Julian Dean currently 2nd overall in Tour of Ireland

In today’s stage 3 of the Tour of Ireland, Team Garmin’s Julian Dean came in third, positioning him in 2nd place in the GC and second in the points classification. Teammates Chris Sutton and Dan Martin, Irish national champ, have been fighting illness and had to drop out of yesterday’s stage. Read Dan’s account of sucking it up to play hometown hero for the press and then getting back on the bike despite feeling ill. Best wishes for a speedy recovery as the boys in argyle wrap up this tour on Sunday. Tune in to the Versus network tonight for Tour of Ireland coverage. And be sure to check out Team Garmin’s site with some “un-conventional” photos of director Jonathan Vaughters and a recent cycling partner.

Garmin Garage: 800 Series Vehicles

Well . . . Labor Day is almost upon us and all of us at the Garmin Garage have been working away to ready a set of new vehicles for you to enjoy this weekend. The 800 Series - featuring the Concept, Crossover, Jet, and Sedan are now ready to roll! This fast-and-fancy group of vehicle icons were created specifically for the nüvi 800 series. You can find them in the nüvi 800 minisite and also in the Garmin Garage. Download them and hit the road in style! As good as they look on your computer screen, they look even better on your nüvi, zumo, or StreetPilot. Just grab 'em and go! As always, we've got a lot more in store in the coming months. Make sure you subscribe to the Garmin Garage RSS feed and you'll be the first to know when a new vehicle (or vehicles!) arrive. And if you're hitting the roads this holiday weekend, have a safe trip and be sure to enjoy a little rest and relaxation!

Jake's Journal: Hood to Coast to Coast

Two oceans in one week is a pretty big deal to an Iowa boy. Throw in the Rockies and it's been a scenic August. And I can't think of a better way to cap it off than a weekend in Virginia Beach at the Rock 'n' Roll half-marathon. Of course, it won't be the same without my Hood to Coast teammates boosting spirits or Stan waiting in the exchange zone, but I have my Forerunner 405, my Virtual Partner and several thousand runners to keep me company. In the couple hours I've been in town I've already met many of my fellow racers. And I'm sure to meet more now that I'm on my way to the Health & Fitness Expo, where my colleagues and I will be talking about the benefits of technology in training. If you're in Virginia Beach, stop by and say hi!

Know before you go with our nüMaps Guarantee

Roads change. Routes change. Pretty much everything around us changes . . . but with our nüMaps GuaranteeTM, you’ll be able to receive the most up-to-date maps available. Now, if you’ve first used your nüvi or zumo on August 17th or later, you’ll be eligible for a free map update – provided your unit is registered with Garmin and a new map is available within 60 days of the unit’s first use.  The nüMaps Guarantee will begin on October 15, 2008.  You can visit our dedicated webpage for more details and also follow along on the blog.  We’ll make sure you have all the information you need about our nüMaps Guarantee. Stay tuned . . . .

Colorado Wins Field & Stream's Best of the Best

We're pleased to let you know that the Colorado 400T has been named by Field & Stream as one of the "Top New Outdoor Gadgets of 2008."  Combining pre-loaded topo maps of the entire U.S., an innovative Rock-n-Roller scroll wheel, and a chimp-simple user interface, it ought to be in every hunter's pack this fall.

Not that we're bragging, but Garmin has a long list of F&S BOTB awards in our trophy case -- including the GPSMAP 60CSx, the Rino series of GPS-enabled walkie talkies, and the Astro GPS Dog Tracking System.  So whatever your outdoor endeavor, Garmin's got the goods.

The G600's aviation databases

The G600  is fully certified, shipping, and the first customers installing them are starting to call to ask what they need to do with all these new databases.  That’s not surprising considering these customers are upgrading from steam gauges to a glass cockpit.  Here is a little break down to help the transition go a little easier.

The G600 has the capability to display six different databases.
1.    NavData
2.    Obstacle 
3.    Terrain
4.    SafeTaxi
5.    FliteCharts or
6.    Chartview

These databases are able to be downloaded from www.fly.garmin.com (except Chartview which requires a Jeppesen subscription).  The NavData is downloaded onto a spare SD card then downloaded into the G600 through the top SD card slot.  All other databases are downloaded onto the supplemental database card which goes in the bottom SD card slot on the G-600.  I hope that makes things as clear as glass.

Lifetime traffic, lane assist, Bluetooth and more

Those are just a few of the features our new nüvis have to tout! Today, we announced several new additions to two of our most popular series.  Adding lifetime traffic alerts and Bluetooth connectivity, the nüvi 265T, 265WT and 275T are ideal for the budget-minded consumer, who wants the edge when tackling traffic. With no subscription or annual fees, these traffic-friendly nüvis are ready to navigate you around the congestion right out of the box!

For a clear picture of the road ahead, the nüvi 755T, 765T, 775T and the 785T introduce lane assist to the popular nüvi family. Not sure which turn lane to be in? No problem - these new nüvis lead the way with arrows indicating the proper lane for navigation. Too many road signs to read while you're driving by? These powerful navigators fix that, too, with brilliant road sign detail displayed along the way.

