Garmin Garage: Wishlist

We’re all about giving back at the Garmin Garage. And when we realized Black Friday was right around the corner, we thought we should get to work on an icon that’s up for taking on the task of that very chaotic day! So if you’re heading out and braving the crowds in search of great deals far and wide, we’ve got the perfect icon to lead you from store to store. Introducing Wishlist! It’s ready to go as you’re dashing through the snow in your pursuit of the perfect present. And if you’re still looking for gift ideas for family and friends before you go, be sure to check out our Holiday Guide. It’s full of great gear for everyone on your shopping list. Grab Wishlist today and hit the stores in style!

Garmin Garage: Say Hello to Elfred the Elf!

Looking to add a little holiday cheer to your nüvi this holiday season? Well, we’ve got the perfect addition for you! Say ‘hello’ to Elfred the Elf! This little guy has been quite the help around the Garmin Garage . . . so much, in fact, that Scooter hasn’t had much to do since Elfred arrived. But Elfred was meant to move on to bigger and better projects so that’s why we’re happy to share him with all of you. Elfred is a new voice bundle that arrived just in time to guide your sleigh on all of your holiday travels. And as much fun as he was to have around the shop, we know he’ll have even more fun helping you out this holiday season. So download the Elfred voice bundle today and hit the highway with a laugh or two! You’ll also want to make sure you subscribe for the Garmin Garage RSS feed or sign up for our email updates – we’ve got a lot more in store for you during the next few weeks - and it's all free! Besides, who doesn’t want to be the first kid on the block to have the latest and greatest vehicle icons?  Happy holidays from everyone in the Garmin Garage!

Giving thanks for good deals

To gear up for the busiest shopping day of the season, Garmin associates lined the halls yesterday to get their hands on the hottest navigators for friends and family on their shopping lists during our own version of Black Friday. If, like some of our associates, a Garmin GPS is on the wish list of someone you're shopping for, the Garmin Holiday Guide is the perfect place to start before you head out. On the road, in a boat, on a bike, through a trail or during a workout - we've got something for everyone. So if you're one of the many shoppers who plan to join the crowds to score the best deals around this Black Friday, there are many great Garmin specials to be found...happy shopping!

From everyone at the Garmin family - here's wishing you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving!

696's low and high enroute airways

One of the GPSMAP 696 features that is putting smiles on customers’ faces is the ability to pull up IFR chart information. The IFR map is easily accessible with the soft key buttons on the MAP page.  Choosing the “IFR MAP” gives you the option to view “LOW AWY” (Low Airways), “HIGH AWY” (High Airways), or both.  With the IFR map selected you can easily pull up MEAs (Minimum Enroute Altitude) and distances between intersections by using the map cursor.  Also the 696 has highways, cities, railroads, and other VFR information displayed on the map to aid in situational awareness.  The IFR map also can be overlaid with the weather or the terrain increasing your situational awareness even further.  With the FliteCharts database of departure procedures, arrival routes, and instrument approaches combined with the IFR map the 696 is a valuable reference for the IFR pilot.

Garmin helps catch the big ones at SKA

We just returned from the Southern Kingfish Association 2008 Nationals in Biloxi, Mississippi, and although we didn't bring home a prize winning fish, we did bring home a lot of pictures (a close second to a prize winning fish, right?). On the water, the fisherman battled really tough weather and harsh conditions. It was a battle just to get on the water, but these guys didn't let that stop them from reeling in the big one. With such harsh conditions, many guys relied on their GDL-30A for XM WX Satellite Weather data delivering sea surface temperatures and Fishbytes fish location data. Click here to see the winning Mackerel in the Open Class and Class of 23.

While we let the pros take to the water, we kept pretty busy at the tournament, too. When we weren't showing and answering questions about our marine products at the booth, we were off recording tutorials aboard a 33-foot Contender equipped with twin GPSMAP 5212s and the GHC 10 Autopilot System. When we walked the docks, we saw a lot of Garmin HD radar domes, and found many boats equipped with the new GPSMAP 4200 and 5200 series MFDS. One of our favorite parts of the tournament however, was hearing testimony from fishermen who stopped by to tell us about how Garmin is helping them on the water. Great job to the fishermen aboard the over 300 boats who made it out despite the conditions, and congratulations to the winners!

 

Garmin gear helps FOX's "24" kick off new season

Garmin is excited to announce its partnership with FOX’s awarding-winning drama, "24," in anticipation of the Day 7 premiere. The two-night, four-hour event airs Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7C on FOX. Leading up to the season premiere, weekly webisodes will go live where fans can see Garmin navigation (a GPSMAP 396, Oregon 400t, Foretrex 201, Rino 530HCx, Garmin Mobile XT and a nüvi 265WT to be exact) being used in 24 Dossier.

