Tomtom support just getting worse

I've never been impressed either. TomTom is by far the best satnav product on the market at the moment but their support, lengthy software update cycle and lack of bug fix attention really sucks. Just making the effort to keep people appraised of where they are in the development cycle would help!

As it is, I'm seriously looking into alternatives for my N95. I have mobile 5 on my N70, and while it worked well it was never quite right (crashed out when you have points of interest displayed) and I never got more than the sort of response you got above when I asked for help.

I've seen Navicore commended, and some speak highly of Route66. Unless TomTom pull something exceptional out of the hat, I'll be moving over to one of those I think.

I am starting to wonder if TomTom will support the N95 before it is superseded? Don't top level devices usually have a life span of 6-7 months?

cool'n'funky,
I believe we are in about the same situation, except that I have tried R66 and I am not impressed. At least not when considering the price is comparable to that of TT. Right now I am thinking about buying Navigon, but what if TT7 appears a few days later?

Maybe the right solution is to buy Nokia Maps one month at a time, hoping for TT7 to surface? Or just to dump the S60 platform and go back to PPC, the Kaiser seems to be close to release and it runs TT6 right out of the box. I don't know... Hope some of you guys are more clever than me and able to give good advice 😊

Well, imo nothing on symbian is good enough. At the moment Im stuck in limbo using both route66 and navigon. Route66 is good except for some of the routing, and the odd instructions. Navigon is ok, but sorely missing some features.

If nokia maps is any good, Id say use that for now.

The current best guesses for tomtom V7 is October or November.

sbc wrote:I am starting to wonder if TomTom will support the N95 before it is superseded? Don't top level devices usually have a life span of 6-7 months?

They do, but with more devices gaining internal GPS receivers, TomTom will have to update its software. Once changed, it should work with any S60 device with internal GPS, including the N95.

sbc wrote: Right now I am thinking about buying Navigon, but what if TT7 appears a few days later?

I recommend you take a look at Navicore rather than Navigon. In fact, my preferences in order would be:

TomTom: good software, good coverage, poor support, no internal GPS
Navicore: good software, OK coverage, OK support, no internal GPS
Navigon: OK software, good coverage, OK support, internal GPS
Route 66: poor software, OK coverage, OK support, no internal GPS
Nokia Maps: very poor software, great coverage, good support, internal GPS

A note to others: don't start a "my software's better than yours" war. These ratings are just my opinion, and they're based on my circumstances. I already have an external GPS receiver, don't travel out of one country very much, and don't use hacked software. Your mileage may vary.

How galling it is that the best software has the worst support.

Interesting that you put navicore second. Dare I spend another £80 odd to test it? I have to write off navigon, as I didnt get any software, I chose the cheaper download option. thus I cant sell it like i did copilot. Apperently navicore does work with the internal GPS, it just requires a mild mess about. At least 2 people have reported it working on the internal reciever.

Annoyingly, I cant even get an BT reciever and tomtom. Im not buying tomtom and having them maybe bring out a new version soon after which I have to pay extra for.

Kinda takes the mickey when I have 2 brand new satnav software with the latest maps and I have to rely on my old PDA with tomtom 5 on it 😡

robgreb wrote:Navicore: good software, OK coverage, OK support, no internal GPS

Could someone post a mini review of navicore that they have used on symbian?

With screenies 😊

Edit, just checked....

Over £94 bloody quid for just a download version, and only UK maps!!

They can bugger off, even tomtom is cheaper than that.

Flaming eck.

Where would you place Copilot?

As I mentioned in the tomtom N95 fix thread when I contacted Tomtom to see if it was worth purchasing tomtom in the hope that a patch was just around the corner the reply wasn't that good. Therefore I don't hold out much hope for N95 support in TT7. Either that or their sales pitch is as good as their support!

Therefore I think I have to consider something else and until I found this forum I only knew of Copilot as a package that supported the N95. I had never heard of these others.

Navicore 2006 is available now on eBay for �30 or less. The upgrade to 2007 costs about �33. You also get a bluetooth gps with 2006 which you could sell to offset some of the cost.

Thanks Nashmills, I started a thread about that because I was looking 😃

Can you answer a few questions for me? (im assuming you went through that process yourself).

Is it ok buying the 2006 version and upgrading? Im not sure if the 2006 supports S60 V3, and the upgrade package says it needs to be preinstalled for the upgrade to work.

I see it also comes with a MMC card, rather than micro SD. Did any of this cause you problems?

And when you upgrade, is it a map upgrade too?

Copilot by the way is a bit rancid. The software for symbian just hasnt been bothered with. The menus are very annoying and the favourite system is dreaful (cannot rename or create new ones, every destination is added automatically).

Yet another question for you...

What do you mean by coverage in your list? Do you mean how old the maps seem to be? Or postcodes, or something else?

To respond to a load of points:

By coverage, I mean "how many maps do you get for your money?"

Nashmills has got Navicore working with the N95's internal GPS, but I haven't 😞

I'd place Copilot level with R66, although I have no experience of it. My rating is based on a summary of what others are saying in this forum, and my own reading of its features.

Navicore will let you add your own POIs (and in quite a sophisticated way, too), and comes with speed camera info and free live traffic information (road works, accidents and so on).

I bought the 2005 version secondhand, then upgraded to 2006 (and then 2007). There's little difference between 2006 and 2007, and I wouldn't bother upgrading. I must have more money than sense. The software is easy to upgrade and transfer between phones.

It's a pity Navicore don't provide the whole of Europe for a reasonable price, but how many times am I going to drive to Austria?

I don't have time for a full review of Navicore, but I can answer specific questions.

Cheers

R

Thanks for clarifying that. For what its worth, I too thought it was expensive just for UK maps (or one regoin).