For the ultimate in awareness and preparation, these new navigators hold the key. Avoid traffic, make hands-free calls and avoid the guesswork when driving when these nüvis are on board.

Latest Forerunner 405 training videos now online

Check out the latest series of short training videos for the Forerunner 405 starring Jake from the Garmin blog team. In this series, Jake covers everything from heart rate zone workouts to using Forerunner with a foot pod accessory for indoor workouts. Jake’s own training schedule is in high gear these days. Fresh from the 197-mile Hood to Coast relay last weekend, Jake’s headed south to compete in the Virginia Beach Rock’n’Roll half marathon this Sunday.

Finding Fun with the Edge 705

While the Edge 705 might just be the ultimate training tool for top-tier cyclists (such as Team Garmin, for example) and dedicated riders, the unit also makes a great riding partner for those of us who are simply interested in riding from point A to point B. With a bright color screen and a built-in basemap, the Edge 705 was built to lead you in the right direction – no matter which way you’re heading.

Treehugger.com recently posted about their experiences with the Edge 705. The article discusses the usefulness of the device and how the Edge 705 makes it easier to ride.

“Before the 705, I would either have to memorize the directions or print them out and carry them in my back pocket. Now, I simply enter the address, press "Go To" and start riding.”

“I get excited about these kinds of technologies because I'm always looking for things that make choices that are healthy for me and for the planet easier and more fun . . . A handlebar mounted GPS unit is certainly a cool gadget, but it also serves a function that increases safety and efficiency.”

You can read the rest of the article here. Of course, the Edge 705 does so much more than just navigate, but sometimes the simplest pleasures are the greatest. And a day spent out and about on a bicycle is one of the greatest pleasures of all.

Hood to Coast 2008: Memories made, lessons learned

Hard to sum up a race like Hood to Coast with mere photos and words, but for an event to draw 10,000 runners annually, it’s gotta be good. Garmin had three, 12-person teams there—one from our Salem, OR office, one from our subsidiary Dynastream Innovations in Canada and one from our headquarters office in Olathe, KS. Quick stats from the Olathe team: finished the 197-mile relay in 24 hours, 42 minutes, for a 7:31 min/mile pace. This placed us 24th out of 146 teams in the men’s corporate division (note: Amy and Peg concurred they had no problems being the solo fems on this team) and roughly the top 10 percent of all team divisions. Here's a link to Peg's final course leg in Garmin Connect, as recorded by her Forerunner 405.

A huge thanks from all of us to Captain Kurt, who did a bang-up job organizing our motley crew—setting up the driving routes, assigning course legs, accounting for all the little pitfalls that could occur, but thankfully didn’t thanks to his impeccable planning. Can’t imagine doing a race like this without the help of the routes programmed into the nüvis that guided each van to the various checkpoints. Never once was a runner left waiting for the handoff. Shortly before I started the final leg early Saturday afternoon, I talked to an all-female team singing the praises of Garmin. They competed in last year’s race without the help of GPS, and navigating to runner exchanges was a bit stressful. This year, they had nüvi at the helm and Forerunners on hand, and their race experience took on a new level of calm.

Peg and Jake: 197 miles in one wild day

After 24 hours, 43 minutes of team effort, Peg crossed the finish line well ahead of schedule and capped Garmin's first run in the 197-mile Hood to Coast Relay. After a restless night of trying to steal some shuteye and gain time on the road, we emerged from the 25th of 36 legs more than a half-hour ahead of our projected pace. Jake tackled Leg 26 and quickly found some help. Not surprisingly, Jake struck up a conversation with a fellow runner ranging from Springsteen to the Forerunner family of GPS sport watches. Sprinting to the exchange zone to hand off to Stan, his partner in baldness, Jake finished off his 18 miles stretched out over 21 hours. Click these Garmin Connect links for his second leg and third leg, as recorded by his Forerunner 405.

And as Peg and van 2 finished off the relay, Jake and his vanmates drove straight to Seaside for the celebration on the beach. When both halves of the team converged to cheer Peg to the finish, a daylong odyssey was complete. Peg led the team through the chute, where we collected finisher medals, posed for photos and moved on to our own version of an ice bath - knee deep in the chilly Pacific. Because blogging and the beach don't make the best match, we're keeping this short and will bring you a recap in the next day or two with more action photos, nighttime scenes and final thoughts from Peg and Jake. Until then, it's time to celebrate the successful end to a very long day ... and night ... and day!

H2C update: Six legs down, 30 to go

The Garmin corporate Hood to Coast team got off to a blazing start when Amy, who has been only running a few months, tore up nearly six miles of a sharp descent in a time that was 4 minutes faster than her projected estimate. Then she handed off to Jake (who, as you'll see from the pictures, did a thorough job of protecting his bald head from the midday sun), and he enjoyed the 6 percent grade that carried him downhill at a 5:54 pace for nearly six miles. (Click here to see his leg on Garmin Connect via Forerunner 405.) From there, Stan finished off the steepest part of the course before turning it over to John, an avid kayaker who was landlocked during his seven-mile leg, and Jon, who just finished a half-Ironman triathlon before coming to Portland.

