Garmin Connect adds outdoor handhelds to online community

Today brought great news to hikers, campers, hunters, geocachers and anyone else who loves outdoor activities. Garmin Connect is proud to welcome the Garmin outdoor product line to the site. With today's updates, Garmin Connect now supports uploads from Garmin outdoor devices, including Garmin mass storage devices such as zūmo and nüvi. This is exciting news, as it means we offer support for all of Garmin's fitness and outdoor devices. Now more than ever, Garmin Connect is your easy to use, go-to site for all of your activity logging and training needs.

For those of you with a Garmin outdoor handheld device you can expect many new features, and improvements on your favorite features:

Easy uploads for new generation Garmin devices
Manual uploads for .gpx files
Activity log in table view
Activity log in the new Calendar view
Detailed analysis of activities
Relive activities in the improved Player
View activities on maps including our new embedded Google Earth view
Export to Google Earth
Share activities on Facebook and Twitter
Export activity files in .gpx and .tcx format to use on third-party applications
Explore other routes from Garmin customers - 15 million plus activities and counting
Over 38,000 new activities uploaded everyday
Send any track found at Garmin Connect in Explore to your Garmin Outdoor device for navigation

We are confident that Garmin outdoor customers will enjoy Garmin Connect, and that the site will continue to meet your fitness and adventure needs.

Victor's Vectors: G1000 Available on Piper Mirage and Matrix

Piper Aircraft is now offering their customers more glass than ever before. The Piper Mirage and Matrix are the newest planes to be certified with the G1000. The Mirage and Matrix will come with the most advanced G1000 technologies that includes features like the GFC 700 autopilot, Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), SafeTaxi for over 950 airports and FliteCharts, just to name a few. The two features we think pilots will appreciate the most are the GFC 700 and SVT because they bring an entirely new level of integration and situational awareness to the cockpit. Watch to learn more about the advantages of SVT.

Wish List Wednesday: Best Gifts for Boaters

There are only four weeks left until Christmas and if you haven't begun your shopping yet, it's time to start. Don't panic. We're here to help. Every Wednesday between now and December 25, we'll give you a few ideas for those you love who need a sense of direction -- pilots, boaters, runners, cyclists, golfers, hikers, drivers, geocachers, cell phone users, and hunters, just to name a few. This week we're focusing on those who love to be on the water.

If you're looking for the ultimate gift to outfit the helm, give the gift of touchscreen and put put a GPSMAP 5215 under the tree. Any boater would love the true "big picture" navigation offered on the huge 15" screen of this network plotter. This touchscreen MFD is sleek, super-bright and easy to use - the perfect gift for the boater who wants functionality at their fingertips. If space at the helm is an issue, the new GPSMAP 546 is a compact chartplotter, that packs a lot of punch.    

If the boater in your life already has a full electronics suite at the helm, we recommend the GPSMAP 640- a full-featured marine chartplotter and an on-the-road navigator that comes ready to go with preloaded BlueChart g2 data and City Navigator NT road maps for North America. This amphibian navigator is powerful and portable, and with 5.2-inch touchscreen display, your boater will always know the way whether they're on land or at sea.

If it's stocking stuffers you're after, give your boater the gift of planning with our latest marine trip-planning software - HomePort. This PC application lets boaters plan and organize routes from the convenience of their computer and gives them the ability to view map details such as underwater hazards and hidden obstacles - a gift that even the most experienced navigator will appreciate!

For more information about Garmin's marine product line, check out the Garmin Marine minisite, or you can always visit our Chicago Store, or marine dealer for closer look.

Give the Gift of Time

'Tis the season to give. And what's the one thing everyone wants? If you guessed "time" then you're on the same page as this blogger. We don't have a GPS device that can turn back the clock, but we do have several that will help you save minutes by routing you around traffic. NPR recently reviewed a nüvi 1390T with lifetime free traffic and compared it to a smartphone navigation app. According to them, "Friday night I was driving home from the airport. Before I even realized there was a traffic jam ahead, Garmin adjusted the route and suggested I stay to the left and take a different freeway. A minute later I saw that my normal route was totally backed up. This was an impressive time saver, and completely automatic. It excels compared to Google Nav..."

When you're looking at our automotive product line, make sure you consider products with a "T" (that stands for traffic), such as the nüvi 1260T, 1350T or 1490T. Each of these nüvis come with free, lifetime traffic with no monthly fees or maintenance costs. Traffic coverage is available in most major cities and this coverage map will show you if your stomping grounds are covered.

