Alright, everyone, settle down. I know the Google Maps Navigation stuff is pretty amazing, but let’s not write off the traditional GPS makers just yet. They’re not going anywhere for a while. Your parents and friends will see to that.

Hopefully the sudden market loss that companies like Garmin and TomTom saw yesterday will wake the companies up and see that they are doing it wrong. They are in the habit of producing 78 different versions of the same GPS. Each model steps you up $20 and adds another feature. It’s a ridiculous business plan and totally opposite what successful companies are doing.

But it’s true. Google dropped a bombshell on GPS makers yesterday with it’s free navigation tool that trumps almost anything currently available. The Android 2.0 app is about as robust as you can get thanks to the always-connected Android OS and almighty Google. You can simply say “Where is the Best Buy in Flint, MI” and it will take you there. All this is free from the “Don’t Be Evil” company, Google.

TomTom has a cell phone navigation solution too. Except theirs costs $100 for the app and another $120 for the car kit and the whole thing isn’t nearly as powerful as Google’s offering. But there are others as well: Navigon sells an app for $100, TeleNav has one for $10 per month, and there are other no-name programs out there for around the same price. Those apps are all dead in the water as soon as Google ports the Navigation app to other platforms.

The standalone GPS will be fine though. It should survive the cell phone GPS onslaught because it generally caterers to a different market. Do you really think your parents could operate an Android phone, let alone a GPS app within it? Some might be able to, but first they will have to be convinced to buy the phone and expensive data service to go along with it.

There is a gigantic market of folks outside the tech/nerd world that have absolutely no interest in smartphones and the high monthly bills that come along with them. These same people might just pick up a GPS at Walmart though and figure out the rudimentary functions over the course of a few months.

Standalone GPS units also have screen size in their favor. Have you actually ever used a cell phone-size screen for navigation while it’s mounted on your dash or windshield? It sucks. I’ve found the screen size to be way too small. Just think about your Dad’s cataract-filled eyes. How the heck is he suppose to follow a route on a 3.5-inch screen? As the recently announced Nintendo DSi LL clearly shows, an extra inch can make a huge difference.

What will likely happen is that the Google app will finish off the already small market for Internet connected GPS units and top-tier models. These are the units that carry a monthly service fee in return for access to basic functions like gas prices, custom routes, and traffic info. This is where the two markets of smartphone users and GPS owners overlap. But this market was already dying due to the rise of the other GPS apps, and Google Maps Navigation will put it out for good.

GPS manufacturers still need to get with the program and cut down their product line. Garmin is notorious for producing a dozen models, each with a slightly different feature set. How about making just three aimed at three distinct price points: $99, $249, and $500. It simply doesn’t make sense to offer so many different models with minimal price and spec differences.

But here’s the thing. Don’t shed a tear for GPS makers. They will be fine as long as they recognize that the market is changing and adapt. If they don’t, it’s their own damn fault.

Quoth Bloomberg:

“In the summer period, we’ve seen quite a good development in demand,” TomTom Chief Executive Officer Harold Goddijn said in an interview at his Amsterdam office. “We’re becoming more optimistic.” He declined to forecast revenue for the portable navigation devices, or PND, industry next year.

Garmin also believes the personal navigation device isn’t dead but I point both companies to a little something that also started with P – the PDA. Palm and Compaq fought a valiant fight but in the end the smartphone took over and killed the PIM/PDA industry. Whoosh. Gone. Unless TomTom and Garmin go all software – and they are – they’re toast. The PND market isn’t going up. It will be flat to down next year and gone by the end of the decade.

Oh, nuvifone. How we loved you and forgot you. Now that almost every featurephone comes with GPS navigation, both of your models might finally launch on AT&T. Just think if you would have got your act together a year ago, you could have ruled the market before there was a market.

But now, depending on the price, you will likely be passed over for the iPhone. It’s not that you probably don’t do the navigation thing great, but that the iPhone and others does it well enough and offers so much more. Sorry, pal. Even Winmo 6.5 can’t save you. (If you even have Winmo 6.5)

Other features include a 3.5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a new and improved interface, geotagging and photo sharing, 3D maps, and more. The deal is good today only.

Garmin nuvi 265T 3.5-inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator [Amazon]

The watch is perfect for triathletes, mostly because it’s waterproof, and it’s small enough to wear out and not look like a big freak. Quoth Mr. Honan:

Garmin has shrunk the guts of this baby enough that it looks almost like a standard, if very odd, watch. Metrosexuals might give it a pass, but soul-sucking hipsters could probably get away with wearing it in public.

Not sure where all the anger is coming from, but yes, if you’re a hipster you can wear this.

Sure this is old as all get out and Star Wars is better than Star Trek, but if you want your Garmin StreetPilot or Nuvi to sound like Scotty on the toilet you can download and install these Star Trek sounds at your leisure.

via Navigadget

This clever little piece of kit is basically a great GPS unit bolted to a 3.2-megapixel camera with 4X zoom. It also has a tri-axial compass so you don’t have to have the unit level to tell your direction.

