NEWSLETTERS
 

CIO.com updates, insights and advice on technology, management and your career.

 
 
 
SUBSCRIBE TO CIO
 
Are you involved in setting the direction for your company's IT budget or strategy?

Apply today for a FREE subscription to CIO Magazine!

 
 
BONUS LINKS
 
 


Thu, Jan 31, 2008 12:26 EST

Garmin Touch Screen "nuvifone" Smartphone/GPS Navigator: A True Apple iPhone Rival?

Topic: Infrastructure

Blog: Mobile WorkHorse

Current Rating: 5 Comments: 6

Such mobile handset heavies as HTC, LG and Samsung have recently released touch-screen-based cellular phones in attempts to rival the popular iPhone, and they've all largely failed. (RIM, the popular BlackBerry maker, has also been rumored to be working on a touch screen device.) But now a newcomer to the mobile phone space is trying to give Apple a run for its money.

On Wednesday, Garmin International, known for its global positioning system (GPS) navigation devices, unveiled the nuvifone, a slim touch screen smartphone with its own unique Web browser, Wi-Fi, e-mail and text messaging applications, digital video camera and personal GPS navigator.

Garmin nuvifone smartphone and GPS navigator

Garmin nuvifone

The nuvifone is a quad-band, 3.5G mobile phone with a 3.5-inch touch screen, Garmin says. The smartphone runs on the company's proprietary operating system, and it's a GSM device, according to ZDNet.

Garmin's specialty is clearly GPS, and navigation will likely be the nuvifone's strong point. The iPhone currently lacks GPS—it does, however, use a location based service from Google that can determine users' approximate locations based on nearby cell towers—and the nuvifone will certainly have a leg up on the iPhone as far as navigation goes. The nuvifone will have preloaded maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or both, and it will offer turn-by-turn, voice prompted directions.

The phone also has a geotagging feature that lets users snap photos of locations and save the longitude and latitude coordinates for later navigational use. And it links directly to Google's Panoramio picture sharing website, where millions of geo-located landmarks and sites can be accessed for directions, Garmin says. Geotagged images can also be forwarded along to others via email to distribute directions.

Garmin nuvifone home screen
 

But navigation won't be enough to steal gadget lovers from Apple's user base. The success of the iPhone has much to do with Apple's impressive touch-screen based user interface (UI), and UI will no doubt prove to be a deciding factor in whether or not the nuvifone is a success or another touch-screen-flash-in-the-pan. Little information is currently available about the device's UI beyond
the fact that it has three main icons on the phone screen—Call, Search and View Map—that give users one click access to its primary functions, as well as four secondary icons.

A few of the coolest nuvifone features are the device's ability to employ Google's local search, which lets users query the Web for businesses or other sites and then receive a variety of results with ratings based on current location and relevance. Directions can then be delivered to the device. And it's "Where am I?" feature can display users' longitude and latitude coordinates at any given time, show the nearest street address and intersection, as well as the closest gas or police stations and hospitals, Garmin says. Users who forget where they parked in a large parking lot can even use the feature to find their vehicles by determining the spot where the smartphone was last docked to the vehicle mount.

Garmin Plans to Enter Mobile Phone Market With "Nuvifone"

The Garmin Online service also offers nuvifone users constantly-updated information on traffic, gas costs, stocks, sports, news and

You do not have flash or javascript support.
Average (3 votes)
5
 
 
Mon, Feb 4, 2008 9:15 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: Joe Ctoys
Rating: 90

Still waiting for the perfect device that will combine my cell phone, iPod 80Gb, GPS and capability to take advantage of free Wi-Fi spots while running on the cell phone carrier of my choice. Big downside of the iPhone is that you have to switch to AT&T and the undersized storage. If you really want to compete with Apple, do them one better with more features on my carrier of choice.

 
Mon, Feb 4, 2008 9:39 EST
Posted by: Al Sacco
Rating: 90

Hey Joe,

I couldn't agree with you more. But I don't think we'll be seeing a device like the one you describe that will work on any wireless network in the near future. Not when companies like AT&T are willing to pay exorbitant fees for exclusive distribution rights and customers are willing to pay them big bucks to get their hands on devices like the iPhone.

AS

 
Fri, Feb 8, 2008 10:04 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: Anonymous
Rating: 90

Although legally it may not be the case... it does have some of the characteristics of Monopolly.

To me - personally - if it isn't on Verizon Wireless, it's not worth my time. I chose a cell phone service provider based on the quality of their service and lines... not the gadgets they offer. At the end of the day, I want a clear reliable service - not a few more bttons to play while I'm off the phone.
for this I will get something that is far more advanced than a cell phone that can play a few mp3's and video files.

If AT&T was so confident in their service they probably wouldn't have to pay so much for companies like Apple and Garmin for exclusiveness because customers would switch over anyway.

The 700MHz spectrum, which has been used to provide analog TV service, is considered the last piece of prime real estate left among wireless airwaves because it's able to travel long distances and penetrate walls. Everyone from mobile operators to public-safety companies to Google sees the spectrum as a perfect opportunity to extend mobile broadband services.

