By With all of the noise about the HTC EVO 4G’s launch and Steve Jobs’ latest 3.5-inch Apple device (I am trying to refrain from calling it by its name, here), we almost forgot that T-Mobile’s got something launching today: the T-Mobile Garminfone.
Available for $199.99 after a $50 rebate on a two-year contract, it’ll be powered by Android 1.6 and will run a custom user interface on top of it by Garmin-ASUS packed chock full of navigation-centric goodies. The interface will make it easier for navigation buffs to operate whether you’re on foot or on wheels.
Anyone waiting in line to pick this one up?
oh pls my lovely xda developers. Rip the garmin outta there so we can have some good offline navigation on out android phones. If someone can find how to make the nexus one take 720p video, they can definitely port this 4 us.
Too expensive for me. Why not just get an iphone.
Just goes to show you how poor T-Mobile’s marketing is if no one even remembered this phone was coming out. Surely I didn’t and I’m on T-Mobile!
whats with all the good and new android phones only runny 1.6 come on guys at least 2.1
If I hadn’t bought the Nexus, I might have gotten this instead, especially after paying more for an actual Garmin system for my car (doh!). With T-Mobile’s no phone left behind for 2.2, this phone doesn’t look at all bad. Be interesting to see the overall specs though before making too hasty of a conclusion.
@Aeires You don’t need a Garmin device when Google is now offering its Google turn-by-turn GPS navigation (called Google Maps Navigation) for free all over the globe as of today. I am one of the happy Canadians who got the service today. It used to be only for UK and US.
Check it out:
http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/
Next…
@moots +1!
Verizon-Incredible
Sprint-Evo
AT&T-Everybody know this one
Where is our new flagship, T-Mobile? This and the MyTouch Slide are the closest we’ve got until Galaxy time and IMHO it’s not very close at all. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going anywhere because you’re the cheapest and I’ve never had a dropped call. Shouldn’t I also have a reason to be excited to be a subscriber though?
@Ahmed. I bought the unit almost two months ago.
The rave of GPS units is long gone and its not like GPS in phones is something new, not even ones with full on Navigation… Sooo who does this appeal to? The traveling buisness man already has/needs a Blackberry, The traveling outdoorssman needs a motorola i1, The tourist isn’t gonna spend $XXX.XX of hard earned money to replace a phone that already does this… I just don’t get it… Its just another punk @$$ small Android device to fit in with the rest of Tmo’s small @$$ phones.
Well, in fairness, it would be nice to have signal independent navigation. Sucks being in the boonies and not having access to sorting or Google navigation.
@Katmandoo122 I’ve been using signal independent navigation on my G1 for months now. Bought Copilot for $35 and it is completely signal independent. Some people complain about their support but I actually talked to their tech support several times on the phone and they were pretty good with resolving problems. After 90 days from purchase it’s e-mail support only though. The newest version of Copilot is much improved and it’s been working flawlessly for me now. $35 and any existing Android phone gets you pretty much everything that Garminfone offers over the standard Android. Also, that way you don’t have to worry about being stuck with Android 1.6 forever which is pretty much guaranteed with Garminfone.
barely even worth mentioning. any you know it guys
The last time I used the google maps app on my android in Washington, D.C. it advised me to take an illegal left turn down a one-way street. Upon skipping the turn it advised me to take the next illegal turn. It did the same in NYC. The lesson? Just because you know how to make great maps doesn’t mean you know how to give great driving directions.
I love using google maps but people who say things like the days of Garmin and Tom-Tom are over don’t use a GPS very often. My droid is a great phone that does almost everything well. But if I need actual directions in a town I’ve never been in before or I’m driving cross country, I’m using my trusty Garmin. Why? Two reasons; I don’t have to worry about phone coverage, and the maps are stored in my Garmin. That’s why the Garmin phone, as a GPS device which also has a phone, is better than a phone which has a GPS application. Until google maps accuracy in DRIVING directions are improved, and the maps for the USA are pre-downloaded I’ll stick to having a phone and a GPS device.
Oh, I also use CoPilot Live but I find my Garmin gives me more accurate directions as well as quicker recalculations.
