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When we get great pictures and/or stories in our e-mail inbox, we just have to share them. Thanks, Darren, for reminding us to be thankful for any warmth we can get.
Just wanted to say Happy New Year and thank you to Garmin. Great products. With windchill of -27 C, my Forerunner 305 was still going strong, as opposed to the waterbottle.
-- Darren
Apparently saving a kick for the end isn't something Jake just tries while running. After announcing prizes for readers predicting times in his two recent marathons, Jake vowed to send them out by the end of the year. With a couple hours till closing time on New Year's Eve, he's over there scribbling notes and stuffing envelopes. So Laura, Brad, Steve, Jacki, Linda, Kelly, Chad, Thomas, Alberto, Jay and Tina - your winnings are on their way. (Jared and Marty, send us your address.)
In a matter of days, these lucky winners will be cruising around town in their Team Garmin T-shirts and showing off their limited-edition Oregon geocoins. And Laura, Thomas and Linda get a little something extra for having the best predictions when Jake ran a 3:31.18 in KC and 3:41.03 two weeks later in New York. You see, after American distance champ Ryan Hall told us why he loves his Forerunner (click here to hear his reasons), he was nice enough to autograph three NYC marathon posters. So each of our grand-prize winners gets one of those as well. That is, assuming that if Jake can run 26.2 miles in 3 1/2 hours, he can cover eight stories in an elevator in half that time.
The GPSMAP 696 has been the subject of recent Garmin blog posts for obvious reasons, but it is nice to see that the 696 is catching the eye of others in the aviation community. Aviation Safety has recently created a video outlining some of the enhanced features of the 696, including the terrain page, panel page, and NRST feature to name a few. Take a look and see the difference a 696 can make for you.
We're nearing the end of 2008, and it's the time of year when electronics gurus everywhere look back at their favorite gadgets of the year and look forward to what CES will bring next week. In reviewing all the toys, trinkets, gadgets, gizmos and what-have-yous, our friends at Gizmodo have just posted a list of best gear they've seen this year, and we're proud to announce the nüvi 785T with lane assist and junction view, and the nüvi 880 with speech recognition took the cake in the GPS category. Both feature dynamic content from MSN Direct - helping driver's avoid traffic backups, look up the weather, compare local gas prices and get movie listings, stock information, local news and more. So here's to a great year and two of our biggest stars!
The thought occurred to me just as the two lemon and white setters locked up on yet another covey of bobwhite quail. When I die, I want to come back as one of Dale Rollins' dogs!!
An epiphany, for sure, but one that also caused me to whiff an easy shot in front of a gallery of fellow hunters, outdoor writers, and conservationists. (That's my excuse, anyhow.) No matter -- we all knew there would be more coveys before our afternoon ended.
Dr. Dale Rollins is one of the world's premier authorities on quail and quail habitat. The land we were hunting was the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, situated in Fisher County, Texas. It's basically a 4,700 acre research laboratory with a mission of helping find ways to sustain and grow wild quail populations.
Over the past year or so, Garmin has helped the RPQRR by providing Astro GPS Dog Tracking Systems for bird censuses. We were down visiting Dr. Rollins to see what he was up to.
Click on the jump to find out.
Continue reading "More Dispatches from West Texas: Astro Visits Quail Eden" »
One of my favorite parts of being on Twitter is hearing from Garmin users - especially when they get one as a gift. So you can imagine the fun I've been having this past week as hundreds of Tweets mentioned Garmin - either in anticipation of giving or in appreciation after getting. For those of you not familiar with Twitter, it's like a microblog. The authors (the name after the first @) share their thoughts - in their own words, in 140 characters or less - to anyone listening. Click on their names to see what they have to say - and be sure to tell them @JakesJournal sent you. And if you are familiar with Twitter, feel free to sign up to follow my Tweets. I'm always open to answering questions - or finding the right engineer to answer them for us.
To start off, this one sums up what I've been reading for the past week:
@Gitonyerhorse @Wildbun Yes, Santa is definitely a Garmin kinda guy.
Read on to see many of my favorites, presented unedited in chronological order beginning Christmas Eve. And check back later this week for ways that the Twitterverse is turning to Garmin for fitness resolutions.
Continue reading "Jake's Journal: Twitter's Garmin glee in 140 characters or less" »
By now you've probably seen the previews for FOX's new season of the hit show, "24." The two-night, four-hour season premier event airs on Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday Jan. 12 8/7c, and we've been giving away tickets all month for a sneak peek preview at our Chicago retail store on Michigan Avenue on Jan. 8. Guests to this preview event will get to enjoy the first 24 minutes of the new "24:Season 7" premiere, meet Carlos Bernard who plays the character of Tony Almeida and take home a special Garmin/"24" goodie bag. And we've got one more pair of tickets to give out to this exclusive event - just send us the correct answer to the question below, and you'll be entered to win. Don't forget to enter the "24:Dossier Navigated by Garmin" sweepstakes for your chance to win one of 24 Garmin nuvi 850s, too. Click here for the complete list of rules and check back to the Blog on Friday to find out this week's winner. Good luck!