In addition to watching the webisodes, "24" fans have the opportunity to see a sneak preview of "24" Day 7 on Thursday Jan. 8, from 6-8pm at the Garmin retail store on Michigan Avenue. Those fans will also have the chance to meet Carlos Bernard who plays the character of Tony Almeida, enjoy refreshments and leave with an exclusive Garmin/24 gift bag. How can you be part of this extraordinary event? You have to win it!

Team Garmin shows off roster, sense of humor

Saturday's Team Garmin gala was a party with parity. As "Jumpin' Jack Flash" blared through the speakers - an inside nod to 24 hours earlier when heralded newcomer Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins took the mic at a local pub - Team Garmin's 2009 squad took the stage at the Boulder Theater in no apparent order, choosing to squeeze onto couches rather than stand out from the group. Seats that had been placed near the front of the stage remained empty as veterans plopped down next to youngsters, Olympians by up-and-comers. Julian Dean pointed it out during the Q&A, noting that no teammate puts himself ahead of another.

That said, there were plenty of chances for Team Garmin's cyclists to stand out - through their one-liners and choice of argyle interpretation. The crowd of nearly 1,000 exuberant fans cheered the team, roared with laughter and peppered the cyclists with questions ranging from the feeling at the finish line to the benefits of beards. Among the VIPs in attendance was the mayor of Boulder, who announced the city will soon sport argyle bike racks in support of its hometown heroes.

Garmin Garage: Thanksgiving Bundle

Time sure flies around the Garmin Garage. It seems like it was only yesterday when we were introducing all of you to Dr. Nightmare and the Boo Bundle. And now we’re just a few days away from Thanksgiving. All of us in the Garmin Garage are thankful for all of our fans. Since we opened our doors almost a year ago, we’ve been overwhelmed by the comments, suggestions, and enthusiasm everyone has had. So we thought we’d show our appreciation and give thanks to all of you by releasing the Thanksgiving Bundle in time for your Thanksgiving travel. Say ‘hello’ to Mr. Mayflower and Drumstick. Both are perfect for leading you to and from your Thanksgiving celebrations this year. And don’t worry – no turkeys (animated or otherwise) were actually harmed in the creation of these icons. It’s good ol’ fashioned 3D fun for the entire family. Be sure to grab Mr. Mayflower and Drumstick today . . . and stop back often as we have a lot more in store during the next few weeks! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from the Garmin Garage group!

Jake's Journal: Countdown to Team Garmin's Boulder bash

As I type this, I've been in Boulder for nearly 60 argyle-packed hours with Team Garmin, with the most notable hours still ahead of me. Thursday morning, we spent time with the staff, mechanics and the cyclists themselves getting feedback about the Edge 705 and nüvis that they use every day in racing, training and transit. As David Millar told me about using his Edge at high speeds, "I love having eight pieces of data to study, but with the flick of the stick, be down to the two that mean the most."

Don't get me wrong, it hasn't all been about research and development with the best group of testers a company could ask for. The down time and social side of camp have provided some of the most memorable moments. Thursday night, the team prepared a Mexican feast for us. It was great seeing Trent Lowe mashing guacamole, Magnus Backstedt mixing sangria, bearded David Zabriskie doling out chips and Will Frischkorn and Millar serving as the waitstaff. Running 5 miles with Stan, my bald brother, amid a scenic sunrise of a perfectly brisk November morning in the mountains. Meeting with media along Pearl Street and on the sun-drenched patio of the St. Julien hotel. And to think that the best is yet to come. Tonight's gala will feature a few films about Team Garmin, a raffle of some amazing prizes and most exciting - the unveiling of the 2009 roster. We can't wait to tell you all about it.

Peg's Posts: Who’s your hero?

A few weeks ago, my last conversation with Jake before he headed east to join nearly 40,000 runners in the New York City Marathon went something like this: “Huge favor — could you get autographs from Ryan and Deena for me?” I even apologized for sounding like a groupie, but no matter. Jake understood and was prepped to spend most of his last waking hours before the marathon working in the Garmin booth at the expo. That’s where Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor made brief appearances and signed autographs for a never-ending line of fans. I’d handed off a couple issues of Runner’s World for them to sign: December 2006, with Deena gracing the cover as one of the Runner’s World “Heroes of Running”. She was highlighted as an American record holder and bronze medalist in the marathon in 2004. Ryan’s cover shot was the September 2008 issue, containing a prelude to Hall’s performance in Beijing and a feature story on where he derives motivation.

Jake returned from NY with my autographed magazines, a poster, and one more reason I can call Ryan and Deena my heroes: they use the Forerunner 405. Check out these YouTube videos to hear what they had to say about their favorite Forerunner features: Deena digs "back to start" while Ryan raves about having data on hand, from accurate mile splits to pace, when and where he wants it. Nice to know the same GPS-enabled sport watch  used by some of the top athletes in the world can be on hand for your runs too. Now that's motivation for mortals. Speaking of motivation, if yours is lagging with the colder temps, check out the Runner’s World Heroes of Running 2008. Exceptional athletes and inspiring causes abound.

