Garmin's New 5 GPS Units Have Features for Every Consumer

"There can never be enough GPS units"; this seems to be Garmin's motto, as the well-known manufacturer has announced no less than five new models of handheld devices.

The new models include the eTrex Vista HCx, eTrex Legend HCx, eTrex Summit HC, sieTrex Venture HCand and eTrex H.

The eTrex Vista HCx and Legend HCx include a built-in basemap of North America with the capability to perform automatic route generation, off-route recalculation and turn-by-turn directions with alert tones. To enjoy these advanced routing features, customers will need to purchase a pre-programmed microSD card with City Navigator street maps.

Maps are shown on a color TFT display that is easy to view during day or night. The Vista HCx and Legend HCx store 500 waypoints and 50 routes, the former model also incorporating a barometric altimeter for extremely accurate elevation data and an electronic compass displays accurate heading while standing still.

The eTrex Summit HC and eTrex Venture HC feature a bright color TFT display and come with a built-in basemap and 24 MB of built-in memory for adding additional map data using the optional MapSource mapping software. The Summit HC and Venture HC store 500 waypoints and 50 routes. Like the eTrex Vista HCx, the eTrex Summit HC offers an electronic compass to provide accurate bearing information and an altimeter to determine precise altitude.

For the budget savvy consumer looking for a basic GPS device, Garmin's eTrex H provides tried-and-true GPS capability for under $100. The eTrex H has a monochrome screen and stores 500 waypoints and 20 routes. As with other members of the eTrex family, the eTrex H is WAAS enabled and provides an accuracy of less than three meters (10 feet).

The new eTrex devices are expected to be available in the third quarter of 2007. The eTrex Vista HCx and Legend HCx have a suggested a retail price of $299.99 and $269.99, respectively. The eTrex Summit HC and Venture HC have a suggested retail price of $249.99 and $199.99, respectively. The eTrex H has a suggested retail price of $99.99.

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