When team captain Kurt took the baton around 5:30 p.m. local time, the 4-minute cushion was still intact. With six people left to do their first leg - including Peg's first outing around 10 p.m. - and then two more rounds for everyone, we have nearly 24 hours of running before we hit Seaside. We'll keep you posted when possible, but we also have to grab sleep and food when we can. The best bet for overnight updates (because, really, what else will you be doing on a Friday night...) would be to subscribe to Jake's Twitter updates. And when all is said and done, we'll be posting more behind-the-scenes to Garmin's Flickr page. As in any great race, the running is just a small part of the fun.

Scenes from the H2C starting line

No time to say much, as Amy gets our team started in mere minutes, but we wanted to share a few pictures before everything kicks into high gear. We're here near the summit of Mount Hood, ready to represent Garmin for the 197-mile trek to the Pacific Coast. But the law is on our side. Check out the zumo being put to use by the local motorcycle patrol. Our colleagues from the Salem office begin the Hood to Coast Relay at 1:45 local time, and we hit the road - and the rapid descent - 15 minutes later. We'll check in again once we have a few miles under our belts.

 

Jake and Peg: Hood to Coast adds up to adventure

197 miles. 36 sections. 12 people. Two vans. One finish line. Zero sleep. That's the Hood to Coast Relay, and Peg and Jake are on their way to Portland to join 10 teammates and two other Garmin teams among the thousand groups descending Mount Hood on their way to the Pacific Coast.

And they're fully wired. Everyone is running with a Forerunner 405 fitness watch, tracking the paths with the Oregon handheld outdoor device, communicating with teammates via Rino GPS 2-way radios and navigating with a nüvi 760 to help with route planning.

Here's another jaw-dropping number: 2,000 feet. That's the drop in elevation. In the first 6-mile leg alone. The honor of doing that plunge from Timberline Lodge goes to our fearless colleague Amy, who gets us started at 2 p.m. Friday.

In case you missed Outdoor Retailer

Trade shows are often the first chance to see, touch and use the latest and greatest in Garmin technology. But it can be hard to imagine how our products can come to life when you're stuck inside a crowded convention center. That's when our Web animation and audio-video teams step in to save the day. For a look at our newest outdoor and fitness products in action - including the Oregon, Edge 705 and Forerunner 405 - check out this video that made its debut this month at Outdoor Retailer. Then turn off your computer, go outside and give these activities a try!

GPSMAP 396 helps save a life

Being an avid reader of my AOPA ePilot, I see a lot of articles with subjects like Presidential candidates viewpoints, delivery updates on VLJ, and happenings of aviation societies.  I was a little surprised when I found an article about a pilot rescuing a stranded man out in the desert.  I was also very happy to hear that a GPSMAP 396 helped in the rescue.  So much so that I had to mention it and point out that with any of the aviation portables you can easily create a user waypoint by pressing and holding the Enter button for two seconds.  This can help you navigate back to a scenic location, a nice looking fishing hole, or maybe even save a person’s life!

Inside Team Garmin's cycling sanctuary

While Team Garmin was taking on the world's best cyclists in Utah, Portugal and China, our blog team stopped by Boulder, Colorado, to see the house that the team calls home. Located just off of bustling Pearl Street, the quaint exterior of Slipstream's U.S. headquarters does a nice job of masking the bustling activity inside. Even on a day when much of the team was scattered across three continents, plans were being carried out and maps drawn up for coming events - including the Tour of Missouri, which will bring the team to Garmin's backyard in the midwest. Etched on the wall map in a converted dining room is a phrase heard often in these offices: "I fly out tomorrow I think.

Here are a few scenes from inside the house and around Boulder, where the cycling community gathered for the documentary, "Road to Roubaix." The film was preceded by outtakes from VeloNews interviews in France, and Team Garmin was a popular part of the humorous clips. Among our favorites were team physiologist Allen Lim "interviewing" Danny Pate, a rain-soaked Jonathan Vaughters trying to sum up Will Frischkorn's breakaway, and the best was sprinter extraordinaire Julian Dean being quizzed by VeloNews' Neal Rogers and failing the following questions: What day of the week is it? What stage is today? What town are we in? Understandably, three weeks of racing a grand tour every day takes a toll on your body and your brain. So blog readers, check the Team Garmin page for the latest news and get ready physically and mentally for our extensive coverage of the Tour of Missouri.

GPS marine chart basics part 2

With boat show season just around the corner, last week we showed you the first of many new marine training videos we have in the works. Here is another look at some Garmin chartplotter basics explored to help illustrate what a stand-alone plotter can do for you on the water. But check back soon - we have another series of videos that show these powerful displays in action with the addition of sonar.

