Garmin Mobile XT brings Garmin software to mobile phones

Wants you to make the most of your phones GPS

4 October 2007 0:22 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Garmin has announced the launch of a new software solution called the Garmin Mobile XT that promises to give users the Garmin software experience on their GPS-enabled smartphone.

Seeing more and more phone manufacturers including the GPS technology into their handsets, Garmin hopes that customers will opt to upgrade the software to its new offering.

According to Garmin, "This mobile phone software application seamlessly pairs the phone's built-in GPS with Garmin's software so that customers have the benefits of navigation anywhere in North America or Europe".

Garmin say that "Unlike other mobile phone applications, Garmin Mobile XT offers convenient preloaded maps and includes access to dynamic content like premium real-time traffic alerts and fuel prices, but does not require any monthly fees or subscriptions of any kind".

Garmin Mobile XT is preloaded on a microSD card (with miniSD and standard SD card converter) that includes Garmin navigation software for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, or Europe.

Once the card is inserted into a compatible smartphone with embedded GPS, the Garmin Mobile XT application will launch automatically. Customers are then greeted with Garmin's "Where to?" and "View map" welcome screen.

Garmin Mobile XT is available now and will cost $99 in the US. The software will include maps of all North America.

In Europe, Garmin Mobile XT includes map data for 30 countries in Europe. Map data is provided by NAVTEQ, now owned by Nokia.

Garmin Mobile XT is available now in the UK from £59.99 for UK and Ireland mapping.

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