In light of MWC next week, Garmin-Asus has made a full announcement about the upcoming nuvifone product line. Which, btw, isn’t nearly as fun as spy shots and rumors, but we’ll take it. The original G60 that we have been hearing about for nearly a year seems like it will finally be released and might be a solid contender judging by the specs. Garmin-Asus is announcing a new player however, in the smallish WinMo 6.1, M20 handheld that naturally runs Garmin’s mapping software which might make a larger splash at MWC than it’s big brother.
The original nuvifone, now called the G60, was announced, demoed, and delayed numerous times in ’08 but it is finally here. The OS runs on a custom flavor of Linux and it comes pre-loaded with your regions maps (North America, Europe, Asia) Plus, Garmin has a new location area software suite named Ciao! that seems similar to Google Latitude but built over the Garmin Maps and compatible with social networking sites.
- Quad-band HSDPA 3G connectivity
- Bluetooth & WiFi
- Accelerometer
- 3.5-inch touchscreen
- 3MP geo-tagging camera
- Pre-loaded maps
- Car dock included
The M20 might not run Linux like it’s big bro, but this little WinMo device seems to have the stuff to stand out. It’s smaller, retains the 3G speed, and available in cute colors. Everyone likes color options. Thankfully, Windows Mobile has been skinned with a Garmin-like home page with quick links to navigation and such. The M20 also comes loaded with Ciao!.
- Quad-band HSDPA 3G connectivity
- Bluetooth & WiFi
- Accelerometer
- 2.8-inch touchscreen
- Micro-SD card slot
- 4 or 8GB of on-board storage
- 3MP geo-tagging camera
- Pre-loaded maps
- Car Dock included
Pricing and availability has unfortunately been left out of the press release but hopefully we find those tid-bits out next week at MWC. Chances are that both T-Mobile and AT&T are interested in the 3G devices though, but it’s anyones guess which company would end up with the pair.