Ask Garmin: What's best for geocaching?

This week's question comes from Niels, who asks, "Which device would be best for geocaching?" Perfect question as summer becomes fall, Niels. For starters, there are reliable geocaching units with high-sensitivity receivers available at a wide range of prices, including our eTrex family and GPSMap 60 series. But if you're looking for the best, look no further than the newly released Oregon and Colorado families with paperless geocaching, wireless data transfer and options for preloaded mapping. In a review posted today, GPS Lodge said the Oregon's "touchscreen interface has a tremendous number of assets that make the Oregon the best designed, easiest to use Garmin handheld yet."

Garmin blogger Jake recently used his Oregon 400t (with preloaded topo for the whole U.S.) to stash a few geocoins in Salt Lake City during Outdoor Retailer, and the finding frenzy didn't take long. "This was by far my favorite cache!" wrote geocacher Emmbers the day after Jake left town. "There was an outdoor show of some kind going on down the street and I took a pic of the Garmin poster hanging up. I'm from KC and we have the Garmin Headquarters, so I thought it was special. The cache had an unactivated Garmin Wherigo coin. Thanks for a really great cache!"

As more of our Garmin colleagues go caching, we'll share more pictures of the Oregon and Colorado in action (and hints as to where you can find geocoins). Keep on reading to see where a recent multicache led us.

Ben wraps up his Colorado training; Jenna will train in Beijing while cheering on her brother

Garmin-sponsored triathletes Jenna Shoemaker and Ben Collins share their training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405. Find out how the Edge 705 with mapping helped Ben navigate his way around Denver when he stopped to visit a friend.

Ben:
This was my final week in Colorado. The fun had to come to an end sometime. Tuesday morning I said my goodbyes at the Olympic Training Center. Okay, I said one or two goodbyes – mainly to the cooking staff, who were the highlight of my trip. There are a lot of things I miss about home, but cooking for myself is not one of them! I decided to fly out of Denver rather than Colorado Springs because it saved me a leg of the trip, and allowed me to have a 12-hour layover in Seattle before I head to Canada for the Kelowna Pan-American Cup Triathlon this weekend. This also let me visit one of my oldest friends from grade school, Noah, who now lives in Denver where he works for the National Renewable Energy Labs. I hitched a ride north from the Springs with another triathlete, but I had no idea where I was going or how to get there. That’s where my Garmin Edge 705 came in to play.

Phinney qualifies for semi-finals in Beijing; Team Garmin in yellow in Utah

Must-see TV: tune in to NBC nightly news tonight with an interview of Taylor Phinney, the 18-year-old cycling sensation who rides for Team Garmin’s under 23 team. Today, Mini Phinney clocked the 7th fastest time in qualifying heats for the 4000 meter track event. Taylor’s time was 4’22.860”. Tomorrow he’ll be racing New Zealand’s Hayden Roulston in the third heat of the semi-finals, scheduled for 16:30 Beijing time. Check out the Team Garmin page for news through the weekend and don’t miss the blog post written by his sister Kelsey. And if you hadn't heard about Taylor's heavy-medal heritage, you likely will in tonight's interview. Just look at those proud parents, hopeful for another medalist in the family.

Back in the states, Team Garmin riders Jason Donald and Blake Caldwell are blazing through the southwest, winning stages 1 and 2, respectively, in the Tour of Utah. Blake’s doing double duty on this tour, serving as the team’s on-site reporter … when he’s not climbing mountains and recovering for the next day’s journey. Today’s ride included more than 10,000 feet of climbing, so Blake earned every stitch of that yellow jersey when he took it from teammate Jason. Another Team Garmin rider, Peter Stetina, made the podium today as well, earning the Best Young Rider classification.

Read all about it with Garmin and Audible.com

Summer may be coming to an end but there’s still plenty of time to hit the highway and enjoy a good old-fashioned road trip. And to help lead you down the road, we’ve partnered with Audible.com to offer you a free audiobook to download to your compatible Garmin GPS device. Now you’ll have stories to listen to as you create stories of your own on your next trip. Of course, with so many travel tales to choose from, it was a tough choice deciding which one of Audible.com’s many selections would be the best. But after a flurry of emails and a few discussions, Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in 80 Days was picked. It’s the ultimate travel adventure – featuring exotic locations and numerous modes of transportation. And while you might just be taking a one-day weekend trip down the road to see family and friends, this epic story is sure to keep you entertained for miles. Download your free copy today and be sure to browse the rest of Audible.com’s selection. It’s a great way to make the most of your time on the road. 