You may want to dig up an old discontinued post from a palm OS site and replace Garmin iQue 3200 and iQue 3600 with Garminfone. As that will be the fate of this device. Late to the game with nothing special over any other new Android offerings. Like the iQue it will most likely be over priced, have less capability and run on it’s namesake and snake oil (like the other iThings out there). My guess is you can grab a perfectly capable Android phone (likely heavily subsidized) and add CoPilot GPS App for $30 and beat this hands down in just about every category. I’m with Katmandoo, grab the Android device of your choice and add CoPilot. My side-by-side, multi-city, multi-state road trip with a MyTouch w/CoPilot and TomTom One XLS showed that the days of the standalone GPS are numbered and GPS manufacturers like Garmin will need to innovate to participate in the smartphone arena.
yes I remember the days when Palm was open: Handera, Sony, etc.
This is pure waste. You see why tmobile is losing its techie based consumers. Selling crap phones like this. The independant gps is ok how about using a convential map when ur gps is down. What other features is thing bringing that isn’t already avail on other phones tmobile offers. I hope to god they don’t have a gimmicky hexagon interface I.e the cube(you know kidding on that one).but comeone. Tmobile knew way before most techies tthat the iphone 4 and evo were coming out and they bring this crap out? Who can we slap in the phone picking dept. in tmobile? Tmobile is just sad!
So I have tmobile, and haven’t yet decided if I should grab the nexus One or go with a different option. Any feedback?
My blackberry and GPS both died this week – may have had something to do with a lighting strike nearby… Anyways, I’ve been searching to the best T-Mobile phone (have used T-Mobile worldwide for almost 10 years and will NEVER switch – even for an iPhone) and best GPS unit until I found out about the Garminfone. Went to my local T-Mobile store and got to check one out and fell in love with it! Just the right form and function for me!! I am an independent insurance broker in the Charlotte area which means I have to navigate in cities, neighbors and plenty of rural areas, so a GPS with pre-loaded maps is essential. Also need a reliable phone/e-mail/Web device that will work in the middle of know where. Having all of this in one device is PERFECT!!! Now all I have to do is find one to buy…
ps – shame on T-Mobile for not doing a better job in marketing this phone. I would never have know about it if I wasn’t surfing their site. And they’ve had my e-mail address for almost 10 years! Haven’t you T-Mobile marketing people ever heard of e-mail advertising? Your AR people sure know how to let me know when a bill is due! Maybe you should talk to them…
@Aeires You don’t need a Garmin device when Google is now offering its Google turn-by-turn GPS navigation (called Google Maps Navigation) for free all over the globe as of today. I am one of the happy Canadians who got the service today. It used to be only for UK and US.
Check it out:
http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/
how about like 5 months ago
Anyone buying this? Did anyone even know or care this was coming out this week?
OK everyone listen up. Google navigation is fine but I’m here to tell you that this is one sweet device. I got one for my hubby for his birthday and I am VERY impressed by it. It has IMO the BEST on-screed keyboard yet. The keys are big and spaced and I have yet to make a mistake on it. As good as Google navigation may be, nothing beats Garmin for navigation. I was planning on getting something else but I gotta tell you, I will be hard pressed to choose something over this phone. The screen is also large and crisp. I’ve just about talked myself out of the one I was going to get.
Ok,
So I travel all the time. I wanted this “fone” and now that I have it I am glad I got it. The GPS set up is way better then Google (and I love google). The options with the phone are out-standing and the speed is great. The phone comes with the full “GPS” set up for your car/truck. The speaker is louder then the G1 so you are able to hear the turn by turn. The larger screen is also great. If you put it up against a G1 (please note thats the phone I had before) the case is not much bigger but screen rocks.
Backed on the Andriod SW from Google, I would have to say this phone is worth the 450 I paid for it.
when you upgrade android 2.2
come on 1.6…..probably not upgradable to 2.1……which sucks….cant take advantage of wut android can offer…i got the motorola cliq and im still on the 1.6 where the 2.1 upgrade t mobile…..i get the run around from t mobile and motorola…
time to find a new phone….
if it would even let you upgrade to the new android phone
opps i mean 2.1
This is the only cell phone currently on the market that is not hindered by the navigation having to rely on cell phone towers. Not to mention that Garmin navigation is hands-down superior to any navigation app. Also, this phone comes with topo maps, which are frequently used outside of cell phone coverage areas, and you still have access to millions of pre-installed points of interest when you are out of carrier range. Can your flashy “impress-your-friends” status phone automatically remember where you parked your car? Probably not. This is a phone for grown-ups. If you need a phone for play-time, look elsewhere.