What's next for Garmin handhelds?

Larger screens, color screens.

Mike
MU-2

"R. Hubbell" wrote in message
news:20040305082731.0e32b58f@fstop...


Any prognosticators out there that know what's next from Garmin in
the handheld category? I like the size of the Airmap 1000 but I also
like the company, Garmin, a little better.



R. Hubbell

Mike Rapoport wrote:
Larger screens, color screens.

Color is not a good choice until a better, longer lasting, portable
power supply is developed (or a lower powered, less demanding color
display is developed.)

Grey-scale displays are more energy efficient and have a lower
acquisition cost.

john smith wrote:
Larger screens, color screens.

Color is not a good choice until a better, longer lasting, portable
power supply is developed (or a lower powered, less demanding color
display is developed.)

The new Garmin 60c & 60cs hiking/driving units with color screens use less
power than any of their previous handhelds with grey-scale displays. The
specification is 30 hours of use on a pair of alkaline AA cells and
indications are this is achievable under daytime outdoor conditions (where
the transreflective screen doesn't need the backlight).

The new color screens use a lot less power, that's why they are appearing on
cell phones.

Mike
MU-2


"john smith" wrote in message
...
Mike Rapoport wrote:
Larger screens, color screens.

Color is not a good choice until a better, longer lasting, portable
power supply is developed (or a lower powered, less demanding color
display is developed.)

Grey-scale displays are more energy efficient and have a lower
acquisition cost.

Mike Rapoport wrote:
The new color screens use a lot less power, that's why they are appearing on
cell phones.

Are they in continuous use? Or, is it intermittent?
How long does a battery last with continuous use?

John Smith wrote, "Color is not a good choice [for a handheld GPS] until a
better, longer lasting, portable power supply is developed (or a lower
powered, less demanding color display is developed."

That was the opinion of a very obnoxious (I thought) Garmin marketing person
I spoke to a couple years ago at Oshkosh. I disagreed. I run my GPSMAP 295
on ship's power (or car power) and find its battery life more than adequate.
He insisted that Garmin would not introduce a replacement for the 295 until
battery life could be dramatically extended.

I hope the 296 is introduced at Sun 'n Fun.

Jon

Jon Woellhaf wrote:
I disagreed. I run my GPSMAP 295
on ship's power (or car power) and find its battery life more than adequate.

How long do the internals last when ship's power is removed?

"john smith" wrote:
Color is not a good choice until a ... lower powered, less demanding
color display is developed.)

I've heard that ever since the 295 came out. It hasn't been an issue for
me. I run my 295 on ship's power and keep fresh alkalines in it. If I
lost ship's power, the batteries would last plenty long enough to get me
to an airport.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)

"R. Hubbell" wrote in message
news:20040305082731.0e32b58f@fstop...


Any prognosticators out there that know what's next from Garmin in
the handheld category? I like the size of the Airmap 1000 but I also
like the company, Garmin, a little better.

Does it really matter? Panel GPS units are becoming extremely common. The
handheld is being relegated to backup status, like a handheld radio.

My guess is that eventually we will see an all-in-one GPS/Nav/Com with
personal ELT, about the size of a cellular phone, with an interface like the
196. Perhaps it will be a cellular phone, too, and even a PDA. Since it
really is intended for emergency use, the com radio only needs a couple of
frequencies such as emergency and weather channels.

In the meantime, I expect to see the 296 introduced sometime this year.

C J Campbell wrote:
Does it really matter? Panel GPS units are becoming extremely common. The
handheld is being relegated to backup status, like a handheld radio.

Nah. There's still A LOT of people who don't want to spend the cash for
a panel mount. Heck... I have an "obsolete" IFR GPS (the GX-60), and
I can't see spending the money anytime soon for a fancy color panel mount.
The handhelds are way more cost effective. I actually look at my GPSMAP
195 the majority of the time.


My guess is that eventually we will see an all-in-one GPS/Nav/Com with
personal ELT, about the size of a cellular phone, with an interface like the
196. Perhaps it will be a cellular phone, too, and even a PDA. Since it
really is intended for emergency use, the com radio only needs a couple of
frequencies such as emergency and weather channels.

Although, I agree that something like this could be designed, I doubt
that it would go over very well. We don't need a *smaller* screen. And,
a lot of people will still be using handhelds for day to day use... not
just emergencies.

In the meantime, I expect to see the 296 introduced sometime this year.

Or, if it follows Garmin's numbering for their boat GPSs, it'll be the
196c. The 176c looks pretty nice. They could have a 196c right now.

--- Jay


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