Im interested by your point about upgrading. If the difference is very little, Im wondering if the only point is the updated maps? Hmm.

My main quiestions about it -

How have you found the routing?

How good does the postcode database seem to be?

Course, hopefully my copy will arrive tomorrow so I can try this out anyway, but anyone else's input is always welcome, and no doubt useful for other members.

Bit worried by the fact you havent got it working with the internal GPS yet though. Did you try the method they suggested?

Nashmills, could you go through the process you used to get it to recognise the internal GPS?

Cheers.

Postcode database is good. I've only found one (very new) postcode that wasn't in it.

The routing is also good. Of course, I'll often compare it with routes I know. My route is sometimes quicker, but nothing beats a human (with local knowledge) when navigating.

I've only just upgraded, so I've had no chance to compare the maps. They don't seem any different, but roads don't change that often.

To get the internal GPS to work, change the setting in the program from "Bluetooth" to "Location API" then immediately quit the program using the red key. It won't keep the setting otherwise.

I've done this, but it doesn't seem to find the internal GPS. I'm not too bothered as an external receiver is easier to place on the dasboard and doesn't drain the battery.

Thanks for the info. Only let down could be the internal GPS not working for me. Im hoping Nashmills comes back and says exactly what he did. Might be a slight difference, or wait in time or something.

All I needed to do to get Navicore working with the internal gps was select Location API in settings (within Navicore), and then went to TOOLS, SETTINGS, GENERAL, POSITIONING, POSITIONING METHODS and deselect everything except Assisted GPS and Integrated GPS.

I then went back into Navicore with the slider open and left the phone by a window for a little while. You get a yellow satellite image when Navicore finds the internal gps and it turns green when it starts getting positional data.

Ever since then I get a gps fix in about 10 seconds when outside - bit longer indoors.

Thanks for that, I'll try it tomorrow if I get it. Rep added.

robgreb wrote:
Route 66: poor software, OK coverage, OK support, no internal GPS

Surely the above is incorrect... R66 supports N95 Internal GPS on 2 versions (7.3.468 and 7.3.545)

One other thing I can say about Navicore is I've found that you can't have it and Route 66 on the same card. If Route 66 is there Navicore won't install.

nashmills wrote:One other thing I can say about Navicore is I've found that you can't have it and Route 66 on the same card. If Route 66 is there Navicore won't install.

Bugger. I might have issues here, as route66 is hard installed on the phone (Ive got a 6110 navigator).

Ok, how on earth do I install it? Copied the entire card over from RSmmc to my micro sd card, but nothing happened, and cant find any install files. Any idea which file it is?

I do have route66 installed but cannot uninstall it. However, there must be an install file in one of the navicore directories.

bartmanekul wrote:Ok, how on earth do I install it? Copied the entire card over from RSmmc to my micro sd card, but nothing happened, and cant find any install files. Any idea which file it is?

I do have route66 installed but cannot uninstall it. However, there must be an install file in one of the navicore directories.

You put your card in a card reader or connect by usb in mass storage mode and then run setup.

bartmanekul wrote:Ok, how on earth do I install it? Copied the entire card over from RSmmc to my micro sd card, but nothing happened, and cant find any install files. Any idea which file it is?

I do have route66 installed but cannot uninstall it. However, there must be an install file in one of the navicore directories.

ISTR that it comes preinstalled on the card. Copying it won't work.

You can download the full version from Navicore's site, although you'll need your licence number. The download version installs to a mass storage device, NOT via PC suite.

R

robgreb wrote:ISTR that it comes preinstalled on the card. Copying it won't work.

You can download the full version from Navicore's site, although you'll need your licence number. The download version installs to a mass storage device, NOT via PC suite.

R

I did that and it installed on the phone. However when I try to start the program it just says 'memory card invalid' and exits.

Edit: Oh bollocks. It seems I have to have the card formatted as FAT, not fat32. Which means Ive got to copy everything to the PC, format it as FAT, then put it all back again. FFS.

Arrrghhh, FAT and still the same message.

bartmanekul wrote:Arrrghhh, FAT and still the same message.

Hi

Hope you get it working bartmanekul.

In the meantime, there's a new version just been made available on Navicore's site. It has official support for internal GPS devices. (Including 6110, it says.)

R

No, Ive sent a message off to navicore support.

Basically, Ive done the following:

Copied everything (including hidden folders) from the memory card to my memory card. The supplied one is RS MMC, mine is obviously microSD.

That didnt work, there was no install file and nothing autoinstalled. Quite possibly due to what robgreb said earlier.

I then logged into the navicore webby, and put in my product code. It gave me a download, which I did. You run an exe file on the PC, and install to the memory card. Did this, was ok.

Installed from the memory card, there was a sis file in there. Installed fine.

When I try to start it, it gives the message 'memory card is invalid' and exits. I havent even had a chance to put my product code in yet.

For that issue, Ive tried installing it on the phone memory, and the memory card. I also formatted my memory card to FAT, and reinstalled Navicore. Still the same invalid memory card message. I have since reformatted my card to FAT32.

Could that version be wrong? I see that the 2006.1 version doesnt support any S60 V3 devices (at least I dont think they were).

Still, all rests on what navicore say. Im hoping they wont say that Ive bought the wrong thing for the phone, in which case can I upgrade with the right version?

If not, I'll just box it up and sell it on.

robgreb wrote:Hi

Hope you get it working bartmanekul.

In the meantime, there's a new version just been made available on Navicore's site. It has official support for internal GPS devices. (Including 6110, it says.)

R

Can you give me a link? All I can see is this: http://www.navicoretech.com/Consumer/Support/Compatibility/2007/en_GB/2007/

Your not getting navigon and navicore mixed up are you?