Garmin Connect site adds map player function

Ever finished a ride or run and wished you could hit replay? Well, now you can. Garmin Connect — our online community for storing, analyzing and sharing activities recorded with your Garmin device — just added a map player function yesterday. This interactive feature lets you replay your activity, view it on street, topo or hybrid maps and see your stats at any point, including time, distance, speed, elevation and heart rate. Fans of our former data analysis site, MotionBased, have used and loved map player. The version on Garmin Connect has even more features to crave, including a luscious full-screen view. Check it out. The site is now compatible with Forerunner 405 and 50 (both featuring wireless data uploads) and Edge 705 and 605. We’ll keep you posted on more enhancements to the site in the coming months, including compatibility with additional Garmin devices.

Ben takes to the trails in Tahoe

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.

Last week I was at Lake Tahoe where I was able to enjoy some of the last great running days before snow starts dumping on the mountains. I did two long runs while I was there, but the second one was far more interesting than the first. The trail I ran on both times begins from the corner of Incline Village and shoots up Tunnel Creek Road to where it joins Flume Trail. Flume Trail is amazing, but Tunnel Creek is a three-mile uphill grind, which climbs 1500 feet to an altitude of 7700 feet. This climb will instill second thoughts in the most determined of runners, so I feel only a little shame when I admit that I walked several times on the way up Tunnel Creek. The problem with my first long run was that I started three miles from the trailhead in Incline Village, and by the time I reached Flume Trail it was already time to turn around. I did all that work and never had the chance to enjoy the fun part of the run.

WAAS: accuracy when accuracy counts

The FAA recently announced something that’s no surprise to those with Garmin WAAS enabled equipment, but it is worth the post just to point out how times are changing.  The FAA announcement I’m referring to is that GPS LPV (localizer performance with vertical navigation) approaches now outnumber ILS approaches. They’ve also made a commitment to publish 500 LPV approaches a year, so LPV approaches promise to be the primary approach of the future. Having soloed in 1998, that makes me a relatively young aviator to many pilots. However, in these ten years even I have seen amazing advancements to airplanes, especially in the panel with GPS. 

As many of you know, Garmin’s GNS 400/500 series products received WAAS certification in late 2006 and thousands of pilots have upgraded their GPS so that they can fly LPV, LNAV/VNAV, LNAV+V, and LNAV approaches.  Another huge advantage with a WAAS upgrade to a GNS 400/500 series box is the ability for it to fly a procedure turn or published hold (depending on the aircraft’s autopilot). This means the GPS determines if you should do a teardrop, parallel or direct entry for you, and then it flies that procedure to the approach. The benefits of WAAS are enormous and pilots all over the US are taking advantage of them. For those who have yet to decide if a WAAS upgrade is right for you, we thought we’d give you some of the most commonly asked questions for WAAS upgrades:
1. How much does it cost? The upgrade is currently $2,995
2. Who has to do the upgrade? An authorized Garmin dealer
3. How long will my airplane be down? Approximately 2 weeks depending on the dealer

Garmin Mobile XT is a "Great Buy"

The team at O'Grady's PowerPage posted a review of Garmin Mobile XT and they've declared it a winner. According to them, "If you have a Palm, Windows Mobile, or Symbian based phone and you are looking for a good navigation solution, Garmin Mobile XT 5.0 is highly recommended." One of the many reasons Garmin Mobile XT is becoming so popular is because it allows you to converge one more piece of electronics. Since most smartphones now come equipped with GPS, Garmin Mobile XT is an affordable, $99.99 add-on that's plug-n-play and turns your phone into a nüvi-like GPS.

Another huge benefit of Garmin Mobile XT is Garmin Online and its real-time data. If you're not familiar with real-time data yet, be forewarned -- it's one of those things you'll wonder how you ever lived without once you start using it. Garmin Online gives free access to real-time traffic, weather, fuel prices, flight arrival and departure information, Google Local and Panoramio Photos. Having Google Local within the Garmin Mobile XT interface means that in addition to the 6+ million preloaded points of interest on the Garmin Mobile XT SD card, users now have access to all of the points of interest and address on the web. And we wholeheartedly agree with O'Grady on the perks of this, "I cannot over emphasize what a benefit I believe it is to have access to Google within the Mobile XT software. If you are searching for something that isn’t in the Mobile XT database, Google will probably have it."

eTrex navigates, distracts the bears

We know that our outdoor and rec products are an important tool to bring with you on almost any outdoor adventure. But you don't take our word for it -- read the story below sent in from a customer in Alaska to see how Garmin saved the day in more ways than one!

Dear Garmin: Since it was first released I have relied on the Garmin etrex Vista to get me in and out of some of the toughest and 1000-pound brown bear infested terrain in the world to safely guide clients to the best fly fishing in the world. From the thickest brush, deepest canyons, and heaviest rain, fog, and even snow, my etrex Vista with its amazing battery life has performed flawlessly! 

