TomTom Go & Tom Tom 'Home' GPS Software for the Mac
The same as many people, I was looking for a GPS car navigation system.
The first one that I looked at and wanted was the ViaMichelin range but while they received excellent reviews they are not Mac compatible devices. I guess there are still some companies out there who refuse to take the Apple-pill!
So, I was thinking about Garmin or TomTom Go as both make a fair deal about having Mac software. In the end, the I chose the TomTom because a couple of my family already have TomTom Go’s and think they are so good that they bought new version a couple of weeks ago.
Well, I can report that the TomTom Go works very well indeed and, as important, the Mac software, “TomTom Home” works quite well.
I say quite well as it has crashed on me a couple of times but I don’t know if that is just the usual Leopard instability we are getting with many apps at the moment.
TomTom Home lets you search your TomTom device for installed software and then run upgrades where necessary. It gives you the ability to backup and reinstall the contents of the TomTom device to and from your Mac.
It also lets you create a TomTom account and then purchase TomTom products online, such as a yearly subscription to the TomTom traffic and safety camera updates.
If you have the more expensive TomTom units, when you connect your device to the Mac, TomTom Home gives you the option to manage your photos and music.
To sum up, I am very happy with my TomTom Go and can recommend it to Mac users, just be careful of crashes and make sure you back up the TomTom device regularly.
As you can see from the screenshots below, the application is quite simple/basic to use (click for a closer look).
The TomTom Home software is OK – but lacks something – that I assumed was present until someone stole my GPS from the car.
I assumed that when the software syncs with the TomTom One or Go, it would store the serial number somewhere – it does everything else – such as format the GPS, checking to make sure if your serial number matches with a registered version online etc. Only after having the GPS stolen and calling TomTom (e-mailing rather) did they inform that the software does NOT store the serial number – neither on the Mac nor online. This sounded so trivial to do that I have to scratch my head to figure out why they would not do this?
Companies like TomTom and Apple – could make life easier for law enforcement if they allowed serial numbers to be stored in a secure area – so that if the device was stolen or lost, it could be reported and perhaps even returned.
AM
Mike, I want to inform you that you’re missing a few pretty key items regarding TomTom, the HOME application, and the Mac. I am an owner of a TomTom GO 910 (for over a year) and am a Mac user. I want to offer input regarding HOME on the Mac platform and TomTom, and that I have verified everything I’m going to write with TomTom’s sales and technical support. I’m in the US.
HOME for the Mac is on version 1.5 via their site (or 1.6 on the shipping DVDs with the newer units, and it can be found if you really hunt on their site); HOME for Windows is currently at v. 2.1.
TomTom issued new map data over three months ago. I kept seeing references to newer maps in GPS-related chat; however, I didn’t see the new v. 7.1 TomTom SW in HOME, only the v. 6.525 software I had on my 910.
TomTom HOME v. 1.5/1.6 do not support or recognize the v. 7 TomTom application that runs on the GPS unit. The new maps and new features do not work with v. 6.x GPS application software. Mac users are left with legacy mapping data; I have personally reported several dozen mapping errors shown in TeleAtlas mapping data present in their older maps (which also show up in my ’07 Benz COMAND mapping data, also produced by TeleAtlas).
I called TomTom and spoke with their tech support. HOME for the Mac does not support the newer mapping data. HOME for the Mac will not be updated until v. 3; no timetable was offered. There will be no TomTom v. 2.x for the Mac.
I used my Windows partitioned Mac Book Pro to download and install HOME 2.1, which updated my TomTom GO 910 to the new v. 7 of the TomTom SW. I was also to purchase and download the updated NA mapping data, which included dozens of fixes to mapping data errors I’ve noted here in the PNW. Almost all of their PLUS Traffic reporting errors in Portland and Seattle have been fixed (I had daily errors during and since their traffic server upgrades in 11-12/07).
I now cannot use my Mac version of HOME with my TomTom because HOME 1.5/1.6 do not support the updated v. 7 software on the 910, but the updates were worth it. I am sorely disappointed that the company did not inform me of the platform disparity for the unit and HOME software versions. I am writing only for my experience and not for anyone else; I discovered the parity difference only two weeks ago, and am much happier with the performance of my unit since the upgrade and installation of more-accurate mapping data. Knowing what I know today and as a Mac user, I would purchase a nuvi; Garmin’s new Mac support and NAVTEQ mapping data (great in the US) have got me considering selling my TomTom. Really.
You should check with TomTom for yourself. TomTom’s web site does not reflect feature disparity between the two HOME platforms, at least not that I could find. Only a call to TomTom produced an answer that addressed my frustrations with that company’s Traffic service (for which I paid a subscription fee) and that people I know (Windows users) with TomToms received updates that I continually did not see in the Mac version of HOME as recently as two weeks ago. Thanks for the opportunity to rant a little.
My UK-purchased TomTom was fine until I wanted to add the Australian maps. This needed the latest Windows version of the software i.e. they have updated the Windows version, but the Mac version is still the old version as seen in the screen shots.
They offered my my money back on the maps, but I said I would have preferred they update the Mac version. In the end I updated it in via Parallels, but you have to set the USB to connect to the guest OS by default.
Unfortunately, the Mac software is at version 1.6 and does not manage all the new stuff on the recent TomToms – map sharing for example. You are for the moment still a very second class citizen with the Mac software. I use the Windows version under VMWare and that has been good for me so far. But looking forward to when TomTom will release the full version Mac software.
I think you should check TomTom’s site, Mac version was just released at V2.2.016 and works fine with a 920 recently purchased. Sure there are some minor bugs, but the software works and allows me to get map updates, use map share, get routes, maps, voices, etc…. and backup my 920. I’m using it with Leopard.
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WHAT ABOUT TRANSFERING MOVIES TO THE TOMTOM SAT NAV