[Archived] Tom Tom on iPhone

[Paul]

I've recently installed this app and I'm not sure if it's working correctly. I know navigation apps are very heavy users of battery power, I expect this. However it appears the TomTom app is constantly running in the background. In the last hour the battery has drained from 74% to 61% - 13% drop. I turned the app on to view some settings and then switched off in the usual way - pressing the centre button at the bottom - but going off the power consumption - I haven't used the phone in the last hour - would suggest the app is constantly working and looking for a GPS signal.

Any ideas out there? How doe sone switch it off completely? I don't want to be closing Location Services for TomTom every time I use it.

[Hughesy]

Try going into settings & seeing if there is a section for tom-tom, if so, have a look if there is anything in there.

NAVMAN is supposed to be good & its free

[Glenn]

It won't be the TomTom software per se, but the GPS batters the battery. I know on iOS 4, developers are encouraged to use the rough position you can get from cell towers for approximate position (good to a few hundred yards) and save GPS for when you need properly accurate (i.e. acting as a sat nav). That said, if the TomTom software is pushed to the background and you're NOT on external power (as you would be in a car) then they shouldn't be using the GPS and it's pretty sloppy design if they do (as once you've run it, it'll flatten the phone quickly until you restart the phone).

Personally, I thought TomTom would be a killer iPhone app, but being tight I grabbed the free Skrobble app until I could justify the cost ... and it's been pretty much all I need in a GPS.

[demontfort_rover]

If you are using IOS 4 on your phone try double tapping the home button, this will shows apps running in the back ground, press and hold the Tom Tom icon until it shakes, then on the red minus which should close the app. This will stop the app running in the background. Hope this helps!

[Paul]

It won't be the TomTom software per se, but the GPS batters the battery. I know on iOS 4, developers are encouraged to use the rough position you can get from cell towers for approximate position (good to a few hundred yards) and save GPS for when you need properly accurate (i.e. acting as a sat nav). That said, if the TomTom software is pushed to the background and you're NOT on external power (as you would be in a car) then they shouldn't be using the GPS and it's pretty sloppy design if they do (as once you've run it, it'll flatten the phone quickly until you restart the phone).

Personally, I thought TomTom would be a killer iPhone app, but being tight I grabbed the free Skrobble app until I could justify the cost ... and it's been pretty much all I need in a GPS.

I shall try Skrobble. I'd agree about the sloppy design but I'm guessing it's an "oversight." TomTom say this is something they haven't heard of before - oh yeah! My take on it is this; TomTom software is designed to run on their machines which are generally plugged into the car or the user knows the battery will run down after a period, therefore the software only switches off when the machine is switched off. I guess TomTom just didn't think about the app properly and that when folk switch off the app it must stop running completely as the phone is still switched on. Make sense?

If you are using IOS 4 on your phone try double tapping the home button, this will shows apps running in the back ground, press and hold the Tom Tom icon until it shakes, then on the red minus which should close the app. This will stop the app running in the background. Hope this helps!

Now that I do like. Thank you. Learn something every day.

[Glenn]

I shall try Skrobble. I'd agree about the sloppy design but I'm guessing it's an "oversight." TomTom say this is something they haven't heard of before - oh yeah! My take on it is this; TomTom software is designed to run on their machines which are generally plugged into the car or the user knows the battery will run down after a period, therefore the software only switches off when the machine is switched off. I guess TomTom just didn't think about the app properly and that when folk switch off the app it must stop running completely as the phone is still switched on. Make sense?

Indeed. I'm guessing you use it on the bike?

Also, prior to iOS 4, third party developers couldn't have stuff running in background, so it wouldn't have been a problem.

Now that I do like. Thank you. Learn something every day.

Same here. I new I could see what it had running in background, but I didn't realise you could kill apps like this. Top Tip. Thanks.

[Paul]

Indeed. I'm guessing you use it on the bike?

No just in the car. The problem was occurring because after using the TomTom app I'd get out of the car and although I'd closed the app it was still running. Until demontfort's tip the only way to stop it running was to turn the phone off and back on, whcih was a pain.

For cycling I've lusted after the Garmin EDge 705 for a long time and finally got permission to put it on my Christmas list!! Battery life on this device is 15 hours or more - I have several friends who get 25+ hours from the 605 model. Makes you wonder about Apple and iPhone battery life. If I switch off everything on the iPhone and use a GPS app designed for cycling I get three hours at best yet Garmin have a battery with at least 15 hours and probably 20-25.

[demontfort_rover]

Now that I do like. Thank you. Learn something every day.

Glad I could help.

[Hughesy]

When you double tab, isnt that just a list of your latest stuff so you can easily switch between when multi-tasking??

Not sure they are actually running.... For instance Maps drains your battery, leave it on that bottom bar, but not in the app & it doesnt do anywhere near the same damage.

[demontfort_rover]

When you double tab, isnt that just a list of your latest stuff so you can easily switch between when multi-tasking??

Not sure they are actually running.... For instance Maps drains your battery, leave it on that bottom bar, but not in the app & it doesnt do anywhere near the same damage.

Depends on the App and if the functionality is built into it. Skobbler definitely runs in the background, I can feel the GPS chip get warm through the back of the phone!

Some other Apps just freeze their state and "minimise". This still impacts on the battery life all be it very minimal.

[Paul]

When you double tab, isnt that just a list of your latest stuff so you can easily switch between when multi-tasking??

Not sure they are actually running.... For instance Maps drains your battery, leave it on that bottom bar, but not in the app & it doesnt do anywhere near the same damage.

Yes it is a list of all the stuff that's running and can be used to switch easily but as demontfort told us it's a good way to switch off apps, especially TomTom. It definetely does switch it off because the next time one uses it the app runs from the intro screen.

Very impressed with the TomTom app, the maps have improved enormously, mine was 6 years old and although I'd updated I never bothered to buy the new maps. The hands-free kit is good, in car speaker is a bit crap but that's solved with a cable into the audio jack and people I've called say the sound at the other end is good. It runs my iPod, bluetooth, TomTom, phone and Wi Fi all at the same time and at the end of each journey the battery is on 100%. Being able to select a contact and navigate there is excellent, which is just one of many ways to select a destination point.

The only negative I can find is it appears there is no method for adding POIs. I had a nice collection of things on my old TomTom which I can't easily get onto the app. I did find a very complex routine which involved finding files, copying, re-naming, altering and replacing etc. etc but it seemed a little tricky for me!