In the fifth installment of Jack Bauer's Dossier, he uses a Garmin nüvi for navigation as he's trying to track a suspect. Which Garmin nüvi features speech recognition and let's you talk back to your nüvi?
nüvi 765T
nüvi 500
nüvi 880
nüvi 265WT
Many of you followed the advice of our holiday commercials and chose to "Give-a Give-a Give-a-Garmin" to your loved ones this holiday season. And now a whole new generation of Garmin owners want to get acquainted with their nüvi or Astro or Forerunner or Edge or Oregon or GPSMap or Mobile software or ... well, we could go on for a while.
The easiest way to learn about your new Garmin is to turn it on, go outside so that it can find the satellites and then play around with it. But if you're stuck indoors (or at work) and you want to see your new GPS device in action, we have solutions on our Garmin Buzz page. There you can find the handiwork of our interactive team, who has created minisites and online demos to introduce you to the technology. The crown jewel of the Buzz page is the Land of Oregon minisite. This highly interactive - and addictive - minisite introduces you to the Oregon touchscreen handheld in ways no owner's manual or blog can. There are also specific product demos as well as informative minisites for our Marine Network, the G600 glass cockpit and Garmin Mobile solutions.
Linda from Chicago is this week's winner of a pair of tickets to Garmin's "24:Season 7" sneak peek party at our Chicago retail store, Jan. 8 from 6-8pm - congratulations! Jack used a Garmin Oregeon handheld in the third installment of his Dossier, and Linda correctly identified that these popular handhelds are touchscreen, rugged, waterproof and have wireless data exchange capabilities. Guests at our preview event will get to enjoy the first 24 minutes of the new "24" season seven before the two-night, four-hour season premiere event airs on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX. With only a few weeks before the new season, be sure to stay up-to-date with the weekly installments of Jack's 24:Dossier leading up to the new season. In Monday's installment, "Murder," Bauer is charged with unauthorized murders of key government witnesses and co-workers. Tune in Monday to see the rest, spot Garmin gear in action, and enter for your chance to win!
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Merry Christmas everyone! Day 12 of our 12 Cars of Christmas series is here and we've got a great new free vehicle icon to release today! Introducing All Aboard. Since we opened the Garmin Garage last year, a train has been one of the most frequent requests. Whether it was comments on our blog or submissions to The Parking Lot, lots (and lots) of people have asked for a train. So we rolled up our sleeves, paid a few visits to the local railyard, and got to work crafting All Aboard. And now we're happy to release All Aboard to all of you. All Aboard will make a great addition to any nüvi. And if you're looking for new custom vehicles and voices for your new nüvi, be sure to stop by the Garmin Garage and personalize your GPS at our one-stop shop! Happy holidays to all of you and a happy New Year!
Well, Christmas Eve is here and there's only one day of our 12 Cars of Christmas series left. And, you know, we feel kinda sorry about today's free vehicle icon. You see - last night was our annual holiday swap around the Garmin Garage. It's where we invite friends and family over to trade gifts. And, as luck would have it, we ended up with ol' Aunt Edna's famous fruitcake. We'd love to keep it for ourselves. Really. But unwritten rules clearly state that any/all fruitcakes received as holiday gifts must be immediately re-gifted. So we're wrapping up the fruitcake and sharing it with all of you. Our advice? If your friends have nüvis, you may want to share the fruitcake with them, too. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving. And, you have to admit, using a fruitcake to guide you on your travels is pretty funny. Of course, if any of you are in the Colorado area, you can always attend the Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs - it's been held each year on the first weekend of January since 1995. (If you go, send pictures!)
We hope you enjoy your new fruitcake! And remember - there's only one day left. So if you're giving the gift of Garmin this holiday season, be sure to let friends and family know that they can get free vehicle and free voice downloads to truly customize their new nüvis at the Garmin Garage! And also plan one more trip back by the Garmin Garage tomorrow to see our Christmas-day icon! Happy Holidays everyone!
‘Tis the season to procrastinate, but if you have been waiting for the last moment then it has arrived. The Service Alert 0816-B warning about the forward looking terrain provided a free terrain file for updating WAAS systems in the field. Though, as you can see on the Service Alert the time is running out for the free update. Next week December 31, 2008, is the last day before the terrain update file returns to its regular price of $150. This file can be downloaded from Garmin’s website at www.fly.garmin.com. This update does require a card programmer to be able to download to the TAWS card. If you do not have the card programmer you might check with your local dealer or you can call our technical support line (1-866-739-5687) to set up an exchange for the card. Remember that this update is for the terrain 08T2 file which was available in June of 2008. That means if you recently purchased the 400W/500W series unit or recently went through the WAAS upgrade then you already have this terrain file and do not need to worry about the Service Alert. For those of you that have terrain files previous to the 08T2 terrain database, time is almost up.
