CTIA: New TomTom GO 300 and 700 with Bluetooth

One of our favorite GPS systems, the TomTom GO, has just received two cool new models in the lineup.

Sporting changeable color faceplates, better maps, new realtime traffic and weather updates, the new TomTom GO 300 and 700 units are sure to be hits. Availability is slated for April, MSRP yet to be released.

The TomTom GO 700 is bound to be the new killer GPS. Packing in everything from previous models, except the SD-slot-based maps have been tossed, replaced with a built-in 2.5GB hard-disk (assumedly one of the microdrives) preloaded with entire maps for the US and Canada. Also new to the 700 is Bluetooth mobile phone integration, where the 700 acts as a hands-free car kit for any compatible Bluetooth phone. The GO screen can show you your contact list and allow you to place calls, or will show you incoming caller information when your phone rings, and then uses its mic and speaker as a hands-free system.

Also new for the 700 is an RF remote control, so that you can access many features of the TomTom GO without having to reach for the unit – and being RF based, you don’t need to even point the remote toward the unit to control it. That should be nice for frequent interaction situations.

The TomTom GO 300 is a close sister to the 700, with less ram and a lower processor speed (not that either will necessarily make a huge impact), SD-slot-based maps with continental US maps on a 1GB SD card in-box, and not sporting the handsfree features or option for the remote control. Otherwise, fully featured.

The other new ‘feature’ added to the 2005 lineup is the add-on TomTom PLUS service. With PLUS, users can get access to things like real-time traffic and weather information, pulled to the TomTom GO via its Bluetooth connection to a Bluetooth+GPRS data phone. Other PLUS services include map updates, added voices, more POI data, and customizable color schemes.

And of course, we wonder if this means the older models (which are still really nice!) will drop in price. We’ll keep an eye on Amazon, as they show trends frequently…

Read on for the two press releases.