Garmin-Asus Announces Stunning Windows Mobile M10 Smartphone
Mobile World Congress is a major cellphone trade show, and given the pervasiveness in smartphones these days, it's ramping up to be quite the extravaganza. The show begins next week, but many companies are already pushing out details on a number of their standout products.
Garmin-Asus is a newcomer to the smartphone realm; to date, it only has one major phone on the market, and the nuvifone G60 didn't exactly have a great amount of success due to the long delays that forced it to ship well after the iPhone 3GS and a number of other excellent Android phones were already on the market. The joint venture is hoping to strike gold with round, as the new M10 could actually be a winner thanks to Garmin-Asus' choice to ditch their homegrown OS and rely on a proven one: Windows Mobile.
The M10 is a full-touchscreen phone, utilizing the latest version (6.5.3, as on SE's Aspen) of Microsoft's mobile OS and catering to business users who rely heavily on Exchange and the like. Other specifications include a 3.5-inch WVGA display, a finger-friendly interface, a 3D Task Manager, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal Flash emory, a multimedia player and a 1500mAh battery for "hours" of use. There's also a full QWERTY soft keyboard, HSDPA wireless and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g).
The M10 is slated to go on sale in Asia and Europe first during the first half of 2010, while other markets can apparently expect it after that.
Garmin-Asus is a newcomer to the smartphone realm; to date, it only has one major phone on the market, and the nuvifone G60 didn't exactly have a great amount of success due to the long delays that forced it to ship well after the iPhone 3GS and a number of other excellent Android phones were already on the market. The joint venture is hoping to strike gold with round, as the new M10 could actually be a winner thanks to Garmin-Asus' choice to ditch their homegrown OS and rely on a proven one: Windows Mobile.
The M10 is a full-touchscreen phone, utilizing the latest version (6.5.3, as on SE's Aspen) of Microsoft's mobile OS and catering to business users who rely heavily on Exchange and the like. Other specifications include a 3.5-inch WVGA display, a finger-friendly interface, a 3D Task Manager, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal Flash emory, a multimedia player and a 1500mAh battery for "hours" of use. There's also a full QWERTY soft keyboard, HSDPA wireless and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g).
The M10 is slated to go on sale in Asia and Europe first during the first half of 2010, while other markets can apparently expect it after that.
A Premium Smartphone
The Garmin-Asus M10 runs the latest version of Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile 6.5.3 features upgrades that enhance user experience and provides access to Windows Marketplace for Mobile, which offers a vast number of Windows phone applications for download.
“Windows phones move seamlessly from work to play, creating new experiences through a variety of hardware, applications and services,” said Andy Lees, senior vice president of Mobile Communication Business at Microsoft. “We are pleased to work closely with Garmin-Asus to bring to market Windows phones based on the latest version of Windows phone today and look forward to our work bringing more Windows phones to market in the future.”
The M10 has a sleek design with a 3.5-inch WVGA display and a finger-friendly user interface. The Billboard feature displays the most important information so users can review all at one glance. An intuitive 3D Task Manager also allows users to switch easily between running applications. Keeping the phone responsive and the navigation smooth are 512 RAM and 512 ROM, while 4GB of Flash memory provides ample storage for multimedia and data.
The M10 is equipped with a 1500 mAh battery for hours of uninterrupted use, as well as a full QWERTY soft keyboard for speedy text input. HSDPA wireless connectivity and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) ensure that messages are sent and received quickly. In addition, the M10 can be synched to Microsoft Exchange® so that contacts, calendars and emails are always available and secure.
‘Click and Go’ Navigation
Recognizing that location is relevant to every aspect of every day, the Garmin-Asus M10 is designed with location information at its core and it delivers the most advanced location experience on a Windows phone. Navigation functions are linked to frequently used applications such as calendar, contacts, email, internet browser, and messaging; making an exceptionally intuitive and smooth navigation experience.
The M10 has advanced navigation features equivalent to a high-end Garmin nüvi® such as lane assist with junction view that guides drivers to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit and realistically displays road signs. It also has highway mode that tells drivers the next three upcoming street exits so they can plan ahead*. The M10 is ready for automotive navigation out-of-the-box, and it includes everything a customer needs to use the device in a car, including a powered cradle and windshield mount*.
Ushering in a Connected Lifestyle
The Garmin-Asus M10 boasts a range of social capabilities, including access to Facebook™ and Picasa Web Albums™. It also places real-time information on connected services* such as weather, safety cameras, traffic, flight status, and fuel prices at users’ fingertips. In addition, the M10 is equipped with a high performance five mega-pixel camera that automatically geotags photos so that users will always know where they were taken and can easily share them with friends via Facebook and Picasa.