Are you planning on dashing through the snow in the next few days? If so, you’ll want to plan a quick trip to the Garmin Garage and pick up Super Slider – our newest free vehicle icon during our 12 Cars of Christmas series. Super Slider was made with hauling gifts in mind. So if you’re picking up (or dropping off) lots of great gifts this holiday season, Super Slider is the icon for you. This stylish sleigh will look great on your nüvi – especially if you’re out and about in all of the snow that’s shown up across the country during the last few days. Remember – there are only two days to go! So you’ll have to stop back by the Garmin Garage tomorrow and see what we’ve got in store for you! Happy holidays!
We've given away two pairs of tickets to Garmin's exclusive "24:Season 7" premiere party at the Garmin Chicago store where fans will see the first 24 minutes of the new season, and we've got two more pair to give away! Kicking off the two-night, four-hour "24" season premiere event airing Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX, this exclusive preview event is on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 6-8 pm. If you can't wait until the season premiere, watch the online webisodes in Jack Bauer's Dossier at fox.com/24/dossier and send us the correct answer to the question below for your chance to win! Click here for the complete list of rules, and check back on Friday for this week's winner. And don't forget to enter for your chance to win one of 24 Garmin nüvi 850s in the "24 Dossier Navigated by Garmin" sweepstakes while you're at it!
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the Oregon handheld featured in the third online webisode from Jack's 24:Dossier:
Touchscreen
Wireless data exchange
Touch-bezel
Rugged
Waterproof
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
It's Monday and we've only got a few days left in our 12 Cars of Christmas series! And with all of the office parties and holiday parties, we've been seeing lots (and lots) of cookies and candies around the Garmin Garage. Well, we've had our share and we wanted to treat all of you, too. So we've got Sweet Tree ready to go to help you sweeten up your nüvi! If you've got visions of sugar plums dancing in your head and you've already decked your halls with delicious delicacies, you'll want to grab Sweet Tree today! And remember - there are still 3 days left. Download Sweet Tree and stop back by the Garmin Garage tomorrow! We still have a lot of fun in store for all of you!
Prepare for take off! The Blue Baron has moved from the Garmin Hangar and made his way to the Garmin Garage. This barnstormin' beauty was created with all of our aviation friends in mind. And he's perfect for guiding you from the runway to the highway as you travel this holiday season. Set your flight plan to end at the Garmin Garage and load up the Blue Baron on your nüvi before he heads off into the wild blue yonder! And then plan a return trip back to the Garmin Garage tomorrow to see our newest release. You can also subscribe to the Garmin Garage RSS feed or enter your email address so you'll always be the first to know when more free vehicle icons show up for you to download. Happy holidays!
Day 7 is here and we've got another free vehicle icon to share with all of you. Meet Frank. (You name all of your ornaments, too, right?) For years, Frank graced the tree in the Garmin Garage shop while decked out in his festive Garmin blue. And while he was made for decorating trees, we thought we'd let him get out and see a bit more of the world. So now you can download Frank and decorate your nüvi this holiday season. He's merry, cheery, and bright . . . and what's not to love about an ornament named Frank? Grab him today and stop by tomorrow to see what's new! And stay safe if you're traveling this weekend!
We’re at the half-way point of our 12 Cars of Christmas and we thought we’d bring some fun for all of you . . . especially since most of the country is getting blanketed with snow. Say hello to Frostbite. This fast-and-fun runner sled was favored by Scooter . . . until he took up skiing. So we decided to share him with all of you. Grab Frostbite today and then spend your weekend dashing through the snow! We’ve released six vehicles so far and now we have six more to go. Stop back this weekend and check out what’s new! And have fun loading up your nüvi with lots of our great new Garmin Garage icons!
Here’s an entry for the “did you ever wonder” files. A Garmin Forerunner devotee recently posed this query on Twitter: When using a Garmin on a cruise ship, does it measure the ship's movement or your movement if you run laps on deck?
Hmm — that’s a point I’ve never pondered before, but I posed the question to a couple of our engineers on the fitness team, and they did more than suggest the customer stick to the below-deck treadmill. My head was swimming after reading the first couple lines of explanation. I’m just glad that our engineers obsess over details. That’s a good thing when they’re the ones designing the software for our devices and making sure they perform above and beyond expectations. If you’re cruising to warmer latitudes over the holidays and Forerunner will be there to help you stay in shape and run off the effects of the midnight buffet … read on.