The Garmin 550T costs $599.99 and includes US topographical maps while the 550 includes a worldwide map.

Picture perfect: Garmin® Oregon® 550 with built-in camera
offers touchscreen GPS for all seasons, all reasons

OLATHE, Kan./May 7, 2009/Business Wire – Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t touchscreen handheld GPS devices, integrating a 3.2 megapixel digital camera, which creates geotagged images, and a 3-axis compass into the popular series of intuitive touchscreen handhelds. The waterproof Oregon 550’s easy-to-use interface and versatile features make it the ideal solution for customers looking for a multipurpose GPS device.

“As everyone looks for ways to do more with less, Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t can be the one GPS device you turn to for all of your activities, in any climate, on any terrain, at any time of year,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “Easy enough for beginners to master, Oregon will guide you in your adventures, capture the highlights and bring them back home.”

There’s no need to tote a separate camera in your pack or pocket as Oregon 550’s 3.2 megapixel autofocus digital camera with 4x digital zoom automatically geotags each photo with the location of where it was taken, allowing you to mark, remember and navigate back to that exact spot in the future. With this waterproof digital camera, you can take and view pictures in landscape or portrait orientation, and 850 MB of internal memory offers ample storage. These pictures can then be printed or stored and shared online, making every trip even more memorable. Once your Oregon 550 is connected via USB, you can use my.Garmin.com to detect Oregon’s photos, simplify the selection and uploading processes and then store those photos on Picasa, a popular online photo sharing community for friends and families around the world.

The built-in 3-axis compass and enhanced sunlight-readable touchscreen are two other key additions to the Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t (which features preloaded 100K topo maps for the entire U.S. in state-of-the-art 3D elevation perspective). The 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass shows your heading even when you’re standing still, without holding it level. And Oregon’s glove-friendly, color 3-inch touchscreen display is brighter and easier than ever to read and use in all conditions, responsive to the touch of your finger, yet resistant to the forces of nature. Weighing only 6.8 ounces, the Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t come with two precharged AA NiMH batteries. These batteries provide up to 16 hours of life on a single charge and don’t lose energy when not in use. The included battery charger saves you money and reduces waste as batteries get recharged and reused. Also in the box is a carabiner clip and USB cable for high-speed USB connections. A microSD card slot provides even more storage for photos, mapping and memory and allows you to view pictures from other devices with Oregon’s picture viewer.

Highlighting its versatility, Oregon lets you customize five profiles – automotive, marine, recreation, fitness or geocaching – making the most useful features the easiest to access through shortcuts.

On the trail: With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix™ satellite prediction, Oregon 550 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. And you can store up to 2,000 waypoints, 200 routes, 5,000 geocaches and a tracklog of up to 10,000 points and 200 saved tracks. On the mountain: The built-in barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude, and you can keep an eye on changing weather conditions by plotting pressure over time. On vacation: Explore with confidence, thanks to the detailed U.S. topographic maps preloaded in the 550t or the worldwide shaded relief basemap in the 550. On a mission: The simple-to-use touchscreen interface makes it easy to navigate efficiently and tackle your task quickly. In a group: With Oregon 550, you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly other Oregon and Colorado users. Out geocaching: Go paperless with Oregon, which can store up to 5,000 caches, by quickly downloading cache information from Geocaching.com. Oregon stores and displays key information such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description, so that you don’t have to tote printouts with you. (And lucky geocachers may even stumble upon a limited-edition Oregon geocoin.)

And Oregon does the work of several devices, just by adding various accessories to suit your activity or optional MapSource® microSD cards preloaded with detailed maps.

On the road: Optional City Navigator mapping provides detailed street maps, millions of preloaded points of interest and onscreen turn-by-turn directions to your destination, and an optional Auto Nav kit adds a suction mount and car charger. On a hunt or on a hike: Using a separate TOPO U.S. 24K DVD or microSD card brings you the highest level of topographic detail available, with maps comparable to 1:24,000 scale USGS maps, featuring terrain contours, topo elevations, summits, routable roads and trails, parks, coastlines, rivers, lakes and geographical points. On the water: Add BlueChart® g2 maps, which provide everything you need for a great day on the water, including depth contours, navaids and harbors. On the run or on a bike: Ideal for a trail workout, the lightweight Oregon is compatible with Garmin’s heart-rate monitors and speed/cadence sensors, and an optional handlebar mount makes it easy to track your speed, distance, elevation and location.

And wherever you are, whatever you’re doing and whomever you’re with, you’ll always have Oregon 550’s built-in camera to capture the moment, record the location and share the memories.

Garmin is in the GPS biz and it seems like the company is always outing another unit; last month was the 1300 series. The newly announced 1490T combines everything a drvier would want out of a GPS unit, including  free, lifetime traffic alerts, Bluetooth wireless calling, and lane assist mode. All this is displayed on a large 5-inch screen. But wait! There is more!

A new mode in the 1490 allows drivers to input multiple destinations and then the Garmin will route the most fuel efficent way to hit all the destinations. Plus, the ecoRoute will also allow drivers to select the most fuel efficient route to a single destination as well as the fastest and shortest. 

