The Lowdown On Garmin-AsusTek's Nuvifone M20
The co-branded smartphone will be equipped with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and a full suite of productivity products that can be accessed through the device. The M20 is a dual-band 3.5G/tri-band GSM phone that also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Garmin satellite navigation is also part of the package.
The GPS capabilities of the Nuvifone M20 include the features standard to a Garmin Nuvi satellite navigation system, with maps preloaded and points of interest already highlighted. Search capabilities allow users to look for a specific restaurant or store on the Web before the satellite navigation system kicks in, providing voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions to the establishment. The Connected Services suite taps into the GPS functions, giving users realtime traffic information, flight status and location intelligence.
Because the Nuvifone M20 is a smart, location-aware device, Garmin and AsusTek have equipped the phone with its own location-based social network service, dubbed Ciao. Ciao allows M20 users to track the realtime locations of their friends to stay more connected.
The Nuvifone M20 has push e-mail and document viewing capabilities, making it a phone that allows mobile employees to stay connected to the office while traveling. The smartphone can be synced with a computer to keep e-mails and contacts current.
A built-in browser is billed by Garmin and AsusTek as being similar to one found on a desktop, allowing users to manipulate the Web page in portrait or landscape mode with finger taps on the screen.
The M20 is equipped with a soft full QWERTY keyboard to make typing e-mails or SMS or MMS messages easier. The 640 x 480 VGA display provides clear viewing of photos snapped with the 3-megapixel camera.
In addition, the Nuvifone M20 has built-in 4-GB/8-GB MyStorage and ActiveSync for Outlook to store contacts without having to worry about running out of memory on the device.
Pricing for the Garmin ASUSTek Nuvifone M20 is not yet available but is expected in the first half of 2009.