DS Forums

 
 

iPhone & TomTom app


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 21-08-2009, 23:13
T.K.Maxx
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 576

Hi, I've downloaded the app for the tomtom western europe and I cant get a steady signal. It's placed beside a tomtom G520 and the GPS is picked up with no problem. It's alternating from "Waiting for a GPS Signal" to "Poor GPS Signal" and a constantly grey screen. Anybody else have this and did you get around this? I've tried this outdoors and in major towns and still nothing.

TIA
T.K.Maxx is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 23-08-2009, 21:48
dcr_1999
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 155
Hi, I've downloaded the app for the tomtom western europe and I cant get a steady signal. It's placed beside a tomtom G520 and the GPS is picked up with no problem. It's alternating from "Waiting for a GPS Signal" to "Poor GPS Signal" and a constantly grey screen. Anybody else have this and did you get around this? I've tried this outdoors and in major towns and still nothing.

TIA
From what I've read on other forums some users are reporting this problem.

I would have thought it will be sorted when the car cradle is available.

I want to get the app but refuse to do so until the price for the cradle has been announced.
dcr_1999 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2009, 22:36
kyussmondo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk
Posts: 1,731
This is why I am waiting for the car cradle to be available. I am not surprised the iPhone GPS isn't strong enough. I am also waiting till I get paid and the software matures a bit more.
kyussmondo is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 00:54
lalaland
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 11,539
The iPhone's built in GPS is letting you down I'm afraid, so no matter what the software it doesn't seem like you'll get a decent fix from the iPhone's built in GPS.

It's a shame, because when mobile GPS works well it's a nice addition to the handset. My own handset gets a GPS signal in about 2-5 seconds and really locks on to it. I would find it frustrating if instead it was just a novelty that let you down as it appears to be here.

Does the planned cradle have it's own built in GPS hardware? If so then that will aid with the signal, if not then I wouldn't expect miracles from it.
lalaland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 02:08
CaptnSpaulding
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 5,260
There has been many reports of the same problems with the TomTom app, hence why I stayed away.
Obviously, don't listen to lalaland as he doesn't even own an iPhone and always talks out of his arse on here when it comes to iPhones. (He'll try persuading you to buy a buggy N97 next )
TomTom should bring out an update soon to fix this but if you don't want to wait, send Apple an e-mail claiming you are not happy and they should issue you a refund - and you might get to keep the application!
I'm currently using Co-Pilot Live on my iPhone and it's very accurate - much better than Garmin Mobile XT was on my Nokia 5800... typical Symbian

Out of all the Sat Nav applications, Navigon is apparently the favourite out there, but I'll stick with Co-Pilot for it's £25.99 pricetag and a free update due in the next week or so to include live traffic and other tweaks.
CaptnSpaulding is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 02:50
lalaland
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 11,539
There has been many reports of the same problems with the TomTom app, hence why I stayed away.
Although obviously software can handle the hardware differently, I would suggest that a big player in this area is the GPS hardware such as the chip type used and the antenna used. Obviously software handling of the hardware will play some part, but not all mobile devices handle GPS as well as others sadly and in some handsets it's more of a gimmick than a usable feature. With the iPhone I am not yet decided which way it is.

Obviously, don't listen to lalaland as he doesn't even own an iPhone
Do I not? Are you in a position to know that for a fact? And does not owning an iPhone mean you aren't allowed to post on iPhone threads? Such a childish comment on an otherwise decent thread and discussion.

and always talks out of his arse on here when it comes to iPhones.
And now you're resorting to personal insults? How petty and uncalled for. It's also inaccurate too, if you look back at my history you'll see that on some iPhone threads I've offered solutions to known bugs and problems to other iPhone users which was far from talking from my behind.