'Racing for a Miracle' at Michigan

Coming off a top-15 finish at last week's Watkin's Glen event, Elliott Sadler and the No. 19 team are going into Sunday's race with a lot on the line - a $1 million, in fact! There are millions of reasons to win a race, but the team is pulling for a first place finish at the 3M Performance 400 as part of the "Racing for a Miracle" program created in part by Stanley Tools, another sponsor of the No. 19 Best Buy car. Stanley Tools is putting $1 million on the line for a win, and Elliott says that this may be one of the biggest races of his life. If Elliott finishes first at the 400-mile race at MIS, Stanley Tools will make a $1 million donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

Elliott has led four races for a total of 17 laps and is currently 20th in driver's points standing. Tune in on Sunday to cheer on the No. 19 team in their 'Race for a Miracle.' The race fun starts in Michigan at 1 pm ET. And don't forget, we're only 7 races away from the Kansas 400, where the No. 19 Best Buy / Garmin car will sport the new Garmin paint scheme in our very own backyard. Good luck this weekend, team!

America is beautiful -- especially with SVT

With medal ceremonies every night, you may be feeling extra patriotic these days. We decided to take that proud-to-be-an-American-feeling one step further, and our newest Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT) commercial shows what America looks like with SVT. Enjoy these great sights as you sing along!

GPS marine chart basics explored

If you're a weekend warrior who is thinking about getting a marine navigation device for your boat, or if you spend your week days on the water and want to know a little bit more about what your Chartplotter can tell you, we've put together some videos to help you become more familiar with what these units are capable of. The video below uses a GPSMAP 5208, one of Garmin's newest touchscreen MFDs, to walk you through some of the basics. Check out the video below, and stay tuned...there's more where that came from!

   

Getting started with fly.garmin.com

Does the task of updating the Jeppesen database in your GPSMAP 496 bring bad vibes?  Do you put off updating the databases in your GPSMAP 296 for six or twelve months just to avoid the hassle of entering an incorrect unit ID number or lose the database file in the jungle of desktop icons on your PC?  Fear no more! www.fly.Garmin.com has come to the rescue.

If you are a first time user of flyGarmin, there are a few extra introductory steps to get things started.  If you have been a myGarmin customer in the past, use your myGarmin username and password to login to flyGarmin.com. No myGarmin username or password?  No worries, create a new account by choosing the "Get One Now" link. 

Here are some hints and tips for the first time user:
1. Start by selecting either the Portable Tab or the Aircraft Tab in flyGarmin to add your Garmin aviation unit to your account.
2. The Communicator Plug-in program will need to be downloaded and installed on the first visit to flyGarmin.  Log back into flyGarmin after successful installation of the Communicator Plug-in program.
3. G1000 owners will want to get the System ID number from the AUX page group SYSTEM page of the MFD in their aircraft before starting updates.  It is also a good idea to have the aircraft serial number available.
4. Once you have done the initial setup work in flyGarmin.com, all information is retained in your account for easy downloading at a future date.

Team Garmin cyclists wrap up Beijing time trial

Riding for Team USA in Beijing, David Zabriskie finished 12th in today’s 47 km time trial and Canadian Ryder Hesjedal finished 16th. This was David Z’s first event after an untimely crash in the Giro d’Italia in June. World champ time trialist Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland took gold with a time of 1h02’11, followed by Sweden’s Gustav Larsson and Levi Leipheimer of the U.S. Visit the Team Garmin page for more updates, including an interview with 18-year-old Taylor Phinney, who rides for the team’s under 23 team. Taylor will be competing in the 4000 meter short track event in Beijing, with qualifying round this Friday. In the interview, Taylor reflects on his heavy-medal heritage. His dad, Davis Phinney, won bronze in the road race at 1984 L.A. games while mom, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, won gold in the road race the same year. Connie’s win made her the first American woman to take gold in a cycling event. And just today, Kristin Armstrong became the second when she took gold in the women’s time trial. And no ... she’s not related to Lance.

Jake's Journal: Living the high life with Oregon, Forerunner

You know it's been a good week when your seven-day stretch begins in Salt Lake City with the biggest names and brightest minds in the outdoor industry, then continues along the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park and wraps up with a cycling documentary in Boulder, home of Slipstream Sports and the cyclists of Team Garmin.

Let's start with Outdoor Retailer, which had visitors singing the praises of Garmin's new Oregon series of touchscreen handhelds, the Edge 705 cycling computer fresh from the spotlight in France, the touch-sensitive Forerunner 405 sport watch and our new multi-mode nüvi 500.

I spent most of my time in Salt Lake City discussing the Oregon 400t, which has received rave reviews recently, including PC Magazine's thorough overview ("the Garmin Oregon 400t is an ideal companion for an active outdoor lifestyle") and about.com choosing the Oregon 400t as the top pick among all handheld GPS for outdoor use and geocaching. Proving that I can walk the walk as well as talk the talk (which for me translates to a lot of both), I pulled into Estes Park being led by my Oregon 400t supplemented with City Navigator mapping (those six million points of interest and turn-by-turn routing come in handy). Also armed with a Forerunner 405, I was ready to conquer the trails of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Giving it a tri

Over 400 women, plus throngs of volunteers and spectators, descended on Smithville, Missouri on Saturday for the 3rd annual WIN for KC Women’s Triathlon. With overcast skies and temps in the 70s, it felt a bit like Paradise, which just so happens to be the name of the neighboring town. This women-only, sprint distance tri has gained favor for welcoming first-time triathletes as well as seasoned pros. Saturday’s race drew 219 first-timers — women of all ages and abilities who trained to swim, bike and run. And every one of those women can now call themselves a triathlete. Congrats to all of the participants and a big thanks to WIN for KC and race director Clay Myers-Bowman for putting on a spectacular race. Follow the jump for more race day highlights and photos.

