PhoneTalk

I remember a few years back when Garmin started to dabble in the cell phone market, it was an interesting concept at the time since this was a little before GPS and mapping apps started appearing in cell phones on a large scale. The idea of having a cell phone and full featured GPS device in a single handset was exciting. Now that idea has become a reality for US consumers when it arrives with T-Mobile service. The Garminfone has come a long way and according to the specs it's going to offer a pretty compelling phone experience as well as GPS navigation services. Here's what you can expect:

• Android 1.6 OS at launch according to PhoneDog
• 3.5-inch touchscreen
• Garmin travel apps that include dynamic, real-time traffic; weather local events; movie listings; and gas prices are pre-installed and easy to access and use
• 3-megapixel camera with autofocus (sorry, no flash)
• A window/dashboard mount that can for the cell phone's battery
• 3G and WiFi connectivity
• Garmin Navigation for driving, walking and public transportation navigation with voice and on-screen directions and automatic re-routing
• North American maps with multiple overlapping positioning technologies
• Text-to-speech technology to speak street names, and the screen automatically switches between day and night modes for easier viewing while driving
• Garmin Voice Studio, an Android application, which allows customers to record and share custom voice directions from family and friends

Topics: In The Know Smart phones GPS T-Mobile Bluetooth Android Google