TomTom GPS

Please note: these web pages were copied off-line for your convenience on 1 Januari 2002. Please go on-line to www.tomtom.com for up-to-date information.

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TomTom GPS The perfect companion to Route Planner and Street Planner |

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Runs on: Psion Series 5,
Series 5mx, Series 7, netBook,
Ericsson MC218

See also:
Free upgrade, Tips
Route Planner Europe, Route Planner USA,
Street Planner, Street Planner CityMaps,
Michelin Europe 2001, Michelin France 2001
Looking to get even more out of Route Planner or Street Planner? Connect to this Global Positioning System and you will never be lost again. This light, compact, and high performance GPS receiver can be plugged directly into the Psion Series 5/5mx, S7, netBook or Ericsson MC218 - no additional cables or modifications required!

"There are no words to describe how good the combination of Street Planner Millennium with TomTom's GPS device is. Very good and reliable GPS unit which works right out of the box and instantly with the TomTom software; very easy to setup. I really liked working with the TomTom GPS. Rating: 5 Geekheads for Quality, 5 for Geekness, and a Geek.com Pick." - Nick Triano, PDAGeek

The TomTom GPS is a high performance 12 channel GPS receiver specially developed for use with TomTom's award winning Route Planner and Street Planner products. The GPS satellite receiver plugs directly into the serial port of your Psion Series 5, Series 5mx, Series 7, netBook or Ericsson MC218. The unit takes power through a plug that fits into the cigarette lighter of a car. The magnetic base of the GPS holds it in place on your dashboard.
No need to carry around bulky maps, the TomTom GPS and route or street on your Psion will direct you quickly and easily to your destination. Route Planner Millennium offers road networks and will plan your route from town to town. Once in a town, Street Planner Millennium will guide you right down to street level and the GPS will keep you on the right track wherever you are.
It is the perfect route planning accessory allowing you to see exactly where you are on the map and you can therefore monitor your progress on route and see exactly how long it will take to get to your destination. The GPS also adds the reassurance of knowing exactly where you are when in a large, unknown town or motorway.

See exactly where you are and where to go

The GPS receiver uses the acclaimed SiRF GPS technology which provides better satellite reception than most GPS receivers currently available. It offers both standard NMEA 0183 output and SiRF binary output. It has a solid, rugged casing and is powered by the car’s cigarette lighter.
The product provides the most demanding user with an all-in-one solution to a wide range of personal and professional positioning applications. It can re-acquire satellite signals up to 10 times faster than other solutions on the market. Other special features include SnapLock™ acquisition, renewing satellite positioning within a tenth of a second after emerging from a blocked region; SingleSat™ positioning for position information during intervals when only one satellite is "visible"; Dual Multipath elimination of signals that have taken an indirect path; and FoliageLock™ reception allowing operation in areas of dense foliage.

This GPS receiver is produced
exclusively for TomTom.