It would be very interesting how the market evolves once this spectrum is awarded to the bidding winner. An I hope it is google.

 
Thu, Mar 6, 2008 21:17 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: Mr. Unloadingzone
Rating: 90

I agree totally that the primary consideration should be the quality of the wireless service: the problem arises for those who travel extensively.

I live just north of Dallas, TX, being relocated by my company from NJ. In New Jersey, Verizon and T-Mobile rule. I came here with a Verizon phone: the reception was good but in my area, ATT is the one who actually has the best service. At the time, their rate plans were also the best: much better than Verizons. I switched and am still with ATT.

Friends visiting from up north who were on T-Mobile found they could barely get a signal half the time and were always dropping calls.

So in evaluating service, especially if you travel a lot, can be frustrating experimentation. And since Verizon uses the CDMA protocol, if you travel internationally, your phone just won't work at all. ATT and T-Mobile use GSM, the world standard. A quad band GSM phone will work anywhere in the world there is cellular service.

As to the iPhone and Garmin, marketing in the wireless phone business has changed considerably. The "churn" level...people switching carriers, is the biggest problem the wireless carriers face. If you changed carriers in the past, that meant changing your phone # and a lot of people didn't want/couldn't for business reasons change their wireless #. But since the law was changed allowing phone number portability, The churn rate spiked because you didn't have to get a new wireless # anymore when you switched carriers.

While you're right that service is the most important thing, especially the younger demographic will switch phone companies in a heartbeat to get that "new, must have phone". People are also shopping rate plans more and will switch to save $10 a month or get more roll-over minutes, or more text messaging.....you get the point. No more loyalty to the carrier. If you combine that with poor national service, you get Sprint/Nextel, which is losing customers like flies every day. And with them, revenue.

On the hardware level, you also get more flexibility and choice with GSM phones, but at a price. Asia and Europe makes the most advanced wireless phones on the planet. The ATT Tilt, for example is made by HTC. An almost identical version of the ATT Tilt, the HTC Kaiser was available 10 months before the Tilt showed up here.

There are websites, or check eBay to see a sample of what's out there. You where you can buy "unlocked" versions of these phones, which are 6 months to a year ahead of their US release (assuming a carrier picks one up) There are a large number of manufacturers who make hundreds of phones with outstanding features that never make it into the US...because the FCC has to certify every phone a US carrier markets...and it's a long expensive process.

"Unlocked" means, since they're GSM phones, it will work on either ATT or T-Mobile (and a couple of other small wireless carriers). Phones you buy from ATT, most infamously the iPhone are "locked" onto ATT. The same goes for the T-Mobile Wing...it won't work on ATT.

So you can buy next year's phone and pick/change between at least two carriers in the US. iPhones are also available unlocked, but usually through software hacks that may disable other features. Be careful buying an unlocked iPhone. But now that Apple is marketing iPhones overseas, it's possible that true unlocked versions would be available you could use on T-Mobile. I don't trust Apple, though. If you wanted one (which I don't), getting a legit model on ATT is the safest way to go.

Google the phone "HTC Touch Cruise" (not just HTC Touch...2 different phones) It has practically every feature immaginable, looks great, is small with a big touch screen...and their touchscreen has a cube on the display. Depending which way you "turn" the cube by swiping your finger across the screen, different feature sets come up. It's great!

The disadvantage to an unlocked phone is that you're going to pay more since it doesn't have an "activation discount" like most US Carriers offer. But on the other hand, neither does an ATT iPhone: you pay full price, so if that pricerange doesn't scare you, neither should an unlocked phone.

The 770MHz spectrum has the advantages you state, but even with it's longer range, it still boils down to how many towers you can get up, how you overlap your coverage and how much coverage you offer...to your original point: the quality of the service is the most important. Zoning laws are a bitch. It takes a long time to get new towers approved and every state, city and town in the country have different rules.

For Google to start from scratch would be a real challenge. They could jumpstart by purchasing Sprint/Nextel and getting all there towers to start with. With the additional range of 700MHz, the coverage would improve significantly. It does introduce a new frequency that won't work overseas, but for domestic and especially broadband, it could be a big win for them.

We'll just have to wait and see but do go to eBay's wireless phone section and do a search on "unlocked". You'll be amazed at what's out there you never knew existed. There's also some good posts at http://theunloadingzone.blogspot.com

 
Fri, Feb 8, 2008 11:45 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: Griff Drew
Rating: 90

I think that most people are missing the point about why the "cool" phones are being release on AT&T. It is not AT&T but the technology that Cingular (now AT&T) was using - GSM/GPRS.

A quote - "Today, GSM technology is in use by more than one in five of the world's population - by June 2006 there were over 2 billion GSM subscribers, representing approximately 80% of the world's cellular market. The growth of GSM continues unabated with almost 400 million new customers in the last 12 months (source: www.wirelessintelligence.com)"

I don't know about you, but if I was developing new devices I would focus on the technology that has an 80% marketshare. Large manufactures can spread development around to cover all radio types, but certainly Apple and Garmin are going to focus where there is the biggest bang for the buck.

