TomTom update v1.2 with ALG & text-to-speech

[bit_bucket]

Okay, so far I have only found one voice that does the TTS. Is it me or did they not mark any of the TTS voices with any description to tell you if they are TTS or not?

What are you guys seeing/hearing?

 

[dagomike]

I may be cynical, but I suspect you might underestimate TomTom's ability to create poor software...

Steve.

Well, that is pretty cynical. Other than being late to the party with a few key features, TomTom is a pretty good app. Looking at the current state of G-Map, I'm OK with developers taking their time to get things right.

 

[dhy8386]

Guys

BIG feature in this new update. In the advanced settings, their is a GPS Enhancer option which you can toggle on and off with following description: TT GPS enhancer compensates for any delays or inaccuracies in your location.

I believe this is their attempt to appease customers who b!tched about GPS lag. This may make it more like Navigon which build in this auto correction on the GPS.

Can someone test this with and without.

 

[bit_bucket]

All in all this is a great update. The TTS works really well. Also the lane assist is awesome. I have never had this feature on any of my GPS devices. I just did a route that used it and it could not be simpler when having to negotiate turns on a highway. Route calculation seems to be a lot quicker, and they tweaked the interface a bit.

With this update I feel TomTom is finally worth the money. The reason I think they can justify the higher amount is due to the IQ routes.

 

[dhy8386]

All in all this is a great update. The TTS works really well. Also the lane assist is awesome. I have never had this feature on any of my GPS devices. I just did a route that used it and it could not be simpler when having to negotiate turns on a highway. Route calculation seems to be a lot quicker, and they tweaked the interface a bit.

With this update I feel TomTom is finally worth the money. The reason I think they can justify the higher amount is due to the IQ routes.

IM just checking this out on demo mode but havent found any voices that do TTS. Which one did you choose?

EDIT: I mean come on! The only voice that does it is the crappiest one - the one labeled Samantha which the computer based one as they call it. None of the ones do it. Thats ridiculous.

Also, looks like ipod integration is crap. All i see is a way to bring up a bottom bar to play, rewind and ff songs. No playlist creation or changing to diff artists, albums etc while in app. Did you find this? Or is this just a limitation of demo mode?

 

[bit_bucket]

IM just checking this out on demo mode but havent found any voices that do TTS. Which one did you choose?

EDIT: I mean come on! The only voice that does it is the crappiest one - the one labeled Samantha which the computer based one as they call it. None of the ones do it. Thats ridiculous.

Also, looks like ipod integration is crap. All i see is a way to bring up a bottom bar to play, rewind and ff songs. No playlist creation or changing to diff artists, albums etc while in app. Did you find this? Or is this just a limitation of demo mode?

Yeah I have only found one TTS comparable voice. Kind of crappy that they didn't bother to mark the TTS ones. Just played with the iPod interface. This is really generic. I am trying to figure out why I would use this over double home click. I suspect this was a last min addition. They should improve this over time.

 

[RiceRacerDX]

Alright, this update kinda pisses me off. Sure they added these new features, but they all seem so tacky. Only one crappy voice does TTS and it doesn't even tell you it does TTS. Firstly, I can't add new voices and secondly, you're gonna force me to use your one and only voice in order to use TTS?? Fail on your part TomTom. Advanced lane guidance is decent...I'm alright with it. More than 80% of the sounds for speed limit warnings seem so childish. The new GUI with thumbnail pictures added to the voice and maps section under settings is nice to have. No more selecting and testing each one of the maps anymore thanks to that. And the iPod control has got to be the worst integration I've ever seen. It is no easier than double clicking the home button. The only advantage is that I don't have to have music playing already (before, if music wasn't playing and you double tapped home, apps would close and the iPod app would open). And just like Navigon, TomTom should have an option to turn things on and off if we want to use it (in-app iPod buttons). Navigon has better iPod integration so far. Help Me is a nice thing to have.

This really makes me regret not buying Navigon first when it came out. They seem to know how to do things right.

 

[dagomike]

So far, meh.

 

[ptackbar]

I agree that this update isn't that spectacular. The iPod integration (which isn't that important to me) seems pretty weak compared to Navigon's. And, unless I'm missing something, all audio alerts still cause the background music to pause. This is most noticeably annoying when you have the speed limit alert turned on.