With our plane, fitted with floats, I can land on anything bigger than a puddle. Once there, two clients and I will set off to where there are no trails and the topography all looks the same - if you can see beyond right in front of you at all.  Thanks to this amazing little device I've never been late for a pick up and can maximize our time on the river by following maps, creating trails of our own, and following the "time until next point" meter. Missing a pick up time is a no-can-do when you're dealing with current, wind, rocks, trees and airplanes!

On one such endeavor we were caught between a sow and her cubs and as we quickly removed ourselves from the situation our gear became play toys! The etrex found itself in the mouth of a nearly thousand-pound angry momma bear and subsequently her children... teeth bashed through the metal housing, and claws scratched and stomped -- Although the unit smelled terribly, it worked well enough to get us home and the removable Micro SD data card inside the unit was safe and sound -- preserving  years of invaluable trails and topographical information I worked so hard to create!

Thank you Garmin!
D.M.
Licensed Alaskan Guide

On the water at METS 2008

Today kicked off the world's largest trade exhibition of marine equipment and accessories for the leisure marine and small commercial craft sector, and the Garmin booth at the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) has been busy all morning and afternoon! The GPSMAP 620 and VHF 100i and 200i are on display in the booth and have been drawing quite the crowd, and many are curious about the new BlueChart g2 chart offerings we announced yesterday. Garmin's BlueChart g2 and g2 Vision will now offer even more dimension and information to these detailed charts, and users will benefit from improved transition between zoom levels and seamless changes across chart boundaries. Show goers are excited to learn how BlueChart g2 with 3-D maps and rich detail and content and BlueChart g2 with satellite imagery, Auto Guidance technology and aerial photos can enhance any on-the-water excursion. We hope our friends across the pond have a great rest of the show!

With triathlon season over, Ben runs for fun

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.

My triathlon season is over for the year, but I decided to keep running for a few more weeks. Now, after a long season of racing, injuries, and fatigue, postponing the off-season (a term which should be read as “hardcore recovery from all the cumulative damage done to our bodies for the past 11 months of hard work”) may seem like a pretty dumb idea, but I have good reasons. First, while recovering from my latest knee injury I was unable to put a lot of intensity into my running, so I ended up just building volume. At first I hated it: running more and more every day, but never getting to run hard enough to be exhausted. A few weeks into it, however, and my mindset changed.

Oregon Helps Tag Missouri Deer

As you might imagine, one of the fringe benefits of working at Garmin is the ability to "field test" our products in any number of outdoor activities.  Last weekend marked the opening of the Missouri deer season, and Bryan, one of our outdoor/rec sales and marketing gurus got a chance to put the Oregon 400T through its paces.  Here's his report:

The quest for venison took place in Texas County, Missouri near the town of Mountain View.  Beautiful rolling hills.  Most of the leaves off the trees.  Cold, wet morning with 15 mph winds, 31 degrees.  Oregon color touch screen worked flawlessly in the cold with me wearing heavy winter gloves.   Deer came down a narrow draw from slight clearing above the stand.  Whitetail deer - 70 yd shot shot with my 1973 Winchester model 70 – .270.  3D view helped finding areas where the deer would feed in from during the morning hours.  Hunting calculator indicated when game would be most active.  Preloaded topo map helped with terrain in the Ozark landscape.  I also was able to mark my truck so I wouldn't get lost in the Ozark backcountry.  Oregon field test and hunting trip were both a success!

Tune in Saturday for Team Garmin

The Tour of Missouri seems like only yesterday - when we were watching Christian Vande Velde lead Team Garmin to victory - and we'll have a chance to relive the triumphant ride tomorrow. Jeep World of Adventure Sports was along for the ride, chronicling the Argyle Armada's march across Missouri. And during the telecast on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 1:30-3 p.m. Central, NBC will focus the sporting world's spotlight squarely on Team Garmin.

As the show describes, "One of the top ranking competitions in North American cycling, the Tour of Missouri is seven days of racing, from Kansas City to the Ozarks, along Route 66 and the historic Missouri River, with a fantastic finish under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. JWOAS captures incredible footage of Team Garmin as they race to victory in this epic challenge."

And don't forget, there's still time to join Team Garmin at their Boulder training camp next week! Click here for details.

Peg’s Posts: Training indoors with Forerunner 405

As the days get shorter and colder, only the few, the fit or the fanatics are still riding their road bikes. The rest of us are waking up at o’dark thirty to make it to an early morning spin class or dusting off the indoor trainer. A Forerunner 405 customer recently posed this questions regarding indoor training: Is there a way to get cadence and/or speed so I can map distance and calorie expenditure with my Forerunner 405 when I cross-train indoors on a spinning bike? This question required the help of people who can know math and mechanics a lot better than me, so I turned to a couple of engineers on our fitness team. The short answer is that tracking your indoor cycling workouts is not a practical application for the 405. I’ve worn it for spin class before with the heart rate monitor just to track my heart rate, but that of course doesn’t capture distance. Keep in mind, the 405 places nicely with the treadmill or an indoor track. Just pair it with the optional foot pod accessory and you’re able to track distance just as you would outdoors using GPS. For more on indoor treadmill workouts with the 405, see the related video. Read on for the engineers’ long answer on tracking speed/cadence on an indoor spin bike.

