Garmin planning four new eTrex GPS / Galileo handhelds

According to what appears to be a promotional flyer for Garmin's new lineup of eTrex devices, the company will be launching four new handhelds this fall, three of which will boast Galileo-readiness. The Venture HC looks to be the lone bandit sans Galileo support, but does sport 24MB of internal memory, USB connectivity, a WAAS-enabled 12 channel parallel GPS receiver, 2.1- x 1.3-inch backlit display, trip computer, automatic track log, celestial tables, and waterproof abilities as well. The eTrex H holds it down on the low-end by mimicking the older eTrex and adding future Galileo support via a "drop-in chip," while the Legend HCx handles microSD expansion cards and the top-end Vista HCx adds in a barometric altimeter and an electronic compass. Each unit should purportedly hit shelves sometime this fall, and depending on which model you go for, you'll be spending between $119.94 and $319.94 in Canada, or $111 and $295 here in the US of A. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via NaviGadget]

[Mike @ May 25th 2007 12:12AM]

Oh Em Gee. Is Garmin finally going to drop a new entry level eTrex? The current Clinton-era eTrex has to be getting tired.

[Zelatio @ May 25th 2007 1:30AM]

There is that old saying, don't fix whats not broken. The eTrex series is far from broken. I have an original Vista with around 12k miles on it, and it still works like brand new. It has received very harsh treatment, and keeps on ticking.

[gadjitfreek @ May 25th 2007 4:41AM]

I have used a Garmin 60Cs for the last three years for geocaching, and had an Etrex Legend and Vista before that. I have been waiting for them to come out with a Vista Cx with the SirfIII chip before changing over. The 60Cs is excellent, certainly a lot better than the old Vista or Legend, but it does not have expandable memory and it can be a little off in certain circumstances. While attempting to grab a geocache in a West Virginia rest stop, the 60Cs told me that the cache was simultaneously 10 feet away to the north, 300 feet away to the southwest and 90 feet to the east. I never found the cache, leaving a big hole in my geocaching states map. The 60Cs is also fairly large, and it makes a difference when you want to pack light for a storm-chasing trip. If the new Vista has the SirfIII chip, my 60Cs is goin' bye-bye, and it will give me a reason to upgrade my City Navigator software as well.

[albus @ May 25th 2007 7:32AM]

Who is buying these things? I just got one and sent it back. It is the absolute worst gps reciever I have ever seen. The map is pathetic. Of course, if you pay a few hundred more dollars, you can get some decent maps. At least that's what Garmin says. I had no intention of paying more money to a company that sent me a worthless product.

[bill @ May 25th 2007 9:51AM]

I'm curious about albus's experiance with GPSs that have better maps and do not cost more.

[Tomas @ May 25th 2007 10:44PM]

Great - future Galileo support. That's nice if you expect to keep your unit around for the next, oh, say 15 or 20 years when it's finally operational.

[Jane @ May 31st 2007 10:46AM]

I like my older eTrex model too, but when I heard that these new units have the high-sensitivity receivers on them, I immediately started looking into that. I love going to Minnesota, and I was told that these newer units will help keep a signal even in the deepest tree coverings in MN. I'm sure willing to give it a try. There's nothing more frustrating than losing a signal when you're on a hunt. At any rate, I also just found out that Garmin is giving away a new nuvi 200 for automobiles this summer...and thought I would look into that for my trips to Minny. If all I have to do is take a picture of me with my etrex and send it in to win a new unit for my car, I'm game!