This Garmin will be avaible July 2009 at a MSRP of $499.99.

 

Ultra-Thin with 5-Inch Display, Garmin^® nüvi^® 1490T Provides the Big Picture

OLATHE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the nüvi 1490T – a premium automotive GPS device with a large, 5-inch touchscreen and sleek body style that is 25-percent slimmer than most nüvi models. This large screen, ultra-thin navigator is ideal for those wanting to take advantage of Garmin’s newest navigation features like free, lifetime traffic alerts and lane assist with junction view that gives added confidence when driving roads with complicated intersection and turns. The nüvi 1490T was announced in conjunction with The Gadget Show in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on April 17-19, 2009.

“The nüvi 1490T is designed to give drivers a big picture of the route ahead, while offering every-day conveniences customers want and need to take the worry out of traveling,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “With its enhanced pedestrian navigation capabilities and ultra-thin design, it’s also a perfect companion for travelers in unfamiliar territory who want to explore the city on foot or with public transportation.”

The nüvi 1490T gives clear guidance on the 5-inch touchscreen that details upcoming turns and specific driving directions, including road sign detail and arrows indicating the proper lane for navigation. With the nüvi 1490T, route planning is straightforward because the device will save 10 routes. The multiple-point routing feature makes running errands more efficient because the nüvi will calculate the most efficient route between multiple stops. For trips across the country, drivers will benefit from the automatic time zone transition feature that automatically sets the unit to the correct time zone. In addition, a speed limit indicator displays speed limits for most major roads.

For the ultimate in convenience, the nüvi 1490T also makes it easy for drivers to steer clear of traffic accidents, road closures and construction. An integrated traffic receiver comes standard with the nüvi 1490T and gives free, lifetime traffic alerts without a subscription fee. The free lifetime traffic alerts are from NAVTEQ Traffic and are available in select coverage areas. Lifetime traffic alerts extend for the useful life of the nüvi unit or as long as Garmin receives traffic data from its traffic supplier.

To help drivers make their gas tanks go the extra mile, the nüvi 1490T comes standard with ecoRoute™ that suggests fuel-efficient navigation. In addition to “faster time” and “shorter distance” for route preference, ecoRoute lets nüvi users choose “less fuel” as the best way to save gas and money. Through ecoRoute’s Fuel Report and Mileage Report, drivers can focus on their fuel conservation and find fuel-saving tips along the way.

In addition, the nüvi 1490T also has Bluetooth^® Wireless Technology that makes it possible to receive and place phone calls directly from the nüvi. The nüvi supports over 200 Bluetooth enabled phones, and drivers can retrieve and dial numbers using a supported phone’s contact list, the phone’s call history log or the nüvi’s preloaded points of interest database.

The ultra-thin nüvi 1490T also offers enhanced pedestrian navigation capability with optional CityXplorer™ maps. Available for select tourist destinations in both North America and Europe, CityXplorer maps can easily be downloaded directly to the nüvi. With CityXplorer, users will make the most of their journey by planning and using routes that include public transit options such as bus and metro rail stations. Content from CityXplorer varies in cost from $9.99 – $14.99, depending on the city. A list of cities offered in North America and Europe will be available atwww.garmin.com.

 

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the nüvi 1490T is $499.99, and it is expected to be available in July 2009. Additional information is available at www.garmin.com and www.garmin.blogs.com.

Using algorithms developed by exercise scientists and world-class athletes, Forerunner 405CX monitors the micro changes in a user’s heart rate and uses that detailed information to better calculate the number of calories burned during aerobic activity. Whether out running, on a bike, in step class or on a hike, Forerunner 405CX users will get instant gratification as they see the results of their hard work. And those workouts will be more comfortable than ever, as users will have the choice of two additional form-fitting bands to accommodate large and small wrists alike. At only 60 grams and available in a new deep blue color, Forerunner 405CX fits in at the gym or around the office.

The 310CX also gets an upgrade in sensitivity. Read on for full press releases.

« Garmin® Avionics Selected for the Cirrus Vision Personal Jet | Main
Garmin® Makes Every Calorie Count with New Forerunner® 405CX
Posted April 2, 2009 | 01:00 AM in Outdoor/Fitness | Permalink

OLATHE, Kan./April 2, 2009/Business Wire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Forerunner 405CX – the latest in Garmin’s popular line of GPS-enabled fitness devices, adding increased accuracy in heart rate-based calorie computation and improved comfort to the Forerunner 405 model that took the fitness world by storm. The Forerunner 405CX was announced in preparation for world-class marathons in Paris and Boston, where it will be on display at Garmin booths in each location.

“As today’s runners evolve, so must their technology. Once again Garmin leads the way with our smartest Forerunner yet,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “Refined data traditionally reserved for elite athletes and top-tier trainers is now available to anyone interested in accurately counting calories and tracking their progress, all through a stylish and comfortable fitness watch.”

