Garmin-Asus nuvifone M20 revealed

"Fashionable and functional smartphone"

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12 February 2009 9:28 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Garmin-Asus, the GPS smartphone team-up, has announced the Garmin-Asus nuvifone M20 and the nuvifone G60, providing details of spec for both forthcoming phones.

The M20 is described as an all-in-one phone, mobile web-browser and premium navigation system with a Windows Mobile operating system.

Running Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional with enterprise email, the "sleek and colourful" nuvifone M20 is designed for "on-the-go professionals who want a fashionable and functional smartphone to manage their busy work and personal lives".

Dual-band up to 7Mbps, 3.5G/tri-band GSM with Wi-Fi connectivity, there's also a desktop-like internet browser, push email, document viewing, multimedia capability with built-in speakers, Bluetooth and Garmin sat nav.

In addition to its "full" navigation functions, the phone offers location-based services linked to applications such as calendar, contacts, email, internet applications and more.

The expandable list of applications includes content like real-time traffic information, White Pages, weather, flight status, local events, and movie times.

The M20 also offers "Ciao!", described as a "ground-breaking" LBS application that helps users stay up to date on their friends' whereabouts and status by linking numerous location-centric social networks.

With a full QWERTY keyboard, the 2.8-inch TFT touchscreen means users can zoom and pan web pages with their finger as they view the information in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Other specs include 4GB or 8GB storage and a 3-megapixel camera with geotagging abilities.

Garmin-Asus says it will announce the nuvifone M20's pricing and availability information in the first half of 2009.