Garmin Nüvifone G60 (www.garmin.com)
“Navigate Your Life” is the motto that the new smartphone, Internet-enabled mobile phone and personal navigation device manufactured by Garmin sends out to its prospective buyers. This phone is called the “Nüvifone G60” and is the only phone yet, to completely integrate the worlds “best selling” GPS navigation system. This fully touch screen phone, has the navigation system built in with voice, data and mobile web.
The Nüvifone even allows you to talk on the phone while being navigated. Most mobile phones have the capability to download a GPS application, but because the GPS is fully integrated into the device, it allows you to do much more. According to the manufacturer the Nüvifone “provides the easiest, most advanced and intuitive navigation experience of any phone currently available.”
As with many other mobile phones, the Nüvifone has text messaging and Bluetooth capability. Other attributes the Nüvifone has is, a large touchscreen display, e-mail, the GPS navigation with preloaded maps, HTML web browsing, Gmail application, and a 3 megapixel autofocus camera. The Nüvifone is a 3G handset which can be docked into a vehicle mount. When docked on the mount, it is able to automatically start an embedded GPS navigation and simultaneously enables hands-free calls. As of right now the only carrier for Garmin’s Nüvifone G60 is AT&T.
The smartphone is based on a custom linux operating system with web browsing as well as basic media playback. It supports Wi-Fi for networking and the autofocusing 3-megapixel camera brings a geotagging feature to locate where the pictures were taken. The smart phone with integrated GPS, which can provide turn-by-turn driving directions and a search engine for nearby restaurants and stores, became available at AT&T stores and online on October 4, 2009 selling for $299 with a two-year agreement and $100 mail-in rebate.
