An even more elusive beast than Google Android, Garmin’s Nuvi Phone was a disappointment. Granted, it’s the company’s first phone, but I was expecting more than an industrial design mock-up, and a device under glass that couldn’t be demonstrated or handled.
First impressions? It has a nice heft, and the velveteen paint job gives it a luxurious feel in your hand. However, the software, when compared with products from Nokia, Apple, or Microsoft, has a decidedly old school look and feel. Moreover, Garmin positions this as first and foremost a navigation tool, which means that media capabilities that you may enjoy on other devices will be absent – by design. When asked about Nokia’s new navigation software and their claims that pedestrian navigation is the new frontier, Garmin was quick to dismiss the concept, saying that pedestrian navigation maps do not yet exist.
Hmmm… I’ll take a look again when the device finally releases, but so far it seems a little underwhelming.
Alec Saunders is the Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry make Research in Motion. This is his personal blog, with his personal viewpoints. Prior to this Alec was the CEO and co-founder of Calliflower — the easiest way to hold a meeting, online, on a conference call, or on the go. A double-decade veteran of product management and marketing, he spent nine years at Microsoft where he helped launch Windows 95, the first two versions of Internet Explorer, the Universal Plug and Play initiative, the push into home markets, opt-in email marketing and what might well go down in history as the very first direct email list ever.
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Thanks a lot for the coverage. Not sure if you saw my request before or after posting this. Nice timing.
L8er – Martin
This is actually Garmin’s 3rd phone. The first was an analog AMPS phone that included GPS, Maps and the ability to exchange position information with another phone or a server. The 2nd phone was a European GSM device.
Not knowing about the previous phones makes the research look a little sketchy.
the telefono looks gooded I like the slim look like 2 punkins in abatch of watermelons I give 4 stars and wipe my hands with the paper you thank you
Garmin has assembled the engineering power to get this right. The next level of all in one. Click you touch screen phone in the car mount and are using a the familiarity of a nuvi with handsfree phone features. Google local with make the 3.5G browser so relevent on the move. The iPhone is awesome, best thing yet – Let's hope Garmin does not go down the proprietary road Apple is so fond of.
I'm amazed and happy to say that garmin products is of high quality albeit the price is also a bit high but it's worth paying.
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