TomTom maps 2008.10

TomTom started selling its v8.25 maps, based on the 2008.10 release of TeleAtlas. These new maps are available for all devices from now on.
The maps are only for download through the TomTom Home application, just like the last versions before.

America’s: USA, Canada, Alaska, Mexico and Brasil
Europe, Middle East, Africa: Western, Central & Eastern Europe, Turkey and Southern Africa
Australia, New Zealand and Asia: Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore

The maps for the first time include the feedback on changes from MapShare users.

After editing my first video with the new iLife’09 (sorry: yes, Mac only!) I did find out that Apple did a nice job with the new maps and backgrounds thing in the video editing software iMovie. It has the great feature to have an animated view of a trip on a world map now.

To my sadness I saw that they did only half the job. I tried to make an animation of my trip to the other side of the country to the 4th city of the country, Arnhem, as a test.
To my surprise this city could not be found in the system, other than the weather application in my iPhone 3G, that finds the smallest cities worldwide.

It would be nice if Apple puts (much) more places in the database OR make it possible to give your own coordinates on the globe. It is already possible to give the place of your choice another name, so that would work great.

Can I wait for the update?

Google Earth 5

Since its first version I have been playing with Google Earth and have spend hours and hours with lots of interest and fun. With third party layers this is even more fun.

A few days ago Google brought us Google Earth 5, with looks brighter but of course has some new great (beta) features:

• Historical imagery from around the globe
• Ocean floor and surface data from marine experts
• Simplified touring with audio and voice recording

The historical imagery depends on whether there are old(er) (air) photo’s available for the area, but also takes you back to the first Google Earth views. You probably can see a Olympic city being build. I have to try that one out myself. I will do the Olympic Winter Games in Italy. What are you going to try? Tell me and send me coordinates!  Let’s make a great post with all our finds!

The ocean floor feature looks great, but I can’t see mr. Cousteau (and his ship the Calypso) anymore. I have been haunted by him since I was very little. ;-) But there is much more ocean stuff to see!

Google Earth is great to do interesting things with, but also a lot of fun to play with. Get it here: Google Earth , it’s free!

via Engadget

Tags: TeleAtlas, TomTom, maps, merger, acquisition, EU, European Commission

First, the details :

• Tomtom One XL Europe
• 1 GB SD card
• Tomtom Home 2.1 (required for the install, I’ll explain later
• A windows system as Tomtom Home 2.1 is not available for Mac yet
  (grrr)

Here’s how to get the downloaded maps to your SD card, so you can switch maps:

• Put the SD card into the Tomtom
• Connect the Tomtom to your computer and switch it on
• On your computer, start Tomtom Home 2.1
• Wait for the program to finish downloading updates
• Notice that the maps are available as update!! and download them
• Now here’s the trick: Simply proceed installing the maps to your Tomtom, the software automatically copies to SD card without even telling you!!
• Wait for the install to finish, check if you have voices installed (the program normally does that for you)
• Done

If you want to add voices, you could download these from the tomtom.com website and add them to the SD card without using the Tomtom Home software. Make sure they end up in a folder called VOICES.

Why can’t I copy the downloaded maps to the SD card without using Tomtom Home software?

That’s because of the product code and device code. With the downloaded maps, you don’t have to enter these anymore, the application takes care of it. If you copy the downloaded map to your SD Card, it will be unusable.

Do I need to copy the Tomtom application to the SD Card too?
Yes. You can boot your Tomtom with the card inserted, it needs the application and associated maps on the card.

*****

Did you know that Tomtom is built into a Toyota Eclipse?

Here is a review at GPSreview: TomTom Eclipse AVN2210p GPS Review

[says: updates and applications: It is easy now to download and install the latest TomTom updates]