Using algorithms developed by exercise scientists and world-class athletes, Forerunner 405CX monitors the micro changes in a user’s heart rate and uses that detailed information to better calculate the number of calories burned during aerobic activity. Whether out running, on a bike, in step class or on a hike, Forerunner 405CX users will get instant gratification as they see the results of their hard work. And those workouts will be more comfortable than ever, as users will have the choice of two additional form-fitting bands to accommodate large and small wrists alike. At only 60 grams and available in a new deep blue color, Forerunner 405CX fits in at the gym or around the office.

In developing the Forerunner 405CX and its heart rate-based calorie computation, Garmin worked with Firstbeat Technologies Ltd., a technology company based in Finland. Firstbeat is an industry leader in heart rate analysis, specializing in developing user-centered software solutions for heart beat signal analysis in exercise and sports, weight management, and stress monitoring applications.

In addition to monitoring heart rate and counting calories with precision, Forerunner 405CX tracks speed, distance and location accurately and effortlessly, and the revolutionary patent-pending touch bezel on the face of the watch makes navigating the options easier than ever. Simply by tapping, holding or running a finger along the bezel, runners can begin a new workout, access their training history or challenge a Virtual Partner™. The Forerunner 405CX makes training with a Virtual Partner easy and efficient. Runners can adjust the Virtual Partner’s pace without stopping in the middle of a workout, and the Virtual Partner is always on and ready for a challenge.

The Forerunner 405CX is water-resistant (IPX7) and can be used outdoors or indoors (with an optional, streamlined foot pod that can fit on laces or under certain shoes’ insoles), making it the ultimate year-round, all-weather training tool. And the high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix™ quickly acquires and sustains satellite reception, whether you’re tackling a wooded trail or jogging through the urban canyons of skyscrapers. An optional speed/cadence bike sensor helps cyclists monitor their pedaling cadence and wheel speed.

Once the workout is done, the training is far from over. Using ANT+ technology, the Forerunner 405CX sends workout data to the user’s PC or Mac via automatic wireless data transfer. There’s no need to take off the watch or bother with cables as the computer automatically syncs with the Forerunner 405CX once it’s in close proximity. And the data transfer is a two-way street. Runners, joggers, cyclists and hikers can send courses, goals and workouts to their Forerunner 405CX before they begin, and then the data gets sent back to the user’s computer when the workout is over. Athletes can log their workouts, track their totals, set goals, share workouts with coaches, friends and family and participate in an online fitness community at Garmin ConnectSM — Garmin’s online training site. Users can also share courses and workout data from one Forerunner 405CX to another through wireless data transfer.

The wireless features of Forerunner 405CX are enabled by ANT+ personal area network technology. ANT+ is a leading wireless interface protocol enabling ultra low power applications like fitness monitors. ANT+ offers all the benefits of digital wireless communications with much lower power consumption than other wireless protocols.

The Forerunner 405CX is the latest breakthrough from Garmin, which has spent 20 years using technology and innovation to enhance users’ lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. To learn more about the Forerunner 405CX and Garmin’s other products and services, go to www.garmin.com and www.garmin.blogs.com.

Garmin® Gives Fitness a Facelift with Forerunner® 310XT, the Waterproof Multi-Sport Watch with Longer Battery Life
Posted April 2, 2009 | 01:00 AM in Outdoor/Fitness | Permalink

OLATHE, Kan./April 2, 2009/Business Wire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Forerunner 310XT – the waterproof multi-sport solution in Garmin’s popular line of GPS-enabled fitness devices. Boasting up to 20 hours of battery life and a sleek, comfortable design, the Forerunner 310XT was announced in preparation for world-class marathons in Paris and Boston, where it will be on display at Garmin booths in each location. The Forerunner 310XT will be sold on its own or packaged with a new waterproof, soft-strap heart rate monitor, which will be more comfortable than previous models and is expected to be available during summer 2009.

“The waterproof Forerunner 310XT is the evolution of the iconic Forerunner 305, building off of what users love and introducing key benefits they’ve requested,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “By adding unmatched wireless connectivity, up to 20 hours of battery life and a more comfortable build, Forerunner 310XT will bring Garmin’s leading GPS technology to more athletes and events than ever imagined.”

During and after the workout, Forerunner 310XT blends the best wireless connectivity of all of its predecessors in the Garmin fitness family, syncing wirelessly through ANT+™ technology with Garmin heart rate monitors and foot pods, compatible third-party fitness equipment and power meters, and the user’s PC or Mac for automatic data download.

The swimmable Forerunner 310XT is waterproof to a depth of 50 meters, so you can wear it in the pool or the lake to time your swim. And its slim design, simple interface and flexible wristband mean Forerunner is easy to wear in any conditions. When you’re ready to jump out of the water and onto the bike, Forerunner 310XT moves easily from wrist to bike with the optional quick release and bike mounts, making the transition between sports effortless. Forerunner 310XT categorizes multisport activities in one workout and can also log transition time in the process, so you can analyze your performance from start to finish. And the extended battery life – up to 20 hours – means that endurance athletes can push themselves farther than ever.

