Garmin-ASUS nuvifone M20 makes jump to Windows Mobile 6.5
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Nov 11th 2009 5:46AM
posted Nov 11th 2009 5:46AM
Two years ago, the idea of a Garmin-developed smartphone running the latest Windows Mobile operating system was enough to generate spasms of anticipation across the internets. Oh how things have changed. Today the Garmin-ASUS team has announced a Windows Mobile 6.5 update for M20 owners currently stuck at 6.1. It's also expanding the M20 theater of pain to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech, Turkey, and other markets by the end of 2009 -- note the omission of North American and Western European countries. Fine by us, we're perfectly happy to wait for the revamped Android handset running Google's turn-by-turn Navigator... oh, wait.
WinMo is ancient so why bother.
So is your comment.
Note that Google's Navigator would be 100% useless for anyone who has to drive across national borders and doesn't want to pay massive roaming charges.
The point of the Google Navigator is that you download maps before you go on a trip unlike the current Google maps.
And what happens when I need to alter my route to avoid a traffic jam? Or what if I want to take a scenic detour? In both scenarios I might need access to maps that weren't pre-cached and in both situations I'd be bang out of luck if I'd stuck with Google.
This would even be a problem where you're not driving abroad. What happens if you've used up your monthly data allowance or your in an area with no mobile coverage and need to access new maps?
I'd rather stick with WinMo and a decent satnav application than run the risk of having my Google satnav fail when I need it most.
Jakem: How would your scenario be any different on another satnav application? You still need to pre load your maps. It's the ability to pre load maps that is the reason why I am looking forward to Google Navigator. I'm sure it won't be a be all end all satnav, but for my use it would be more than good enough. Heck. I know how to read a map, all I need is google maps with pre downloaded maps.
The smart phone will "always" be a jack of all trades, master of none. No matter what OS and app you load into it there will probably be a dedicated device that do the specific task better.
You pay "massive roaming charges" even if you are not using Google maps. My WinMo6.5 phone is constantly using data.
When I frequently cross into Canada for motorcycle trips I call Verizon, have them upgrade my plan, I update my tower data, Ride!, Come Monday when I get home I call Verizon and change it back.
They prorate you just for the couple days. Problem solved.
-Person who actually crosses boarders
That's okay, Google Navigator only works in the US at the moment anyway.
Ryback: The problem with your scenario is that you can't "pre-load" maps with google navigation. Anytime you change your destination or route you need an active data connection. There is no option to tell google to download all the map data for a certain area. Your phone isn't doing route calculations based on its own map data, in fact, I doubt it is doing the calculations at all. Playing around with google nav just now I can tell you must have a data connection to start or change a route at all. Also, when you get your route the maps aren't cached, only the route itself and the turns you make. The maps are downloaded as you need them. Sure, you can manually scroll through your route and have it cache some of the maps, but it is tedious and still doesn't allow you to change your route, even if you can see the route yourself on the map.
Long story short, google nav is great, but not useful without an active data connection that only has intermittent signal losses. Now if there was an android phone with google nav and a dedicated nav app (say Garmin) with NA maps and millions of POI. THAT would be awesome. If they could let them interact and share data: heaven.
Having actually handled this phone, I have to say it's a lot smaller than you'd think. Very pocketable.
Instead of shriveling your market-share by locking yourself inside this commodity box, why not continue working your Mobile XT?
The problem with Mobile XT was you locked it to a uselessly sized uSDHC card instead of letting people select the card that kept up with the times.
Sweet. Looks like a nice phone if I had the cash for one.
Personally, I wouldn't trust Google's Navigator with my data. I think Garmin would probably have more better maps and features anyway.
I want all of u to stop your dream to buy this thing..
it's not good to call smart phone
the navigation is the only good at it..better than google maps like nokia n97
because of the os..all program become messy
and the battery estimate usage is 2 days with a call or anything u want to do with the phone