Garmin ecoRoute ESP module gets priced, detailed further
By Donald Melanson 
posted Nov 6th 2009 6:33PM
posted Nov 6th 2009 6:33PM
Well, it looks like we won't have to wait until CES for more details on Garmin's new ecoRoute ESP module after all, as a listing for the device has now already turned up on GPSCity.com, and the site has even provided us with a few additional, as yet unofficial availability details. Apparently, the cable (which ties directly into your car's on board diagnostic system) will run $149.99 and might "possibly" be available by the end of the year, but is more likely to roll out sometime in the first quarter of 2010 --- and it'll supposedly only work with nuvi 1xxx series units that have Bluetooth. If that's not enough for you, the site also has what appears to be the first set of screenshots of the interface, which detail everything from speed and breaking to fuel economy and your carbon footprint. Hit up the link below for the complete rundown.
Like, parts breaking?
I've noticed that Melanson often gets the scoop, but not the spelling.
It even says the correct spelling in the screenshot.
This is screaming "make me a mobile phone app"!!!
All this eco-crap is enough to make one puke.
Do it or don't, up to you...until Cap and Tax goes into effect...then you will do as you are told...
...see the health care bill? Buy 'acceptable' insurance or pay up to a 250K fine and go to jail for 5 years...
Eco crap is fine as long as it's voluntary...at bayonet point it loses its charm.
Eco-what? All I see is savings.
I'll be totally honest, I'm not one who's joined into this eco-craze and I don't plan to. However, this gadget really has my attention. If this monitors the car's fuel economy in relation to topographical GPS maps and the driver's tendencies, this can really become a boon in helping people get the best bang for their buck per gallon of gas.
Looks like their stocks ticker is running along the bottom when Google announced their free navigation...
Anyone have any idea whether this product will be some kind of open serial bluetooth profile, as at $150 it seems like a fairly decent price for a bluetooth OBDII interface for whatever device you want to drive.
Poor Garmin: The days of tacking on a trendy, feel-good accessory and translating that into big market-share gains are suddenly gone, now that their expensive products are so obviously missing the phone / email / browser / pocket-computer part.
RTFA
I guess its time for garmin and tomtom to be creative if they wanna survive the Google Navigator's Splash :]
I'd be very leery of that thing. It might navigate you to a Foreign Town, in a Foreign Land... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_93
So it's the price of the exact same thing that has been on the market for a year and only works with a expensive Garmin. fail
id rater buy a carpc with centrafuse... has all features you can imagine..
You know, I actually like this...toyed with the idea of buying a PLX Kiwi OBDII Scanner or some similar device but could not justify it, even though my manual Honda Element is about as aerodynamic as a barn door.
Have enough GPSs atm, but it's good to see Garmin is trying to innovate and provide value beyond simple turn by turn navigation.
Every time you use your brakes, you are dropping fuel economy!! Think about it.
Yeah, in the spirit of conservation, I gave up stopping for stop signs and traffic lights in 2007.
Kinda cool. I just bought a CarChip for $80 that basically does the same thing, but instead of outputting the data to a GPS it saves it in memory so you can hook it up to your computer and examine the data from there. Sure, there are cheaper devices to read OBD error codes, but if I'm buying something to do that, I figure I might as well get something that I'll use more than a few times when my check engine light goes on.
Counterfeiter!
I actually like the diagnostics feature of this device. I don't care about the ecoroute feature. I don't ever use the built in feature on my 1690. But, if this actually reads the OBD and reports on issues, this will pay for itself.