We knew lifetime map updates were coming to some TomTom units, but an announcement today adds lifetime traffic to the mix and lets us know that lifetime traffic and/or lifetime map updates are now available on select TomTom XL and XXL models.
UPDATE: Amazon has pre-order pages up for several models, listed below. Release dates are April 26 for most units, with a few slipping into May. The ones with lifetime maps have an M; lifetime traffic is denoted with a T, and I bet you can guess what it means when they have a TM (and no, it doesn’t stand for trademark).
- TomTom XL 335M
- TomTom XL 335T
(more about the XL 335T on GPS Tracklog)
- TomTom XL 335TM
(more about the XL 335TM on GPS Tracklog)
- TomTom XL 340M
(more about the XL 340M on GPS Tracklog)
- TomTom XL 340T
- TomTom XL 340TM
- TomTom XL 340M LIVE
- TomTom XL 340TM LIVE
- TomTom GO 740TM LIVE
- TomTom XXL 540M
(more about the XXL 540M on GPS Tracklog)
- TomTom XXL 540T
- TomTom XXL 540TM
(more about the XXL 540TM on GPS Tracklog)
- TomTom XXL 540TM World Traveler
(more about the XXL 540TM WTE on GPS Tracklog)
Here’s the full news release:
TomTom, the world’s leading provider of location and navigation solutions, today announces the availability of a wide range of TomTom devices offering Lifetime Map Updates and Lifetime Traffic Updates. These new features empower users with the accuracy of TomTom’s most up-to-date maps, as well as real-time traffic information that helps them avoid traffic delays and other hassles on the road. At no extra cost, customers will receive these updates for the useful life of the device.
“The nation’s roads are changing every day, so TomTom is proud to offer Lifetime Map Updates on our portable navigation devices,” said Tom Murray, vice president of market development for TomTom Inc. “This feature, in conjunction with TomTom’s Lifetime Traffic Updates, offers our customers the assurance that they will always have the industry’s most accurate maps and the real-time traffic information they need for hassle-free navigation.”
Lifetime Map Updates
TomTom’s Lifetime Map Updates feature allows users to keep their maps fresh by downloading, every few months, the industry’s most accurate and up-to-date maps. The maps include one million more miles than competing maps and, in certified tests, rate highest in terms of quality and reliability. The road network changes on average 18 percent annually, so they are continually refreshed to include improvements across the entire road network and updates to Points of Interest.
Lifetime Traffic Updates
TomTom’s Lifetime Traffic Updates feature offers real-time insight into traffic events to help drivers avoid delays. The TomTom device receives the latest traffic information every three minutes, recalculates total drive time and suggests more efficient alternate routes if they are available.
All TomTom products featuring Lifetime Updates also include TomTom’s proprietary IQ Routes™ Technology and TomTom Map Share™. IQ Routes offers the most efficient routing for any time of day or day of week. This feature, combined with the real-time traffic information via Lifetime Traffic Updates, ensures the very best routing possible. Map Share allows users to make map improvements on their device and share these improvements with the TomTom community.
Availability and Price
Select TomTom devices across the TomTom XL and TomTom XXL product lines are now available with Lifetime Map Updates, Lifetime Traffic Updates or a combination of these features. Pricing starts at $199.95 MSRP and varies by model.
For more information, please visit: www.tomtom.com
© 2007 TomTom International B.V. TomTom™ and the “two hands” logo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by TomTom International B.V.
About Rich Owings
I have a TomTom One and the XL am I going to be able to buy lifetime updates for these units. I just paid $80 and 12 of the places I was going ended up parking lots or incorrect information, plus I lost all of my favorites. I haven’t update the second unti the XL.
I expect they will sell lifetime updates to owners of previous units, but it may be a few months before they announce it.
TomTom are great but judging from blogs and my personal experience, they always seem to have some battery and/or electrical issues (loses its entire charge within 5 minutes, does not always turn on immediately for about 5 minutes of struggling, and may turn itself on in the middle of the night for no apparent reason). Definitely ensure you have a car adapter for your TomTom and allow some time struggling to turn it on when on the road. Once it is on, it is awesome.
what is ment by TOMTOM 5″ GPS with Traffic, Lifetime Maps
Don’t be fooled by the so-called ‘lifetime’ updates of the maps. There are actually three types of updates, and the ‘map’ update does not include the millions of new addresses that change annually, nor the tens of thousands of new stores and outlets, and the thousands of updated public address changes. So, you get the new streets and such, but not the address updates, nor the traffic updates.
Are you saying that map updates don’t include any new POIs?