T-Mobile earlier announced the upcoming availability of the Garminfone, a full-featured smartphone that pairs Android OS with Garmin's GPS expertise. While the navigation company has previously released phones in a venture with Asus (like the Nuvifone M20), the US-bound device appears to be outside of that partnership.

As expected from a Garmin-built phone, it delivers a complete navigation experience (driving, walking and public transportation), similar to the company's dedicated GPS devices. More than the usual voice-guided navigation and onscreen directions, it features one-click integration with other phone elements (text messages, emails, contacts, calendars and web pages), text-to-speech for street names, day and night modes, over 6 million points of interest and automatic rerouting.

Full maps of North America are preloaded on the device, allowing you access to directions even without a cell signal (unlike Google's turn-by-turn app). It comes with a slew of travel-related software, too, including a parking reminder application, real-time data (traffic, gas prices, weather and movie listings) and Garmin Voice Studio, which allows you to record and share custom voice directions with your contacts.

Handset details include a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 3.0 megapixel camera with autofocus, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 and a full HTML browser (with pinch and zoom capability, plus embedded location awareness). No word on the Android version on the phone, but it comes with all of the usual features, including extensive messaging and Google's suite of apps. It ships with a charging window and dashboard mount.

The official North American name appears to be the T-Mobile Garminfone and it will be available later in the Spring for a still undisclosed price.

[Garmin Press Release]

Nokia just announced their cheapest phone to come pre-installed with turn-by-turn GPS software, the Nokia 2710 Navigation Edition.  Like the company's other travel-ready handsets, the system boasts Nokia Maps at the helm, providing a bevy of location-based features for both in-car and on-foot use.

With both a GPS and a digital compass among its hardware components, the new device brings a complete suite of navigation capabilities.  Apart from the turn-by-turn driving directions, it comes with full voice guidance, straight line navigation and bundled maps (locations depending on the region where you bought it).

Features of the candybar 2710 Navigation Edition include a 2.2-inch QVGA display, Bluetooth 2.1, FM radio with RDS, a 2.0 megapixel camera module and a pre-loaded 2GB microSD card.  There's also the standard S30 music player onboard, which should work nicely with the 3.5mm audio jack.

Nokia is targeting both developed and emerging markets with the release, offering map sets for a wide range of countries, including both urban and rural areas.  It ships with a car mount and an in-car charger right out of the box.

Retail price for the Nokia 2710 Navigation Edition is being pegged at an affordable €110 (about $163), with the official release slated for the second quarter of 2010.

[Nokia Press Release]

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LG just announced a new specialized touchscreen phone, although it seems they're restricting it for the South Korean market.  Called the LG Cyon SB210, the handset brings a bevy of navigation features that should prove especially useful for golf enthusiasts.

Physically, the new device resembles the upcoming Chocolate Touch VX8575, which Verizon has been rumored to have lined up for later in the year.  In terms of features, though, it's a handset all its own with a unique set of capabilities.

Using the onboard GPS radio, a magnetic compass and a fancy accelerometer called G-sensor (which detects slight shifts in movement), the LG Cyon SB210 lets you map out your golf game from your mobile phone in real time.  It bundles over 280 golf courses, along with  maps for mountain climbing and other leisure activities. LG also filled the device with a bevy of golf-related services and various navigation-based professional features.

Phone specs include a 3.0-inch touchscreen display with a 240 x 400 pixel resolution, a 3.2 megapixel camera module, 242MB of onboard storage (with microSD card expansion) and a 1,000 mAh battery.  Dimensions are 111 x 55 x 12.3 millimeter, with a weight of 106 grams.

The LG Cyon SB210 is slated for availability later this November in South Korea via wireless carrier SKT.  Price is slated for 638,000 KRW (around $539).

[via Unwired View]

The Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M20 is the second release from the recently-formed partnership, bringing similar GPS capabilities as the Nuvifone G60 before it.  Instead of the proprietary Linux OS from the first handset, though, the M20 uses Windows Mobile 6.1, making it a more extensible system.