Congratulations to Penny of Chicago, IL - this week's winner of a pair of tickets to Garmin's "24:Season 7" sneak peek party at our Chicago retail store! If you watched the second online webisode from Jack's 24:Dossier like Penny, you might have spotted the Garmin nüvi and Rino two-way radio used to help Jack get around the city. These Garmin sponsored webisodes are being posted every Monday leading up to the "24" two-night, four-hour season premiere event airing on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX, and we've got tickets to see the first 24 minutes of the new season before it premiers! Watch Monday's installment, "Torture," where Bauer is investigated for multiple reports of torture and extreme interrogation, then check back here Monday for the next question and another chance to win!
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
A couple of us are back from a few days of quail hunting in wild and rugged West Texas, where the Astro GPS Dog Tracking System got plenty of use.
West Texas is wide-open country that's built for big-running pointing dogs. And as luck would have it, Astro is built for those dogs.
In fact, we never put a dog on the ground without first outfitting them with an Astro. Knowing exactly where your dog is and what he's doing takes all the stress out of hunting -- and no longer do you have to tolerate beeper collars or holler to find your canine companion.
We spent a couple days hunting for scaled quail with Steve Snell, owner of Gun Dog Supply, Astro dealer, avid upland hunter, and all-around great guy.
Click on the jump to read more about the trip.
It's one of my favorite types of phone calls: "I'm doing a TV appearance, and I want to feature Garmin." These are journalists or other experts in their fields who hope to share gift ideas or training tips with their audience - and Garmin is on that list. That's how Tiki Barber ended up telling NBC's Today viewers earlier this month about the Edge 205 and Edge 705, the GPS device used by Team Garmin's pro cyclists. And Rebecca Heaton, the editor of Rocky Mountain Sports, talked about the Forerunner 405 sport watch as part of the year's best training tools on a Denver newscast. Earlier this year, Bart Yasso of Runner's World sang the praises of the 405 on ABC's Good Morning America.
Well, the Edge has a CNN tripleheader this weekend, so you have three chances to see an editor from Best Life magazine discuss his favorite technology. At 8:30 a.m. Central on Saturday, CNN's Open House will feature the Edge 205 and the GPS technology that tracks your cycling speed, distance and location. The Edge is scheduled to return to CNN later Saturday and again Sunday during the 3:30 p.m. editions of Headline News.
Team Garmin's gentle giant Magnus Backstedt, the two-time Swedish national champion and 2004 winner of Paris-Roubaix, sent us a note that we wanted to share with you.
Hi everyone,
This is just a quick note from my training camp in Hossegor in the southwest of France. I feel like I need to let everyone know how much help my Edge 705 has been the past week and a half. I have been here with the young Swedish team that I am mentoring and to navigate 12 people and a bus around on roads you don’t know is not an easy thing but I haven’t missed a turn thanks to my 705. I have put in certain waypoints and just been guided around 4-5 hour rides every day. So the training is going really well and I’m looking forward to next season with a kick off in Qatar on the 1st of February.
Take care and keep navigating -- Magnus Backstedt
Continue reading "Team Garmin: Magnus checks in from camp" »
Well, as luck would have it, we get hit with a snowstorm a day after we release Al Valanche. And now we’re up snow creek without a plow! Of course, the bad news for us is great news for Scooter. Because school is now canceled and Skiin' Scooter can hit the slopes in search of fresh powder. While he’s having fun on the hills, you can stop by the Garmin Garage and load him up and drop him off in your nüvi. And if you’re making your way to the mountains this year (or next), Skiin' Scooter is great for leading you from lift line to lift line. Grab Skiin' Scooter and stop back tomorrow – we’re closing in on Day 6 of our 12 Cars of Christmas series and we’ve got lots of great icons in store for all of you!
Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.
A winter wonderland? Maybe not for triathletes. Outside it’s cold, it’s dark, it’s slippery and it’s wet...this is winter training. It can be miserable, it can be terrible, it can be tedious, and it’s vital to a great season. Most triathletes do not race until March of April at the earliest, and May or June for those who live in the northern states. Training at this point in the year seems like it would have no effect at all on how we can perform next summer, but in reality, this is some of the most important training we can do all year.
Winter training is about building a foundation. From now until the end of January my goal is to build endurance and strength, while fine tuning my form. Right now there’s no pressure for me to be at my peak fitness, so I’m able to slow down the training, work on drills (e.g. single leg on the bike, or butt kicks on the run), and put in more steady miles than I would be able to tolerate when I have to add in speed work. I’m also able to spend a lot more time in the weight room doing plyometrics, core strength, and all the PT exercises that were prescribed to me last season that I rarely had time or energy to focus on.
Continue reading "Train like Ben: tips to get you through the winter " »
Garmin and the G1000 are taking another step forward into the cockpits
of the future. Embraer recently announced that the Phenom 100 has
received type certification from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation
Authority and the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
At the front of this new airplane is Prodigy, which is Embraer’s name
for the G1000 flight deck. Embraer’s Prodigy avionics suite has large,
beautiful 12” displays for the primary flight displays (PFD) and
the multi-function display (MFD). With this system, pilots of the
Phenom 100 are going to be treated to one of the most advanced flight
decks in its class. With Embraer expecting to begin deliveries soon,
you're sure to catch a glimpse of the Phenom 100 and Prodigy flight deck
at an airport near you.