About this Blog

Al Sacco writes about (and drools over) anything and everything mobile or wireless as it applies to the global workforce--with a focus on BlackBerry smartphones. Follow this blog on Twitter: @MobileWorkHorse.

Start a Conversation
Click to post

Got something to say? We want to hear it! Click the Post button to get started. GO»

EXPERT ADVICE
See our roster of experts.

Advice & Opinion from more than 97 of IT's most insightful thinkers.

advertisement

  PARTNERS       WEBCASTS    
 

From Laggard to Leader: Transforming the Data Center

This webcast offers an understanding of how customers are transforming their data centers, the successes and challenges of each approach, and how IT can become the driver to provide real business value and competitive advantage.

Sponsored by HP  Register for this Webcast »

 

Raising the Bar on Business Service Delivery

Applications drive every business, but as networks become more complex and dynamic, performance has become a key tenant in service delivery. In this CIO webcast, Forrester and Fluke Networks offer advice and best practices for ensuring high delivery with better application performance.

Sponsored by Fluke  Watch this webcast. »

 

Conquering Information Management Challenges: Turning tacit knowledge into actionable insight

It's no surprise that enterprises are adopting strategies to aggregate data into actionable intelligence. This research paper explores how leading enterprises are rising to the challenge - from imposing structure to developing an information management framework.

Sponsored by BearingPoint  Read this White Paper »

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notifications by topic when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library.

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library. Don't just be up-to-date—be up to the minute with our new Resource Alerts.

CIO Viewpoints on Exchange 2007 Risks and Mitigation Strategies

Knowing where your peers have found limits and workarounds in areas including high availability, archiving, recovery, compliance, e-Discovery and storage growth can be essential in planning your successful Exchange 2007 migration.  Read More »

 

Where's the CIO? -- The Missing Link in Your SOA Strategy

In this webinar, you'll hear why the time is now to grow the value you've achieved at a project level to an enterprise-wide ROI, how to do it, and what role the CIO can play to make your SOA strategy a success....  Read More »

 

Data Protection: Challenges for the Traveling User

Business today often involves traveling to meet with customers and partners directly...  Read More »

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library. Don't just be up-to-date—be up to the minute with our new Resource Alerts.

 
NEWSLETTER

Sign-up for the Blogs & Discussion Newsletter

 
FEATURED SPONSORS
 
 
 
SPONSORED LINKS
 

Affordable technology-no compromise. HP server solutions

SOA Educational Library at the TIBCO SOA Resource Center

CIO Viewpoints: Migrating to Exchange 2007

Thrive during global disruption. Cisco video featuring Juan Enriquez

A new level of interoperability. Make IT Work As One@novell.com

Protect data-HP All-in-One and Disk-Based systems

Businesses Transform with VMware Virtualization

Download the free CIO Starter Kit to access useful resources created by top CIOs

Leveraging Social Computing Technologies for ERP Applications

Server Virtualization Benchmark Results

Learn to Leverage Maximum Computing Power

Windows Vista: Essential Benefits and Deployment Strategies

Best Practices: Safe and Secure Hardware Asset Recovery

White Paper: Migrating to Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Together

White Paper: Enabling Next Generation IP Communications

White Paper: A Cohesive Network Security Approach

Why Your Firewall, VPN, and IEEE Aren't Enough to Protect Your Network

Dramatically boost network capacity and speed-up to 600 Mbps

White Paper: The Roadmap to Data Center Automation

17 Ways to Reduce Cost in IT

Learning from BPM Leaders

A fresh look at the impact of customer intimacy.

Webcast: Mitigate Operational Risk- Real Answers for Tough Times

Laptop Security: Where Do CIOs See Weaknesses?

Paving the Way for Trusted Collaboration

Predict the future with HP Insight Power Manager

Log onto Hitachi True Stories, films inspired by the next great achievement

Earn PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE Part-Time, Online at Syracuse University's iSchool

Make IT Work As One@novell.com

Predict the future with HP Insight Power Manager

HP LaserJet P4014n printer starting at $799 after $100 IS. www.hp.com

CIO Starter Kit includes useful resources created by top CIOs. Free Download>>

The Business of Managing Content: Xythos Document Management & Microsoft SharePoint

Virtualization Benchmark and TCO Analysis-Read Now

White Paper: Scaling Down HPC for Smaller Organizations

White Paper: Never Enough Compute Power?

Microsoft Windows Vista Cost and Benefit Estimator

White Paper: Efficient Desktop Application Management

White Paper: Take your Call Center to the Next Level

Is Your WLAN Helping You Comply with Security Guidelines of the PCI Standard?

White Paper: Improve Employee Efficiency and Reduce Telecom Costs

White Paper: Green Issues for Networking

New IDG Survey Results on Data Center Automation

A CISO's Guide to Application Security

Operational Excellence Is Key to Maximizing IT Investments

Learn how companies are changing how they reach out to their most profitable customers.

The Right and Wrong Master Data Management Strategies to Start Small and Grow Big

The Customer Communications Management Platform - Key Functionality and Best Practices

Learn how the new Quad