TomTom Debuts TomTom Start in Europe

TomTom, the world's leading provider of navigation solutions, has announced the debut of TomTom Start today. TomTom Start is said to be an entry-level car navigation solution that is easy to use and is specifically designed for drivers who are new to car navigation or who don't often travel very far.

The light-weight device has a compact 3.5" screen and a semi-fixed EasyPort mount that allows it to fit into your pocket, a small bag or glove compartment. The menu is easy to understand and uses a two button interface - "plan route" and "browse map." It also gives users access to the safety camera database's several "points of interest." Users can also download the TomTom Home desktop software to gain access to even more content including start-up screens and a range of fun voices.

"With the introduction of TomTom Start, we have taken another step in democratising navigation by making it easy to use, accessible and affordable, but without compromising on providing drivers with the fastest route. Available in six stylish colours, the TomTom Start is equipped with the unique innovative solutions IQ Routes and Map Share technology,” Corrine Vigreux, Managing Director of TomTom said in a press release.

According to the press release, IQ Routes technology provides TomTom users with the fastest route, any time of day, with accurate travel times. It helps users plan their routes with a database of over 800 billion speed profiles worldwide. Map Share technology is unique to the TomTom brand and it allows users to make their own map changes so that other users may benefit from the corrections made each day.

Traveling By Air... not this time

I don't mind driving, I actually enjoy it. Every family vacation I'm the designated driver and we usually take my Expedition so that the whole family (Me, my wife, our daughter, and my mother and father) has room to relax and we have plenty of space for luggage and a cooler. It really makes the trip pleasant.... for awhile.

The problem is when we start talking about 12+ hours in the car. My 2 year old daughter does well as long as she is entertained, but 12 hours is a lot for a little one. So, when we decided we'd be making a trip to Cape Corel, Florida this year I jumped online to find airline tickets. We were flexible on dates so I was able to find round trip air fares anywhere from $380 a person, to as low as $160 a person. This excited me, until I did the math... $160 times 5 people (we need a separate seat for my daughter now...)... is still $800. Which isn't bad except when we land: we need a car. A 10 day rental on a decent sized vehicle (which we need to hold all of our luggage), is another $500 or more. That brings the total for the trip to $1,300. That's also assuming we can get each person to only pack 1 suitcase... which is doubtful. Assuming we need 2 or 3 extra pieces of luggage on the plane, that's an extra $100 or so. We're now at $1,400 at least.

So next, I looked into driving. From Middletown, Ohio to Cape Coral, Florida is around 1,100 miles. Assuming gas is at $2.50 a gallon and my truck drinks it at a rate of a gallon every 14 miles... it will cost $392 in gas, round trip. That's $1,000 less than flying. Even considering any incidentals like more stops for meals, etc, we'd still save a fortune.

So... in this rough economy... how can I really justify spending $1,000 more on a trip than I have to? I can't. And that is why this year we will be driving to Florida and using our savings to enjoy activities that we otherwise might not have done.

Need a Projector Rental? Rent a projector from Rentourprojectors.com!