Day 4 is here and it looks like our newest Garmin Garage icon arrived just in time! As snow falls around the U.S., a snowplow is perfect for clearing your path on your holiday travels and we've got the perfect free vehicle icon for you! Introducing: Al Valanche (<--pronounced just like it looks). Al showed up in the Garmin Garage late last night after back-to-back shifts clearing the roads around Garmin. Al’s work is almost finished here so now it’s time to share Al Valanche with all of you! Now – a bit of a warning – Al may seem a bit quiet at first . . . but that’s only because he’s so focused on getting his work done. And, once you spend a little time letting Al guide you and your nüvi around snow-covered streets, you’ll realize Al is the perfect icon for winter travel. Visit the Garmin Garage today, download Al Valanche, and plan a return trip tomorrow to see the next vehicle in our 12 Cars of Christmas series. Safe driving everyone!
Over the river and through the woods, you know the rest of this song. We’d type more but don’t want to get stuck making royalty payments. So, without further adieu, here’s Red Rider! Red Rider is the newest addition our 12 Cars of Christmas series and he's now available in the Garmin Garage. Have a lot of errands to run? Planning on dashing through the snow? Maybe you’re out picking up a tree and need an SUV to help you navigate the hustle and bustle of the season. If so, you’ll want to visit the Garmin Garage download Red Rider today and add it to your nüvi. We’ve got 9 days left and a lot more great icons heading your way. So be sure to stop back tomorrow and see what we’ve got waiting for you!
Last week we gave away a pair of tickets to Garmin's exclusive "24: Season 7" premier party at the Garmin Chicago Store where fans can see the first 24 minutes of the new season. This sneak peek event on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 6-8 pm will kick off the two-night, four-hour 24 season premier event airing on Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX. Simply watch the online webisodes in Jack Bauer's Dossier at fox.com/24/dossier, send us the correct answer to the question below, and you'll be entered for a chance to win! We're giving away three more pairs of tickets, so click here for the complete list of rules, and check back Friday for this week's winner.
The second online webisode, "Breaking Procedure," features product(s) from the following market(s) that Garmin serves:
Automotive
Outdoor/Rec
Fitness
Marine
Send us the correct answer, along with your name, address, phone number and email address, and we'll announce the next winner at the end of the week. Good luck!
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Well, day 2 of our 12 Cars of Christmas series has arrived and we’ve got another free icon for you to download. It took us a while to come up with this idea - but then a light went off. Literally! Say hello to Blinky. He’s perfect for guiding you and your sleigh to all of the fun festivities that take place during the holiday season. And for those of you who followed along last year, you may notice that Blinky looks similar to Twinkle. We had so much fun with Twinkle last year, we thought we’d add another holiday bulb to the group. It’s sort of a series-within-a-series bundle! And the best thing about Blinky and Twinkle – they’re not only efficient, but they’re a lot of fun, too! Swing by the Garmin Garage and grab Blinky today and make your nüvi shine this holiday season! And be sure to stop by tomorrow, too. We’ve got ten great icons left . . . and a few surprises, too!
Happy holidays to our Garmin Garage fans! In keeping with tradition (well, it just became a tradition), we’re releasing a new Garmin Garage vehicle icon each day for the next 12 days with our 12 Cars of Christmas series! It was so much fun last year, we wanted to do it again this year. And to start things off, we have Tiny – you may recognize Tiny if you’ve seen our holiday commercials this year. Tiny sure attracted a lot of attention in the Garmin Garage – with a short wheelbase and a trick paint job that’s 100% groove-a-delic, Tiny travels to the beat of a different drummer. So if you want to make your nüvi groovy, stop by the Garmin Garage today! You can find Tiny here and in our Holiday Bundle - which features our icons from this year and last year.
You can also be sure you’re one of the first to find out when a new vehicle arrives by subscribing to our RSS feed or registering with our email subscriptions! Stay tuned . . .
I’ll admit it — I am addicted to running and all the sweaty socks, training time, injuries and ice packs my passion entails. It all started about 4 years ago, shortly after Garmin launched its first GPS-enabled fitness device, the Forerunner 101. Wasn’t much point in me writing ads for something I’d never used. So I ran with it. And I spent time with the engineers who developed it — runners themselves who were intent on perfecting a training device like none other. We ran together, raced together, compared data. And the days I didn't have a running partner, I had Forerunner and its virtual partner to keep me on pace. The addiction grew stronger. Having a device that instantly showed my distance, pace and tons more data was a rookie runner’s dream.
Is there a rookie runner, weekend warrior or a slightly addicted athlete on your Christmas list? Give your runner a high this holiday with a Forerunner 405. It's the only all-in-one fitness watch that calculates position, pace, heart rate and more and wirelessly sends data to your PC. If you’re the one with the healthy habit, give a hint and maybe your stocking will be stuffed with more than candy canes. Find more ideas for giving a Garmin at our online gift guide.
