Home iPhonia iPhone Accessories ,,,, edf, What is a GPS navigator for scooters, therefore designed essentially for your city, where it is easy to assume you know all the destinations? It is with this question that we approached Tom Tom VIO in our test. Here is the answer.
A navigator for scooters?
By clearing the field of any doubts, Tom Tom VIO has its usefulness. Just think, for example, of a fourteen year old, newly licensed, who takes his “first steps” on a scooter. It is not certain that he knows all the streets of his city, and indeed it is easy to think that he will hardly be able to reach the places where he is traveling alone for the first time in total autonomy. And again, just think of the big cities, where it is likely, and indeed very easy, that even for work reasons you have to reach unknown destinations. Furthermore, VIO is also suitable for large displacement mopeds, thus not excluding its use for long-distance journeys.
How it's done
Needless to deny, what makes VIO one of a kind is the shape and design. Elegant and minimal, it really looks like a rear-view mirror, and seems to reflect today's philosophy in the technological field, dominated by the continuous search for essentiality. Circular in shape, VIO can be easily adapted to any motorcycle, scooter or bicycle, thanks to the double support included in the package. It is a pity that there is no support for the car: VIO certainly would not have disfigured inside a four-wheeled cockpit. Very simple to install, the quick coupling and release system allows you to keep the navigator in place in a particularly stable way, as well as allowing it to be stored in less than a second, every time you get off the bike.
On the back, in addition to the microUSB connector for charging, there is a large power button, which will allow the navigator to be always ready, as soon as you get on the bike. It is waterproof, therefore, resistant to rain, in the event that a downpour catches the user driving. In addition to support brackets and navigator, the initial bundle also includes a silicone cover, available in different colors, to better adapt it to your scooter. Aesthetics are therefore the navigator's strong point, which will not go unnoticed.
How does it work
The first doubt that could assail the user about the use of a GPS in motion is that relating to the visibility of the display. We reassure the reader right away: Tom Tom VIO reads well outdoors, even in direct sunlight. During our tests under the open sky we had no problem understanding the indications provided by the TomTom screen, unlike what happened with the smartphone.
VIO is a particularly simplified GPS, specifically designed to distract driving as little as possible. Bluetooth connection with the smartphone is required to work, and although equipped with a touchscreen, it does not allow many user interactions. For example, to set a new route it will be necessary to use the mobile phone, as well as almost all of the settings will have to be managed by tapping in the application installed on iOS or Android. From the VIO screen, however, it will be possible to start browsing the recent or favorite routes previously set on the smartphone. Furthermore, with several taps on the VIO screen, it will be possible to adjust the zoom level of the map.
In short, it is a navigator almost totally dependent on the smartphone, which you will have to resort to to change the brightness level of the VIO display, the colors of the UI, and all the different settings allowed. The VIO, therefore, is more like a sort of external screen, which shows the map while driving. Obviously, for navigation it does not need to take advantage of the smartphone's data network, so it is an offline navigator, which does not require a connection, except for information relating to real-time traffic and speed cameras. These two features give the VIO an edge, which will not require additional subscriptions to enjoy this important info.
Tom Tom VIO therefore does his job bringing all the drivers to their destination with the classic precision of the company. The hook and coupling system is very easy, which allows you to easily remove the navigator and put it in your pocket when you leave the engine on a public road. As already pointed out, the navigator depends on the smartphone, but this also allows you to communicate with your iOS or Android terminal: when you receive incoming calls, VIO will show, for a short period of time, the call on the screen, complete with photos. , if set, of the interlocutor. In this way the user will have time to stop, to be able to answer the phone. Of course, no other incoming notifications are shown on the display.
Conclusions
VIO is a navigator that depends on the smartphone for many functions, even if after setting the preferred routes it can be used almost independently. It is useless to deny it, the peripheral has its true strength in its shape and design, and makes its appearance on the “board” of any scooter. An ideal travel companion for getting around the city, but at the same time essential, to avoid any distraction while driving. It will not go unnoticed, especially if with a colored cover matched to the color of your vehicle.
Price and availability
On Amazon it is available for about 157 euros, with free shipping costs and the necessary guarantees offered by the giant.
The companion app for iOS can be downloaded at this address, the Android one directly from here.
More information can be found directly on the official link of the manufacturer.
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