Garmin Brings
Multi-mode Navigator
Garmin,
a satellite navigation company, has introduced a new series of personal
navigators that combine navigation features with outdoor recreation
capabilities. With one touch, the nuvi 500 transitions between driving,
bicycling, boating, or walking mode, while promising features such as
routing capabilities, improved mapping, and water-proof hardware.
The nuvi
500, according to Garmin, is pre-loaded with both road maps and U.S.
topographic maps. For use in and out of the car, you need to simply touch
the usage mode indicator located at the top of the home screen to change
between driving, bicycling, boating, or walking mode.
"This
multi-mode nuvi is the ultimate device for those seeking portable
navigation in the car and in the great outdoors," said Dan Bartel,
Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "This product allows us to
combine features from several of our automotive and outdoor navigators
into one compact unit."
You can
get turn-by-turn directions, look up restaurants, and download geocaches
from http://geocaching.com/ with this device. The nuvi 500 models display
shaded digital elevation mapping on the 3.5" water-proof touchscreen. This
series comes standard with a compass page, track log, and a removable,
rechargeable battery for extended outdoor use.
With one
tap of the screen, users can also see their exact location with Garmin's
"Where Am I?" feature. In addition, with Garmin Connect Photos, users can
choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio
photo sharing community to provide photo navigation by land or water.
When
loaded with optional BlueChart g2 Vision and Inland Lake Vision marine
cartography, the nuvi 500 series works on the water, providing detailed
chart-specific information, spot soundings, intertidal zones, wrecks, port
plans, restricted areas, etc.
The nuvi
500 comes preloaded with detailed street and topographic mapping for the
lower 48 U.S. states, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. It has street map coverage
of the U.S. and Canada. When either model is used with an optional
receiver, users can receive updated information from Traffic Message
Channel or MSN Direct. The content from the MSN Direct network includes
traffic conditions, fuel prices, weather reports, movie listings, headline
news, stock updates, and local events.
It will
be available sometime during the current quarter (Q3 2008) for a retail
price of $ 499.99.
Photo
courtesy: Garmin
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