In this article I will review a feature rich device Garmin Asus M-10, which is not just a GPS device, but also a feature rich touch screen Windows Mobile Phone with a powerful processor and long battery life.

Before I tell you the specifications, lets talk about the utility of such a device from a practical perspective. I have a touch screen smart phone already, but it does not have an accurate GPS. If I get a mobile phone with almost same features including WiFi, 3G, GPRS, 5 Megapixel Camera, Memory card slot for media, social apps like Facebook, twitter, Google etc, coupled with a replaceable high capacity battery and a car mounting kit with which I can mount the same phone and use it as a full GPS without any compromise on the navigation quality, I think it makes all the sense.

The M-10 exactly fits these requirements with a price point of approx Rs. 20,000, which may seem expansive, but for the features it offers, and utility of two devices in one in a compact form factor. Also I have used a Garmin GPS device in USA and the software interface and accuracy of the Garmin navigation devices is really very refined and precise.

Specifications of Garmin Asus M-10

• Networks:    HSDPA DL:7.2Mbps UL:384Kpbs, UMTS 2100 / 900 EDGE / GPRS / GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• OS:    Windows® Mobile™ 6.5.3 Professional
• CPU:    Qualcomm 7227 600MHz
• Memory:    512MB RAM+512MB ROM+4GB eMMC Flash
• Connectivity:    Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WLAN 802.11b+g, USB v2.0, Micro-USB
• GPS:    Qualcomm GPS (AGPS supported)
• Camera:    5 Mega Pixel
• Display:    3.5 WVGA TFT with Resistive touch
• Battery:    1500mAh Lithium
• Standby Time:    up to 600 hours (3G / 2G)
• Talk Time:    up to 8 hours
• Expansion Slot:    micro-SD™ (support SDHC)
• Browser:    HTTP / IE6 browser
• Email:    SMS / MMS / IM / Push e-mail / POP3 / IMAP4 / SMTP
• Video Playback:    MPEG4 / H.264 / H.263 / WMV @ 30fps WVGA
• Video Recording:    MPEG4 / H.264 / H.263 @ 24fps VGA
• Streaming:    Audio / Video
• Audio:    MP3 / WMA / 3GP / AAC / AAC+ 3.5mm headset with mic
• JAVA:    J2ME (CLDC 1.1 + MIDP2.0)
• Advance Navigation/LBS feature:    European maps & POIs, Connected Services*, Indoor location**, Junction view with lane assist**, Where am I?, Where’s My Car Parked?, Track Logs & Route Planning
• Phone Applications:    Facebook™, YouTube™, Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Microsoft® Office, Picasa™ photo upload**, PDF viewer, MSN® Money

Price of Garmin Asus M10 Device And Maps In India

It is priced at Rs. 20,000 In India, it comes with 2 free map upgrades in first year. From next year onwards, you can opt to keep running on older maps or purchase new maps which will cost you nearly Rs. 5,000.

Pictures of Asus Garmin M10

I got this device for review for a week. Below are some snapshots of the phone. Click the images below to enlarge -

If you have any doubts or queries, feel free to discuss via comments below.

As per the press release – Nippon, the leading Maruti Suzuki accessories provider, will make this light-weight, affordable and complete navigation device available at more than 250 Maruti showrooms spread across all Metros, Tier I and Tier-II cities in the country. On purchase of SatGuide C230PND, the buyer gets a FREE GPS maps upgrade covering 628 cities and whopping 2 million Points of Interest.

Features of Maruti GPS System C230

The SatGuide PND C230 is an indispensable travel tool for Indian consumers with sophisticated
navigation functions, clear maps, turn-by-turn guidance and voice instructions. It comes with an extensive picture storage capacity as well as MP3 player. PND C230 is capable of providing accurate and easy navigation in even the most challenging environments. SatGuide C230 device will be available at all Maruti accessory stores across the country and this device will be sold exclusively at Maruti showrooms only.

Specification of Maruti GPS System C230

Hardware Specifications
CPU – Samsung 2443–400Mhz
GPS Chipset – 20-channel SiRFstarIII
TMC – Optional
Memory / ROM – 256MB~1GB
Memory / RAM – 32~64MB
Memory Slot – SD/MMC (Compatible)
Color Display – 3.5" TFT with Touchscreen
Resolution – 320 x 240 Pixels (QVGA)
Display Orientation – Landscape
Battery Un-swappable rechargeable Lithium battery cell
Battery Capacity – 800mAh
Battery Life – 3.5 to 4.0 Hrs
USB – Yes (USB 2.0)
Speaker -  Yes
Depth   = 24 mm (0.94")
Width   =90 mm (3.5")
Height  =84 mm (3.3")
Weight  =144 g (5.08 oz)

Software Specifications
Operating System        Win CE .Net 5
Navigation Software     Yes (SatGuide map Preloaded)

Price of Maruti GPS System C230

The price is not yet released. I have contacted the concerned department in SatNav to enquire about the price. I will update the price as soon as I get to know of it. I expect the device to be priced below Rs. 10000 as the same device is sold on a UK website for 110 Pounds Sterling.

In this post I will talk about:

• How GPS Navigation System works
• Types of Navigation Devices Available
• Cost of GPS Navigation Equipment and Cost of using it

Cost of GPS Navigation System In India

GPS Navigation runs on many type of Devices like:

1. Dedicated GPS Navigation Devices
2. Mobile Phones which have GPS receiver
3. Laptop or PDA with GPS receiver

Dedicated GPS Device 

A dedicated GPS Navigation Device with maps will cost you from Rs 17000($350) to about Rs 20000 ($400). It has updated maps software installed in it, and you don’t need to pay any monthly amount for it there after

Mobile Phones with GPS

For a mobile phone, there are three different plans:

• For Windows Mobile version 6 or higher, you can buy maps for a fix amount, for example Rs 1200 ($25) for a city and Rs. 5000 ($ 100) . After this, no monthly charge or subscription.
• For non-Windows mobile phones with GPS receiver, you can buy a 6-months subscription for Rs. 1200 ($25). In this you access the maps software via GPRS of your phone.  So in this case you will be charged for GPRS traffic usage also.
• Third one is Nokia Navigator Series Mobile Phones with free maps installed. This is the cheapest way to use GPS Navigation as there is no extra subscription for maps software, but the quality and accuracy of the maps will not be as good as MapMyIndia maps.

Laptop or PDA

If you have a laptop or PDA with built-in or external GPS receiver attached and an Internet connection, you can use the plans same as windows mobile, or also use Google-maps service for navigation. I don’t have detailed steps on how to do that, for that you need to explore more features of Google-maps or Yahoo-maps etc.

How GPS Navigation System Works?

The GPS navigation works on the principle of telling location by catching the signals of three or more GPS satellites at one time. Good thing is that its for free. You don’t need to pay catching these signals. Just your device should have a GPS receiver. Its as free as listening to FM radio without paying for radio service

I hope you like this information. If you want to add something, or have a suggestion or comment, please leave a comment below. Get more such tech updates in your inbox by clicking here.