Garmin has announced the nuvifone, hence marking its entry into the mobile phone market. The full-fledged GSM HSDPA smartphone is built on its own operating system with GPS navigation at its core. The all touchscreen device is the first of its kind to integrate premium 3.5G mobile phone capability with an internet browser, data connectivity, personal messaging, and personal navigation functions in one device. The 3.5-inch touchscreen display reveals three primary icons "Call," "Search," and "View Map." Main services will include Google local search, Garmin Online services - traffic, weather, fuel prices, hotel discounts, etc., nuvi-like navigation on the road or in pedestrian mode, Email, text, IM functions, Camera, video camera, MP3 and MPEG4/AAC support. The When the nuvifone is docked onto the vehicle mount, it automatically turns on the GPS. Plus it comes preloaded with maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe.

Garmin anticipates that the nuvifone will be available in the third quarter of 2008. Specific details about pricing and sales partners will be announced in the future.

Source