Garmin Navigates a Green RV

Garmin is onboard a "Green RV" that's touring the United States. During the weekend, it was at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City.  Brian Brawdy is a big fan of Garmin's nav gear, and he's tricked out this camper with the GPSMAP 5208, which can display (among other things) some amazingly detailed weather data.  Click on the screen below to see a TV report on his high-tech ride.

Christian Vande Velde finishes 17th in Beijing

In a race where merely crossing the finish line was an unattainable feat for some, Christian Vande Velde pulled off a 17th place finish at the road race in Beijing. Christian was the second American across the line behind Levi Leipheimer, who finished 11th. Conditions were extremely hot and humid for the 245.5 km race. Of the 143 cyclists who stared the race at Yongdingmen Gate, 90 finished. Team Garmin’s Julian Dean finished 54th, with Ryder Hesjedal on his wheel in 56th place. David Zabriskie dropped out of the race halfway in order to save his legs for the individual time trial event on Wednesday. Read Christian’s account of the race, including a description of the expressionless guards keeping fans off the course in Beijing. Stayed tuned for more Team Garmin racing updates following the time trial with Zabriskie and Hesjedal, followed by Taylor Phinney tearing up the 4000 meter short track.

Take a Tour of Oregon via Utah

If you've made your way (or you're making your way) to Outdoor Retailer's Summer Market show in Salt Lake City, be sure to stop by Garmin's booth and get a hands-on demo of our new line of Oregon navigators. These rugged handhelds feature an easy-to-use touchscreen interface and are perfect for leading you over the river and through the woods . . . no matter where you're going.

Of course, we know that not everyone can make it to Outdoor Retailer but that's ok. Because we're bringing a little of Outdoor Retailer (and a little bit more of Oregon) to you. Follow along with Jake from the Garmin Blog Team as he gives a brief tour of Oregon - the high-sensitivity GPS navigator, not the great state.  And if the video doesn't make you want to run right out into the great wild, maybe some of Jake's most recent geo-coin drops will. We don't want to give away all of the hints as to where you can find these commemorative coins . . . but Outdoor Retailer is in Utah.  Jake's in Utah.  And he's armed with coins, Colorados, and Oregons.  He's a walking, talking, geocachin' machine!

ANT+ is wireless technology that plays nice with others

A recent comment from a Garmin blog reader asked whether the Forerunner 405 will work with other manufacturers’ heart rate monitors or foot pods. The answer is yes, as long as those devices have ANT+ (formerly called ANT+Sport) wireless technology. The beauty of ANT+ is interoperability. Before you choke on the word, just know that it makes your life easier. If you have a device with ANT+ technology, it can talk with another ANT+ device. For example, if you own a Garmin Forerunner 305 (which comes with a heart rate monitor that uses ANT+) and you want to upgrade to the 405, you can purchase the model that comes without heart rate and simply use the heart rate monitor you already own. Same goes for the foot pod, an accessory that measures your foot stride so you can use Forerunner indoors when GPS is unavailable. The foot pod can also be used with the Forerunner 50, our non-GPS sport watch, to calculate distance indoors or out. Note that the compatibility extends to accessories with ANT+ (formerly called ANT+Sport), but not necessarily components with simply “ANT” technology.

You could win a nüvi playing SUBWAY® SCRABBLE!

Last year, thousands won cool prizes playing SUBWAY® SCRABBLE, a delicious twist on America’s favorite board game. This year, the game is back BIGGER and BETTER—with over 49 million chances to win instantly! Scrabbletastic prizes include $100,000 cash, hybrid cars, diamond jewelry, trips and more! Get Game Pieces on all sandwich wrappers and drink cups at participating SUBWAY® restaurants. Then just peel and reveal—you could instantly win a Garmin nüvi 205 GPS unit! And when you log on to subwayfreshbuzz.com, the fun continues with more chances to win prizes instantly or by completing winning words on the SUBWAY® SCRABBLE Game Board. You could be our next big winner—so get in the game now!

SCRABBLE, the distinctive game board and letter tiles, and all associated logos are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada and are used with permission. © 2008 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.  ©2008 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.

Jake's Journal: Oregon, Colorado ... and Utah?

Before we spark any online rumors and Twitter overload, these are just the states I'll be visiting this month. The fact that Oregon and Colorado happen to be our top-of-the-line outdoor handhelds introduced this year does not mean that you should start planning for the Garmin Utah series any time soon. I guess it could offer preloaded salt lake charts for all of those inland saltwater anglers out there. But now I'm just making things up.

