Garmin Smartphone Link for Android provides live services to nüvi® sat nav
Garmin the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the launch of Smartphone Link, the first Android app to provide live services to personal navigation devices (PNDs). Smartphone Link creates a seamless navigation experience between selected Bluetooth® enabled 2012 Garmin nüvi and an AndroidTM smartphone allowing them to communicate and share data.
Among other functionalities, the app lets nüvi users add live services, such as traffic information, traffic camera images, safety cameras including community shared mobile camera sites, weather, parking and fuel prices to their navigation device, utilizing the smartphone's mobile data plan. Garmin Smartphone Link is available at no cost in the Android Market and includes several free live services as well as premium content available through subscriptions.
“Garmin Smartphone Link brings the benefit of live services to a PND while solving the problem of having to pay for an extra data plan, by utilizing the existing connection of a smartphone,” said Clive Taylor, Director Automotive Product Marketing. “It is a great example of how smartphone apps can complement navigation devices, combining the strengths of navigation a PND can offer in the car, such as bigger screens and better GPS reception, and the last mile navigation from your smartphone outside of the car.”
Free connected services will include the Garmin Tracker application which enables you to allow friends on Facebook and Twitter to track your location, live weather information and myGarmin™ messaging, which provides update notifications and special offers from Garmin. Premium Live Services include the following:
3D Live Traffic (£19.99 per year): Garmin 3D Live Traffic provides real-time information to help users navigate in and around congestion. 3D Live Traffic is updated every two minutes and receives up to 2,000 messages every update cycle, including details of traffic incidents, road conditions and delays. It covers motorways, dual carriageways and major roads.
photoLive traffic cameras (£8.49 per year): This functionality is an addition to Garmin’s Live Traffic feature and provides drivers the ability to literally see traffic conditions ahead of time. It lets users easily look up real-time photos from traffic cameras to get a glance at traffic and weather conditions. Included is direct access to over 3,000 traffic cameras across England, Scotland and Scandinavia.
Fuel Prices (£8.49 per year): Users can find the best prices for any type of fuel in their area by tapping the screen and selecting a station.
Speedwatch safety camera (£8.49 per year): Speedwatch safety camera updates include Fixed, Temporary and Average speed cameras, Mobile zones, Red light and even Customer reported Live Mobile cameras crowd sourced by the Speedwatch community of users.
Advanced Weather (£8.49 per year): Get current and 5-day forecasts for your area. In addition to what the free weather service provides, Advanced Weather also allows users to receive severe weather alerts and view animated radar images on their regional map to see what’s heading their way! Colours distinguish types of precipitation such as rain, snow and ice, to help you avoid bad driving conditions.
In addition to using Garmin Live Services, Smartphone Link allows the Garmin sat nav to share its favourite locations with the phone. And better yet, the app can help users find their way from a parking spot to their destination and back by displaying both on a map.
Garmin Smartphone Link works with selected Bluetooth enabled 2012 Garmin PNDs, the nüvi 2475LT, 2495LMT, 2595LMT, 3490LT, 3490LMT and the all-new 3590LMT, the company’s most feature-packed 5” navigator. All of these models require a software update, except the nüvi 3590LMT. Garmin Smartphone Link is available from the Android Market at no cost. To learn more, go to http://sites.garmin.com/smartphonelink.
The new nüvi 3590LMT features thin and stylish form factor and large 5-inch glass display, pinch-to-zoom touchscreen interaction, automatic dual-screen orientation and Garmin’s most advanced ensemble of mapping and navigation features available: Guidance 3, lifetime 3D traffic updates[1], voice-activated navigation, free lifetime map updates[2], lane assist with photoReal and Bird’s Eye junction view (a Garmin exclusive), 3-D landmarks and terrain views, and exit services, among many other functions. The premium PND is expected to be available in spring 2012. For more information about individual nüvi models, features and pricing, visit http://www.garmin.com/move.
Find details about Garmin’s other smartphone apps for a wide variety of activities at http://garmin.com/apps / http://goo.gl/50vs2
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin and nüvi are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 25, 2010, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
[1] FREE lifetime traffic updates may not be transferred to another person or another Garmin product. Lifetime traffic extends for the useful life of your Garmin traffic receiver (as long as you own a compatible Garmin GPS) or as long as Garmin receives traffic data from its traffic supplier, whichever is shorter. Traffic content not available for all areas. See traffic coverage areas and Program License Agreement for complete terms and conditions.
[2]FREE lifetime map updates entitle you to receive up to four map data updates per year, when and as such updates are made available on the Garmin website, for this specific Garmin product only until this product’s useful life expires or Garmin no longer receives map data from its third party supplier, whichever is shorter.