Positioned around the large, vivid display, intuitive buttons provide a simple interface without sacrificing space on the customizable data screens. And even in the loudest gym or largest crowd, users won’t miss their milestones as Forerunner 310XT’s audible signals and/or vibration alerts tell them when they’ve reached integral parts of their race or workout.

Garmin is also announcing a new waterproof, soft-strap heart rate monitor that is streamlined and more comfortable than ever, yet rugged enough to withstand swimming. Though heart rate data does not transmit while underwater, this new waterproof strap means that triathletes can plan ahead by wearing the strap under a wetsuit, shaving crucial seconds off their transition time. The new soft-strap monitor is expected to be available during summer 2009.

For out-of-water activities, Forerunner 310XT tracks speed, distance and location accurately and effortlessly, and users benefit from the precision of heart rate-based calorie computation. Runners and cyclists can adjust the pace and speed of their Virtual Partner without stopping in the middle of a workout, and the Virtual Partner is always on and ready for a challenge.

The waterproof Forerunner 310XT can be used outdoors or indoors (with an optional, streamlined foot pod that can fit on laces or under certain shoes’ insoles), making it the ultimate year-round, all-weather training tool. And the high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix™ quickly acquires and sustains satellite reception, whether you’re tackling a wooded trail or jogging through the urban canyons of skyscrapers. An optional speed/cadence bike sensor helps cyclists monitor their pedaling cadence and wheel speed.

Once the workout is done, the training is far from over. Using ANT+ technology, the Forerunner 310XT sends workout data to the user’s PC or Mac via automatic wireless data transfer. There’s no need to take off the watch or bother with cables as the computer automatically syncs with the Forerunner 310XT once it’s in close proximity. And the data transfer is a two-way street. Runners, joggers, cyclists and hikers can send courses, goals and workouts to their Forerunner 310XT before they begin, and then the data gets sent back to the user’s computer when the workout is over. Athletes can log their workouts, track their totals, set goals, share workouts with coaches, friends and family and participate in an online fitness community at Garmin ConnectSM — Garmin’s online training site.

The wireless features of Forerunner 310XT are enabled by ANT+ personal area network technology. ANT+ is a leading wireless interface protocol enabling ultra low power applications like fitness monitors. ANT+ offers all the benefits of digital wireless communications with much lower power consumption than other wireless protocols.

The Forerunner 310XT is the latest breakthrough from Garmin, which has spent 20 years using technology and innovation to enhance users’ lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. To learn more about the Forerunner 310XT and Garmin’s other products and services, go to www.garmin.com and www.garmin.blogs.com.

The BC-1000 Body Composition monitor is a platform that you step on to, and then it will measure your muscle mass, overall physique rating, daily caloric intake, metabolic age rating, bone mass, and visceral fat levels. That information is then transmitted wirelessly to your computer or the Fitness Watch, where the information can be stored and tracked. It doesn’t sound exciting, but for anybody on a diet or just interested in fitness it could be really useful.

It’s currently available online at thecompetitiveedge.com — you’re looking at from $300-$400 for the whole setup.

The nüvi 1300 series comes sporting a 4.3-inch touchscreen and text to speech technology. The nüvi 1200 comes packing with a 3.5-inch touchscreen but retains the text to speech stuff. Now, you need to know that the difference between these models are minimal, so try to keep up.

The 1300 comes with map coverage of the lower 48 States for $249 while the 1350 adds complete North American coverage for $299. The 1370T adds Europe to the mix for $449. The 1350, 1350T, and 1370T have lane assist, but the $499 1390T adds junction view to the mix. Plus, the 1370T and 1390T have traffic alerts and Bluetooth calling.

The $199 nüvi 1200 has coverage of the lower 48 States while the $249 1250 and $299 1260T adds complete North American coverage. The extra $50 for the 1260T also adds Bluetooth calling.

I said it once, and I’ll say it again. Keep it simple, stupid. Why the hell are there so many different version of the same GPS. Why not sell the 1390T with Bluetooth, traffic alerts, and all the maps somewhere in the middle of the price range instead of making five models that with $50 price differences on them? It doesn’t make sense to me.

Garmin® Introduces the Ultra-Thin nüvi® 1200 and 1300 Series, Offering New Pedestrian Navigation and Expanded Functionality

CeBIT 2009
OLATHE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the nüvi 1200 and nüvi 1300 series – an innovative family of navigators with a new ultra-thin design that offer enhancements for navigation in and out of the car. This new series of products introduced at CeBIT in Hannover, Germany, March 3-8, 2009, is ideal for the consumer who wants advanced features at a value price. The nüvi 1200 and 1300 series are the first nüvi devices to offer pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer™ maps. CityXplorer maps are available for select tourist destinations in both North America and Europe, and can easily be downloaded directly to the nüvi.

Various models of the nüvi 1200 and 1300 product families also provide other premium features like free lifetime traffic alerts and lane assist for added confidence in navigating complicated intersections and turns. All these new devices feature text to speech, a technology that enables the enunciation of names and upcoming roads – enhancing confidence while navigating in unfamiliar locations.

