Wednesday, January 30, 2008 -- 11:40 p.m. -- at my desk

Have you heard that Garmin -- the GPS people -- shocked the mobile phone world today by announcing its own smartphone?

Yep. So far, here's what we know about this sleek-looking device:
*It's a phone
*It'll surf the Web
*It's got GPS (it better!)
*Garmin online for real-time traffic
*It has a digital camera that automatically tags photos with coordinates.
*It's got 3G and based on the specs would most likely make it to AT&T first and possibly T-Mobile once they get their high speed network up and running.
*Bluetooth
*Wi-Fi
*It should be available in the 3rd quarter later this year.

Sounds good, huh?

Sure. But here's why it's no iPhone killer.

First, it would need one of those new Broadcomm chips that can handle such mobile functionality -- 3G and GPS is tough on the ol' battery. If you remember, Steve Jobs said battery life was a huge issue when deciding to go with EDGE/Wi-Fi in the iPhone. But of course, the new chips should be available by the release date.

If the chip can't handle all of this, well then we're talking about a hunk of metal and glass sitting at 350 degrees in your pocket.

Second, while it doesn't say so, I would assume it has to have contacts to go with the phone. But until I see it in the specs, I can't assume.

Third, does it play music? And TV shows? And movie rentals? Because unless it plays music like my iPod, I've still got to carry around two devices. You could turn around and say that the iPhone doesn't have GPS (yet) but i don't need to carry around GPS. I need to carry around my music, though.

Fourth -- can I sync it with iTunes? Because if I can't, we all know that updating/syncing a mobile phone with anything other than iTunes can seriously suck.

So what do I think of this phone?

If it is as advertised, it's a good idea in terms of what it packs. 3G, GPS, location tracking for photos -- all very cool features. But what makes the iPhone the iPhone isn't just the features ... it's how the features all work together to give a pleasant end-user experience. Let's leave the bugs out of this, because every device has bugs. You have to admit that your iPhone wouldn't be the bomb if it didn't work as flawlessly with iTunes as it does.

Garmin is unproven in the phone arena. It's never made one. Apple never made one before the iPhone, but Apple is a little more proven in this arena than a GPS company. So I need to be convinced before I believe Apple has anything to worry about. But for someone who really, really loves GPS and who refuses to use EDGE and doesn't care about having their music and videos with them, then it might be a winner.

There's a lot we don't know about it yet ... and a lot more information is going to come out as we go along. Count on me to keep you posted with facts and insight.

And in the meantime, please do share your insight ... tell me what your first reaction to this announcement was ... tell me if you are concerned about Apple's stronghold on the smartphone market. Tell me everything you are thinking.

Thanks for calling.

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I use the iPhone (and other Apple products) and also I have used a Garman Nuvi 350 (as does my grown daughter) for two years. I consider both excellent products.

The Garman I use is not a newer or top-of-the-line model, yet it has always played MP3 music files. I don't use the feature due to the limited speakers, and I use the Garman for navigation only, which it does well. Also, as devices go, the NUVI has a surprising good user interface. Their search and finder added features are very good, and obviously intended to minimize driver distraction and confusion, which I appreciate. Whether Garman should launch into the smartphone market is unknown, but the Garman people do a good job on their present products.

SCOTT'S REPLY: And I never meant to imply in any way that they didn't make good products ... and that's also great to know about the MP3 files. Should be an interesting time in general.

You know why it's not an iPhone?
Because it's not an iPhone.
Offcourse Apple fanboys will not buy it, the rest of the world however will.
Garmin has a history of making the best GPS there is with the best interface, this phone will continue that tradition.
Contacts, what a silly thing, they also don't say that it has a battery, are you gonna wait for the specs to assume it does not?

And this:
"Garmin is unproven in the phone arena. It's never made one."
Is not true, they made a GPSphone in the '90 Navtalk I think, it had a pretty good following in the EU but the technology was just not ripe for it back then.

SCOTT'S REPLY: Thanks for the most insightful reply, Hugo. I certainly see you as the kind of person who would own this phone.

Garmin has made a phone, a decade ago (way ahead of their time).

