TomTom gets social

TomTom has announced its Search & Go LIVE Services which incorporate Twitter and other online travel services. Through these new features, motorists will be able to interact with online travel services and even Tweet their destination and estimated time of arrival.
TomTom has introduced new, driver-friendly versions of popular social networking and online travel services. New Search & Go LIVE Services – which include Expedia, TripAdvisor and Yelp – give users access to trusted online reviews and the best route to get there.  This is the first time that online travel services and Twitter have been created specifically for satnav users.

“We know that people want to stay connected – at home, at work, and everywhere in between. By giving them the option to tweet their estimated time of arrival (ETA) and their destination, as well as offering access to leading online travel services through new Search & Go LIVE Services, TomTom is bringing a new level of connectivity to the car without compromising safety,” said Daan Henderickx, Country Manager for TomTom South Africa.

The Twitter functionality in TomTom devices will feature an option to tweet the driver’s destination to their followers with the ETA. The Twitter message is pre-set by the user before they set off, so they can concentrate safely on the road without worrying about informing people when they’re going to arrive. The estimated time of arrival will be updated before arrival to give more accuracy. All Twitter functionalities are optional – they can be turned on and off, depending on the user’s preferences.

Within the Search & Go LIVE Services portfolio, the Expedia feature allows people to compare accommodations in their vicinity. Trip Advisor and Yelp give drivers access to live, impartial reviews for restaurants, hotels, spas and theatres.

Each of the new Search & Go LIVE Services have been created to work seamlessly with TomTom’s map and routing technology. This means that once drivers have read reviews and selected where they want to go, they are automatically offered the best route to get there. All TomTom LIVE devices calculate the quickest route to through traffic congestion using TomTom HD Traffic.

“Today TomTom is giving drivers a glimpse into the future of connected navigation.
We will continue to develop real-time services and content that is useful and relevant in the car. We will continue to give millions of drivers around the world more reasons to drive LIVE and be part of TomTom’s connected community,” added Henderickx.

TomTom will be rolling out the new LIVE Services functionality at no additional cost first in the US from October 2011 and in Germany & New Zealand from October 2011. This service is set to be available in South Africa from 2012.
* Follow Gadget on Twitter on @gadgetza