Smartphones become smarter with GPS Navigation and Bluetooth hands-free calling

Garmin has announced Garmin Mobile 20 – an automotive navigation system that delivers Garmin’s 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.

“By combining hands-free phone capability, wireless connectivity and location-relevant rich content with turn-by-turn GPS navigation, we are able to provide customers with a total turn-by-turn navigation solution for smart phones,” said Gary Kelley, vice president of marketing.

Garmin Mobile 20 gives smartphone owners the same high-quality 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, Garmin Mobile 20 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. Map data is provided by NAVTEQ – a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

Garmin Online offers complimentary wireless data services such as weather conditions across Europe and North America to any Garmin Mobile 20 user with Internet access on their phone. In addition, users can subscribe to premium dynamic content, real-time traffic, safety cameras, and fuel prices in select markets.

Garmin Mobile 20 also has powerful 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, Garmin Mobile 20 has application programming interface (API) features that support customized third party location based services (LBS) or enterprise applications. This API makes it possible for businesses to easily integrate their existing applications, such as customer databases, with Garmin Mobile 20's mapping and navigation features.

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.