Google to send business addresses to TomTom devices

Computerworld - TomTom International BV has teamed with Google Inc. to make it easier for users to search for and send business addresses from Google Maps to their TomTom portable navigation devices.

"The ability to search, find and send information from the Web to a TomTom is something we have been investing in for some time now," said Eric Pité, vice president for product management at TomTom, in a statement. "This cooperation represents a major step for TomTom in meeting the growing demands of our customers for personalized content for their TomTom devices."

Google has expanded the local search pages of Google Maps by adding "Send to GPS" to its "Send to" feature, according to the statement. That means TomTom users can add business addresses to their devices without having to download .zip files. After a user searches for a business address on Google Maps, all he has to do is click on the "Send to GPS" button to transfer the information to his TomTom device.

The information is transferred to the device when it is connected to the Internet via TomTom Home, the company's free software application. Once this is completed, motorists can view the location of the business on the map on the TomTom device as well as navigate to the destination. The address can also be saved on the device as a "favorite" for later use, TomTom International said.

"We are constantly working to make our maps more useful so they become a one-stop shop for finding all the local information and directions that people need," said Giorgio Scherl, a Google product manager, in the statement.

Read more about Mobile and Wireless in Computerworld's Mobile and Wireless Topic Center.