Garmin Discontinues GPS-Enabled Pocket PCs

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=12652' target='_blank'>http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=12652</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Garmin has discontinued its last two Windows Mobile-based devices, leaving it with just a single GPS-enabled handheld, the Palm OS-based iQue 3000. After gradually building up a fairly large portfolio of models since 2003, the company has been whittling away at its line-up of handhelds in the last few months. Most recently, the iQue M3 and iQue M4 were added to Garmin's list of discontinued devices, which means it no longer offers any Pocket PCs."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20061205-garmin.gif" /><br /><br />According to a report at <a href="http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=12652">Brighthand</a>, Garmin has discontinued almost all of its GPS-enabled PDAs, leaving just the Palm OS-based iQue M3000 as the remaining current model. It's not the end of the world, though. There are many other companies offering GPS-enabled Pocket PCs and Pocket PC Phones, so your choices definitely aren't limited.

[Eriq Cook]

Can we see a GPS-enabled Pocket PC Phone with slide-out keyboard anytime soon? Lol. That would be perfect.

[bkerrins]

This actually makes me pretty upset with Garmin. I really liked their stuff too. We have a Novi 350 that my wife uses and I have a HW6945. I really was hoping that I could get Garmin software to install, since I'm not completely wowed with the HP Navigation SW. Turns out that Garmin doesn't offically support the 6900, plus their mobile 20 looks like last years data, plus it was very expensive. I'm reluctant to do TomTom at $150 and might be okay with doing HP's at $130...but Garmin wants old SW at $200!

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I can't say I'm totally surprised. I also own the Nuvi 350 as well as the Garmin Forerunner 205 (sportstraining watch); both are very solid products. Garmin is obviously a major GPS player across the board but I'm sure their profit margins in the Pocket PC space must be pretty meager relative to everywhere else.

While GPS has become quite ubiquitous, the majority of people I know who have either invested in GPS technology or are considering it have not factored Pocket PCs into the equation.

[Darius Wey]

Can we see a GPS-enabled Pocket PC Phone with slide-out keyboard anytime soon? Lol. That would be perfect.

I guess you missed last month's news. :)

http://www.etencorp.com/products/Communication/M700.php

[kiwi]

I used to like the garmin products, actually I still have a Vista C eTrex GPS but the problem is the unit's routing software is not that good. I just use it to tell me where I *am* and not how to get somewhere. It would be nice if they had SIRIII chipsets too.

I am currently trialing out iGuidance and Tom Tom on my ipaq with a GlobSat BT259SW - nice gps unit

[davea0511]

The PPC was a means to an end. It was the quickest way for them to produce a handheld GPS. Now there are enough tools out there for them to do it more cheaply - which means more revenue for each one sold.

Personally, I've never been too impressed with the GPS PPC offerings. It's always seemed to me that a VGA screen would be most ideal for GPS use - and yet every PPC with built-in GPS has been QGA. I guess the thinking is that GPS is used largely for navigation while driving a car so fine detail isn't important.

If however GPS is used for on-foot applications then it would be used very differently. GPS is still very much in it's infancy. When the right applications arrive you will see a rebirth of new GPS enabled devices and they will work much differently than the current crop of GPS devices.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Personally, I've never been too impressed with the GPS PPC offerings. It's always seemed to me that a VGA screen would be most ideal for GPS use - and yet every PPC with built-in GPS has been QGA. I guess the thinking is that GPS is used largely for navigation while driving a car so fine detail isn't important.


You must have missed the Fujitsu-Siemens Loox N560 - not surprising since it's not generally available outside of Europe.