January 8, 2009 9:00 AM PST

TomTom reveals its first connected GPS

Posted by Bonnie Cha

TomTom GO 740 Live is TomTom's first GPS unit with a GPRS modem.

(Credit: TomTom)

On the first day of CES 2009, GPS manufacturer TomTom introduced its newest portable navigation device, the TomTom GO 740 Live. Like the Dash Express and TeleNav Shotgun, the GO 740 Live is a connected GPS using a built-in SIM card and GPRS modem, so you'll get more up-to-date information delivered to your PND right over the air.

What kind of information? Well, I'm glad you asked. With the purchase of the TomTom GO 740 Live, you'll get a complimentary year subscription to TomTom's Live services, which include Google Local Search, fuel-price information, weather data, and TomTom QuickGPSfix for faster satellite acquisition. The Google search capabilities allow you to look up local businesses and get such information as phone number and user reviews, if available.

Along with the Live services, you also get real-time traffic information, which is updated every two to five minutes. You'll be alerted to any delays via audio prompts, and if there are any incidents along your course, you can choose to continue on the same path with an updated time of arrival or reroute around the problem.To further aid with routing, the GO 740 Live employs TomTom's IQ Routes technology, which calculates directions based on historical traffic data.

The TomTom GO 740 Live comes preloaded with TeleAtlas maps of the United States and Canada and includes text-to-speech functionality, voice recognition and commands, and integrated Bluetooth. The unit features a 4.3-inch touch screen (supports 64,000 colors with a 480x272 pixel resolution) and measures 3.4 inches tall by 5 inches wide by 0.9 inch deep and weighs 7.9 ounces.

The TomTom GO 740 Live is expected to ship in Q2 2009 for $499 and will be available at major retailers.

Bonnie Cha is a senior editor for CNET, covering smartphones and GPS. When she's not testing the latest gadgets, you can find her chasing after her crazy lab or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. E-mail Bonnie.