Also, I don't understand your second point. Good article though. Thanks for sharing your take on it.

SCOTT'S REPLY: This is Garmin's first phone.
And what was the point you didn't understand? I'm happy to clarify for you.

To preface, I have been an iphone owner since day 1 and could not be happier with it. With that said, I am happy to see another company that (at first glance) seems to have put out somewhat of a competitive device. Garmin makes a nice product and I have to assume this will be a nice phone. Competition is good for everyone.

Still, you will never pry my iphone from me. I love it way to much.

SCOTT'S REPLY: I hear that, Todd. And I'm with you.

Scott, Scott, Scott ...

Let me repeat for you what I call the "Mossberg Mantra."

It's the software, stupid!

Lots of cool-sounding devices with neat features are showing up these days, but they're hobbled by sub-prime operating systems. I haven't heard Garmin is licensing OSX, so I'm going on the assumption it will run on a Windows derivative or worse. Good luck with that, Garmin!

SCOTT'S REPLY: Rossor, you could not be more right ... it is the software. I've owned "great" phones running Windows Mobile and now they are collecting dust in the back of my closet because I couldn't take Windows Mobile anymore.

Garmin had the NavTalk GPS phone from 1998-2002, so this is not their first GPS phone!

Second, it says that it plays mp3/AAC/mpeg4.

Third it says that it will run on Garmin OS based on their OS in their traditonal Nüvis, so no windows!

Fourth, this phone is aimed at people looking for a phone with good navigation. People who like music and media buy the iPhone.

Fifth, I like the iPhone and i like the Nüvifone, both companies concentrate at what they do best, ipods and pnd navigators and build a phone around that.

Nice move Garmin! Go Apple!

SCOTT'S REPLY: Thank you, Fred, for correcting me and for the good information -- and for a pretty thought-provoking post.

I use a Nuvi 200 and like it very much. However, the Nuvi phone looks like it is a result of suits sitting around a conference table trying to make some bucks on phones.

It looks very cheap. Black plastic all around. It also looks like the "internet" is a garmin site, which immediately sucks and must be worthless. Reminds me of Verizon's "V-cast".

How about service? I don't see any little Garmin stores anywhere.

I think people want their phones to have gps; they do not want a gps to be a phone. The iphone will keep getting better with more syncing. The little Nuvi will not do that, but I may be wrong there.

SCOTT'S REPLY: I think you are onto something ... in Garmin's case, one would argue it's a GPS first and a phone second. For some GPS lovers, that might be enough. And the software is a big deal -- iTunes makes the iPhone experience -- along with having an Apple store to peruse. In Chicago, The giant Garmin store is 2 doors down from Apple, but it's hardly the draw that Apple is.

Time will tell.

I think both the Nuvifone and the iPhone have their place. I won't deny that the iPhone looks good, but to me it's merely a glorified iPod, and I already have an iTouch (as I like to call it).
The navigational aspect of the Nuvifone is what I was looking at, and the first comment on the "homepage" caught my attention. "Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN) and the world’s leading GPS manufacturer, today announced its entrance into the mobile phone market with the nüvifone, an all-in-one, sleek and slim, touchscreen device that combines a premium phone, mobile web-browser, and cutting-edge personal navigator. The nüvifone is a work of art in features, design and functionality and is destined to transform how individuals connect, communicate and navigate their life."
A "premium phone" sounds like it will be in a solid market also it is aiming at the 3G market, which opens it to Europe. iPhone is still dragging its feet in Europe and loosing ground fast.
Take a look at the gallery and expand the pictures, the Nuvifone is going to be awesome! Specifically look at the nüvifone Screens ... http://www8.garmin.com/buzz/nuvifone/media_gallery.jsp
Yes, I am a Garmin Geek, the ultimate Navigational Nerd!
Ron

SCOTT'S REPLY: Nothing wrong with that, Ron. Nothing at all. I'm sure it's going to be a fine device for the people who like that sort of thing. But I don't think it will be an iPhone killer or that it should really be compared to the iPhone. It will share some features, of course, but I think the sites that call it an iPhone killer may be going a little too far.

I think Garmin Nuvi 350 is the best GPS navigation system in my opinion.

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