  Tomorrow is the launch of another Outdoor Retailer here in Salt Lake City, where I've been geocaching, stashing geocoins and discussing the 400t models of the Oregon and Colorado families. With preloaded topo maps for the entire U.S., wireless unit-to-unit transfer and paperless geocaching, these devices are a true evolutionary leap in outdoor devices. So it was only fitting that we mint limited-edition geocoins and stash them across the country for lucky cachers. (And we just stuffed dozens more into random Colorado 400t boxes!)

Ben continues Colorado training; Jenna tries to rest & recover for London Triathlon

Garmin-sponsored triathletes Jenna Shoemaker and Ben Collins share their training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405, along with links to their data in Garmin Connect.

Ben:
Last week I wrote about a group ride I went on here in Colorado Springs. I was still adjusting to the altitude, but was feeling pretty optimistic about the coming week. That optimism was well founded. Every day last week included a workout with some high intensity. We ran hills, sprinted in the pool, raced bike run bricks, ran long, ran fast, and finished off the week with the same three-hour group ride as the week before. This time around, however, I felt better and better as the week went on, and by the time Sunday came around, I was pushing the front of the pack rather than just hanging on.

Since I felt better, I spent some time going over the data from my Garmin Edge 705. We climbed about 1100 meters over 95km. My max speed was 73.2 kph (45.5 mph), the maximum grade was 18% (a little hill called Flying W). I burned 3500 calories, my average cadence was 89, and my max power was 1250 watts, which I hit a few times, and which seemed to be plenty to get off the front of the pack during a series of attacks through the Air Force base. I’m really enjoying how easily the Quarq Cinqo pairs with the Edge 705. The data seems quite reliable. I even rode on a Computrainer and found that the two power readings were within a few watts of each other.

Team Garmin: From Brest to Beijing in a month

It's not just the hours spent each day during a stage of a grand tour that have the elite cyclists of Team Garmin moving at a whirlwind pace. Since the team was first introduced in Brest, France, in early July, they have been turning heads along rural French roads, at crowded finish lines and on TV sets around the world. To get a clear picture of how Team Garmin spent its month touring France, read Bonnie Ford's thorough and engaging recap at ESPN.com: http://tinyurl.com/teamgarmin

But there's no slowing down. With another European tour already under their belts since rolling down the Champs-Élysées , Team Garmin now focuses on another global gathering of the best cyclists in the world. Six members of the Team Garmin family will square off in Beijing. In Saturday's Road Race, New Zealand champion Julian Dean and Canada's Ryder Hesjedal will compete with (and against) Americans David Zabriskie and Christian Vande Velde, fresh off his fifth-place finish in France. Four days later, Hesjedal and Zabriskie hit the streets again for the individual time trial. The next weekend, American teen phenom Taylor Phinney goes for 4000-meter gold on the track. American Mike Friedman rounds out Team Garmin's time in China with the 50k Madison competition.

Stay tuned at garmin.blogs.com for updates on these amazing cyclists and the rest of Team Garmin's adventures, including their September visit to Garmin's backyard during the Tour of Missouri.

Drive happy with Garmin Mobile PC

August is here and that means school will be starting soon. If a laptop is one of your back-to-school purchases, don't forget that turning that laptop into a high-end Garmin navigator is a cinch. Garmin Mobile PC is a software and GPS receiver package that gives turn-by-turn, voice prompted directions, as well as, real-time information like weather, fuel prices, and airline status. Laptop Magazine just awarded it the Editors' Choice award and said it offers a "blissfully simple interface and fast, accurate routing." They went on to say, "We loved navigating with the Mobile PC. Searches were fast and maps were colorful and easy to read."  Read the full review here.

AirVenture Oshkosh: A little something for everyone

Even though EAA AirVenture Oshkosh wrapped up on Sunday, it's still top-of-mind. We had a great show and our customers have told us they did too. This was the first time the general public could interact with the newly certified G600 retrofit panel, and based on their reactions the G600 is another home run. We've already started shipping the G600 to authorized dealers, so if you're interested in learning more you should check out our website or contact your authorized Garmin dealer.

 

Obviously Oshkosh is the place to be for pilots, but did you know thousands of non-pilots also attend the show. There are 800-plus booths at Oshkosh and many of them are focused on non-aviation-related activities. Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Ford are just a few of the companies that were showing vehicles that don't have wings and propellers. John Deere and Ford even set up test-drive courses so customers could check out the bells-and-whistles on new mowers and trucks. Unfortunately, this blogger didn't get a chance to test either because the Garmin booth was always busy, but don't worry, there's always Oshkosh '09!

On the Road with zumo

One of the great things about working at Garmin is that you’re always surrounded by people who share a passion for the products that they work on. Throughout our headquarters and at each of our offices around the world, you’ll find Garmin employees using the great gear that we create. Sure, it’s lots and lots of fun, but it also helps us learn more about our products and continue to search for new ways to make our offerings even better. 

