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Garmin Nuvifone Videos and Screenshots Make It Look Great
Navigadget has found two videos of Garmin's upcoming Nuvifone. They offer lots of hints at the services the iPhone-like device will offer. The scenario video (below) focuses on navigation, photos, web browsing, phone and media. The intro video (above) lets us know that it'll also have BlueTooth, calendaring, NAVTEQ maps (touting their long-term geo-data partner), Google, email, MSN Direct (for map overlays of gas prices, movie listings, news, stocks, local events, yellow pages), and search (I assume from the spyglass icon they show. The video makes it clear that the Nuvifone is a direct descendant of the Nuvi GPS line and not just an evolutionary namesake.
One thing the video doesn't show is the multi-touch interactions with the device. There are zoom-in/zoom-out buttons on the map, camera and web screens (see this gallery of nuvifone screens) which I assume means no pinching action (like on the iPhone). The keyboard does not have the letters pop-up as you type them either. It definitely seems like a great device. I haven't heard about the data plan yet and that can always be a deal killer. My other big concern is syncing. Garmin is a device manufacturer. Their PC/Mac software is OK, but not a big wow. What type of options will their be? Is it all custom? Will the device plug into the native Mac apps and popular PC apps? This is the biggest wait-and-see in my book. The unsung hero of the iPod/iPhone family is their desktop integration.
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Comments: 6
Phil Atio [ 6 February 2008 01:55 PM]
The first video contained nothing of substance. After that, why bother with the second video?
Tony Wright [ 6 February 2008 03:31 PM]
Good gracious-- those are some cheesy videos. I'm not sure if I'm confident that a company behind those videos could create a UI that bests the iPhone.
Of course, the biggest iPhone hole for me is a lack of GPS features.
Jim [ 6 February 2008 09:39 PM]
The proof will be in the pudding!
shari [ 7 February 2008 08:14 AM]
I used to work for one of the largest ad companies in the world. These ads are really bad. It's probably somebody making a financial decision not to go with the most expensive ad company. Maybe they hired some U of Phoenix grads to sit in the back room on salary and dream these up. It's a cost cutting measure, has to be. But frankly, the IPOD ads are driving me nutz anyway. There's not a lot of slick advertising in the first place anywhere. I noticed that all the ads on TV seem to be stupid lately.
frank [ 7 February 2008 10:17 AM]
after witnessing the complete melt down of what is called modern advertising, broadcasted during the Super Bowl. It was a pleasure to see two advertisements that were wholesome,simple, and straight forward, with normal people, not talking lizards or monkeys, as product pitchmen. Maybe if Shari paid attention to this kind of advertizing she would still be working for one of the largest ad companies in the world.
ron [ 7 February 2008 07:46 PM]
these ads are pure cheese, I think someone made them in a garage. I do like garmin products but the ads they have produced just turn me off. The music on these utube videos sound like a 70,s porn.