Tom Tom’s new ‘Home 2.0’ software is being characterised as “the industry’s first content-sharing platform for TomTom devices”, letting users “download, upload and share a wealth of navigation content with other users easily, and at no additional cost”.
Tom Tom promise “something for everyone” through the Home 2.0 services, from “personalised start-up images, to warning sounds to funny voices and more”.
Obviously you’ll need to own a Tom Tom GPS device to take part in the action, but clearly the move was made to offer a real point of difference between themselves and GPS devices from other companies, including those now found in devices like some of Nokia’s N-Series phones.
The ability to add a range of famous voices to Tom Tom units has many on the web quite excited, injecting a bit of life into the normally sedate GPS voices that advise you to turn left, turn right and then notify you that ‘you have arrived at your destination’.
Rocker Ozzy Osbourne uses profanities in his directions, while John Cleese just sounds like John Cleese – which is to say, sophisticated and cool. Other voices like sports coaches or music celebrities are available, and they are the GPS voice equivalent of the mobile phone ring tone, with the celebrities in question benefitting from a royalty stream whenever any consumer decides to purchase their particular voice.
Harold Goddijn, chief executive officer at TomTom said that: “TomTom HOME is a key tool to emphasise our commitment to the constantly growing TomTom community. Our users tell us all the time how much they enjoy personalising their devices with content they can obtain from one another”.
Goddjin continued that: “However this content has always been spread out in a disorganised way across the web, as well as on users’ devices. With the new version of TomTom HOME, TomTom brings personalisation and user-generated content together in an all-in-one, easy-to-use application unlike anything else in the navigation industry.”
So, how will Tom Tom HOME 2.0 work, and what are the specific features? Please read onto page 2.
Tom Tom driving GPS harder to make it more useful - and fun!
In the quest to have a product offering different from everyone else’s,
GPS maker Tom Tom have unveiled v2 of their ‘HOME’ software, letting
users ‘download, upload and share’ a wealth of free navigation content,
while also giving users (paid) new voices to guide them, including John
Cleese, the ‘Queen’, Ozzy Osbourne and many more.
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION REPORT 2013
HIRE OR FIRE? BUY OR BUILD2013 is well underway and Australian companies need to know whether they should invest in IT skills training or pay a premium for the people they need.
If you want to know which choices are being made in your sector, what skills are hard to find, which sectors intend to hire or fire and where the IT spend is going, this free report is must have.
Alex Zaharov-Reutt
One of Australia’s best-known technology journalists and consumer tech experts, Alex has appeared in his capacity as technology expert on all of Australia’s free-to-air and pay TV networks, including stints as presenter of Ch 10’s Internet Bright Ideas, Ch 7’s Room for Improvement and tech expert on Ch 9’s Today Show, among many other news and current affairs programs.