The end to a great season

The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers are preparing for the last race of the 2008 season this weekend. The Homestead-Miami Speedway will play host to the Ford 400 on Sunday, with the championship still in question. Although the Best Buy Racing /Garmin paint scheme won't cover the No. 19 Dodge driven by Elliott Sadler this weekend like in races past, race fans can still find Garmin on the track. Tune in Sunday afternoon and look for the Garmin logo to be featured on the back side panels of the No. 43 car of Bobby Labonte, as we cheer both drivers on for a great end of the season finish!

And as we look back and celebrate Garmin's success in NASCAR over the last two years, we want to share the fun with you - the fans! If you think you're the biggest Garmin/NASCAR fan, and have a good story to tell, send it our way and we'll pick our favorites.  After we've had a chance to read your stories, we'll send a few lucky fans an autographed Elliott Sadler shirt. And don't worry, we'll make sure it's signed by Elliott, and not Jake (pictured left)...

Garmin Receives ODA Approval from FAA

Today we shared some big news from our aviation team. We received the FAA's ODA approval! We know that last sentence has lots of acronyms, so allow us to clarify it a bit. The FAA has implemented a program that will allow them to delegate more authority to select companies. ODA, or Organization Designation Authorization, helps the FAA reduce their workload while streamlining the certification process. Very few companies (it's currently less than 20) have been granted ODA approval, so this approval is big news at Garmin. It will allow us to conduct certain activities on behalf of the FAA, such as the authority to issue Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) approving installations of Garmin avionics in aircraft. Congrats to the aviation team on this great honor and responsibility.

Jake's Journal: From New York to New Year in no time

When did November get so busy? Back in the day, this was a month set aside for enjoying stockpiled Halloween candy. Instead my month began in New York, where I enjoyed meeting American distance champions Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall. They even told me what they love most about training with the Garmin Forerunner. You can see videos of Deena and Ryan on our YouTube channel. I capped off my visit with a 26.2-mile jaunt across town, giving me plenty of good material for Flickr photos.

Then came a couple days in Vegas, where I joined our automotive team amid the sights and sounds of SEMA. My return from Vegas was followed by a tour of Oregon. OK, I didn't actually get to leave Olathe for this one, but I did enjoy visiting the interactive Oregon minisite. Part video game, part scavenger hunt and part online tutorial, The Land of Oregon is an impressive piece of work by our Web team. And if you look closely enough, you can even find my smiling face hiding in there.

A day at NAVTEQ

In addition to the Garmin retail store, the windy city of Chicago is home to NAVTEQ's global headquarters. Despite the rainy conditions yesteday, a few Garmin employees were in town and had the opportunity to visit their facility (including one of their traffic studios pictured below) and see some of their tools in action first hand - and on the road.

A provider of digital map information for Garmin's automotive devices, NAVTEQ has more than 1,000 geographic analysts located around the world and provides mapping data for 74 countries and territories on six continents. Lucky for us, a few of those analysts were able to spend the morning with us explaining how the NAVTEQ database is built during a drive around Chicago. Pictured left, the NAVTEQ vehicle uses high-resolution video cameras to capture images, a specially designed joystick and tablet pen for write-in capabilities and a GPS receiver located in the trunk of the car. You'll see from the pictures below, that not just one, but six cameras are located on top of the car to provide analysts with a complete view of the road. While one analyst drives and speaks the names of restaurants, landmarks and road signs on the route, another analyst verifies and updates the data using the tablet pen with the company's proprietary software (as seen below).

With the more than 15 million miles of roadway represented in the NAVTEQ database - information which is then "Garminized" by our team in Olathe - analysts are continually driving the roads to provide the most up-to-date content available for your Garmin device. A specail thanks to the NAVTEQ team for showing us around!

  

   

696 + terrain database = better situational awareness

The AOPA Expo convention is over but customers are still buzzing about the GPSMAP 696 and 695.  These large displayed GPS / EFB hybrids incorporate all the aviation features of the popular GPSMAP 496.  Some of these features are enhanced more than on the 496 because of the 696’s abilities and display size. For example, the terrain page on the 696 has an added profile view that enables the pilot to see the upcoming terrain and know the altitude difference between the aircraft’s altitude and altitude of the terrain.  This profile view also shows the distance between the terrain and the front of the aircraft, which is extremely helpful because it depicts how much altitude you’ll need to clear the terrain in front of you. The 696 has numerous other enhancements and we’ll cover them in future posts.

Ben races San Francisco Pan-America Cup

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.