Wish List Wednesday: Best Gifts for Pilots

There are only five weeks left until Christmas and if you haven't begun your shopping yet, it's time to start. Don't panic. We're here to help. Every Wednesday between now and December 25, we'll give you a few ideas for those you love who need a sense of direction -- pilots, boaters, runners, cyclists, golfers, hikers, drivers, geocachers, cell phone users, and hunters, just to name a few. This week we're focusing on those who have caught the flying bug.

If you're looking for the ultimate aviation gift for under the tree, now is the time to upgrade your favorite pilot's airplane avionics. Every pilot would be thrilled with a new G600 all-glass retrofit flight deck or the GTS 800 traffic receiver. Since we have a rebate on these and other products of up to $7000, you can give this ultimate gift without breaking Santa's bank. 

If the pilot in your life already has a fully equipped plane, we recommend our newest touchscreen handheld, the aera, which will take pilots from the plane to the car. The aera 560 is our top of the line model and it has advanced features like XM WX satellite weather, SafeTaxi, AOPA Airport Directory, street mapping with turn-by-turn voice prompted directions and traffic support in automotive mode. Watch the video to learn more. If you want a bigger screen than the aera, check out the 696, which also has a rebate between now and the end of the year. 

Santa never forgets stocking stuffers, and neither should you. All good flights  (even those with a sleigh and reindeer) begin with good planning and training. Make sure you don't forget to add Pilot My-Cast by Garmin and eLearning to your list. Pilot My-Cast lets pilots check the weather and file a flight plan directly from their cell phone. It's currently available with all major carriers and with the most popular phones, including the BlackBerry. It'll also be available on the iPhone before the holidays. Watch this Pilot My-Cast video to learn more. eLearning is an online, highly interactive training program that will help the pilot in your life make the most of their Garmin aviation equipment. Here's a video with more details.

If you want to see any of these products in person, you can always visit our Chicago Store or any Garmin aviation dealer.

Give-a-Garmin holiday ads unveiled as Nutcrackers come to life

What happens to the toys when the shopkeeper leaves for the day? Now we know. One of Garmin's two new holiday commercials follows an outgoing Nutcracker set on going out. After a long day manning his post at the store, this lovable character with a huge head and even bigger personality uses his nüvi to navigate nightlife. But before this model of mobility could venture out into the world, he had to take shape in Santa's workshop - which for a few weeks outsourced some work to Garmin headquarters. In addition to creating the look and feel of all of Garmin's amazing GPS products, our design engineers were responsible for crafting the statues currently standing guard in Chicago at Garmin's only retail outlet on Michigan Ave. The Nutcrackers at the Garmin Store represent our various product lines - fitness, marine, aviation, outdoors, mobile and automotive - and they serve as reminders that there's a Garmin for everyone on your gift list. Our second holiday ad also displays the diversity in Garmin's product line, tracking the adventures of a knight to remember, a multi-sport leprechaun, a camera-friendly Yeti, a swingin Scot and a squirrel. Enjoy, and be sure to stop back often for gift ideas and interviews with this colorful cast.

Getting ready for race day

It's a big weekend for Porsche Carrera Cup Japan (PCCJ) fans.In case you weren't aware, Garmin sponsors Porsche Carrera Cup Japan car #88 with driver Sho Hanawa. This weekend, drivers will be at the Shanghai International Circuit, which features enough straight stretches to offer smooth rides, yet throws up some treacherous curves to set up tricky moments. Unique snail-like turns at two points of the track may also pose a special challenge to drivers, and prove to be sufficient opportunities for overtaking maneuvers. Go Garmin!

Garmin teams with actor/conservationist Edward Norton to sponsor the Maasai Marathon benefitting African conservation

You're hearing it here first. We have more exciting news leading up to Sunday's ING New York City Marathon, where we've already announced that we'll be showing off brand-new colors of the FR60 as we support elite American distance runner Ryan Hall's quest for victory. And now we're working with another huge name on a mission that goes far beyond fitness: Garmin International, the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced its support of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and its Maasai Marathon team, a group of 30 runners led by Edward Norton and three Maasai warriors, who will run in the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1st.

