Garmin has announced that they will be taking their first step into the mobile phone market by introducing their 3.5″ touch screen, multi-functional phone the nuvifone.

Though the phone market at the moment is already filled with competition for touch screen devices, Garmin is quite convinced that the nuvifone will surprise you as being not just any touch screen phone, it is the ‘ultimate multi-tasker’.

Just why might Garmin think so? Well to start with it is the only mobile phone device to have altogether on board integrate premium 3.5G mobile phone capability with internet browsing, data connectivity, personal messaging, and personal navigation functions.

Many already believe that this will be the Apple iPhone’s strongest competitor yet, the nuvifone will be the first ever device to include Google local search function as well as the ‘Where am I’ search capability. And because it’s a Garmin device, you will no doubt have access to Garmin Online for latest updates on real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sports and news and much more!

“The nuvifone is an all-in-one device offering unmatched integration of utility and function in a single mobile device,” claimed Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and COO. “This is the breakthrough product that cell phone and GPS users around the world have been longing for - a single device that does it all.”

I think one very neat function or design is that when the nuvifone is docked within your car, it automatically switches to GPS mode as well as enabling hands-free calling function, so no more excuses for no having hands-free kits while driving!

Have a look at this latest video:

With most Garmin sat-navs ranging from £110 to £200 when purchased online in brand new condition, it will be interesting to see exactly how much the nuvifone will cost us in order to own the ‘ultimate multi-tasker’…

[via Gizmodo]