14 DAY TRIAL // Garmin-Asus, the co-branded alliance between Garmin Ltd. and ASUSTeK Computer Inc., announced today that Garmin-Asus A10, their first mobile phone to arrive on the market with Google's Android operating system on board, was set for a market release in mid-2010. Moreover, the company unveiled that the device should be marketed in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and that it would include optimized pedestrian navigation capabilities.
The touchscreen-enabled A10 is expected to prove a great option when it comes to city navigation. The phone packs a bright, 3.2-inch HVGA display, along with electronic compass, and a long-lasting 1500mAh battery. Moreover, the GPS capabilities on A10 have been optimized so as to make sure that users will receive the best location and navigation experience that can be offered on a smartphone.
“Detailed maps are preloaded on the A10 so that users do not have to pay and wait for third party maps to download from a server, nor will they lose their turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation if they are out of cell phone coverage. In addition to pedestrian navigation, the A10 is ready for use in an automobile out-of-the-box, and it comes with a powered audio mount that magnifies the volume of the device’s voice commands,” Garmin-Asus announced.
The new handset packs all the features of a smartphone. The Android operating system that powers it comes with integrated Google Mobile Services, including access to Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, calendar, contacts and Android Market. Users can download a wide range of applications on the device, including additional location-centric content to take full advantage of the A10’s enhanced GPS capability.
Other features of Garmin-Asus A10 include compatibility with Microsoft Exchange server, so that users can sync contacts, calendar and enterprise email over-the-air, a powerful WebKit browser, a 5-megapixel photo snapper with auto focus and geo-tagging, built-in accelerometer, and more. The phone offers support for optional cityXplorer maps, enabling users to easily plan routes that include public transit options.