Garmin nuviphone: GPS with a Phone

Garmin is reportedly branching out from its GPS roots in a new device that combines its flagship GPS technology with a cell phone.

According to a Gearlog report, the “nuviphone” is a quad-band handset with 3.5G technology, a touch screen, a camera and, since it is a Garmin, “true GPS technology.”

When you plug the nuviphone into its docking station, the hands-free capabilities are automatically turned on. Another useful feature is the “Where am I?” function that finds where you are on a map and lets you know of stores and whatnot that are near you.

And, thanks to some smart thinkers at Garmin, there’s finally an easy way to find your car in a crowded parking lot without hitting the panic button on the remote. The nuviphone has a nifty feature that pinpoints the cradle location, which, Gearlog points out, is also a great way to also pinpoint the location of your car at the mall.

The nuviphone will be out sometime in Q3. No pricing or carrier info is available yet.

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