T-Mobile Garminfone finds itself in the camera's eye (update: video)
By Ross Miller 
posted May 1st 2010 1:38PM
posted May 1st 2010 1:38PM
Update: And now we've got video, too, via TmoNews and after the break!
[Thanks, anonymous!]
That's an iPhone.
@fsX
Add TomTom to it. Sorted.
@fsX
*Install TomTom on it. Sorted.
I think it's funny that:
a) any new phone leak ALWAYS contains a shot of the phone next to an iPhone for comparison, which means . . .
b) whenever anyone is taken a secretive photo of a new phone to leak to the press, they ALWAYS have an iPhone handy.
@Smart People Play Tuba What's funny is that your a) and b) are the exact same statement.
The iPhone is the most popular phone, it's no wonder they're in comparison shots. The people taking the shots most likely have one versus another brand.
I just don't get this phone.. downrank me if you feel the same :D
@gargle Take note Garmin.
@gargle
I went as far to downrank and "report" your comment, that's how much I don't get this phone.
@gargle
I down ranked you because I just don't get you, definitely not because I agree with you.
@Smart People Play Tuba
Yeah... amazingly the iPhone looks more like a GPS than the Garmin does!
Played with one at CES. Meh. No idea who would buy this, really.
@CRA1G To clarify, I played with a similar Garmin phone, not this exact one. Sorry for the confusion.
leaked pictures are awesome, but smudges make a really bad first impression.
@ror http://garminfone.t-mobile.com/
Looks boring. Much more impressed with google's navigation solution or add on solutions for iPhone.
The Nuviphone sucks for everything except navigation; hopefully this will have a better screen and hardware design...
That poor iPhone looks beat.
@thejdude
I believe it belonged to Bobby Brown.
@justinpe
Oh SNAP
What's up with the gigantic icons? Is this for poor sighted people?
@k7of9 Gigantic icons = easier to reach for when driving... it is a phone aimed at navigation after all.
Looks like someone needs to wash their hands before handling the phones...
reminds me of the X10, except maybe the buttons, the body does, though.
too bad garmin can't design a UI to save their lives........and tmobile is stupid.
Why does every cell phone reviewer feel it necessary to take a picture comparing whatever Cell Phone they are reviewing next to an iPhone - it's not the only phone in world! Sheesh, give it a rest!
@malexandria1 Because the iPhone is a very popular phone in the US, which is where this phone is sold. If a phone is compared to something else, no one would care.
@malexandria1 I'm sorry, my grandpa just likes to come on Engadget and just start rambiln' on.. *wheels hated one away*
Wasn't this phone, or one like it, from Garmin supposed to come out during the time the 1st gen iPhone was around?
The vAT&T version failed, and so will this.
This phone is NOTHING like the nuvifone. This phone has Android and it's marketbplace as well as full GPS even without a signal or data plan. It should blow away any other GPS equipped phone--and it also includes Google Maps navigation for those who also want that. It might not be for everyone but as an android phone with the best navigation software--it will all depend on the price.
the heck happened to that iphone?
Can the iPhone guide your navigation while you talk on the phone?
WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?
no i'm serious. why is the garminfone back? I thought we damned this to hell already.
Junk
@Darkseider Why is it junk?
Wow, that phone looks terrible.
So does the Garmin.
Ba-da-CHHH
Seriously though, who would buy that Garmin phone? It looks ugly as heck.
@Johnny Rockets
Ba-da-CHHH? What is this Ba-da-CHHH?
Did you mean this:
http://www.instantrimshot.com
@Smart People Play Tuba
LOL
@hated one uhh. what?
Nice KIRF iPhone lol! messed up glass, jacked up rubber button, too thick, maybe a sciPhone or hiPhone
My first thought was that it has a simple, elegant interface. It has the ability to do a lot, while still being accessible to the average user.
My mother, for instance, has a Sony Walkman phone. She can't even figure out how to play music on the thing, which is supposed to be one of it's main marketed purposes. She got it because it was free, and has been frustrated by it. I even had to set the ring tones for her.
Just because a phone has a full touchscreen doesn't mean it's intended for people who want to run 60 programs at the same time, or to tell everybody on Twitter and Facebook what store they're in right, or to keep their nose in a texting app. Though one this very well might have those abilities.
The touchscreen on this phone is intended to makes things much simpler, not more complicated. It doesn't need 20 icons on the screen at the same time when three large and five small will work.
Does that mean I would want it? No. I would rather be able to run a lot at a time. I'd rather have a lot of information on my home screen. And I like to be able to take notes (including spreadsheets) on my smartphone. But this one might open up a world of "smart" features to people who otherwise would never use them.
@Michael Pollard I thinkI that's why BlackBerry is selling so well. The UI needs an update, but it's so utterly simple with five or six icons at the bottom, symbols for battery, WiFi, Bluetooth and antenna, and the day and date.
As someone who hates clutter on my electronic devices (I've gotten rid of all my icons on my desktop save for the recycle bin and the taskbar), this clean look is much-appreciated. Believe me, I run several programs (including Pandora and Bolt) at the same time. The Android's overcluttered UI is what turns me off about the OS; same for iPhone (which, admittedly, has the best design of icons outside of Adobe).
The thing is that design, including the UI, does matter. In fact, it matters even more than the functions of the OS. It doesn't have to so much be pretty as much as it has to be functional and clean. It's why iPhone and BlackBerrys are selling so well. And if T-Mo and Garmin can really put some marketing muscle behind this phone, it may do well.
Hopefully they will let the user add any garmin map.. ie BirdsEye, CustomMaps, and Topo maps.
As well as let the user save gpx tracks from hikes and bike rides.
That iPhone has seen better days
I don't know about many of you, but I'm a big fan of keeping my phone and my GPS separate.
@Bengal34
But, when we shop for phones.. we tend to want features like GPS.
The smart phone is killing the automotive GPS, so Garmin is moving into the device format which is the obvious future.
Is it just me or does that iPhone have an oversized home button?
It's attractive until you get to the bottom. There's nothing that makes a phone look cheaper than shiny, black plastic with touch buttons.
All the complaints on here are misplaced.
The screen is completely customizable. The icon tray sides open to a full screen of icons and scrolls the same as the iPhone. You can swap in the most commonly used to be displayed on the home screen. The 4 buttons at the bottom fade into the background until clicked and then they illuminate through the surface of the phone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpipLPUa_pA
If u think this is a P.O.S reply and put P.O.S