Norton, a pilot and longtime user of Garmin products for flying, recreation and travel, has used Garmin’s Forerunner 405CX GPS-enabled fitness watch in training and preparing with the Maasai runners for the race. Norton will be downloading his running data to Garmin Connect’s online community, where millions of activities are shared, compared, stored and explored. Garmin has also made a donation to the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and will help promote the cause at the ING New York City Marathon expo and upcoming events.

“Garmin's technology has been instrumental in many aspects of MWCT's work, from aviation to wildlife surveys to creation of conservation databases. This partnership is particularly exciting for us because it's a company whose products are an integral part of the conservation mission” said Edward Norton.

Garmin Extends Title Sponsorship of Team Garmin-Slipstream Through 2013

Still celebrating Bradley Wiggins' victory and Team Garmin's strong showing at Australia's Jayco Herald Sun Tour - where we had 3 in the top 4 and the King of Mountains - we're thrilled to break this news here:

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it has extended for an additional three years its title sponsorship of Team Garmin-Slipstream, the ProTour cycling team dedicated to ethical sporting and developing the next generation of cycling champions. The extension for the U.S.-based team comprised of elite talent from around the world is an addition to the company’s current sponsorship through 2010, marking one of the most significant multi-national sponsorship deals in the history of professional cycling.

“The success of the team spans the globe and surpassed our expectations for the first year and a half of our title sponsorship, bringing Garmin’s reputation for quality, commitment, performance and productivity into countless households in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia,” said Jon Cassat, Garmin’s vice president of communications. “Our objectives were – and continue to be – to integrate our products on sports’ biggest stages and to build global brand awareness. Whether capturing victories around the world, winning national championships or working to develop future generations of talent, Team Garmin has helped us achieve those objectives and has made an impression on billions of potential customers.”

Garmin nüvifone G60: As Seen On TV

By now, you may have already seen the nüvifone G60 commercials – either online or on TV. And if you haven't, we're providing them below - along with some behind-the-scenes photos taken during production. 

During a two-week filming period in August, a crew of Garmin associates as well as an assortment of actors, extras and film crew members crisscrossed the Midwest. Filming began in Chicago and ended in Alliance, Nebraska – home of Carhenge. The crew filmed five separate scenes to highlight several of nüvifone’s key features.  From the five scenes, three scenes were chosen for each of the three separate commercials.  

After the scenes were filmed, it was time to edit the footage and add digital effects. Local artists composed and recorded a custom music piece for the spots. Once everything was finalized, the spots were shipped out to the networks. You'll see the commercials on most major networks and we've also added them below in case you've missed them. If you'd like to learn more about nüvifone, visit our product page for details.  

Garmin announces sponsorship of U.S. record-holders Deena Kastor & Ryan Hall

We're excited to break the news here first, as Garmin today announces its sponsorship of American distance-running record-holders Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall as they prepare for marathons in Chicago and New York City, respectively. To honor these elite athletes’ pursuit of victory in these major world marathons, special limited-edition versions of Garmin’s new FR60 fitness watch will be available exclusively at the race expos and select retailers in those cities.

“Deena and Ryan have been training with Garmin devices for some time, and we are thrilled to see our relationship grow as they rely on Garmin technology to take on the world’s best,” said Stan Brajer, director of Garmin Fitness Sales and Marketing. “As our fitness division grows with products such as the innovative FR60, we have worked with top-tier runners, gold-medal coaches and Tour de France cyclists, and Deena and Ryan exemplify that excellence as true global ambassadors of the sport and our brand.”

20-year stories: Sailing ‘round the world with a Garmin

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re bringing you stories from across the globe of Garmin devices in action. Today’s story goes down in the history books and we’re proud to say Garmin was there when these seafaring men set their record.

Sailing legends Sir Robin Knox Johnson and Sir Peter Blake used a Garmin GPS 75 for their round-the-world voyage in a catamaran in 1994. The team won the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation in a time of 74 days, 22 hours, 18 minutes and 22 seconds. This was their second attempt at the prize after their 1992 voyage was aborted when their catamaran Enza struck an object, tearing a hole in the hull. The GPS 75 used in their successful voyage was later donated to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, where it is currently on display.

To learn more about Garmin’s history, including interviews from our cofounders and other associates around the world, view our video and a collection of other stories.

Vote My-Cast and Garmin Mobile for BlackBerry!