| Differentiating Features

There are several differentiating features that make the TomTom GPS stand out from other GPS brands and receivers. At the core of of the TomTom GPS lies a SiRFstarI/LX technology which has the following advantages:
1. SnapLock acquisition
SiRF’s SnapLock acquisition feature provides re-acquisition of satellite signals in only 100 milliseconds, as well as fast initial search. Alternative devices take typically two to three seconds to re-acquire a lost signal, and may take minutes to do the initial search.
SnapLock acquisition is a critically important feature for automobile navigation. Cars lose satellite visibility in cities because they are blocked by tall buildings and tunnels, but they get a clear view in intersections, or when exiting a tunnel. The average time in an intersection is one to three seconds, but a re-acquisition time of two or three seconds leaves no time for collecting signal data. SnapLock acquisition re-acquires the signal and collects a measurement for a position update in one-tenth of a second. Thus, an intersection offers enough time for both re-acquisition and positioning when a system is based on SiRFstar technology.
2. SingleSat positioning
When driving in an urban area, a car’s satellite visibility is often blocked by intervening buildings. For other GPS systems, when less than three satellites are visible, no positioning calculations can be made. However, SiRF’s SingleSat positioning mode allows positioning calculations, for short periods, when only a single satellite is visible. SingleSat positioning works by using a single satellite’s data to determine how far along a current path the car has traveled. Any errors in position can be corrected as soon as SnapLock reacquires three or more satellite signals (e.g. when the car passes through an intersection). Car navigation systems employing SiRFstar technology will thus provide more position fixes than other systems when navigating in an urban setting.
3. Dual multipath rejection
Multipath errors occur when signals reach a receiver along an indirect path. Low level reflected signals bouncing off of far-away objects are simply eliminated. Errors caused by nearby reflected signals are filtered. Without such a rejection scheme, multipath-induced errors often cause random, large-scale errors in positioning for car navigation systems being used in urban areas. SiRFstar’s Dual Multipath Rejection capabilities significantly reduce multipath errors eliminating these large-scale deviations.
4. Foliage lock sensitivity
The GPS standard signal threshold is -160 dBW. It allows for receiving a signal that is much reduced in power. However, car navigation and personal navigation products used in tree lined or wooded areas will often receive satellite signals that are below this threshold. FoliageLock sensitivity is 20 dB lower than the threshold standard. Thus, signals that are indistinguishable to other GPS receivers are detectable with those based on SiRFstar technology.
All of these aspects make the TomTom GPS in conjunction with Route Planner Millennium or Street Planner Millennium a superior solution, helping to get you to your destination faster and more conveniently.

| Independent reviews

"As I drove into the centre of Colchester where I live, I was impressed as Street Planner accurately monitored where I was going. The on screen map automatically moves based on where the GPS device reports your present location - the name of the road you're on is highlighted at the bottom of the screen."
"... ANY GPS device is a worthwhile investment! It removes the uncertainty caused by poor sign posting, as at least you know more or less where you are in relation to the on-screen map. As for the TomTom GPS device itself, it was difficult to fault. In conjunction with the software, it worked extremely well."
"The TomTom GPS will appeal to those who want ease of use, installation and operation! If you buy any other type of GPS you must ensure it will be compatible with your EPOC device and that you can purchase the necessary cables. The TomTom solution means you need not worry about any of these things, nor do you need to learn how to use the GPS device itself. All the cables are provided and the device is fully compatible with the route planning software. In fact, all you need to know how to use is the software itself - nothing else. The TomTom GPS unit is also in the cheaper end of the spectrum."
"The winning factor for me was that I would only ever use the device from the comfort of a car. Installation is so simple, especially with the magnetic base that it really is the simplest GPS solution available. In terms of Palmtop BV's software, adding a GPS device takes route planning to another level. Street Planner was just amazing and I have every confidence I could navigate my way around even the most complex town's or cities without taking a wrong turn. It's worth the money for this alone."
Read these and other independent reviews

TomTom GPS | Specifications

12 channel GPS satellite receiver,
cable with Psion/Ericsson serial connector plug (60 cm),
cable with cigarette lighter plug (1 meter)
(12 volt, 210 mA typical use)
unit is magnetic and waterproof
Position Acquisition rate (average):
Re-acquisition 0.1 sec, Hot start 8 sec,
Warm start 38 sec, Cold start 48 sec
I/O protocol: both NMEA 0183 and SiRF binary
Dimensions: 7.6cm x 6.6cm x 2.5cm
Operating Temperature: 0 deg C to +70 deg C
Storage range: -55 deg C to +100 deg C

Psion Series 5,
Psion Series 5mx,
Psion Series 7,
Psion netBook,
Ericsson MC218
Especially recommended
in combination with Route Planner Millennium
and Street Planner Millennium

| Related products

Route Planner The International Road Map and Route Planning application | Street Planner Door-to-door route planning in your pocket | Michelin Red Guide 11,000 European + 13,500 French hotels and restaurants | Collins Dictionaries The well-known 100.000 word HarperCollins dictionaries.

Note: The use of Route Planner or Street Planner with a GPS receiver is a great
navigation aid. It is not, however, designed as a fully functional car
navigation system. It is strongly recommended not to use the system
whilst driving. Keep your eyes on the road at all times!

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