Congratulations to Joan of Park Forest, IL, who was this week's winner of a pair of tickets to Garmin's "24: Season 7" sneak peek party at our Chicago retail store! She correctly identified the Oregon and GPSMAP found in the first online webisode from Jack's 24:Dossier. These Garmin sponsored webisodes are being posted every Monday leading up to the two-night, four-hour season premier event on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX, and we've got your ticket to see the first 24 minutes of the new season before it premiers! Today also kicks off the "24 Dossier Navigated by Garmin" sweepstakes, where fans can enter to win one of 24 Garmin nüvi 850s and other branded "24" items. Check back Monday for the next installment: Unlawful Detainment, where it's believed Bauer's illegal acts and torture lead to the death of a businessman. We'll also post the next trivia question for another chance to win tickets to our premier party, so stay tuned!
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
This one is for all the savvy business travelers -- those who know how to get through the airport's TSA screening in one minute or less, and that includes removing your laptop from your briefcase and putting your shoes back on. Since you're already lugging your laptop around the country, we think it's time you get some extra mileage out of it and Garmin Mobile PC can help you do that. The experts at PC Magazine just posted a review of Garmin Mobile PC and they gave it four out of five stars. According to them, "for those planning an upcoming road trip who don't want to spend a lot, the Garmin Mobile PC is a solid solution." Garmin Moible PC is the $99 answer to anyone who wants Garmin navigation on their laptop. Garmin Mobile PC is plug-n-play. After you insert the set-up DVD into your laptop the program will automatically install, and you'll soon see our famous and easy-to-use "where to?" and "view map" interface. Garmin Mobile PC also comes with a free subscription to Garmin Online, so you'll have one-click access to weather
information, hotel pricing from hotels.com, flight status, and fuel
prices. PC Mag summed it up well when they said, "for those who want a
large-screen GPS—and have the room to keep your laptop on the front
seat next to you—Garmin Mobile PC is an inexpensive alternative to a
dedicated GPS." If you want to learn more, read PC Mag's full review or watch our demo.
Some people have been shopping for gifts all year. They’ve had them wrapped six months in advance just waiting for the tree to go up. If you’re like me, you are just now thinking about buying gifts. You’re trying to get a list together for your friends and families, and wondering why you can’t be more like those other people! This year your procrastination may have paid off! Garmin has announced a holiday promotion for people like me. How does a $300 rebate for the 396, or a $200 rebate for the 296, or a $100 rebate for the 196 sound? Sounds like money in the bank to me, and a good deal for getting the weather capabilities of the GPSMAP 396 in a cockpit near you. Merry Christmas, from Garmin!
We typically market the Astro GPS Dog Tracking System to hunters -- whether they're after upland game, raccoons, or big game. But they're also being used for much more serious purposes -- finding people. K-9 search and rescue teams across the country are realizing the utility of the Astro, whether it's apprehending bad guys or searching for lost or missing people. Here's a note from William Hall, a K-9 handler based in Iowa who travels throughout North America with his dogs:
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I wanted to let you know that the 3 DC 30's that we ordered arrived the day before we were to leave for Ontario to look for a missing 20 year old woman (missing since August 2007). They worked flawlessly and provided us the information we needed to track where we had searched in the wilderness areas of a provincial park. We were able to utilize the Astro to position ourselves in a way to guide the K-9 on a grid pattern even when we could not "see" where they were due to the terrain and vegetation. I was even able to follow the activity of two additional K-9's working over 2 miles away from my location. The Astros from other K-9 handlers were picking up my K-9s' location as well. The DC 30 antennas maintained their vertical position even when the K-9 went under logs and brush. They are far superior to the 4 DC 20's that we used previously. I had them mounted on top the vests you see in the attached pictures. They caused the vests to slide to one side while working. I believe that you should see some additional sales of Astro systems based on the performance other K-9 teams saw from these during our search.
Thanks for the story and the feedback, Bill -- and hats off to search and rescue teams, both human and canine.
Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.
It’s pre-season now, which means it’s time to start building a base. This means a lot of long - but easy - training to build endurance and force the body to learn to be more efficient. How “easy” is determined by a Lactate Threshold test. This is a sub-maximal exercise test that measures how well the body is able to metabolize lactic acid from the muscles, and which finds the point (heart rate and power output) at which lactic acid is being created faster than it can be used. Below that level of excursion, an athlete can maintain that output indefinitely. But above it, and we will be limited in time.
I was tested today at a gym in Seattle called Herriott Sports Performance. My numbers were a bit lower than the last time I tested, but I also haven’t been riding consistently the past few months, so I’m not worried. The idea of testing in the early season is to get a baseline for comparison when I test during the race season. My least favorite part of testing is being told to be quiet. Apparently talking makes my heart rate go up and consequently, messes up the test. Not talking is so hard for me!