My-Cast (a subsidiary of Garmin) and Garmin Mobile for BlackBerry have been nominated for the 2009 Handango Champion Awards. My-Cast was nominated under the best weather application category on BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices, and Garmin Mobile was nominated under the best GPS/Map application for the BlackBerry. Visit Handango.com between now and October 4 to vote. Winners will be announced at CTIA.

For those who have yet to experience My-Cast or Garmin Mobile, My-Cast provides animated Nexrad radar, hourly to 7-day forecasts, Storm Watch, clouds, and more--throughout the United States. Most importantly, My-Cast is intuitive and easy to use, especially for severe weather events. My-Cast is available for the most recent phones on all major wireless carriers.

Garmin Mobile for Blackberry turns BlackBerry devices into powerful Garmin GPS navigators with turn-by-turn voice prompted directions to millions of points of interest. Plus, it includes dynamic content like real-time traffic and fuel prices. If you want to take it for a test drive, check out the free seven-day trial.

Garmin named the "clear leader in GPS satisfaction"

PC Magazine has posted the results of their GPS Device Service and Reliability Survey. Readers have voted Garmin as as the "clear leader in GPS satisfaction." We also received top marks for reliability, map quality, ease of use, and more. According to the survey, "based on the number of responses, the company [Garmin] has 3.5 times as many users among PCMag readers as the next vendor." 

We're thankful for and humbled by this recognition, but we also know it never would have been possible without our customers. Thank you to all Garmin users and a special thanks to the 1,508 Garmin customers that gave PC Mag their opinion on our products. 

Download S&R2009_GPSDevices

nüvi 1690 and AT&T Wireless Network

Ever since we announced the nüvi 1690, one of the most common questions we've heard is who is the nüvi 1690's data provider for the US. The answer was revealed today - it's AT&T. The nüvi 1690 has a built-in wireless module that lets you link to Garmin nüLink! services, and nüLink! gives you one-click access to online content like traffic, weather, fuel prices, Google local search, and white page listings.

The U.S. 1690 comes with two years of free nüLink! service. This makes it the first online GPS to offer an extended period of online features included in the purchase price of the device. After the first two years of service, you can get nuLink! for just $5.00/month. Check out this nüvi 1690 demo to learn more.

Simplify your search at Garmin.com

See that little box up there, to the right? While we've been blogging, our Web team has been making that simple little Search box even easier to use, with better results and more relevant information. Now you can quickly sift through old blog posts, seek out your favorite product features and shop for your next Garmin. Enhancements to the search process include the following:

You're searching all of Garmin.com. Instead of just checking the product pages, you will be able to find everything from blogs to Support FAQs to products to Manuals to discontinued products to flyGarmin to Garmin Connect... well, you get the idea.
We learn as we go. As the search engine gathers data and learns what most people search for, it will adjust and offer suggestions when people type in misspelled words with "Did you mean?" links.
Recommended Results. This feature appears at the top of the results page, guiding you to links that may be valuable to them based on the search term you used. In the future, the Related Products feature will show you which of our products are most relevant to your search term. 
Suggestion box. We help refine your searches by offering suggestions for an alternative word or phrase for the original search term For example, if you search for “watch” you'll see: “You could also try Forerunner, FR60, Foretrex”
Going global. We started out with English and future releases will cover all language versions of Garmin.com. 

So snoop around for a few seconds with our new and improved search -- you're more than welcome to spend longer than that, but it will only take a few seconds to get results -- and we think you'll like what you find.

nüvi 1690: Get more information than ever before for free

Automotive GPS devices have changed a lot since we brought to market the world's first portable, affordable mapping GPS. Our new nüvi 1690 is still portable and affordable, but the content on our newest device is absolutely amazing. The nüvi 1690 has a built-in wireless module so that you can tap into our new nüLink! service that has online information like traffic, weather, fuel prices, Google local search, white pages and more. Having all this information at your fingertips gives it the most comprehensive set of search capabilities offered by any GPS on today's market. And, the really great thing about this content is that it's free for the first two years. After that, if you decide you don't need the extra bells and whistles -- but I'll be shocked if you don't get hooked -- your GPS will continue to give you access to the preloaded points of interest and the same great turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation that you expect from Garmin.

The nüvi 1690 is also our first automotive GPS with Ciao!, a social network application that links multiple social network sites so you can share your whereabouts with friends. Ciao! makes it possible to see where your friends are and you can navigate to their current location with a few screen taps. If you're a member of GyPSii or uLocate's Buddy Beacon social networks, you can take advantage of Ciao! now.

