Garmin(R) Announces the GPSMAP(R) 600 Series: Touchscreen, Rugged and Ready for Land or Sea

OLATHE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the GPSMAP 640 an ultra portable and rugged touchscreen navigator that comes preloaded with a comprehensive set of street maps and marine charts. Garmin also introduced the GPSMAP 620, which shares the same intuitive interface and is designed for markets outside the United States.

Blending the best aspects of our popular portable marine units with the intuitive user interface of our automotive flagship line of nüvi® navigators, the GPSMAP 600 series is the perfect tool in the boat and on the road, said Dan Bartel, Garmins vice president of worldwide sales.

Portable and powerful, the GPSMAP 600 series features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and boasts an intuitive, waterproof (IPX7) super-bright 5.2 WVGA touchscreen display (800 x 480 pixels) that reacts as users tap or drag through intuitive menus and options. The GPSMAP 640 comes preloaded with comprehensive street maps of North America and worldwide shaded relief mapping in addition to detailed U.S. coastal BlueChart® g2 charts. When placed in its included marine mount, these new portables will automatically start up in marine mode, presenting chart features such as shaded depth contours, port plans, wrecks, restricted areas and more.

With optional BlueChart g2 Vision technology, the GPSMAP 640 provides a true 3-D mariners eye view, for a navigation perspective above the waterline, and a fish eye view for an underwater 3D bathymetric contour perspective. Mariners will also benefit from the auto guidance technology the g2 Vision data card enables that suggests the best navigational route. In addition, photo references give detailed aerial views of points of interest (POI) such as ports, marinas, waterways and landmarks.

When boaters are ready to pack up and hit the road, the GPSMAP 640 effortlessly snaps off its marine mount and, when placed in the automotive mount, quickly transitions into a robust automotive navigator. On the road, this device gives voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, advising you to Turn right on Main Street. In planning a route, users can search for a local bait shop or the best resorts around town and the GPSMAP will lead the way. With the GPSMAP 640, users can also create custom POIs and set up proximity alerts for the ultimate in driver awareness.

Additionally, with the GXM 40 antenna (sold separately), the GPSMAP 640 can graphically display XM WX Satellite Weather data directly on the units display. More than 20 different types of weather attributes information such as NEXRAD, wind speeds, visibility, severe weather storm tracks and more deliver location-specific data, in chart-overlay form, directly to the device. With the GXM 40, motorists and mariners also have the option of receiving nearly 200 channels of commercial-free music, news, sports talk and entertainment with XM Satellite Radio. To steer clear of traffic backups, XM NavTraffic is also available to motorists with the GXM 40 antenna.

For international boaters, Garmin is also offering the GPSMAP 620 which provides a worldwide basemap with shaded relief. The GPSMAP 620 supports optional street map and marine chart data through an SD card slot.

The GPSMAP 620 has a manufacturers suggested retail price of $999.99 and the GPSMAP 640 has an MSRP of $1199.99. For more information and availability, visit www.garmin.com.

About Garmin International Inc.

Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmins products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin, GPSMAP, nüvi and BlueChart are registered trademarks and g2 and g2 Vision and are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the companys future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2007, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of Garmins Form 10-K can be downloaded at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

Contacts

Garmin International Inc.Carly Baltes, [email protected]