“Our nüvi devices are known for the great navigation experience they provide in the vehicle. Now our customers can have that same great experience when navigating an unfamiliar city by foot or public transportation,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “The nüvi 1200 and 1300 products allow us to meet the needs of that on-the-go customer by offering an affordable nüvi that provides location and destination information when, where, and how they need it most. The personal navigation device (PND) is no longer just for the car – take it with you wherever you go and enjoy the enhanced usability and rich features only a dedicated device like this can offer.”

In addition to features offered by other members of the nüvi family, these new multi-mode navigators feature a public transit mode supporting optional CityXplorer content. Available as a download for select cities, CityXplorer allows the user to plan and use routes that can include public transit options such as bus, tramway, metro and suburban rail systems. With CityXplorer, users can get the most out of their navigation experience to many exciting cities across North America and Europe. The thinner and lighter form factor of these new products allows the unit to be more easily carried in a pocket or purse – making it ideal for pedestrian navigation. Content from CityXplorer varies in cost from $9.99 – $14.99, depending on the city. A list of cities offered in North America and Europe is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2009 at www.garmin.com.

To help drivers make their gas tanks go the extra mile, these devices come standard with ecoRoute™, which suggests fuel-efficient navigation. In addition to “faster time” and “shorter distance” for route preference, ecoRoute lets nüvi users choose “less fuel” as the best way to save gas and money. Through ecoRoute’s Fuel Report and Mileage Report, drivers can focus on their fuel conservation, and also find fuel-saving tips along the way.

All models in the nüvi 1300 series boast a bright 4.3” touchscreen display and feature text to speech technology. The nüvi 1300 is available with coverage of the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while the nüvi 1350 is available with preloaded comprehensive coverage of North America. For transatlantic travel, the nüvi 1370T comes standard with mapping for North America and Europe. Both the 1350, 1350T and 1370T add lane assist, which highlights the preferred lane for navigation. Building on the aforementioned features, the 1390T adds junction view allowing drivers to see realistic images of upcoming junctions where available. Lifetime traffic alerts from NAVTEQ Traffic are also included with the 1350T, 1370T and 1390T, enabling drivers to steer clear of traffic accidents, road closures and construction. The nüvi 1370T and 1390T come standard with a traffic receiver that will provide alerts in the coverage areas – no subscription fee is required. The nüvi 1370T and 1390T also feature Bluetooth® hands-free connectivity.

Every new model in the nüvi 1200 series feature a bright 3.5” touchscreen display, and features our popular text to speech feature. The nüvi 1200 is available with coverage of the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and the nüvi 1250 and 1260T are available with preloaded comprehensive coverage of North America. The 1260T adds Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and lifetime traffic alerts from NAVTEQ Traffic.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for these models is as follows:

nüvi 1300 $ 249.99
nüvi 1350 $ 299.99
nüvi 1350T $ 349.99
nüvi 1370T $ 449.99
nüvi 1390T $ 399.99
nüvi 1200 $ 199.99
nüvi 1250 $ 249.99
nüvi 1260T $ 299.99
All models are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2009. Additional information is available at www.garmin.com. Lifetime traffic alerts extend for the useful life of the nüvi unit or as long as Garmin receives traffic data from its traffic supplier.

Garmin has just announced ANT Agent for Mac , an ANT driver for OS X along with a desktop mapping app Garmin Connect. Why is this important? Because the Garmin 405 kicks ass for runners and Mac support is like a cherry on an already delicious cake made of happiness and exercise. And chocolate.

Soon you’ll be able to update your device software and GPS chipset to keep your device up to date. With future releases you’ll be able to send workouts and courses to the Forerunner 405 from Training Center and Garmin Connect, and independently send goals to the Forerunner 405 from Garmin Connect. Future releases will also enable you to update your Forerunner 405’s device software and GPS chipset.

Ant-icon If you’re running a PowerPC Mac, you can expect successful pairing and transfers. Just remember to power down before removing the ANT Stick. We’re currently working on additional support for PowerPC Mac systems. In order to be able to install and use the ANT Agent on your Mac, you need to have an Intel-based Mac with OS 104.4.11 or later. You’ll need to have 256 MB RAM and 150 MB of free disk space. Since the ANT Stick is the USB cable for the wireless devices, you’ll need a USB port as well.

I’m downloading and installing the goods right now. I’ll let you know how it goes.

In light of MWC next week, Garmin-Asus has made a full announcement about the upcoming nuvifone product line. Which, btw, isn’t nearly as fun as spy shots and rumors, but we’ll take it. The original G60 that we have been hearing about for nearly a year seems like it will finally be released and might be a solid contender judging by the specs. Garmin-Asus is announcing a new player however, in the smallish WinMo 6.1, M20 handheld that naturally runs Garmin’s mapping software which might make a larger splash at MWC than its big brother. 

The original nuvifone, now called the G60, was announced, demoed, and delayed numerous times in ‘08 but it is finally here. The OS runs on a custom flavor of Linux and it comes pre-loaded with your regions maps (North America, Europe, Asia) Plus, Garmin has a new location area software suite named Ciao! that seems similar to Google Latitude but built over the Garmin Maps and compatible with social networking sites.