Stage 21 - Tour de France

Recap of Stage 21 of the 2009 Tour de France. The final stage on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France.

Stage 20 - Tour de France

Recap of Stage 20 of the 2009 Tour de France.

Get a nüvifone on Monday

Great news! In case you haven't heard, the nüvifone G60 will be available for purchase in Taiwan on Monday, July 27, and and in Singapore and Malaysia by the end of August. To learn more about it, check out our press release here.

 

Stage 18 - Tour de France

Recap of Stage 18 of the 2009 Tour de France.

Go Garmin!

Popular Mechanics just concluded its first-ever consumer brand survey to determine what consumer brands their readers preferred. Twenty-nine different product categories were included, with a minimum of five brand choices in each category.  Over 7,000 readers voted, and thanks to you, we were chosen the favorite GPS brand. Thank You!

As most Garmin customers know, we serve a plethora of markets and we do our best to give each of these markets the specialized attention it deserves. We strive to develop revolutionary products with features that are specific to that market. One of the many ways we do this is by having employees design, create, build and market products for industries they're passionate about. Forerunners are developed by runners, Zumos by motorcycle riders, chartplotters by boaters, avionics by pilots -- I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the idea. This Popular Mechanics award helps reiterate that we're on the right path, but don't worry, we won't rest on our laurels. We're determined to continue building products that make life a little easier and more enjoyable for our customers.

Garmin + BMW Motorrad = Navigator IV GPS

BMW motorcycle owners are about to have a new BMW-customized navigator at their fingertips. Today we joined with BMW to announce the next generation BMW Motorrad Navigator, the Navigator IV. This portable GPS device is based on Garmin's zumo 660, but it has customized features specific to the BMW such as a customized four-button mount, unique Bluetooth capabilities and preloaded BMW dealers. This is the fourth generation BMW Motorrad Navigator product, and the previous version, the Navigator III, was based on the StreetPilot 2820.

The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV is a top-of-the-line Garmin navigator designed exclusively for BMW motorcycles. Ready to go right out of the box, it has everything a rider could need. The portable, 4.3-inch navigator has a bright touchscreen display that is glove-friendly and comes preloaded with detailed street maps with millions of points of interest that include locations like restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, hotels and specific street addresses. After the rider selects a destination, the system calculates the best route and gives turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions to the final destination. This feature can also work with a compatible Bluetooth enabled helmet or headset. The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV’s stereo (A2DP) Bluetooth wireless technology makes it possible for riders to pair their phone to a Bluetooth enabled helmet or handset so that they can safely talk on the phone or listen to MP3’s without having to remove their gloves or helmet.

Ask Garmin: Updating your nüvi, zūmo or GPSMAP software

Some customers have asked us to follow-up about last week's mandatory software update decree, and they've specifically asked if all the new software has been released. The answer is a resounding YES! We have free software updates available for the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640. Offering free software is something we regularly do and we've always recommend you update your GPS when new free software is available. However, last week was atypical because the software update was mandatory. If you own one of the GPS devices listed above and haven't experienced any problems acquiring a GPS signal, you still need to do the free software update. It's free and easy to do. All you need to do is visit our WebUpdater site, download the free WebUpdater application, follow the screen prompts, and it will do everything else for you.  

Learn your Garmin with the Garmin Learning Center

Have you ever wanted to see a Garmin product in action before you buy it? Or, maybe you're interested in tips and tricks about a device you already own? How about expanding your overall GPS knowledge?  If any of these scenarios sound familiar, the online Garmin Learning Center is for you. The Learning Center is the newest addition to Garmin.com, and is quickly becoming a popular place to visit because it's a one-stop resource for learning about Garmin products and all things GPS. Once you visit this site, you can watch short video snippets to learn more about your GPS. So far, the site features videos for the Forerunner 405, Edge 705, Approach G5 and Marine network. More videos will be coming soon, so you'll want to check back often.

20-year stories: eMap finds its way home

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re reaching back to the past to bring you stories from our younger years, including some memorable customer testimonials. When the following story was submitted through our website in 2000, this customer had definitely piqued our curiosity. Be sure to keep reading for the rest of the story.

