Tom Tom Go 715 mobile phone
It seems 2007 might be the year that mobile phones and SatNav systems start to converge. Nokia started the ball rolling with its Nokia N95 and 6110 SatNav phones, both of which incorporate a GPS receiver and a comprehensive set of maps. Now Tom Tom are set to announce the new Tom Tom Go 715 SatNav system that accepts a SIM card and can therefore make and receive mobile phone calls.
The new Tom Tom Go 715 also features built-in Bluetooth support for hands-free calling. Thinking about it, it was only a matter of time before such convergence took off in the SatNav sector. Top end Tom Toms and Garmins already feature the ability to play video clips, while Korean SatNavs (where else?!) support mobile TV as well. It really wasn't that much of a leap for them to include mobile functionality as well.
SatNavs occupy an interesting niche in that they're primarily car-based gadgets, something which isn't easily replaced by the mobile phone, unlike every other gadget the phone's consumed recently. With hands-free kits required for you to use your phone in a car, a SatNav with all the connectivity you need already built-in makes perfect sense.
The only problem might be your phone number. If you buy a dedicated SIM card for the 710, you'll need a separate number from your phone. The alternative is to swap the SIM from your phone to the 710 whenever you're in the car. However, although the 715's SIM card slot might be easy to access, most SIM cards in mobile phones are a royal pain to get at.
Still, as converged devices go, a SatNav with mobile phone features is a great idea, and one that really should have been implemented a couple of years ago.
Expect the tom tom Go 715 to be on show at CeBIT 2007 from March 15th.
[Source: GPSGazette via Gizmodo]
