By Garmin-Asus is releasing their new phone exclusively for T-Mobile, dubbed simply the Garminfone (no nuvifone here). The navigation-based phone’s UI will be built up from Android 1.6, and the handset features a 3MP camera and 3.5 HVGA touchscreen. Included will be a car dock, making sure the phone can easily be used for its extended purpose as a full-blown navigation station.
The Garminfone comes pre-loaded with a whole bunch of travel-oriented apps, including Garmin Voice Studio, “an exclusive Android navigation application that allows customers to record custom voice directions from family and friends.” I guess if your navigation needs are just too intense for Google Maps (traveling places cell signals just won’t reach while taking advantage of on-board maps) this phone may be good for you, but I see nothing to get too excited about. The Garminfone should be available by the end of Spring at a T-Mobile near you.
[via Engadget Mobile]
Said Garmin, “Me too,” and nobody cared.
Actually I have some interest in this since my family and I love camping, mainly in places only reachable with a 4×4 truck. Will this have pre-loaded maps, as well as having the ability to load maps, and will it be able to accurately pin point your location via gps only? Will it also let you work with other Garmin software that makes way points for traveling? If so I’ll consider buying this phone!!!
Actually my Tom Tom does a bunch of stuff that my Nexus One doesn’t. I like the directions the Nexus One gives me better, and the fact I can use any address from contacts, sms, web, etc. is nice. But Tom Tom has “find point of interest along route” and tells me the speed I’m going, warns me if I’m going too fast, warns me about red light cameras, etc.
Kevin, the big plus here is on-board maps. No data connection needed. But other than that, yeah it’s pretty underwhelming. And that’s a terrible, terrible name…Garmifone? Ughhh.
Who is going to buy this? Android 1.6, 3MP camera, plus the phone is huge (ugly) for no reason. But on the other hand, I know my mom would buy this.
Well google maps isn’t always as up to date as the navtech maps garmin uses.
The big advantage I think is offline access to maps. Google maps is almost unusable outside your home country thanks to high data roaming charges.
That would be my number 1 feature request for google maps an offline preloaded mode.
Boring
Google maps is only as good as a carriers signal. T Mobile has great signal but lousy coverage and therefore Google Maps is not a viable option for many of their customers. I use Telenave because it needs a cell signal only long enough to grab gmt initial directions. After that all it needs is the GPS to guide me to my destination. I yearn for the day when cell signals will be available in every corner of my world. My vision is a scenario where one could purchase cell coverage independent of a single carrier.
I want to know who is going to rip out the app so it can run on other (read: better) Android devices.
I have emailed Garmin about this and they do not indicate any plans for a stand-alone software product.
I have Garmin Mobile XT for WinMo and it is really, quite good. Let’s hope Garmin makes this available to Android for $99. I’d buy it.
I was really excited about the Nuvifone when it was first marketed 2 yrs ago. It’s great to see it’ll finally make T-Mo. For me though, it’s too little too late… I have my N1 and I’m happy. Too bad Garmin.
I will never buy another Garmin anything in my life. I bought one of there Nuvi Nav devices a few years ago. I received a message on my unit a few months ago that my maps were out of date and I should upgrade them. I went and checked and upgrade maps are over 100$. That is nearly the price of their low end Nav units. What a scam.