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.