In case you haven't heard about the Garmin gear that can be found on FOX's online webisodes kicking off their hit show, "24," today is the perfect day to join the fun. If you're waiting anxiously for the "24: Season 7" two-night, four-hour season premier event on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX like we are, here's your first chance to see a sneak peak of the first 24 minutes of the new season. For the next four weeks, we'll post a question on the blog that will relate to Garmin and the hit show, "24." Send us the correct answer, along with your contact information (name, address, phone number, e-mail), and we'll put your name in a drawing for a pair of tickets to the sneak peak party at the Garmin Store in Chicago on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 6-8 pm where 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. Cilck here for the complete list of rules, and without further ado, here's this week's question:
Which of the following Garmin product(s) can be found in the the first online webisode, "File 1 - Extradition?"
24 TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights Reserved.
As the Garmin Marine Network product line-up keeps expanding, so do the possibilities on-board. This waterproof plug-and-play network connects MFDs, sonar, radar, communications and weather - putting important data to boater's fingertips. And to make navigating the network easier for mariners of all types, the new interactive marine networking minisite has just set sail! With a host of featured products including the new GPSMAP 5000 series, the GWS 10 wind sensor and GHP 10 Autopilot System among others, boaters can use the Network Configurator to find the best solution that fits their needs - and vessel size. So if you're curious about a new product, or want to find out how the GMN can help you, don't be left ashore - stop by the new marine minisite and take a look around. We think you'll like what you see!
The icons are ready. The first two webisodes are live. The countdown to 24: Day 7 has begun! Next Monday, we'll post the first part of our sweepstakes in which you can win tickets to see a sneak preview of the first 24 minutes at the Garmin Chicago retail store in January. In the meantime, you can visit fox.com/24/dossier to see the all-new online episodes of 24:Dossier, where you'll find great Garmin gear in action as new documents are released each week reviewing Jack's past actions. In next Monday's online episode, Bauer is charged with forcing co-workers and civilians to compromise their profession and morality to serve his mission's agenda. Check back next week to catch the new installment and solve the puzzle for a chance to win tickets to the Garmin preview party. And be sure to save the date - 24: Day 7 begins with a two-night, four-hour season seven premier event airing Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX.
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
When the forecast calls for snow showers and temps in the 20s, do you bundle up and head out or hit the gym? It may all depend on your tolerance for a little wind chap vs. a sacrifice in scenery. While my friend and fellow blogger Jake can knock out a 21-miler on the treadmill for marathon training, I’d rather go the distance outdoors … bundled up like Ralphie’s kid brother in A Christmas Story if need be. Speaking of bundled up, check out the video recap of a recent season-ending race for one of my favorite organizations—Girls on the Run. Nearly 40 girls braved below-freezing wind chills to run that day. If you prefer to run indoors on a treadmill when the temps dip, read on to find out how Forerunner 405 can still be your training partner.
Continue reading "Peg’s Posts: Girls on the Run still run, weather or not" »
It only looks like I'm all play and no work. Sure, I get to do plenty of research in interesting locations: the five boroughs of New York City, the mountains of Colorado, the shorelines of France. But it's all in a day's work, I swear. Yet the most rewarding part of my job is seeing how experts review our products. A perfect example of a device that passes these rigorous tests with flying colors is the Oregon 400t.
In honoring it as Best of Adventure Must-Have Gear, National Geographic Adventure says the Oregon has "the most intuitive interface of any touchscreen device." Backpacker magazine tested several GPS handhelds for its January issue and named the Oregon the "all-around champ" for being advanced and yet intuitive. One of Backpacker's testers is quoted as saying, "If you can withdraw cash from an ATM, you can operate this unit." And it's not just the outdoor magazines that are raving about the Oregon 400t. Men's Journal honored the Oregon in its Gear of the Year, and Forbes tested it out in New York's urban canyons and said, "Oregon is so much fun that I navigate to everything."
To learn more about the Oregon 400t, check out this online demo and take a trip to the Land of Oregon, our highly interactive - and addictive - minisite that highlights the Oregon's features and versatility.
It's nothing new to have Garmin devices star in commercials. Take, for example, our Give-a-Garmin holiday ads in which a nuvi 880 eases a driver's holiday stress in "Coffee Shop" and an ensemble cast saves the day in "One for All," which features products from fitness, auto, outdoor and marine.
Now the Colorado steals the spotlight in an online Best Buy ad, called "Gift Hunters." Think geocaching with giftwrap. Sure, there are two cute kids, but they wouldn't have the success they do finding all of their hidden gifts without the high-sensitivity GPS receiver and full-screen compass of the Colorado. Click here to see the ad, and visit the Colorado minisite to see even more features in action. And to see our other new outdoor handheld come to life, visit the Land of Oregon interactive minisite.