• Quad-band HSDPA 3G connectivity
• Bluetooth & WiFi
• Accelerometer
• 3.5-inch touchscreen
• 3MP geo-tagging camera
• Pre-loaded maps
• Car dock included

The M20 might not run Linux like it’s big bro, but this little WinMo device seems to have the stuff to stand out. It’s smaller, retains the 3G speed, and available in cute colors. Everyone likes color options. Thankfully, Windows Mobile has been skinned with a Garmin-like home page with quick links to navigation and such. The M20 also comes loaded with Ciao!.

• Quad-band HSDPA 3G connectivity
• Bluetooth & WiFi
• Accelerometer
• 2.8-inch touchscreen
• Micro-SD card slot
• 4 or 8GB of on-board storage
• 3MP geo-tagging camera
• Pre-loaded maps
• Car Dock included

Pricing and availability has unfortunately been left out of the press release but hopefully we find those tid-bits out next week at MWC. Chances are that both T-Mobile and AT&T are interested in the 3G devices though, but it’s anyones guess which company would end up with the pair.

Amazon.com has a Gold Box deal today on the Garmin nüvi 760 4.3-inch widescreen Bluetooth portable GPS system. It normally goes for $240 or so but you can get it for $199 (today only).

Specs:

• 4.3-Inch diagonal touch screen color display (widescreen at 480×272)
• Preloaded with City Navigator North America
• Bluetooth for hands-free calling
• Built-in MP3 player

Of note, you can get another $100 off the price of this thing if you sign up for a year of Audible.com – might not be a bad deal if you spend a lot of time in the car. Also, those of you in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area (my hometown) you may notice that Garmin’s product shot (see above photo) is of a car driving down Hennepin Avenue. No way! We’re famous!

Garmin nüvi 760 [Amazon.com]

At first blush, this is like just about any other GPS unit. You tell it where you want to go, and it tells you how to get there. The nuvi 880 supports driving, biking, and pedestrian modes, which I found interesting. It’s not exactly easy to switch between modes as you navigate through the menu to the settings, but it’s neat that you can do it at all. I used the walking directions a couple times around my neighborhood, and it did a fine job. I imagine this would be a tremendously handy feature on a trip to a new city.

Voice Commands
The big feature of the nuvi 880 is that it can be operated almost entirely through voice commands. In the package is a little widget with two buttons, one large and one small. Pressing the big button tells the nuvi 880 that you want to start speaking commands to it. Pressing the little button tells the nuvi 880 that you’re done speaking to it. In my experience, there was little occasion to actually press the little button, as the GPS will eventually stop listening for new commands after a period of inactivity.

I was reasonably impressed with the quality of the voice detection. Speaking main menu items was easy, and the unit did a fine job of recognizing street names that I said aloud. I found it very natural to speak the commands, and it’s definitely a much easier — and safer — way to use the GPS while driving.

I was initially disappointed with the little widget to activate voice commands. I long for the day when we can simply address our computers like they do on Star Trek. Until then, we’re stuck using some gadget to tell other gadgets that we want to talk to them. The widget for the nuvi 880 wasn’t intrusive, and it comes on a nice little strap. Simply wrap the strap around your steering wheel, and then you can activate the voice commands with a surreptitious press of your thumb.

Overall, I think the voice commands are a great addition to a GPS unit, and I look forward to continued innovation in this area.

Audio Player
The nuvi 880 provides about a gig of storage, and is seen as a plain old removable storage device by most computers. You can simply drop MP3 files into the Audio folder, and then listen to them using the built-in Audio Player (not to be confused with the Audible Player, which is strictly for Audible.com audio books).

The audio player reads id3 tags, and provides a functional mechanism to navigate your audio by file name, artist, genre, etc. Playback controls are a little rigid, as I couldn’t find a way to easily fast forward or rewind within a playing song.

I didn’t find the volume to be great, but that may have been largely due to my selection of MP3s. Rather than load up music, I loaded up a number of episodes of EscapePod, my favorite sci-fi short fiction podcast. Were I listening to music, I might have been content with merely adequate volume and audio quality. But listening to the podcasts, I found myself struggling to hear all the words of the story, and sometimes the sibilants weren’t played well.

I tried, briefly, to use the nuvi 880’s built-in FM transmitter to send the audio output to the car’s radio, but I didn’t have any luck finding a station that worked.

When the Audio Player is active, it places an icon on your map display, allowing you quick access to that feature without having to navigate through the main menu. This proved to be a handy shortcut on several occasions. The voice commands made it even more convenient. It was super easy to access new songs and start and stop playback.

Pictures
One of the neat features of the nuvi 880 is support for geotagged photos. You can load up a geotagged photo and then ask for directions to that location. You can find geotagged photos using http://connect.garmin.com/photos. I found the photo of the Kewpee Hamburger building in Lima, OH:

Navigating by photo is a little awkward. In the “Where To” menu, there’s no Photo option. You can access your photos from the Favorites option, but that isn’t entirely intuitive, since the photo isn’t necessarily a favorite destination. Otherwise, select “Tools” and then “Photos”. Select a photo, and a “Go!” button will become available. Select this and the nuvi 880 will plot a course.