An interesting thing happened to me today that I think is worth sharing with you. I have a Garmin eMap that is my newest best friend. I fell in love with it after I purchased one for my daughter as a gift. I had to have one of my own. I carry my eMap with me constantly and had the misfortune to lose it last weekend. I was about to order another one to replace it when I received a knock at my door. A young gentleman was standing there holding what he described to be my eMap. He asked me if I had lost it. I was flabbergasted! It seems that he is an electronics nut like myself and had found it in the park. He managed to get to the waypoint page and found one titled “home.” He set this as a destination and tracked to my home using the eMap. He said he figured that it must have been important and felt that it should be returned. We had a very nice discussion about the eMap. I went ahead and ordered another eMap and gave it to this young gentleman to reward him for his honesty and inventiveness. I’ve now bought three eMaps and am delighted to have done so because they have been valuable tools for me and my daughter, and I’m sure will do the same for my new young friend. Thanks, Garmin, for making such splendid products. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I’m blind? It’s true. I’ll bet I have your curiosity piqued, right?

Gil L.

Free, mandatory GPS software available now

Today, Garmin released a free, mandatory GPS software update to correct a software issue that has been discovered to cause select GPS devices to repeatedly attempt to update GPS firmware, and then either shut down or no longer acquire GPS satellite signals.  The products affected are the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640.

Garmin nüvi 7x5 series products that are no longer able to acquire a GPS satellite signal may download a firmware update immediately that will correct the software issue. This firmware update may be downloaded using Garmin’s WebUpdater.

Firmware updates for other affected products will be available online through Garmin’s WebUpdater in the near future. Affected customers who have registered their GPS device will be notified about these updates through email.

Garmin nüvi 7x5 customers who are no longer able to power on their GPS device will need to visit www.garmin.com/support, and select the first FAQ titled “My nüvi 755T, 765T, 775T or 785T is giving me the message ‘Updating GPS Firmware’ or will no longer power on…” Customers will then need to follow the instructions to request a return authorization so that the device may be repaired under warranty.

We know our customers rely upon their Garmin GPS device(s), especially during the summer travel season, and we regret any inconvenience this situation may have caused. We are committed to developing products that are known for their quality and reliability and will continue to work diligently to earn the trust of our customers.

Ask Garmin: Why does my nüvi 7x5 not power on?

It has come to our attention that the Garmin nüvi 7x5 series has a firmware error that is causing some devices to perform an unprompted GPS software update and in some cases shut down. We are aware of this issue and we are working diligently on a solution.  We know our customers rely upon their GPS devices and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Developing quality products always has been and continues to be a priority at Garmin. For regular updates about this issue, please visit www.garmin.com/support. 

Give dad some quality time with the FR60 fitness watch

Forget ties, tees and hats that only look good on motionless mannequins. Garmin has the gift for active dads that he can wear every day — the FR60. This versatile fitness watch can mind the miles, heart rate and calories burned for dad’s morning jog, keep him on time through the day, then track more data for a bike ride after work. Since FR60 is non-GPS, some models come with a tiny foot pod to count steps and measure distance, indoors or out. And it can team up with ANT+ accessories like the speed/cadence sensor for detailed feedback when cycling. Best of all, FR60 features wireless uploads to the computer, so dad’s data zips to our Garmin Connect site when he’s in range of the computer. No wires, no downloads, no sweat. Garmin Connect is an easy way for dad to analyze, store and share data and even create and track his fitness goals. What dad wouldn’t love that? So easy, it doesn’t even need an easy button. Come winter, when dad trades trail runs for gym time, FR60 becomes an indoor training partner. It will even work with compatible fitness equipment like spin bikes and treadmills to display and record data. Make dad’s day with a gift that will really move him — FR60.

Get there with Garmin and MSN Direct

We’re always working on ways to help you get where you’re going. And we’ve got a great new feature for those of you who use MSN Direct. We’ve worked with Microsoft to allow MSN Direct users to wirelessly send points of interest from Google Maps to their MSN Direct-compatible nüvi. As you know, MSN Direct users benefit from having traffic details, weather forecasts, movie times and more right at their fingertips. And now we’ve added even more convenience to this great functionality by allowing wireless POI transfers. Sending is easy; just search for the point you want on Google Maps and, once you find it, click on the Send link. Select GPS and then Garmin. On the resulting page select the MSN Direct tab and click the Send by MSN Direct button. (You may be prompted for your MSN Direct username and password.) The point will be sent wirelessly to your MSN Direct enabled nüvi and should appear on the device within minutes. It’s quick. It’s easy. And it’s a great way to plan a trip from the comfort of your computer. Take it for a test drive today!

