If you’ve been eyeing a personal navigation device but wish it could make calls and surf the Web, the Garminfone may sound appealing.
And in some ways, it is. The device from Garmin Ltd., a leading maker of navigational devices, does double duty as a Garmin GPS unit and a smart phone that runs Google Inc.’s Android operating software. Born out of a partnership with Taiwan-based Asustek Computer Inc., the Garminfone is good at navigating as well as checking e-mail and Web surfing.
Still, at $200 from T-Mobile after a rebate and with two-year contract, the price is steep considering that the device doesn’t run one of the newest versions of Android — software you can get on flashier phones for the same price. That means you’d miss some features such as the ability to dictate e-mails and instant messages.
From the Garminfone’s bright, spacious touch screen — 3.5 inches diagonally — to its navigation-centric home screen, it’s clear that the Garminfone wants to help you get around.
It comes with a car charger and dashboard mount to make it even easier to find your way; that’s a plus compared with other phones running Android’s free Navigation software. It also offers a slew of options for customizing voices and finding your way that are not found in Navigation. And like the Android version, Garmin’s navigation service is free once you buy the phone.
The phone sports Garmin’s Breeze user interface, which presents three big touch-screen “buttons” that let you make phone calls, get directions or check out a map.
You can slide your finger from right to left to see all the different applications on the phone. If you hold your finger down on the little home icon below the screen, you’ll be able to flip through an additional five “screens” on which you can place…