As expected, GPS features figure prominently in the device, shipping with a full turn-by-turn navigation system with a complete set of maps.  It's very similar to what you get from the G60, which is a terrific bundle, although the smaller 2.8-inch is a bit too small if you're used to standalone GPS units.  The points of interest (POI) database is very comprehensive and current, allowing you to find spots rather quickly.  Package comes with a car kit that includes a windscreen-mounted cradle and a charger.  The size of the screen, however, makes it a tad difficult for on-dash use.

Physically, I find the Nuvifone M20 a much more attractive handset than the G60.  The chassis is very compact, making it highly pocketable.  Screen, as we said, is a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a VGA resolution.  Images appear sharp, bright and detailed, making it excellent for actual phone uses, but a stylus is almost always necessary because of the small fonts and icons.

As a phone, call quality is great.  Same with the speakerphone, although it came with a noticeable bit of echo.  Battery life is very much lacking, requiring a nightly charge, thanks to the GPS unit that's always turned on by default.  With the GPS off, you can probably last a day and a half (two at most), but that's as much as the 920mAh battery can get you.

Overall OS performance is decent, especially since the phone is running on a 528MHz processor and 288MB of RAM.  Cross your fingers and hope that WM 6.5 actually runs faster, because the handset still posts some slowdown (such as when drawing a new map).

Phone comes with a full set of connectivity options, including HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  Messaging options are pretty complete, as has been the standard for Windows Mobile devices, and it fits in a good range of apps onboard.  The virtual QWERTY is a tad cramped, which makes use a bit of a chore, though.  Other features include a 3.0 megapixel camera (no flash, so largely unusable in poor lighting, but average quality, otherwise) and 4GB of onboard storage (with no expansion options).

Overall, the Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M20 works much the same way as other Windows Mobile devices, inheriting the operating system's advantages and drawbacks.  If you can stand working with a small screen, the GPS features are top-notch, performing at the same level as a standalone navigator.  It's a niche phone, though, but one you will likely find of great value.

The Pharos Traveler GPS 137 is the immediate successor to the Traveler 127.  In fact, they share almost the exact same features, differentiated mostly by physical design and some variance in performance.  As such, it shares mostly the same advantages and disadvantages as the earlier handset.

First off, the 137 is a sleeker, more attractive update with a full touchscreen front panel, compared to the QWERTY-fitted one of the 127.  Departing from the clunky looks of its predecessor, the new device fits right into the current smartphone market, with streamlined looks and a very clean design.  Build appears to be very good, with a soft back cover.

The large 3.5-inch display is a stunner.  Offering a 480 x 800 resolution, it fosters extra-clear images with plenty of brightness to go around.  Naturally, the larger screen is a better unit for use as a GPS, as well.  It also comes pre-loaded with Spb Mobile Shell, one of the best third-party skinning for Windows Mobile phones to make that tired OS look fresh for a change.  It includes an onboard accelerometer, although performance on that end wasn't very consistent.

It comes with the same Smart Navigator software as the Traveler 127, along with a full set of maps, so your GPS service is free.  Like we said in that previous review, this isn't the best location-based software around and warrants a consideration, for the most part, only because it comes free with your phone.  Too bad, really, because it is a complete system, offering voice and text navigation, multiple routes, POI and trip recording. There are even real-time updates for traffic, gas prices, movies and local weather.  It's a good set of features, though, so many of the design issues can be overlooked.

As a phone, voice calls were decent, although it had a persistent background hiss.  Speakerphone was largely unusable, other than the most ideal conditions, like a quiet room with great reception.  It offers quad-band roaming, along with 3G and Wi-Fi, so connectivity suite is pretty complete.  Battery is rated at 7 hours and it can last you a good couple of days before recharging.

Since it's a Windows Mobile phone, messaging and apps suite are on par with industry best.  Much of the other features are just pretty standard, though, including a 2.0 megapixel camera (average stills), basic media playback (great movies because of the gorgeous screen) and average HSDPA browser speeds.

Like its predecessor, it's tough to recommend the Pharos Traveler GPS 137.  While it keeps its end of the bargain by outfitting a complete phone, implementation is still not solid.  If you're looking for value, though, a pre-installed complete GPS software and gorgeous touchscreen (around $500, depending on where you purchase) at this price point sounds like a good deal.