eBay winner will join Team Garmin in Paris for unforgettable weekend

Here's your chance to join Team Garmin for a once-in-a-lifetime weekend this July with behind-the-scenes access as they cross the finish line in Paris, France. An auction for VIP access to pro cycling's biggest finale is up for grabs on eBay to the highest bidder. And the winner will be helping education as the proceeds benefit the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

Here's what you'll be bidding on in this limited-time promotion at www.ebay.com/teamgarmin
-- Experience Paris and the race’s final stage for four people. (July 25-26, 2009)
-- VIP spectator access to team staging areas and events, refreshments included.
-- Seats in exclusive sponsor viewing area near finish line on Champs-Elysees in Paris.
-- Shuttle service to/from airport and to official events.
-- Two hotel rooms each for 3 nights at sponsor’s designated hotel. (July 24-26, 2009)
-- VIP access to restricted Team Garmin areas.
-- Attend the post race Team Garmin party on July 26th.
-- Garmin Edge 705 cycle computer and Team Garmin gear.

Curiosity Goes To Mars

GPS doesn't work on Mars, but in a way, NASA's new rover that's currently in production will have a Garmin connection nonetheless.

That's because Clara Ma, the 12-year-old daughter of two talented senior software engineers here at Garmin, won NASA's nationwide contest to name the new lander.  Scheduled for launch in 2011, the new rolling science lab will be known as "Curiosity."  More than 9,000 students from every state submitted essays to name the rover.  Jet Propulsion Lab engineer Suparna Mukherjee presented Clara with the award at her school earlier this week.

True to its name, Curiosity will analyze the Martian environment to determine if it ever has been favorable for supporting life.  The rover also will search for evidence of water and look for several chemical building blocks of life.

In her essay, Clara said that "curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone's mind. It makes me get out of bed in the morning and wonder what surprises life will throw at me that day."

We'd like to think that same curiosity is what drives us at Garmin.  Congratulations, Clara!

Garmin Connect welcomes all Garmin fitness devices

Great news from everyone at Garmin Connect! This week, Garmin Connect threw open its doors to all Garmin fitness devices, so you can now download activities from all of your Edge and Forerunner devices. Also, the move is on as we've started migrating everyone's activities from MotionBased over to Garmin Connect. Because there have been millions of activities shared at MotionBased and Garmin Connect, we had to start somewhere. So we focused first on the most recent activities (the most relevant in your training) and will be uploading the largest activities this summer.

Continue reading for more details about the Garmin Connect migration and other great updates to our online training community.

20-year stories: Garmin was his life preserver

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re reaching back to the past to bring you stories from our younger years, including some memorable customer testimonials. This story comes from a couple of seamen whose Memorial Day 10 years ago was, well … more memorable than most. Here’s their story.

When Steve purchased his 29-foot sport fishing boat along with a business partner, he insisted that they spend a little more money on a GPS system. He chose a Garmin GPSMAP 230. Turns out that was a life-changing decision. Memorial Day weekend, 1999, Steve, Reese and four other friends spent a day fishing in the Gulf Stream off Charleston Harbor. As Reese walked to the boat's stern, he was pitched overboard, but no one heard his cries for help. Shirtless, and without a life jacket, he spent the longest 45 minutes of his life bobbing in the warm Gulf Stream waters.

Click & Ride with Garmin and Volkswagen

Got a Volkswagen? It's time to get a Garmin, but not just any Garmin -- you need the "Click & Ride." Since Volkswagen has just named Garmin its aftermarket GPS supplier, they've launched the new Volkswagen "Click & Ride" GPS specifically for Volkswagen owners worldwide.  The Click & Ride is based on the Garmin nuvi 7x5 series, and one of the biggest things that sets it apart from traditional nuvi devices is the custom mount that is tailored to all Volkswagen models. We worked with Volkswagen's engineers to ensure the mount design meets all the safety requirements and integrates seamlessly into the vehicle. The GPS is charged by the car’s power supply and all audio, including turn by turn directions, is outputted via the car speakers. Plus, one of the biggest advantages of the Click & Ride is when you want to explore the city on foot, you simply snap the GPS out of the cradle and you'll continue to receive directions in pedestrian mode.