And when one of the products you make happens to be the zumo, it should come as no surprise that lots of the people who work here take to two wheels as often as possible – whether it’s for transportation, recreation or both. We’re also right in the middle of motorcycle season and Sturgis has fired to life for what’s sure to be another great year. It’s where you’ll find our new Harley-Davidson Road Tech zumo along with many more zumos zig-zagging across South Dakota. Of course, not all roads lead to Sturgis. At the beginning of spring, Ben, one of the many Garmin associates who rides, took off on a multi-state trip that stretched from Kansas to California – and back. You can ride along with Ben and view his pictures below. It’s just one of the many zumo-guided trips that Garmin users and Garmin associates will be enjoying this year. And it's also another quick glimpse of a Garmin associate putting our products through their paces. 

Ride

view presentation

GPS Tracklog takes 2x5 series for a test drive

The folks at GPSTracklog just finished up their hands-on review of the nüvi 2x5 series, in which they called it the "best entry level GPS on the market." After putting the nüvi 205W entry-level navigator through it's paces, these GPS gurus say they recommend it, or any other member of the 2x5 series, without hesitation. Highlighted for it's high-end features at an entry-level price, they liked the HotFix satellite prediction - enabling nüvi to calculate your position faster, and get you where you're headed quicker. Plus, if pictures are your thing, download your favorites through Google's Panoramio photo sharing community and navigate to them with ease. The Where Am I? feature and shaded elevation mapping display are also premium features these affordable devices boast. So if you're looking for simple, affordable navigation at your fingertips, check out the full review and find the nüvi that's perfect for you!

Garmin sightings at AirVenture Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has closed its gates for 2008, and all the planes have left the field. We had a great time at the show and it seemed like everywhere we went we ran into Garmin avionics. The G1000 is now standard avionics on over a dozen airframes by numerous manufacturers. Whether you were at Garmin's booth or another aircraft OEM, it was hard to not see Garmin glass. Here's a photo montage from the show that gives you a taste of all the places you could see Garmin avionics at -- other than the Garmin booth that is.

 

No. 19 team brings home season's best

At last week Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, the No. 19 Best Buy/Garmin team took home their best finish of the season. "We were able to save our tires better than almost every team and continued to turn some of the fastest laps throughout the race and Rodney (the crew chief) made some great calls from on top of the pit box. Overall it was a true team effort and I am so proud to be a part of this team," Elliot said. The 4th place finish at Indianapolis is the second top-10 finish the team has had this season, and moved driver Elliott Sadler into 21st in driver points.

This weekend the team tackles the tricky triangle of Pocono Raceway. "This race track is not for the faint of heart - you have to maintain your concentration and continually hit your marks in order to be successful," Elliott said. Tune in to cheer on the team Sunday afternoon on ESPN as they look to record their third consecutive top-15 finish. Good luck to Elliott and the entire No. 19 team!

ADS-B: The Future of Flight

The Garmin booth was hopping yesterday. We had a press conference to discuss ADS-B and we were honored to have several VIPs in attendance including FAA Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell, GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce, and Kansas City's KMBC-TV Pilot and Reporter Johnny Rowlands. ADS-B, which stands for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, is a critical next step for the aviation industry. ADS-B technology helps pilots see each other during flight. Non-pilots may think it would be easy to see an airplane in the sky when you're flying, but it's actually somewhat tough to spot a small aircraft in a big sky. ADS-B will help pilots "see" each other via avionics, and will be a huge assistance as pilots look for traffic out the cockpit window.

Kansas City local celebrity Johnny Rowlands was at the press conference today because we recently supported our local KC aviation community by assisting to equip six law enforcement and news helicopters with ADS-B avionics. It makes lots of sense for these folks to have ADS-B. After all, when a breaking news story or accident occurs these aircraft fly to the exact same location. In the past they've been able to avoid each other by using radio calls and and visual contact, but now they'll be able to see where other air traffic is in relation to their helicopter on a Garmin device. Read more about it here.

Keep it fresh: software update for Forerunner 405

The Forerunner 405 has only been on the streets for a few months and our engineers have already rolled out a software update. To get the latest and greatest, go to updates and downloads on our Forerunner 405 web page. The update is free, and thanks to the 405’s wireless technology, this upgrade will cost only a few minutes of your time. If you’ve already paired your 405 with the Garmin ANT Agent application to wirelessly transfer your data, software updates are a cinch. Just plug in your ANT stick and it’ll search for your device. Once it finds your device, click the “update software” bar and ANT Agent takes it from there.

Changes to software version 2.20 include:
- added timeout setting to the Training Options menu that disables the automatic timeout to power save mode when the watch is in training mode
- changed all settings in the Training Options menu to be specific to the current sport mode setting (run or bike)
- made adjustments to instantaneous pace filtering
- calculate calories, averages and Virtual Partner time ahead/behind only when not auto paused
- added small navigation arrow on course timer page