Garmin Introduces The Nüvi

[+allory]

Garmin Introduces the nüvi - the Ultimate Travel Companion

    http://www.garmin.com/products/nuvi/

 

Press release:

   http://www.garmin.com/pressroom/mobile/091205.html

 

not exactly a caching unit, but interesting.

[lumpynose]

I don't understand the advantage of this thing over the Windows Mobile or Palm PC based units Garmin sells. It's certainly more expensive so there's apparently some advantage.

[Neo_Geo]

Looks like a pretty cool toy. Sure does cost a pretty penny though...

 

I don't understand the advantage of this thing over the Windows Mobile or Palm PC based units Garmin sells.  It's certainly more expensive so there's apparently some advantage.

A few differences noted below:

 

High-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver by SiRF

 

Text-to-Speech — unit prompts you to “Turn right on Main St” instead of “Turn right in 500 feet”

 

Traffic alerts with optional GTM 10 FM TMC traffic receiver*

 

Offers a three dimensional mapping perspective, or 2-D overhead view

Edited September 13, 2005 by Neo_Geo

[+Blind Avocado]

It also has a SD card slot. Maybe this is the beginning of them putting SD slots in their units?

[+Renegade Knight]

Europe only.

 

Whoops. The 300 is EU only.

The 350 is for the USA. If I lived in a Metro area the Traffic Tranciever would be nice to have.

Edited September 13, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[peter]

Europe only.

No, there's a version that only has maps for a specified region of Europe that's limited to european sales, but the other version has maps for either all of Europe or for the US & Canada depending on where you purchase it.

[+scottjl]

looks neat. very pricy toy though. but considering it comes with city select v7 pre-loaded that's $100 on the price right there (now i wonder if you can upgrade it when the time comes and how much that will cost).

 

would i blow $1k for it to go geocaching? no. for driving, maybe, but i already have a 60cs that works just fine.

 

being a brand new unit with new technology/software running it. i'd say wait for version 1.5 or something after all the bugs are worked out.

 

still, a nice look at things to come..

 

now that name, ugh.. WTF were they thinking? nuvi?

[sdsdv10]

Based on price comparisons of the Streetpilot 2620 and 2720 MSRP and street price (both MSRP >$1K but sell on the web for ~$750-$850), the actual street price should be ~$550-650 (the Nuvi has a similar MSRP as the C330 and Quest 2, which both sell for the street price listed above).

 

While still high, this is not the much more than a PPC, BT reciever and Navigation software (actually probably a little less). Nonetheless, total functionality of the Nuvi will be lower than a PPC combo.

 

Don