Google Maps now sends POIs to your TomTom

for Nuvis?

Is Garmin losing popularity? Most of my friends are purchasing Tom Tom navigators. More features, lower cost, easier to use?

Jen

This is highly flammable subject in this forum.

Jeff

It's the commercials, tom tom has better ones. And people tend to believe them when going shopping. That and their claim to have the most "Up to date" maps. But remember one thing, "pet rocks" was also the number one seller years ago.

Indeed, this a very cool feature. It should be clarified, that this only works at present for a business address, and not for personal addresses.

To make it work:
1. log in to google maps.
2. search for your business
3. click on the "send" icon, upper right of screen.
4. when send menu pops up, choose to send to "GPS", and make sure the correct map point is being sent to you (e.g. point "C" on the pull down menu if point "C" on the map is what you want).
5. voila! TomTom home gives you the option to a) save to favorites (b) show on map or (c) navigate to it.

I have a trusted Garmin unit for years. I still like them the best even price might be a bit pricier. I'm glad you like your unit too (be it Garmin, Magellan, Tomtom or other brands).

Another nail in Garmin's market share coffin. I hope they're paying attention, but I'm sure they are.

I just recently bought a Nuvi 750. Almost bought the TomTom just for the opensource map editing capability. I did just check google maps and the "send to gps" option is not showing up. Was curious as to how it worked.

- were you logged in to google maps?
- did you query a business entity? (google hasn't yet set this up for non-business addresses)

Assuming you did do the above, I think you should be able to get to the point of asking google to send this to your GPS.

But, b/c you're not using TT, the process won't be completed.

(caveat: in another forum, I was reading of user's experiences with this feature - it doesn't yet seem to be available in all USA markets. Not sure why. Maybe yours is one of them.)

Many of you already know this but for those who don't, you can enter lat,lon into Google maps to fine tweek a location.

Wouldn't that be nice. I think the integration of powerful online search mapping software fixes the issue of the subpar POI database on GPS units as well as lack of routing features. I do most of my planning on the PC first and then have to manually enter it on the GPS. Although it is nice start it is still limited being able to only do businesses and the requirement to be hardwired to the PC running TomTom Home software.

TomTom has a very powerful Pocket PC smart-phone version that runs on the Windows Mobile platform. Some of the new integrated GPS phones like the new AT&T Tilt for example or the HTC TyTNII like I have run TomTom. It only makes sense for Google to be able to send it wirelessly to these phone devices instead of going to the Home software and syncing it via a cable.

Update:
Garmin did announce today 1/3/08 the new MSN Direct v2 on select models with the integration of Microsoft Live Search Maps with a Send to GPS capability. It works totally wirelessly without the need to be tethered to the PC.
http://www8.garmin.com/ces/nuvi780/index.html

Do you know if you can export all to a catagory somehow this way?

In other words, if I create a catagory called XYZ Inc., and then goto Google maps and type in XYZ in Lawrenceville, GA, it comes back showing me 5 locations, I send to GPS and it goes to TOM TOM Home, but seems to only allow me to send 1 location. I want to send them ALL in one shot, and would prefer them in a catagory. This would be very valuable! ????

Good Info but I'm still sticking with my Garmin.

Tom Tom are cheaper so I guess people who aren't sure with what they're getting will go for the cheaper ones. I've tried both and Garmin's definitely the way to go. That my option.

Is that why you're in the TomTom forum? I guess those commercials worked on you. And you must have many pet rocks from last year...

Here we go again. Garmin people
snooping in the TomTom forum,
LOL. The grass is greener on the
other side.

Opppsss. I like Tom Tom comercials, think they are kewl. I don't really go to specific folders, just click on the Unread Post and go from there. I guess it would help if I looked up and saw it was a TomTom folder.

The Grass is always greener, and the BS a little browner too!! Not a case of snooping, just was reading unread post.

I agree WIBNI (wouldn't it be nice if) you could go to Google and search for all Waterfalls, say, in the US, and port them over to the TomTom directly to a Category on you TT called Waterfalls. This would allow users to fill in their special interests to round out their GPS's. I think there is limit on number of Categories, but none on POIs. Anybody know?

Rumor has it that TomTom is working on a PC version, where you can create your routes on the big screen, and download them to the small screen. That way you get the same routing. Now, doing it in MS Streets & Trips, and 3rd party software to export the file, and importing it to TomTom is not without problems. You need to be sort of a Techie to do it. Once it is all in the same vendors Software, it would be despirately needed upgrade.

I purchased a TomTom before Christmas to replace a Garmin c330. I wish i had not done so. I use GPS for commercial use.After using the tomtom for less than a month I went and purchased a Garmin nuvi 200. I found that tomtom dose some strange routing and dose not have a good database. Having a Garmin is like having a nation wide phone book. Thanks Garmin and thanks ebay for giving me a place to dump tomtom.

