Review: TomTom Car Kit for iPhone and iPod Touch
Short Version
Of course, the product does serve multiple purposes as an in-car iPhone charger, Bluetooth speakerphone and GPS unit. All in all, I was fairly impressed with the device and think those that aren’t turned off by the price might consider its purchase. The convenience of an all-in-one device is compelling.
Hit the jump to read on…
Slightly Less Short Version
The TomTom Car Kit (as previously mentioned) was a blast to use. Super easy to install: I simply stuck the kit onto the dash, plugged the car charger into the cigarette lighter and popped in my iPhone. The first time around you have to pair the TomTom’s Bluetooth signal with your iPhone, but after that it automatically connects whenever you plug the iPhone into the kit. Then, I fired up the TomTom GPS application on my iPhone and it was just like any other TomTom GPS. You type in your destination and it provides turn-by-turn, voice-guided directions.
On top of the GPS features of the TomTom Car Kit, it was great as an all-in-one car kit for your iPhone. It charges your phone at a decent rate, so you’ll never run out of battery. The Bluetooth speakerphone is very valuable – it’s not quite as loud as I would have liked, but it’s way better than the iPhone’s abysmal speakers and provides a great hands-free calling option. The Car Kit’s suction cup sticks to the windshield extremely well, which is nice because you probably don’t want your precious iPhone to come crashing down while you’re driving along the highway.
Why the TomTom Car Kit Probably Isn’t Worth It
Ultimately, though, the fact that the kit worked is only part of the puzzle. The other major decision point for me was if I thought it was an overall good buy – and if I was satisfied with its value proposition vis-a-vis other options for navigating with your iPhone. Here are three reasons why I’m fairly uncertain as to whether I’d ever buy the TomTom GPS Kit for the iPhone:
First, Google Maps Navigation. When Google announced that their maps product for Android OS 2.0 was going to be completely free, and provide turn-by-turn voice-provided navigation to all, it spelled the end of for-pay GPS applications. It is only a matter of time before this comes out for the iPhone – absolutely free – and when it does, there would be no reason to buy the TomTom GPS application, or any others for that matter.
The third reason I’m uncertain about the TomTom GPS Unit is that the price is way too high. If a GPS unit costs $80-$150 for both the hardware and the software bundled together, why the hell would I pay more than $200 for ONLY half the hardware and the software? Them’s crack prices. Seriously, it is ridiculous: my iPhone is far more powerful than any TomTom hardware is, and all I need on top of that is a speakerphone and an improved GPS signal.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve got cash to burn and like the convenience of the iPhone as a true all-in-one full-featured device, then go ahead and buy the TomTom Car Kit. It is great as a Bluetooth speakerphone and the GPS actually works (unlike the iPhone’s native GPS, which is shoddy). If you’re cash-conscious, however, I’d stay away. Be patient, wait until Google Maps Navigation comes out, and then buy a $30-50 speakerphone so you can talk in the car.