Garmin® GPSMAP® and echoMAP™ Product Lines Receive New Features
OLATHE, Kan./January 13, 2015/Business Wire – Garmin International Inc., a unit
of
Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced exciting new software features available to many multi-function
displays
(MFDs), chartplotters and combination chartplotters in its popular GPSMAP and echoMAP marine
product
lines. Among the new features included in this update are Auto Guidance 2.0, the import of waypoints,
routes
and tracks via GPX, advanced sailing features, enhanced safety operations, and more. This software
update
is available now at no charge.
“In an ongoing effort to improve our
products
and provide our customers with innovative features, we’re excited to offer this significant
software
update that adds a number of premium capabilities to some of our most popular marine product
lines,”
said David Dunn, senior manager of marine sales and marketing.
One
of the features
now available with this free software update is Auto Guidance 2.0. The original Auto
Guidance was a breakthrough
in simple, reliable marine auto-navigation. Now, this patented technology
offers even more features and
capabilities in Version 2.0. The user simply enters the desired destination
and the technology instantly
searches through relevant charts to create a path free of obstacles, shallow
water, buoys and other obstructions.
With Auto Guidance 2.0, mariners also get the ability to adjust
an Auto Guidance path, review hazards
along the way, calculate arrival times and save plotted paths for
future navigation. Auto Guidance 2.0
is included with the optional purchase of BlueChart®
g2 Vision® premium
cartography or LakeVü™ HD Ultra freshwater maps and is available
for use on all echoMAP series
devices and the GPSMAP 8000, GPSMAP 7400/7600, GPSMAP 8×0/10×0, and GPSMAP
5×7/7×1 product lines.
The
ability to import waypoints, routes and tracks from other
manufacturer’s GPS products can now be
done on all GPSMAP and echoMAP units via industry-standard
GPX formatting. With this enhancement, users
can retain and transfer their stored waypoints, ensuring
critical data is maintained when trading up
to a new Garmin product.
For sailing
customers, many Garmin chartplotters now offer
a compelling array of wind-maximizing features. A new
pre-race guidance page displays a virtual starting
line on the chart, along with data fields showing
laylines, time to burn before the start, and a race
countdown timer that can be synchronized across all
networked Garmin GPS products. In addition, other
supported sailing features include an enhanced wind
rose, heading and course-over-ground lines, set and
drift, true and apparent wind data, and more. These
new sailing enhancements are available on all GPSMAP
8000, GPSMAP 7400/7600, and GPSMAP 8×0/10×0 product
lines.
An exclusive SOS safety
assist feature is now available on the higher-end
GPSMAP 8000 and GPSMAP 7400/7600 series network chartplotters.
This feature makes it easier for anyone
– even those not familiar with marine electronics or radio
protocols – to quickly call the
Coast Guard for help in an emergency situation. By simply tapping
the SOS button on the chartplotter’s
touchscreen display, users are instantly presented with a
list of possible situations (Fire, Man Overboard
etc.). Once the applicable choice has been selected,
the screen will provide a U.S. Coast Guard-approved
VHF radio distress call script, along with the ship’s
current GPS coordinates, that can be read
off to responders – thus saving time, averting panic,
and providing the essential information needed
by rescuers to assure the best possible outcome.
Other
features also available for
the higher-end GPSMAP 8000 and GPSMAP 7400/7600 product lines are a new “Home”
screen layout
that includes Favorites, Functions, Combos and SmartMode™, and the ability to resize
the viewing
panes on the display. These devices will also feature an enhanced interface with Axis®
IP
Cameras and compatible FLIR® cameras, often used throughout a vessel for surveillance
or
security. Users can now pan, tilt and zoom these cameras using on-screen pinch and swipe gestures.
All
devices in these product lines will also feature an on-board PDF User Manual, allowing customers
to quickly
reference a feature or configuration setting directly from the chartplotter screen when needed.
In
addition
to the aforementioned features, many Garmin GPSMAP devices will now support several recently
introduced
Garmin products, including the GHP™ Reactor™
Autopilot
series, GMR™ xHD2 open-array radars, and the GSD™
25 black-box
sounder.
This software update is free and available now for the following
product
lines: GPSMAP 8000, GPSMAP 7400/7600, GPSMAP 8×0/10×0, GPSMAP 5×7/7×1, as well as the full echoMAP
series.
Visit www8.garmin.com/support/software/marine.htmlto
download
the update.
Garmin’s portfolio includes some of the industry’s
most
sophisticated chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar technology, high-definition
radar,
autopilots, high-resolution mapping, sailing instrumentation and other products and services that
are
known for innovation, reliability, and ease-of-use.
For 25 years, Garmin has
pioneered
new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live
an active
lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness,
marine,
and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom,
contact
the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin,
or
youtube.com/garmin.
About Garmin International Inc. Garmin International
Inc.
is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its
principal
subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin,
GPSMAP, BlueChart
and g2 Vision are registered trademarks and echoMAP, LakeVü, SmartMode, Reactor,
GMR and GSD are
trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
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 28, 2013, filed by Garmin
with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form
10-K is available
at http://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.