Would that feature be available on PPC version as well or only for the PNA devices? Do you have link for this rumor? TIA

Jeff

I think this idea is the basically same as iPaq Travel Companion.

http://www.ipaq.com/navigate/home.do

It allows registered user to create a trip on website and download (sync) to an iPaq 310.

I do not think any GPS' give out a "dose" of anything except the GarMinimal they gave me a "dose" of; shut the (fill in with your own explictive) up. After many side-by-side tests, it was an easy choice. Although I must admit they both have their weaknesses, I found the TomTom GO 720 much more adaptable if you do not follow its first choice (i.e. a street that just shut down for repair) it does not repeatedly tell you to turn around.

Good Google tip though, 3D Google Earth is even better because of the "Bird's eye view" option.

Peace out!

Actually, there is a "Brand" drop-down menu that will let you select either Garmin or TomTom.

Mapquest and Google both work for Garmin.Here is the video on how to do it for Google http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_p1x-fL2zc

Coming from an Garmin ique 3600, both companies definitely have their own strengths and weaknesses. Too bad we can't combine the leading brands into one GPS unit!

Thanks for this link, btw, this will be very helpful. Take care.

Oh this is very cool, and worked just fine.
I was playing with Tyre last night, and it sorta works. I just have issues cause every one of the mapping programs wants to send me a different way than the one I go.

Thanks!

This is true now, however the original post dates back to 12/07. The Garmin option wasn't added until several months later.

Krieger

So is that how you get the lat and long to add information to custom POI's? I'm still working on how to create my own. I'd like the updates for the highway changes in my area and the last Garmin update didn't come with it; I'm leary of buying the new one not knowing if this has changed. I've been to the Navteq site and so far haven't quite figured out how to find roads that aren't on there to report????lol

It's one way to do it, however a website offering geocoding service is more convenient, specially when you have a lot of individual POIs!

http://www.batchgeocode.com/

is a good place to start.

Krieger.

Excellent site!

very cool, i just joined here, looking forward to loading my ONE XL up with lots of good stuff.

I tried this and it works well. I needed to add my local Hannaford's since they were not in the POI file for grocery.

thanks for the info

FYI, there seems to be a problem lately with this API. On Sunday when I desparately needed it, the request to send the address got stuck and went nowhere. I did not have time to search around for how to contact Google, which is what TomTom's help page said to do. I tried it again tonight, and now it's keeps repeating the do you have Home installed on your computer and which version.
Honest, it was working great for a couple of weeks. Lookslike someone tried to fix something that wasn't broken and broke it.

Hi momcat1,

I haven't noticed it. I unfortunately can't try it right now, since I am behind a proxy at work, but if nothing has changed on your end (version of TT Home, GPS updates, changes to your computer's OS or internet connection, then it must definitely be on Google's side.

Not sure if anyone else is experiencing the same?

Krieger

I just bought a |Tom Tom XL330,live in Canada, and wondering if I can download red light cameras from a site, or this site to which I subscribe to. I had a streetpi;lot c330. I am new to tom tom
Thank you

google lets you send the files to your garmin gps as well. you can also email them, and send them to a car. it's not that big of a deal. also, if you want to compare the two companies- do something, go buy a tom tom, then go buy a garmin. you'll see the difference. then call tom tom's tech support. then garmin's. you'll see the difference. compare the prices for updating the mapping. you'll see a difference. i'll give you a hint- garmin will kick tom tom's ass in each category.

If you subscribe and are entitled to download the files then you should have no problem. However, you will have to convert the files from .csv format to .ov2 format for the TomTom. There are a couple of ways to do that, you'll just have to do a search of this site for info on the easiest method to use.

Good luck!

Mike

Car?

Just checking back again, in case I didn't get an email notify of a response. isn't anyone else having a problem with this? I still am, for 3 weeks and counting. I've already hard reset the Tomtom and reinstalled Home, casuse it appeas that Google does not see the software, but still no joy.

What browser are you using? A lot of time these web-based functions can be affected by comptability of the software they used to write it and the software you are using. Mine works fine with IE, but if you've been using that and it doesn't work, give firefox a shot

YOu won't believe this, but after I tried it with Firefox, and found it working there, I tried it again with IE and it's working again. The browser does not appear to be the problem, necessarily. Perhaps I'm just trying to use it at times when the page at tomtom.com is not available and I'm very unlucky.

thanks for the info

TomTom would only have to build a search page that sends a query to Google over the bluetooth connection used for Plus services and voila Google Local search results would show up on the TomTom. They would have to convert the kml search results to ov2 to allow a result to be chosen as a route. No new hardware necessary though if they could squeeze this in.

I just stopped using my Dash Express a few weeks ago and I miss the online search capability. Not the terrible routing though.

JenJen - TomTom has better ads.

Thanks for the info didn't know that.

This is great tool that Garmin doesn't work well with

kewl. Something I have been looking for.