If you thought Nokia was done milking every last drop they can out of the 5800 XpressMusic (after the, admittedly, awesome Star Trek version), you're sadly mistaken.  The company just announced a new edition of their modern touchscreen debut, fitting it with full-blown GPS features right out of the box.  Billed as the Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition, the handset now comes with lifetime guidance software licenses for the particular region they were purchased.

With voice-guided turn-by-turn licenses for both Drive (in-car use) and Walk (personal navigation), the latest version of Ovi Maps and a full set regional maps all pre-installed, the 5800 Navigation Edition offers a full GPS solution without any extra purchases.  According to Nokia, the latest version of Ovi Maps that comes with the handset features high-resolution aerial images,  3D landmarks, terrain maps, an updated POI database (with content from Lonely Planet, Michelin and WCities) and numerous premium features (extra purchase required).  It will ship with a swiveling dashboard mount, 8GB of microSDHC storage and an in-car charger.

All these, of course, come with the 5800's high-end music talents and its regular set of capabilities.  Just to refresh you, the phone's specs include a 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen (640 x 360 pixels), a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, high-end connectivity (HSDPA speeds, Wi-Fi), dual speakers with surround sound and stereo Bluetooth.  It's running the Symbian S60 5th Edition.

The Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition will begin shipping sometime this coming third quarter.  Retail price is expected to be around $400, before taxes and subsidies.  No news yet on exact markets this phone will be available for.

[via Nokia Blog]

While GPS units are already integrated into most mid-tier to high-end phones, there's a handful of handsets out there that put their navigation capabilities front and center (e.g. HTC Cruise, Nuvifone G60). Such is the case with the Nokia 6710 Navigator, which also manages so much more than just giving you directions.

Fitted with a built-in GPS radio, compass and accelerometer, it should handle pretty much any type of location-based feature you need. The phone comes pre-installed with Nokia Maps 3.0 (with a free lifetime license), so you get a working in-car navigation solution right out of the box. Package only includes detailed map coverage and turn-by-turn directions, though - other extras like traffic information and city guides need to be purchased separately. Still, it's not a bad deal.

What makes the GPS function even better is the inclusion of two physical controls - a Maps button (that automatically launches the software) and a zoom bar (which lets you zoom in and out on any area of the display easily). It also ships with a suction stand and a car charger. Overall, the 6710 offers a highly-functional navigation solution that you just can't get with other GPS-fitted phones.

Sporting a slider form factor, the 6710 is an attractive-looking device, laden with sturdy build and clever ergonomics. Those used to larger GPS screens might find the 2.6-inch display a little lacking, however. Surprisingly, it wasn't that big of an issue during testing, with the only possible point of contention being the small fonts the phone uses by default. Otherwise, the hardware, including the T9-style keypad, just works.

Run by a 600 MHz ARM 11 processor at the core, the Navigator offers speedy operation. Not once did we encounter lags, whether from the UI or the apps. Do note that we did turn off the distracting phone animations, so things will probably change a bit if you have them enabled.

As a phone, voice reception is above average, with the speakerphone performing similarly. Nokia did consider the in-car uses of the phone and made sure hands-free conversations (even without using Bluetooth) was topnotch. Messaging is pretty complete, as with most of Nokia's current mid-range designs. There's even a text-to-speech facility for email, which I found very useful.

On the features end, this phone packs heavy too. You get a 5 megapixel camera (not too many options, but above-average image quality), high-end music capabilities (performed almost as good as XpressMusic-branded phones), decent video support, a full HTML browser (which works with the zoom bar too) with full Flash support, stereo Bluetooth, HSDPA and Wi-Fi.

More than the GPS capabilities, the Nokia 6710 Navigator is a complete package. From a great music player to a high-resolution camera, it fits in features most GPS-centric phones only ever touch on. We rarely recommend specialty Nokia phones over their counterparts, but this is probably the best navigator phone around.

Following the launch of the Nuvifone G60 last month, Garmin-Asus is now ready to roll out the second smartphone in their (long-delayed) pipeline.  Called the Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M20, the handset has just been scheduled for release in Taiwan under local carrier Chunghwa Mobile.

First announced last February, the M20 is running Windows Mobile 6.1 and, like the first Nuvifone, puts its focus squarely on the device's GPS features.  It should offer a better option for those considering the company's phone offerings, as it fits in the same high-end GPS capabilities, while sporting a more extensible OS (read our Nuvifone G60 review to brush up on potential problems with the proprietary Linux phone).

