iPhone/iPod touch Must Have Apps

[Barnes]

$100 bucks? Plus at least $150 bucks for the car mount. No thanks.

Their cheapest unit is $149.

[Russic]

It's getting hard to discuss the tomtom app via twitter, so here I am. Overpriced and yet I still find myself batting the idea around. Kermitology is trying to sway me, but I'm not sure he has the powers to defeat the raging geek within me.

My issue with the standalone units is that I don't want to lug something around nor do I want to house it in my car. There is something attractive about having my music, movies, phone and gps in one tight little package. The question is now whether that convenience is worth the jacked price tag.

Furthermore, I'm not sure I want this app without the cradle. If the app is $100 I'm scared to even think what the car kit will cost. Can anybody confirm if the kit has an antennae to up the signal strength of gps? Kermitology's current arguement is that the iphone's gps is too weak. While I agree it isn't great, when you're in a 3g area such as a city I find the gps to be sufficient. There's a short youtube video out there with a guy giving a quick review and he said he used it along with his standalone tomtom unit and he claims the directions and visuals came pretty much at the same time.

I wonder if you buy the car kit you can get a discount on the app?

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Russic

Furthermore, I'm not sure I want this app without the cradle. If the app is $100 I'm scared to even think what the car kit will cost. Can anybody confirm if the kit has an antennae to up the signal strength of gps? Kermitology's current arguement is that the iphone's gps is too weak. While I agree it isn't great, when you're in a 3g area such as a city I find the gps to be sufficient. There's a short youtube video out there with a guy giving a quick review and he said he used it along with his standalone tomtom unit and he claims the directions and visuals came pretty much at the same time.

I wonder if you buy the car kit you can get a discount on the app?

Taken from TomTom site:

the TomTom car kit that offers secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions and hands-free calling, while charging your iPhone at the same time

Also, there is a rumored package deal in the UK, 169 pounds for the cradle and app, but I don't know how accurate that is.

I mean, theoretically, it's possible for TomTom to include an app redemption code in the package with the cradle. So... you can buy the cradle on its own for $100, or cradle + app code for $169 (for example). I don't know if they are doing this or not, though. I haven't heard anything outside of the rumored deal from the UK

[Prototype]

I've gotten a lot of wear and tear out of the Deer Hunter free app. Wicked game so far... I love demos that you can get hooked on enough that you don't need to spend the money on the actual game.

[Russic]

Thanks! I'd heard it would enhance the signal, but upon trying to confirm that I couldn't find it ... guess I should have checked the official site hey? That might be enough to tilt the scales for me. I find the phone works great in 3g areas, but in the more rural parts it isn't quite as strong which isn't a deal-breaker, but it sure would be nice to bump that signal a bit.

[Barnes]

There's a bunch of reasons why I won't buy it. First is the price. $100 bucks is pretty steep for just the app. I understand it's a quality product but there's no reason as to why it costs that much. If they can sell you hardware and software for $149....

The size of the app. I can't justify taking up 1.5gb on my 8gb phone. Why all of NA? Why not offer regional downloads like they don in Europe? I really don't need Puerto Rico and Hawaii and most of the US.

The cradle. I would want it as it increases the gps signal but I imagine it will be expensive and it offers no FM transmitter. My car has no line in so I would have to carry my iPod and transmitter as well. So much for all in one device. I may as well use my Phone for music and buy a dedicated GPS device which may or may not be a TomTom product.

Had the App cost $10 and provincial and state maps at $10 each I would have bought, AB, BC, Idaho and Montana yesterday. That's $50 dollars from me vs. $0. If you take into account my travels, I would have spent at least another $40 or $50 dollars this year. It would be a lot easier to swallow $10 bucks at a time as I need it.

I am sure it will be hugely successful and will work great but it's not for me.

[FanIn80]

From TomTom twitter:

@joe_turner You can purchase the app through http://www.tomtom.com/tomto.... Currently no bundle price is available

Which does kinda hint that there could be a bundle price.



More interesting, though, is the cradle itself:

Hardware: TomTom will be offering a Car Kit for the iPhone, integrating a car mount, enhanced GPS receiver, built-in speaker, and power cables. The kit also includes an audio output jack, as well as a microphone to enable use of the iPhone as a Bluetooth speakerphone.

For starters, the Car Kit includes a separate GPS receiver that performs better than the one built into the iPhone; Murray said this receiver is closer to what you'd find in a dedicated GPS unit. The TomTom app uses this receiver when your iPhone is docked in the Car Kit, allowing for improved real-time navigation, especially in cities with large buildings or in locations with lots of trees or other natural obstacles. The Car Kit also includes a built-in speaker that provides better audio quality and considerably louder output, making it easier to hear spoken directions.