One thing I've noticed about the voice directions is that sometimes road names are not announced and often, after receiving a pre-turn notice, when I actually get to the turn the TomTom software is silent. Anyone else notice this?

 

[GeekGirl*]

wish we could try before you buy.

 

[infoman]

I agree that this update isn't that spectacular. The iPod integration (which isn't that important to me) seems pretty weak compared to Navigon's. And, unless I'm missing something, all audio alerts still cause the background music to pause. This is most noticeably annoying when you have the speed limit alert turned on.

One thing I've noticed about the voice directions are that sometimes road names are not announced and often, after receiving a pre-turn notice, when I actually get to the turn the TomTom software is silent. Anyone else notice this?

Yes, hopefully they will address that.

 

[dalvin200]

Okay, so far I have only found one voice that does the TTS. Is it me or did they not mark any of the TTS voices with any description to tell you if they are TTS or not?

What are you guys seeing/hearing?

i was looking for the TTS feature this morning... as i went a different route and fired up tomtom... my default voice is "Jane" (i think)...

but she didn't speak any road names... just the usual "turn left" etc...

how do you know the TTS voices to use? just randomly pick one?

thanks

 

[Gizmo 76]

The UK version has 3 computer text to speech voices, and samantha is the most robotic, but the other two aren't actually all that bad. I'm liking the whole road name annoucing...

Some of my opinions on the updated app that I posted on another forum....

Had a quick drive and play with the new update this morning...

Really liking the text to speech, only 3 voices (computer) that use it I believe, but all other than the american voice sound human enough and pronouce road names well. Also liking the updated voice instructions e.g. if you're on a motorway or a road for a while; it will inform you to follow said road for so many miles.

Some nice little menu updates with icons next to the voices, and maps.

Interesting new feature in the advanced menu, 'GPS Enhancer' (tm), compensates for delays or inaccuracies in your position. Need some on the road testing before I can comment on how effective this is as a feature, but very cool to have the choice.

Ipod intergration is lame unless I'm missing something, you get more track information by double clicking your home button if you have your iphone setup this way. Only in app controls are play, next track, and previous track!. Admittively the ipod controls in the app mean you can just play your music without having to exit the app and set it up before hand, but hopefully tomtom will increase the functionality of this side of things in the future, and give us the option to choose fading the music while instructions are annouced please

Map has been updated which is always nice, new housing estate near me still is not on the map though, but it is only about 8 months old A New speed limit warning is available, and now you can customize your speed camera alert sound as well, i've gone for the siren There is also a 'help me' area on the app, so you can quickly call or map a route to local emergency services, be it for a broken tooth or the local police station.

And finally lane guidance, another nice addition, you can choose to have the lane images turned on where it will take you away from your map and show you a graphic image of the upcoming motorway exit lanes and sign, or if you have the lane images turned off it will still show you the lane layout in the bottom bar, I prefer this as I like the security of seeing myself at all times on the map

So overall I think this is a very solid update, still a couple tweaks needed, to the ipod intergation, and you can still only do a demo route at normal speed! But all in all, a very nicely improving app; now that tomtom have got going

 

[Phil Lee]

I used the update for the first time this morning on my usual drive into work.

First up, I have the Western Europe version and the only British voice I could find with TTS is Serena (Computer). I guess having computer in brackets is a dead giveaway. TTS worked well. It made a good stab at pronouncing a couple of road names and place names too although it did struggle with Mereside. I found it very useful to hear the road numbers together with the place to head towards. At one point on a long straight road I got a message to say to continue for 4.5 miles then take the A556 towards Northwich which I thought was a helpful use of TTS, getting me ready for what was coming up.

I didn't get to try ALG since I didn't go on a motorway.

Looking at the Advanced options, there is a setting called GPS Enhancer which says "TomTom GPS Enhancer compensates for any delays or inaccuracies in your location". I have the TT dock so get good GPS anyway but I did try swicthing it on and it did seem to make a small difference. as far as I could tell, the car position was just about perfect.

On the routing side of things, there definitely seems to have been an update. For the first time, a sat nav took me along the back road I would normally go on to work, rather than down the main road which runs parallel with it. A definite thumbs up on the routing front from me for this single test.

