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As expected, the T-Mobile Garminfone is now available for $199.99 on contract after rebates. The joint Garmin-Asus brand made its debut on AT&T awhile back, but now that it’s running the popular Android platform, including Google Maps Navigation in addition to their own well-established navigation system, maybe the Garminfone will finally take off.
In terms of sheer specs, the Garminfone is pretty mid-range: 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, Android 1.6, and 3.5″ 320 x 480 touchscreen. Obviously the big sell with the Garminfone are the navigation features – storing 2 GB-worth of maps locally, you’ll always have location information available regardless of signal, and with a myriad of GPS and location sensors, the Garminfone can get a lock relatively quickly. The maps include points of interest, and extra custom software allows you to plan routes and track logs. The big draw here is that the maps are pre-loaded onto the Garminfone, which means you’ll be able to navigate yourself without having to rely on a wireless data connection – say, for example, if you’re out in the middle of the desert where no carrier will bother to put up a cell tower.
Head over to T-Mobile for a closer look at at the Garminfone, but also be sure to take a look at our lengthy hands-on experience before taking the plunge.
About The Author
Simon Sage
Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.