I couldn’t find any way to string together multiple photos, as one might do were they taking a walking tour of a city. The Route planning feature of the nuvi 880 does not seem to support photos. So the photo navigation seems to be for a single destination only.

Geocaching
One of the extras available at the my.garmin.com site is geocaching. I have a couple of friends who have been into geocaching for many years, but it’s not something I’ve ever done. So I was eager to load up a few geocache coordinates and see if I could find them. The Garmin website makes it easy to locate caches and to download them to the nuvi 880.

Unfortunately, there’s no “Geocache” option anywhere in the menu. Searching for “geocache” in Garmin.com’s knowledge base didn’t produce any results, either. As near as I can tell, you can use the Garmin site to find coordinates, but then you’ll need to manually key them into the “Coordinates” option of the “Where To” menu. Downloading coordinates directly to your nuvi 880 doesn’t seem to actually do anything.

Complaints
As with the other GPS units I’ve reviewed, I found the interface to be sluggish and sometimes frustrating. The voice commands help work around this quite a bit, and I find myself being more patient when using voice commands. Maybe this is because I’m usually doing something else — like driving — so the whole of my attention isn’t focused on the response times.

Satellite acquisition was slow. It was really slow when using the unit solely on battery power. This may be a problem when trying to use the pedestrian navigation mode.

The voices on the nuvi 880 are pretty weak. I found the faux Australian and faux British accents to be the best to listen to, but even they weren’t that great. Jill, the American English voice, was just plain bad. Maybe reviewing the Mio Knight Rider GPS spoiled me.

In addition to underwhelming voices, I was disappointed by the pronunciation of many streets. I’ll forgive the voice synthesizer for mispronouncing “Bellefontaine”, and even “Olentangy”, but there’s no excuse for mispronouncing “Buckeye”. The latter is a simple word. It’s the name of a tree, and the symbol for the largest university in the U.S., so I was really disappointed when it was mispronounced. I can only imagine how pronunciations would be butchered for the many Native American inspired street names throughout the Ohio region.

My final complaint against the voices is the inconsistency in speaking numbers. For I-270, the nuvi 880 will say “Eye Two Hundred Seventy”. But for SR-315, the nuvi 880 will say “Ess Arr Three One Five”. Why does it say the whole number for one, but just the digits for the other? Does anyone in the real world actually say “Two Hundred Seventy” when speaking the name of an interstate or highway?

As indicated above, you can play MP3 files directly from the nuvi. I’ve already remarked on the volume and sound quality, which are shortcomings I can live with. But listening to an MP3 and getting directions at the same time needs some work. The volume of the currently playing song is turned down so that the directions can be said aloud. Were I listening to music, I could probably live with this; but I was listening to a podcast and the voice overlay caused me to miss significant story points. I would prefer to have MP3 playback paused entirely while navigation directions are being delivered, and then simply unpause the MP3 when done. I didn’t try the Audible Player, so maybe that function does pause playback. The assumption, though, that only music files will be played through the Audio Player seems a poor one.

Conclusion
I didn’t give this unit a fair shake when I first got it. Sure, it is “just another GPS”, but it’s a GPS that offers a lot of nice features. Voice commands, photo navigation, and support for MSN Direct real-time status updates for traffic, gas prices, and more make the nuvi 880 a very useful gadget.

Garmin is expecting ‘08 to be a banner year despite the piss-poor economy. When all the beans are counted and the ducks are lined up, the largest GPS manufacturer expects to haveshipped 50% more GPS units this year verse in previous years.

If Garmin does hit that 50% more figure, that would result in the firm shipping out over 18 million GPS devices. This is despite that fact that other GPS makers are throwing in the towel and people are losing their homes. Apparently, none of that matters for Garmin. The company had a great Black Friday weekend and expects the trend to continue through the end of the holiday spending blitz. Maybe the extra revenue from these high sales will guarantee  that the Android-powered Garmin smartphone will launch on time and actually mainstream ready.

Update: So yeah, Garmin isn’t too happy with Digitime for releasing that number. So much so that they have issued a press release disputing the report. While the PR doesn’t deny anything explicitly, it does cast a shadow of doubt. Who cares though. In the end, Garmin shipped a crapton of GPS’s; end of story.

Garmin Disputes DigiTimes Report

CAYMAN ISLANDS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, is disputing a Monday, December 22 report in the DigiTimes trade publication entitled, “Garmin expects to ship 18 million GPS PNDs in 2008.” The story contains a number of inaccuracies in both sales figures and product rollout schedules.

“Black Friday sales from our customers were what we expected and gross margins remain relatively strong,” said Kevin Rauckman, Garmin’s CFO and treasurer. “However, the December sales environment is weaker, which we attribute to our retail customers’ desire to exit the year with lower levels of inventory.”

As is customary, Garmin will update investors during its fourth quarter 2008 earnings call, scheduled for February 25, 2009.