I finished up my season last weekend in San Francisco. This is my second year racing the San Francisco Pan-America Cup, and there were almost no similarities between the races. Last year an oil spill forced the race directors to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon and convert the race into a run-bike-run duathlon. This was extremely disappointing to me at the time because running was my weakest leg of the race. So last year I ended up in a chase pack on the bike, leading into a run where I completely felt like I hit a brick wall and was barely able to stumble across the finish line. This year, however, we were able to dive into the 56 degree water of San Francisco Bay for the 1500m swim. I lead the first half of the swim, but, after managing to swim so far off course that I would later be a hot topic of conversation among spectators, I decided to sit on the leaders’ feet for the second lap, and finished the swim second, comfortably in the first bike pack.

Happy Birthday, Garmin Chicago store!

Today we're celebrating the two year anniversary of Garmin's Chicago retail store located on the city's "Magnificent Mile." This three-story, 15,000 square foot space is the world's first and only retail outlet dedicated to GPS navigation and showcases products from each of the markets we serve: automotive/mobile, outdoor/rec, fitness, marine and aviation. Similar to, we might add, our new Holiday Guide, and latest "One for All" holiday commercial! The Chicago store is a unique opportunity to offer customers a high-tech, high-touch shopping experience and is a great way to experience and use all of our most popular devices under one roof. So the next time you're in the windy city, be sure to stop by and take a look around - the store offers hands-on product demos, interactive kiosks and in-depth product training and seminars. Happy Birthday once again to the Chicago store and special thanks to the store's employees for their dedication to great customer service. Here's to another great year!

Gift guides galore!

It's beginning to look a lot like the gift-giving season around here. If you're putting your list together (and checking it twice) or shopping around for gifts for others, our Holiday Guide is here to help. From the recently announced nüvi 765T with lane assist and lifetime traffic, to the Edge 705 cycling computer to the Fishfinder 400C that's ready for freshwater and saltwater fishing - Garmin has something for everyone! But don't take our word for it. The crew at CNET has also put the nüvi 880 at the top of their holiday gift guide this year, calling it "one of the best GPS we've tested to date." So stop by our Holiday Guide if you haven't already and find the GPS that's right for you. And in case you need a little inspiration, our newest "Give-a-Garmin" holiday commercials can be found there, too!

Go get some cache

Last weekend, I finally did something smart instead of choosing the rational path. Rational would have been answering emails or clearing out the growing nest of mess that clogs our basement. Smart was obeying the voice of my inner child, which was pleading “it’s sunny, it’s warm … let’s play!” So I grabbed a Garmin handheld GPS, packed up my kids and some trinkets and headed outdoors to find some cache. Make that caches since our sport of the day was geocaching. A neighbor friend even decided to join our expedition when she heard talk of “treasure hunting”. Before we took off, we logged onto geocaching.com to look up sites nearby.

It was great fun to watch the kids follow the GPS to within a few feet of the first cache location and then witness our new geocacher pull the ammo box from under the bushes. In all, we found 3 of the 4 sites we set out to find, including one cleverly hidden in the fork of a tree, which required a bit of a boost for my 5-foot-and-under friends to discover. I hope you find a little free time this fall to go out and play. Check out our new Land of Oregon minisite for a guided tour of the Oregon series — our top handhelds for geocachers and anyone who likes to play in the dirt.

Explore the Land of Oregon

It's been a while since we first announced the Oregon - so people have had a chance to get out there with this rugged navigator and do some exploring.

Well, you wouldn't believe some of the reports we've received from people who have had some time to hit the trails and venture off the beaten path. At first, we were in shock about what we were hearing as reports trickled in. But apparently those Oregons pack quite a punch - because they managed to find a new place to explore. We were amazed! So now it's time to share the information with you. And with that, we're pleased to introduce you to The Land of Oregon!

You won't believe how much there is to see and do in this amazing place. But fear not! There's an Oregon 400t and a trusty trail guide waiting for your when you arrive. It took us a while, but we managed to find our way through The Land of Oregon and discover all 16 items - plus we had a few laughs here and there, too. Think you can find all that there is to find?  Stop by The Land of Oregon and take a look around. You won't believe what you see . . . .

GPSMAP 696 is a hit at AOPA Expo

We're in San Jose, California, at AOPA Expo and the GPSMAP 696 is the buzz of the show. Several Garmin dealers are here with lots of 696's to sell, and according to them, they're one of the most highly requested items. Since day one of the show is now in the history books, we thought we'd brief you on the most common 696 questions we've received so far: 

1. Does the GPSMAP 696 take Jepp Charts and/or do geo-referenced charts? No, not at this time.

2. How much is the GPSMAP 696? $3,295

3. What's the difference between the GPSMAP 695 and 696?  The GPSMAP 696 has a GXM 40 XM WX antenna in the box and is capable of receiving XM WX real-time weather with an XM subscription. The GPSMAP 695 doesn't come with a XM WX antenna and it isn't capable of receiving XM WX information.

Ben trains smarter and readies for final race of the season

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405, along with links to his data in Garmin Connect.

