TomTom Satellite Navigation

Satellite Navigation systems made by the manufacturer Tom Tom have seen extremely large sales throughout the world. The company produces both stand alone units and software for personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. The sales for the TomTom company have been so large that the company has become the leading manufacturer of navigation systems in Europe.

The first navigation product by the company was released in 2002 and was known as TomTom Navigator. The success of the first product released led to numerous other companies releasing satellite navigation systems. TomTom also went on to adopt their range extensively with numerous other systems now available. The latest product to be launched by the company is the TomTom Go Live 1000. This product not only offers maps for within the UK but also Europe.

This new product allows users to keep in touch faster though more interactive navigation. The product offers ultra intuitive design with a responsive, rich colour fluid touch screen and magnetic mount. The system automatically updates with news such as traffic and a new route is automatically displayed to the user. These live services are provided for free for one year, these services provide the best mobile speed camera news and traffic information across Europe.

The screen provided is 11cm and allows the user to pinch to zoom in and out of maps, or scroll through the menus using a finger. The screen responds intelligently and sensitively to a touch. HD Traffic provides the user with the most up to date, real time traffic information. The traffic news offered includes detailed incident reports, estimated delay times and alternative route proposals. The device can be attached to the windscreen using an easy click magnetic mount.

A unique magnetic dock makes docking and undocking the device easy. Different people have different opinions on the TomTom products, some loving them and some not liking them at all. One buyer stated, "Having recently had self inflicted problems with my TomTom (my son plugged in the wrong charger and blew it up!) I returned my system to TomTom free of charge after they first sent me all the packaging, to have it returned in under a week fully mended - again, no charge. I am extremely impressed with the service provided, it could not have been better".

Since the first release of the TomTom product in 2002, numerous other manufacturers have released alternative systems. The systems have changed the way people travel with many people now owning one of these, rather than having to use maps or a route planner. The product has been very popular with taxi drivers and the emergency services that often have to travel to different locations on a regular basis. Since the products have been so successful, TomTom has continued to update its product range, although how long this will last for is questionable.