Details of the handset seem to be the same as originally reported.  Specs include a 2.8-inch resistive touchscreen display (640 x 480 pixels),  a 3.2 megapixel camera (with 15fps QVGA video), internal storage (either 4GB or 8GB),  stereo Bluetooth and 7.2Mbps HSDPA.  Users get to enjoy a complete messaging suite (including email, push email and IM), Office integration, full HTML browser, an onboard media player, and Garmin's GPS software and maps pre-loaded.

The Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M20 will be available for purchase from the telecoms company before the end of the month, and will share the spotlight alongside the iPhone 3GS and the HTC Hero.  No word on expected pricing.

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Like the Garmin-Asus Nuvifone G60, the Pharos Traveler 127 puts GPS features front and center in its smartphone package. It ships with built-in navigation software, along with all the things you can expect from a typical Windows Mobile device.

Because it comes with Smart Navigator software, users won't need to make a separate app purchase to maximize the phone's GPS hardware. This is great, considering the extra expense it usually entails, whether you opt for a subscription service or a one-time payment.

Unfortunately, Smart Navigator isn't the best GPS software around. Compared to the HTC Touch Cruise and the Nuvifone G60 (both of which shipped with impressive navigation apps), the app bundled with the Traveler 127 isn't the most user-friendly, with a badly-designed menu system that can get confusing. It is a complete system, though, offering voice and text navigation, multiple routes, POI and trip recording. There are also real-time updates for traffic, gas prices, movies and local weather.

Physically, the handset is a bit on the thick side and looks rather industrial in design. It sports a 2.5-inch TFT touch display with 320 x 240 resolution and a slate QWERTY keyboard. Both performed up to par, although the screen tended to fade out under sunlight. It uses the default Windows Mobile UI, which is pretty bad, and comes with a trial version of SPB Shell, an app we recommend you buy if you want to make your WinMo experience much easier.

As a phone, the Traveler 127 offers quad-band world roaming and decent calls. Over several tests, voice calls were pretty uneven, offering average quality at times while sounding hollow during others. It comes with standard WinMo niceties, such as Windows Live Integration, Mobile Office and Exchange support.

It  offers tri-band 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, making for capable data speeds. The phone is quite sluggish, though, which slows down most every activity, including web browsing. It also comes with stereo Bluetooth, some basic media playback and dual cameras. The main optics panel is a 2-megapixel unit with video and geotagging capabilities. Photo quality is surprisingly impressive, with a good interface to boot.

Overall, the Pharos Traveler 127 makes its case by virtue of the bundled GPS system. Unfortunately, this advantage is offset by sluggish hardware, making for a really tough sell. Available for around $500 without a contract, either the Touch Cruise or the Nuvifone might prove a better purchase.

After seemingly countless delays, Garmin-Asus is finally ready to roll out two of their navigation-centered phones. Both the Nuvifone G60 (pictured) and the Nuvifone M20 will debut in various Asian markets within the next few days and weeks.

First to roll off the production line is the Linux-powered G60, which will line retail shelves in Taiwan this Monday, with a Singapore and Malaysia release by the end of August. The handset's specs seems to be the same as originally planned, featuring quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3.6Mbps HSDPA, Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth and mini-USB connectivity.

It will be running a proprietary Linux brew (closed platform) and will, of course, highlight Garmin's time-tested GPS capabilities. Other details of the phone include a 3.55-inch resistive touchscreen display, a 3.0 megapixel camera module, standard email support (POP3, IMAP and SMTP) and a custom Webkit-based browser.

The Nuvifone M20, on the other hand, will hit the streets of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia in August. It will run Windows Mobile 6.1, with support for upgrade to 6.5 when it finally comes out, and will use Opera as the default web browser.

Details include tri-band GSM, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth and mini-USB connectivity. Other specs consists of a 2.8-inch TFT LCD with touch lens, 3.0 megapixel optics, full email suite (Enterprise, push, POP3 and IMAP) and Garmin's GPS technology.

Despite the imminent release, there are still very few details out about how the actual handsets work, though that should start changing, as some users are able to get their hands on the G60 beginning next week. No pricing has been given for either of the two units.