GPS Navigation

Have you ever been driving along, listening to the verbal instructions from your portable navigation system and thought to yourself, “How cool would it be if they replaced the automated lady voice with those of my favorite Star Wars characters?” Well, even if you haven’t, the makers of the TomTom line of GPS navigation systems are making the dreams of those who have thought about it come true.

For $12.95 each, you’ll be able to have Darth Vader, Yoda, C-3PO or Han Solo guide you to your destination. Of course, before these characters’ voices can be piped into your receiver, they need to be recorded. And if the behind-the-scenes video after the jump is to be believed, the process is more complicated and involved than we thought. Don’t believe us? Just watch.

PhantomAlert provides software that can be loaded onto various GPS navigation devices from manufacturers like TomTom and Garmin, to provide real-time alerts when one is approaching known fixed red light and speed cameras locations along with mobile speed traps and DUI checkpoints. PhantomAlert works off a database of user generated updates that provides a comprehensive listing of intersections and streets where police and their various dragnets have been spotted.

Subscriptions can be purchased on a monthy basis for $9.99, a yearly basis at $39.99 or a lifetime of updates for $99.99. It also looks like a download for the Apple iPhone will be available sometime very soon, but we don't know a date or what the price will be at this point.

Accord to Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc, "The XL 335S offers first-class navigation at a competitive price point. It allows drivers to take those routes that only well-informed locals know, reducing the stress of not knowing where to go and when you will arrive. In addition, our Advanced Lane Guidance feature gives drivers the information they need to drive more safely and more confidently when traveling through complex road junctions.” That summation is actually not that far off, but the devil is in the details.

The TomTom XL 335S has a sleek design and is both lightweight and easy to handle for swapping between vehicles or carrying by hand. The interface is clean and inviting even for those technically challenged. And the unit has a host of functions to handle just about any scenario. The visuals on the 4.3-inch widescreen display are bright and crisp, with good contrast and the cues are easy to follow and much less confusing than in the past.

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicked off today and as usual there was a host of new announcements, many of which concerned the iPhone. Our interest was peaked in particular by TomTom which demonstrated the world's first dedicated in-car navigation solution for the iPhone. Basically, the company is now porting over it's turn-by-turn navigation software which includes IQ Routes and the latest maps from Tele Atlas. The iPhone already has fantastic GPS capabilities and now will have some great software to really take advantage of the hardware. The other piece of the offering is a new TomTom car kit for the iPhone which has a secure docking station  providing enhanced GPS performance and allowing for voice instructions, hands-free calling and in-car charging.

Following the release of Apple's OS 3.0 operating system, the TomTom navigation application for the iPhone will be available via iTunes. The car kit should be available just before the official launch towards the end of the summer. Please check out the video demonstration after the jump.