (GO 630 HDT)The GO 630 is also expected in the shops this autumn. The recommended retail price for this model is £ 299. The (HD) Traffic version will be £ 50 more expensive.
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