TomTom is starting to release HD Traffic enabled GPS devices in North America, and the GO 2505 M LIVE is the company's first such device.
So what exactly is HD Traffic, and should you care? Read on.
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Is this HD traffic drastically different than that of the 740 Live? Here's a SHORT quote from another site's review of the 740:
So to recap… you will only see traffic data when the amount of traffic wasn’t already predicted by the smartly named IQ Routes feature.
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How does this differ from that functionality?
HD Traffic is a mixture of multiple sources of traffic data, including IQ Routes, and the previously available Traffic Message Channel (TMC). Not sure exactly what you're asking, but the net of it is that, in theory, coverage should be much better.
It doesn't. But it's when the prediction fails it really matters.
Bloggers that have pushed the issue with TomTom show that TomTom will have a few hundred thousand of their own probes along with historical data (IQ Routes) and incident data from most likely Clear Channel. Contrast a few hundred thousand (could be anywhere from 4-800,000) for this versus 3-5 million for Inrix and many million for Google or 3 million gps probes for TomTom HD Traffic in Europe along with 90 million Vodafone triangulations.
Other than Clear Channel telling them there is an accident one of TomTom's own probes from the 740, 340, iPhone or 2505 M Live will have to be stuck in traffic beyond historical levels.
I'm not up on the latest technology but am very interested in having a device that receives real time traffic data. I have a Nuvi 370 and subscribed to their traffic service a couple of years ago. I found it virtually useless. I will say that I was never in a traffic snarl when it didn't show it. However, there were many occasions when the device showed a problem and I went sailing through unimpeded. My feeling is the only thing worse than no information is bad information.
I'm an airline pilot that drives from Pa to JFK, LGA and EWR airports. I have three AM radio stations and Sirius at my disposal. They all suck! Their information is never timely. I call in reports all the time and then listen to see if anything changes on their broadcasts. It doesn't.
I had heard rumor that devices now have the capability to receive data from other devices about their rate of speed and then disseminate this information to all devices in that area. Is this true? It seems the technology is out there. It's just not being utilized to its fullest potential.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
I Just bought a TomTom 2505 and the IQ Routes do not work. in all of the US. I live in Charleston West Virginia, and travel to Ohio, KY a lot and they are misleading you by telling you it covers the whole US. The truth is it does not!
Really great site! Thank you very much for your effort in writting this.