In my last post I talked about how my knee injury tore me away from my sport, and how my inability to let myself back off and recover actually kept me injured for much longer. Today I talk about how I progressed once I had resolved to let my body have its needed rest. I had been through the seven stages of grief over the previous four weeks, and without answers I was nearly ready to throw in the towel for the season. So with nothing left to lose, I decided to take another step back and try approaching the situation with a different attitude.

Keeping your 696 EFB current

A couple of weeks ago we posted about keeping your cockpit paper free with electronic charts on the G1000 and GMX 200. With last week's GPSMAP 696/695 announcement, we now have an electronic flight bag (EFB) to add to that list. The 696/695 are class I/class II EFB’s set forth by AC 120-76A for certification and AC 91-78 for use of EFB. That means that from pre-flight to shut down, all the charts you’ll need are available at the touch of a button. Now that we have our first EFB, we’ve received a lot of questions regarding how to keep it current as required by the Advisory Circular. Portables don't normally need to be updated, but the 696/695 will need to be current to use as an EFB. Here are some of the most common Q&A's:

Which databases do I need to keep current? The FliteCharts databases needs to be current since it updates the approach plates, arrival / departure procedures, takeoff minimums, alternate minimums, and airport diagrams.

How much is the database? The FliteCharts database is $95 for single update and $395 for an annual subscription.

How do I update the database? The databases are available for download from www.fly.garmin.com.

If you're at AOPA Expo this week, stop by and see us. We'll be at booth 1535.

No, you are not seeing double...

...you are seeing quintuple! That really is 5 Mercury 350 HP engines on the back of this Midnight Express 39ft Open from the 2008 Ft Lauderdale Boat Show. This boat is designed for high performance and built to the highest standards, so naturally the manufacturer chose to install Garmin chartplotters on the dashboard. Twin 5215 displays combined with our GSD 22 digital sonar box made almost as many heads turn to see the displays as did all those engines on the transom. Midnight Express wanted the most user friendly plotters and chose Garmin’s touchscreens to fit the bill. The huge 15” sunlight readable displays make it so easy to see and use the built in detailed charts. With the addition of a BlueChart g2 Vision card, the plotters can even suggest the safest route to your favorite fishing hole automatically. The Vision cards even take into account the draft of your boat when making the routing decision to keep you out of the skinny water. 

So keep an eye out on the water for this incredible Midnight Express with 1750 horsepower and 30” of Garmin plotters...that's sure to be turning heads no matter where she goes!

SEMA: Vegas serves up buffet for the senses

It's hard to picture Las Vegas needing any more blinking lights, booming speakers or shiny bling than already covers the strip. Then SEMA rolls into town. Put on by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, this week's automotive trade show brings together the most extravagant cars, elaborate accessories and innovative technology known to man. And anywhere the world's best electronics are being showcased, Garmin is there drawing a crowd.

People gather around the nüvi display, checking out nüvi 880's speech recognition, nüvi 5000's expansive screen, nüvi 500's multi-mode versatility or the lifetime traffic and lane assist on the newest nüvis on the market. Wireless wanderers appreciate the capabilities of Garmin Mobile, which can turn a smartphone into a handheld navigator. And of course, since we're at an auto show, we're also showing off the tricked-out Garmin SWERV Jeep and zumo-equipped, three-wheel Can-Am Spyder. For more details, check out our "On The Road" section of Garmin.com.

New units take flight

Something is in store for aviation enthusiasts - it’s the GPSMAP 695 and 696 and they’re just in time for the Holiday season. The just-announced units are hitting the Garmin Store Chicago next week. Equipped with a 7-inch portrait high resolution screen that is readable in either day or night, the 695/696 make a statement to be different.

The 695 and 696 are packed with must have features but one thing we keep hearing from customers is that they like that it has a joystick similar to the G1000. Thanks to the joystick, it's much easier and faster to enter in data and maneuver through menus and pages.

If you're wondering what's the difference between the 695 and 696, the 696 comes with the GXM 40 smart antenna so that you can have real-time weather via XM WX on your GPS, just like the GPSMAP 396 and 496.  XM WX has two subscription services to choose from -- Aviator LT and Aviator -- so before activating XM WX, make sure you visit their site and choose the best one for you.  And just in case you're curious, the 695 can't display weather. If you don't need weather now but think you may want it in the future, get a 696 so you'll have that capability in the future.

What about the GPSMAP 396, 495/496? Well, never fear; they aren’t going anywhere. Come visit the store and we'll show you all of our aviation portables so you can do a side-by-side comparison and decide which one is best for you.

-Gadget Girl

Garmin Mobile PC at your fingertips

If you're trying to decide if you should put a GPS or mini notebook on your holiday wish list, you're in luck. Fujitsu announced a new mini notebook today, the LifeBook U820 mini notebook, and it comes preloaded with Garmin Mobile PC. We're excited about this announcement for numerous reasons. First, it's the  first mini notebook to be preloaded with Garmin Mobile PC. Second, Garmin Mobile PC has received rave reviews by those who have tested it so we know future mini notebook customers are going to be amazed at its features. And last, but definitely not least, it's a great twofer for you -- an all-in-one computer and GPS.

