Garmin Announces Smartphone Bluetooth GPS Mount

Garmin has announced the Garmin Mobile 20, an automotive navigation system that delivers voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions using Bluetooth wireless technology on Nokia, Windows Mobile and Treo 650 Smartphones. Garmin Mobile 20 provides both data connectivity as well as hands-free capability and is packaged with the GPS 20SM, a new mobile phone mount with a built-in, highly sensitive GPS receiver and Bluetooth-enabled speaker and microphone.

Garmin Mobile 20 will also be the first Garmin product to use the Garmin Online wireless data services that includes real-time traffic, gas prices, safety cameras, weather information, and other location relevant content. It will operate across Europe and North America provided you have a handheld or smartphone with Internet access. In addition, users will be able to subscribe to premium dynamic content, real-time traffic, safety cameras, and fuel prices in select markets. The device was announced at the CeBIT trade-show, in Hannover, Germany, going on from March 9-15, 2006.

Garmin Mobile 20 gives smartphone owners the same mapping features found on other Garmin portable GPS devices. Users can easily navigate to a specific street address or search millions of points of interest (POI’s) – places like hotels, restaurants, shopping, and tourist attractions. After selecting a destination, the software automatically calculates the fastest route to the destination, and provides voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions along the way while showing a 3D moving map on the phone’s display. If a driver strays off course, Garmin Mobile 20 will automatically calculate the quickest way to get back on track.

The software package also has short message service (SMS) integration that lets users send their position or information about a POI to any other phone via text messaging. In addition, the unit has application programming interface (API) features that support customized third party location based services (LBS) or enterprise applications.

The GPS 20SM, Garmin’s phone mount with built-in highly-sensitive GPS receiver and Bluetooth-enabled hands-free functionality, is designed to accommodate a wide variety of popular smartphones of nearly any size. The GPS 20SM is easily mounted to an automobile’s windshield with a built-in suction-cup. In addition, users can charge their smartphone using the GPS 20SM.

The Garmin Mobile 20 package will be available in July. The European package will include Garmin Mobile 20, GPS 20SM, and a preloaded regional data card. The North American package will include Garmin Mobile 20, GPS 20SM, and maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico preloaded on a 1 GB data card.

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