CES: Garmin Unveils Four New PNDs, Forerunner 405
Jan 4, 2008 - GPS World
GPS electronics giant Garmin got the jump on CES on Thursday, unveiling a host of new products, most of which are centered around its PND business.
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is slated to take place next week in Las Vegas, Nevada; it has become a premiere venue for debuting new consumer hardware, or giving sneak peeks of devices coming later in the year. Among the gadgets Garmin will unveil at the show are:
* the Nuvi 880, featuring speech recognition and control with a 4.3-inch display. Once activated, the user can manipulate controls by speaking the words that correspond to buttons that are on the touchscreen display. This PND also has Bluetooth, music file playback, and dynamic content from MSN Direct, including: traffic conditions, fuel prices, weather reports, enhanced movie listings, local events, news and stocks. Three months of free MSN Direct service are included with the purchase of the Nuvi 880. Owners can re-subscribe for $49.95 a year, or a one-time charge of $129.95. The 880 will be available in Q2 2008; it will retail for a suggested $1,071.41.
* the Nuvi 780, which is similar to the 880, but without the speech recognition. It is available now and retails for a suggested $964.27
* the Nuvi 5000 series, boasting 5.2-inch touchscreen displays. In addition to a number of navigation features and digital music file playback, the 5000-series PNDs feature MSN Direct (in the United States only) or the FM TMC (Traffic Message Channel) traffic receiver. Garmin expects the first in the Nuvi 5000 series to be available in North America in February for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $799.99. It will be also be available in Europe in Q2.
* the Nuvi 260W, which boasts a wide-screen display like the Nuvi 200W and the 250W, which both feature a 4.3-inch display. In addition to navigation and other features offered by other members of the Nuvi 200-series family, the Nuvi 260W automatically calls out street names. It also includes a built-in picture viewer, calculator, currency converter, unit converter and world clock. The 260W is also compatible with Garmin's line of content such as the Garmin Travel Guide and Garmin Language Guide. It is available now and retails for a suggested $375.
* the Forerunner 405, the latest in the company's line of GPS-enabled fitness monitoring and tracking devices. Runners can track their speed, distance, heart rate and location using the 405. By tapping, holding or running a finger along the bezel, they can begin a new workout, access their training history or challenge a Virtual Partner. It is water resistant and can be used outdoors by itself or indoors with an optional foot pod. The 405 incorporates a high-sensitivity GPS receiver—although Garmin declined to name its manufacturer—as well as an optional speed/cadence bike sensor that helps cyclists monitor their pedaling cadence and wheel speed. The suggested pricing for the Forerunner 405 begins at $299; the device will be available sometime in Q1 of this year, according to Garmin.
While most of Garmin's new products may revolve around auto navigation, it hasn't completely neglected its roots; it also unveiled the Colorado series of outdoor GPS devices that will be on display at CES.
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(My last post had my in and out prices for SiRF, not Garmin) |