If you're not familiar with Garmin Mobile PC, you can essentially think of it as a

high-end nüvi on your laptop. Just like nüvi, Garmin Mobile PC gives turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions to millions of points of interest. It also has free access to Garmin Online so you have dynamic information at your fingertips like up-to-date weather, gas prices, flight information, and hotel ratings and price. Another cool feature of Garmin Mobile PC (that isn't on nüvi) is the ability to navigate to your Outlook contacts. This feature is great when you're already on the go and want to navigate to a contact's address with one click, rather than typing in an address. We've created a great online demo so you can you see Garmin Mobile PC in action here.

Ben learns the true meaning of recovery

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405, along with links to his data in Garmin Connect.

Two months ago I had to cut back on my training due to an injured knee. Since then, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on what I did wrong, and how I can move forward as a better athlete than I was before. Initially, however, I spent a lot of time denying that I was injured, and feeling angry, depressed, and even guilty about the time I was spending away from my bike and off my feet. I kept jabbing my thumbs into my knee cap every few minutes just to see if it still hurt, then forcing myself to run a mile or two, just to make sure the pain wasn’t going away. All this, of course, just prolonged the actual healing, and did nothing to solve the mystery of why I was missing out on the activities I love.

Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor share their favorite Forerunner features

Hear what Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall--top marathoners who represented the U.S. in Beijing this summer--have to say about the Forerunner 405. Ryan and Deena took a minute from signing autographs in the Asics and Garmin booths at the NYC marathon expo on Saturday to tell Garmin blogger Jake what they love best about the 405.

Garmin holiday commercials have arrived

In case you didn't catch our new holiday commercial spots yesterday during your favorite football game, here's your chance to see the fun and sing along. Building off of our previous commercials, you'll hear the popular "Give-a-give-a-give-a Garmin" tune and see some of your favorite Garmin products in action. Whether you're a commuter on a motor scooter, in spandex on a bike, on a long jog or out for some hiking, we've got great gifts for everyone on your list this holiday season. And, in case you need some help selecting what to get that special someone, our Gift Guide is filled with our favorite gadgets that are sure to please. So, without any further ado, check out "One For All" and "Coffee Shop" below and see some of the many benefits of giving the gift of Garmin this holiday...

Jake's Journal: 26.2 reasons I heart NYC

We'll get to my time in a moment, but I wanted to note the most memorable parts of today's New York City marathon: 1) The highest climb of the race is right out of the gate, though it lasts 2 miles along the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. 2) Staten Island. We spent three hours there shivering before the race - the longest time in any borough and the shortest distance. 3) My 40,000 fellow runners from around the globe, as gracious and enthusiastic as any I've met. 4) Brooklyn. From firemen to five-year-olds, they made miles 2-13 fly by. 5) My friend Joel, pictured. I never would've thought when I ran with him last year at our Garmin store in Chicago that we would be tackling the Big Apple together. 6) Water. Lots of it. 7) My Forerunner 405. Average pace, current lap pace, mile splits and distance on demand. It provided inspiration and necessary distraction. 8) Socks on my hands. It was cold. 9) My name on my shirt. There's something about the name Jake that makes people love yelling it. Whether short and staccato, or drawn out like celebrating a soccer goal (Jaaaaaake), the crowd's cheers paved the way.

Jake's Journal: Up and running in NYC

  My first 24 hours in New York went like this. Five meetings in four hours, all within a short walking distance bounded by Times Square and the Empire State Building. An hour spent doing a hands-on tutorial - much like our Forerunner 405 training videos, but you can't press stop - so that my friend at Vogue would be ready to run Sunday morning. She's most excited about the free, downloadable software update that will keep her watch active in training mode until she crosses the start line (rather than falling asleep while she waits in the crowd). Then I walked with my wife and sister-in-law around Manhattan - never boring, but you can imagine the fun on Halloween - and even randomly ran into Garmin colleagues Stan and Brandi while strolling down Broadway. It's a small world, even in the big city.

Today, it's been all about the New York City Marathon Expo, where Forerunners are flying off the shelves and  Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor and Constantina Tomescu-Dita are signing autographs and talking to fans in the Asics and Garmin booths. And as requested by fellow blogger Peg, I scored autographs on her respective copies of Runner's World. Deena was even gracious enough to tell us what she loves most about her Garmin Forerunner. Keep watching the Garmin blog and YouTube for her video response. Well, that's it for the first 24 hours. In another 24 hours, I hope to be scarfing down some finish-line goodies after completing my second marathon in two weeks. If you haven't already predicted how I'll finish, there's still time until the race begins. Click here to take a guess and have a chance for some free Garmin goodies.