And this little tidbit:

"It will work with the iPod touch and will also work with third-party GPS applications."

So, theoretically, you could buy the cradle and use it with the native Maps app?

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/17/...-applications/

[worth]

What do you guys pay on average per month for an iPhone through Rogers? I'm guessing a basic phone plan + data plan, so what do the data plans run?

I see on Rogers website :

Mobile Hi-Speed Data Service Plans - 500 MB - $25 up to $80 for 5 gb.

How many gigs do you guys use per month? $80 data plan for 5 gb seems like a lot.

[ah123]

Originally Posted by worth

What do you guys pay on average per month for an iPhone through Rogers? I'm guessing a basic phone plan + data plan, so what do the data plans run?

I see on Rogers website :

Mobile Hi-Speed Data Service Plans - 500 MB - $25 up to $80 for 5 gb.

How many gigs do you guys use per month? $80 data plan for 5 gb seems like a lot.

There is a special promotion where you can get 6GB for $30. If you already have a voiceplan, you can just add the dataplan on. If you don't have a voiceplan, you might want to look at the iPhone value pack (or whatever they call it now)...

My average cost per month is around $70 - $17.50 for the voice plan, $12 for voicemail/call display and $30 for the 6GB data.

Re usage - the most I have been able to use in one month was about 700MB and that was when I was listening to internet radio for large parts of the day. Average use is about 300 MB/month

[Russic]

I average about $80 per month with the 6 gig plan. I've never used more than 550mb in a month, so the amount of data is a little heavier than I require.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by ah123

There is a special promotion where you can get 6GB for $30. If you already have a voiceplan, you can just add the dataplan on. If you don't have a voiceplan, you might want to look at the iPhone value pack (or whatever they call it now)...

My average cost per month is around $70 - $17.50 for the voice plan, $12 for voicemail/call display and $30 for the 6GB data.

Re usage - the most I have been able to use in one month was about 700MB and that was when I was listening to internet radio for large parts of the day. Average use is about 300 MB/month

Do you get visual voicemail with that? Also, what do you pay for a text message?

[ah123]

Originally Posted by Bob

Do you get visual voicemail with that? Also, what do you pay for a text message?

I don't have visual voicemail and I have 125 text messages included as part of the voicemail/caller id package

[Incogneto]

'I Dig It' is a wicked game!

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Barnes

There's a bunch of reasons why I won't buy it. First is the price. $100 bucks is pretty steep for just the app. I understand it's a quality product but there's no reason as to why it costs that much. If they can sell you hardware and software for $149....

I bet you the raw hardware in a basic TomTom isn't worth much more than $49. The value is really the software.

[Flaming Choy]

Do you need a data connection to use the GPS or are the maps pre-loaded and it just uses the AGPS data to place you (I heard AGPS doesn't use data).

The reason I ask is the North America app includes Canada and the US, but once you enter the US won't you be using data roaming and get some crazy charges?

I think i'll stick with XGPS for now. Can pre-download all the maps you need which is nice.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Flaming Choy

Do you need a data connection to use the GPS or are the maps pre-loaded and it just uses the AGPS data to place you (I heard AGPS doesn't use data).

The reason I ask is the North America app includes Canada and the US, but once you enter the US won't you be using data roaming and get some crazy charges?

I think i'll stick with XGPS for now. Can pre-download all the maps you need which is nice.

If it's at 1.5GB, then it's probably loading the maps.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by fotze

Why don't they include a wall plug for the touch, just the annoying USB cord, is it Apple forcing constant itunes upgrades up the bum.

yeah my roommate complained about that too, but I never sent back my recalled one and gave it to her.

[monkeyman]

Has anyone else tried using Wunder Radio to stream XM radio on their Iphone? i've been trying to use it since they upgraded it to allow you to stream using your online XM account but it keeps cutting out on me and stops.
Thanks.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by fotze

Why don't they include a wall plug for the touch, just the annoying USB cord, is it Apple forcing constant itunes upgrades up the bum.

$3. Not sure I could love monoprice anymore than I already do.



http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

If anybody is curious, they also sell battery packs for less than $10.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

Has anyone else tried using Wunder Radio to stream XM radio on their Iphone? i've been trying to use it since they upgraded it to allow you to stream using your online XM account but it keeps cutting out on me and stops.
Thanks.

Tried once, and couldn't get it to load.