The iPod controls are very basic. To access them, touch the status window. The screen changes to show lips on the right, a music symbol on the left and a volume slider or message about the dock in the middle. When you press the music symbol you get skip back, pause/play and skip forward controls. That's it. On the one hand that is a little disappointing but on the other, should you really be selecting tracks, playlists etc when driving?

I am definitely impressed with this update and think TomTom have really got there act together. If I were to change one thing now the app, it would be to make it easier to get back to the map from deep in the settings. You have to press back 4 times to get back to the map. There should be a cancel or save button at each level.

 

[sneeks]

Only 1 TTS voice in the Western Europe version

 

[jmmo20]

TomTom's customer support is beyond ridiculous.

I contacted them because despite being adverstised as having ALG and TTS, the Iberia TomTom application does not have any of those two options. (no Computer voices, for example).

You know what they replied back? They claim that since they don't have the appropriate tools, all support questions regarding the Tomtom app for iphone MUST be directed towards APPLE customer services.

Is that non-sense or what?

 

[baseline01]

No ALG or TTS in Iberia version?
Thanks, you just saved me 70€. I was going to get this since I have owned several TomTom pnd's over the years but...
For now Navigon is still my best friend.

cheers

 

[jmmo20]

No ALG or TTS in Iberia version?
Thanks, you just saved me 70€. I was going to get this since I have owned several TomTom pnd's over the years but...
For now Navigon is still my best friend.

cheers

TomTom advertises it as having support for both but once Installed (and re-installed from scratch) those two functions are nowhere to be found.

And tomtom support rudely redirects me towards Apple customer care (wtf???)

 

[McSpawner]

TomTom advertises it as having support for both but once Installed (and re-installed from scratch) those two functions are nowhere to be found.

And tomtom support rudely redirects me towards Apple customer care (wtf???)

I have no problems with my Iberia map.

 

[sfditty]

The map update was a welcome surprise. There's a new highway on-ramp near my work that was just opened about two months ago. I was surprised to find that the TomTom app had it.

 

[acousticbiker]

I'm trying to decide whether to make the plunge after being disappointed with Navigon. Two questions about this update:

1. Is Day/Night mode now automatic?
2. Does music fade now for spoken directions or is it still an abrupt pause?

 

[sfditty]

I'm trying to decide whether to make the plunge after being disappointed with Navigon. Two questions about this update:

1. Is Day/Night mode now automatic?
2. Does music fade now for spoken directions or is it still an abrupt pause?

Unfortunately, the answer is no to both questions.

 

[dmk1974]

Is there any way to try this app out or do you have to roll the dice and throw down the $100?

 

[baseline01]

I have no problems with my Iberia map.

Well... I finally decided to take the plunge and boy am I sorry.
Terrible, terrible app. Much worse than my PND from the same manufacturer.
For the portuguese voice, there's no TTS to be found, the routing is horrendous (much worse than Navigon) and the directions... Good grief. Here are a few examples:
- Exit ahead?? WTH, what does that mean? How many meters, etc. That information is provided at a later date which IMO is quite confusing.

-Take the exit. This the icing on the cake. Which exit?? If there is more than one I'm forced to look at the display, for any GPS software that's a cardinal sin as far as I'm concerned.

-There is no audio cue as to how many kms one has to drive on a given motorway, again forcing me to look at the screen.

All these omissions aren't present on my PND, and last but not least, the arrow position really jumps a lot. It looses it's bearing quite frequently even with the new "GPS enhancer". Navigon for me never exhibited this problem.

I've since asked for a refund, don't know if I'll get it but here's hoping.
Big caveat emptor on this one and maybe this post can help others not to make the same mistake.

On the plus side, the software is highly configurable and the map is more up to date than the one in Navigon. The other relevant feature for me is the ability to have the gui language separate from the turn-by-turn. That way I can have the interface in English and the voices in Portuguese. Sadly, Navigon doesn't allow this.

Cheers

 

[mac-slap-happy]

Those who have a copy of TomTom loaded, do you know if the audio directions can come through a mono (non-A2DP) bluetooth headset? Anyone care to test for me? Would like to purchase before the weekend sale is over, but I'm hearing through the grapevine that I may have to have a A2DP BT headset for it to work properly.

Confirmation would be greatly appreciated.