If you’re a fan of the FOX hit 24, you may want to swing by the Garmin Garage and check out our two new vehicle icons. We have the Chopper and the Mobile HQ ready for you to download to your nüvi! And when the downloading is done, you can visit the FOX site for all-new online episodes of 24: Dossier. While you’re watching, be sure to be on the lookout for great Garmin gear throughout each episode. Of course, the excitement only builds from there. After that, get ready as 24: Day 7 begins with Jack Bauer on trial in the two-night, four-hour season seven premiere event airing Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7C on FOX.
24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Garmin is becoming standard equipment in more and more vehicles in dealer showrooms across the country. Recently, the Suzuki SX4 was reviewed by CNET, and praised for its Garmin navigation features including the dynamic content provided by MSN Direct, its Bluetooth capabilities and MP3 player. The Suzuki T.R.I.P. (travel, real-time traffic, information and play) navigation package includes a Garmin nüvi 780 integrated into the dashboard. With MSN Direct, SX4 owners can benefit from real-time traffic, fuel prices, movie times, weather and stock price information. The device includes a fully-integrated mount, but is also easy to remove for adventures on foot. After taking the system for a test drive, CNET noted: "All in all, we'd say the Suzuki T.R.I.P is a well-integrated solution to add a suite of cabin tech to the SX4 Sport."
Now that Thanksgiving and Black Friday '08 are in the history book, it's time to get serious about finding the perfect gift for some of the special people on your list. And what do you give the person who seems to have everything? ZDNet has said the nüvi 755T is the "only GPS that should be on your holiday shopping list this year," and considering all of its advanced features, it's easy to understand why it was picked for their gift guide. After all, "its gorgeous user interface is intuitive and super fast, with even faster boot, acquisition, route calculation and map drawing times."
Once you purchase the 755T for under the tree, don't forget to Garmin-ize your stocking stuffers. The nuvi is easy to use straight out of the box, but if you have someone on your list that wants to know about every nook and cranny of their GPS, they may like one of our most recent finds, "The Garmin nuvi PocketGuide." This pocket sized pocket guide will tell you just about everything you've ever wanted to know about your pocketable nüvi.
I have been hearing the songs of the season everywhere I go it seems. Unfortunately, the song that's a reality for a Mid-West pilot is “Well, the weather outside is frightful…” Fortunately, with the GPSMAP 696, it's easy to see the big picture when it comes to the weather. The 696 has more aviation weather features then any other Garmin product including Icing Forecast, Turbulence Forecasts, Severe Icing Forecasts, and Pilot Reports (PIREPS), just to name a few. PIREPS are a huge advantage in my book because they give us an idea of the actual conditions being experienced by pilots. I have given quite a few reports over the years and I highly recommend pilots share the bumps and bruises experienced in a flight to help other pilots down the line. Now with the 696 we have access to the help a PIREP can bring right at our fingertips.
Ever since we announced our title sponsorship of Team Garmin in June, we've been thanked with e-mails from fans of the team and sport in general. Cyclists see our sponsorship, our success in events around the world and the team's commitment to 100% clean racing as signs that good guys can come out on top. While we'd love to share every one of these letters with you on the blog, there's not enough time in the day to post them all. So here's another excerpt from the inbox:
I just wanted to let you know that I recently bought two Garmin products within the last two weeks. Note: they are not your top-of-the-line products, but support nonetheless. I bought the Forerunner 305 and the nüvi 250. The reason I bought these are: 1) Products that fit my needs 2) your support of pro cycling's Team Garmin-Slipstream. I was at the store and one of the salesmen was trying to sell me a competitor's GPS products, and I wouldn't even consider it because of your support for cycling.
Thanks - Chris R.
p.s. I am going to invest in a new computer for my bike this summer, and I am probably going to get something from the Edge line.
Need some motivation after a week that was likely filled with overeating and underexercising? Take a look at the story of Dick Beardsley, at left with another friend of Garmin, Runner's World Chief Running Officer Bart Yasso. Dick trains with a Garmin Forerunner and inspires runners of all talents and ages wherever he goes.
If you aren't familar with Dick Beardsley's story, Dick grew up with alcoholic parents but in his younger years he did not smoke, drink, do drugs - yet Dick still became a drug addict. Prior to his addiction - which he has since conquered - Dick started his elite running career as a mediocre athlete at best. Now he is one of the best Grandmaster distance runners in the country.
He is best known for his "Duel in the Sun" with Alberto Salazar in the 1982 Boston Marathon. He finished in 2:08:53, just 2 seconds behind Salazar. His 2:08:53 time 1982 Boston Marathon is still the 5th fastest marathon time in the United States. Dick has won several prestigious races, including the first London Marathon, Napa Valley Marathon and the Grandma’s Marathon, the latter two, Dick still holds the course record.
Continue reading "Beardsley brings out the best in himself, others" »
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