(He'll try persuading you to buy a buggy N97 next )
Why on Earth would I do that? This thread is clearly not about a choice of mobile phone, it's simply discussing someone's experience of GPS on an iPhone with Tomtom software. I think you need to stick with what's being typed instead of attempting to insult me and trying to guess what I'll type next, especially when it's wrong and only serves to make you look a little silly

TomTom should bring out an update soon to fix this but if you don't want to wait, send Apple an e-mail claiming you are not happy and they should issue you a refund - and you might get to keep the application!
I'm currently using Co-Pilot Live on my iPhone and it's very accurate - much better than Garmin Mobile XT was on my Nokia 5800... typical Symbian

Out of all the Sat Nav applications, Navigon is apparently the favourite out there, but I'll stick with Co-Pilot for it's £25.99 pricetag and a free update due in the next week or so to include live traffic and other tweaks.
And I'm sure we'll all respect that you have an opinion here as you have expressed, without insulting you as you have done me above and without demanding that you own each of the above products to have an opinion on them, as you have done with me above. Perhaps a little more toleration and a little less rudeness from yourself wouldn't go amiss here?
lalaland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 02:54
lalaland
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 11,539
OP, I apologise for CaptnSpaulding's little outburst there in their attempt to spoil the thread. They appear to be following me at present and having a petty dig .

Anyway, back on topic, just a thought, have you tried this in a vehicle only or actually on foot? The reason I ask is because some cars, especially Ford, have heated windscreens which can cause problems for some GPS receivers which may be a problem you're experiencing?

Have you also tried it in different weather conditions? Believe it or not, cloudy / bad weather can also cause problems for weaker GPS devices that are common in non-dedicated GPS devices. A clear blue sky should provide better results for a weaker GPS chip.

And does anyone know the answer to my question re the cradle that was posed earlier in the thread?
lalaland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 09:00
dosanjh1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,810
The tom tom iphone mount will have a GPS chip installed in it to boost the signal. It will also have a charger and a speaker (i think) to boost iphones tinny sound.

I'm using Navigon, it locks on most of the time and when it works, it works well, but if its overcast, forget it. Also its 1.5 gig and has left me with very little space on my 8 gig iphone. The tom tom is ony 250mg so I'm prob going to switch when the mount come along.
dosanjh1 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 26-08-2009, 11:47
lalaland
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 11,539
That's good news. An external receiver in the cradle will be much better, especially if using the Sirf III chipset or similar. I would have thought a cradle would kill 2 birds with 1 stone, offering a place to hold the device as well as sort out the poor signal issues.
lalaland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-08-2009, 11:56
sla_steve
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
Posts: 1,457
having to fork out more for the "fix" of the receiver in a cradle isnt going to be much consolation to those people who already spent 60 quid for an app which doesnt work.
sla_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-08-2009, 12:14
moisie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Herts
Posts: 2,378
This is why I only bought copilot, far cheaper and works well enough for occasional use, but if I wanted a gps regularly I'd buy a dedicated device. That said, most of the dedicated devices are crap.
moisie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-08-2009, 17:25
dosanjh1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,810
having to fork out more for the "fix" of the receiver in a cradle isnt going to be much consolation to those people who already spent 60 quid for an app which doesnt work.
Your probably right, but a decent in car charger is usually £20 and a decent phone mount for the iphone isnt cheap either.

It all depends how desperate you are to use the thing as a sat nav. But for serious sat nav users, salesman, lorry drivers etc I don't think its a great sub.

But check out the ad on tom toms website - the product looks fat!

http://iphone.tomtom.com/en-us/index.html
dosanjh1 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 26-08-2009, 20:59
Dung hole Dave
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Essex
Posts: 712
ive just installed tom tom on my 3gs and it works fine, i have it mounted next to the stereo in my transit and it locks onto the gps sigal quicker than my to tom 920, also its working through a heated windscreen
Dung hole Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-08-2009, 09:22
dosanjh1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,810
I've just read that the car kit will be funtional with 3rd party gps apps

http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/08...rd-party-apps/
dosanjh1 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 27-08-2009, 19:34
lalaland
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 11,539
Sounds like a winner to me, if it improves your GPS and works with other apps too then it's going to be good money spent.

How much is it by the way? It may also be worth considering the Garmin Mobile 20 if there's an iPod attachment available. They tend have attachments available for quite a few phones now, so it's very possible there's an iPhone compatible one too and that also works with multiple GPS software as well as other features. Obviously the downside is that it's not going to be moulded specifically for the iPod shape being a generic adjustable holder for many mobiles with built in GPS receiver etc. but as it's around £20-30 if you shop hard enough (or £70-100 if you don't), it's also worth considering to improve your GPS signal.
lalaland is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:31.