Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve been hearing about the Garmin-ASUS nuvifone forever. Well, actually, January 2008, which was when we first heard about the “breakthrough product that cellphone and GPS users around the world have been longing for,” as the Garmin COO put it back then, according to Engadget.

Now comes word via Boy Genius Report that the G60 handset is finally scheduled to drop sometime before June 30th. There’s still no confirmation of a carrier or price, but AT&T is looking more and more likely for the LiMo-powered handset. A 3.5-inch touchscreen–comparable to a Garmin nuvi 350 navigation unit, not to mention the iPhone 3G–and HSDPA compatibility are among the included features.

Garmin has launched the nüvi 1490T, an ultra-thin nav unit with a 5-inch touchscreen. It includes free, lifetime, NAVTEQ-powered traffic alerts, plus a lane assist mode with junction view for navigating tough, unfamiliar intersections with multiple choices.

The 1490T also displays road signs and big arrows to indicate which path to follow. The device also supports multi-point routing for up to 10 routes, along with a time zone transition feature and a speed limit indicator for the current road.

Finally, the 1490T’s ecoRoute mode lets you choose the one that uses the least amount of fuel, as well as the usual options for fastest, shortest, and other choices. Most of the features I listed (with the exception of traffic alerts) aren’t yet available on cell phone GPS products, so at least they go a ways toward justifying the $499 Garmin wants for the 1490T. Look for it in stores beginning in July.

Motorola’s navigation line certainly isn’t the firms most notable, but the Garmins and TomToms of the world are probably taking notice after an intriguing quote from product line manager Blake Bullock. According to TWICE, Mr. Bullock stated that Moto was “absolutely making a bigger play” in the PND arena. Specifically, he mentioned that it could “bring something new to the table with Motorola’s vast experience in wireless connectivity,” noting that it has “aspirations to combine the best aspects of 3G smartphones with PNDs [to] create optimized experiences for consumers.” ‘Course, we’ve no clue as to when, where and how the company will get its hands dirty with a web-savvy GPS unit, but considering its current state of affairs, we’d say yesterday would be a great time to get things rolling.

[Via GPS Tracklog, thanks Rich]

Filed under: GPS, Wireless

Motorola looking to produce a connected GPS unit? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We tell ya, the Archos 5 is becoming more inviting by the week. Late last month we saw a much-wanted high-def video plug-in come to light, and now an even newer firmware is adding a few more fantastic amenities. For starters, the v1.6.53 software adds GPS car holder support — something the Archos 605 acquired last April. Essentially, it enables the device to comprehend map and routing data piped in via the hardware mount, and we should point out that it arrives with TeleAtlas maps for eight regions of Europe, North America and Russia. Additionally, users will definitely spot an all new file browser with drag-and-drop and multi-selection functionality, not to mention the TV Snap-on app that enables the unit to store several different channel lists. For the full changelog and to get that download rolling, give the links below some lovin’.

[Thanks, Christopher]

Read – Firmware v1.6.53 changelog
Read – Firmware download page

Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Archos 5 firmware adds GPS car holder support, new file browser originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Apr 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen dual view prototypes for ages now, but you can bank on said technology (dubbed Parallax Barrier) being front and center on Land Rover’s forthcoming flagship vehicle. Announced today at the New York Auto Show, the 2010 Range Rover will arrive with a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system that puts off different images depending on the viewing angle. In order words, the driver can check out the route to grandma’s house while the lucky soul riding shotgun peeks a DVD — in theory, at least. The navigation system is HDD-based and also includes a USB socket and a dedicated iPod port. Land Rover even spruced up the voice activation system, giving motorists the ability to voice their concerns about climate and volume (and get instant results). Check the full snippet just past the break.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Continue reading 2010 Range Rover gets 12-inch ‘dual view’ touchscreen

Filed under: Displays, GPS, Transportation

2010 Range Rover gets 12-inch ‘dual view’ touchscreen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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