The Click & Ride has a 4.3" screen and has all of our advanced features like lane assist, which guide the driver to the correct lane when approaching a turn or exit by displaying life-like road signs on the display. It also has traffic services that notify the driver of upcoming traffic or road construction delays. If an accident or construction delay occurred prior to the user programming their route, the Click & Ride will automatically calculate a route around the congestion.

my.Garmin.com: Get the latest and greatest for your GPS

We're at it again. We're figuring out ways to make your life easier, and we think we have another winner. This time we've created something for the GPS device you already own -- my.Garmin.com is a site where you can manage all there is to manage about your GPS. From registering your Garmin to downloading new maps to learning more about your specific GPS, my.Garmin.com is designed to be a helpful resource 24/7.

So, here's what you should do...
1. Visit http://my.Garmin.com.
2. Click on the second tab, myDashboard and follow the screen prompts
3. Connect your GPS to your computer through the USB port.
4. Be prepared to learn more about your GPS than you ever thought possible from one central location.

As soon as my.Garmin recognizes that a GPS device is connected to the computer, you can click on the second tab, myDashboard, and you'll see a picture of your devcie along with helpful information about your GPS like map updates and free software updates. myGarmin is completely tailored to you and your GPS, so take some time to explore and discover everything there is to know about your Garmin.

20-year stories: First day memories

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re reaching back to the past to bring you stories from our younger years. Today you’ll hear from one of Garmin’s original employees who reflects on his first day, back in October 1989. When you start a company with just a handful of engineers, everybody has to pitch in. Even when it means going on a run for office supplies with the company co-founder. Learn more about Garmin’s history by viewing our interactive timeline and a video celebrating 20 years of innovation. Check back to the Garmin blog for more stories from our past, including some insight on the men who made Garmin — Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao.

Peg’s Posts: How to make mom’s day

While perfumeries, patisseries and other retail niches are advertising the perfect gifts for mom, Peg’s been thinking of some unique ways to show mom she’s the best. And some won’t even cost you a dime. After all, she probably just wants you to spend time with her.

Adventure-seeking moms: Take her to find some cache … go geocaching. If you already own a GPS, that’s all the equipment you need. This high-tech version of a scavenger hunt can be played with just about any Garmin GPS—basic handhelds to nüvis to units like Oregon 400t with special geocaching features. Look up nearby geocache locations online and transfer the GPS coordinates to your unit, then head out to seek. As of today, there are 794, 655 active geocaches around the world. That oughta keep you and mom busy. If you’re caching with kids, be sure to bring swag to swap in the standard caches. Got piles of kids’ meal toys looking for a new home? Bring it.

Moms on the run: Find a new scenic trail or route that she’s never been on and take her for a run. To search for new routes in your area or a nearby town, go to our Garmin Connect site and click the “Explore” tab. Here, you can search from millions of activities uploaded by Garmin users around the world. Get detailed data on the route, including distance, mapping, elevation and more. There's even a map player feature to replay the activity. If you have a compatible Garmin fitness device (like Edge 705 or Forerunner 405), you can send the course file to your device. Just click the “send to device” button under the summary box.

A new hair cut for a cause

The Garmin family is proud to give back to the community. And yesterday, we were excited to watch one of our executives shed his locks for an incredible cause. For several months, co-workers, friends, family and business associates of Jon Cassat, Garmin's vice president of marketing communications, have rallied together to raise money in support of the American Cancer Society's Shave to Save - a fundraiser that donates 100 percent of its proceeds to the Society's Hope Lodge in Kansas City. The Hope Lodge is a home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers traveling to Kansas City during their treatment. During Shave to Save, volunteers take the stage in front of hundreds of supporters and publicly shave their heads in honor of someone that has been affected by cancer. After raising a record-setting amount of more than $14K, the Garmin family cheered, applauded and joined the crowd in chanting"Jon, Jon, Jon!" as his wife took the first swipe of his hair at yesterday's event. Collectively, this year's event raised more money than all years prior, and more than $175K was raised for the Hope Lodge. Thanks again to everyone that supported the cause and came out to see Jon put his head on the buzz block!

Garmin is coming to a job fair near you

How would you like to work with Jake, Peg, Victor and Carl? While they love sharing their stories about using Garmin's innovative products for traveling, hiking, running, cycling, flying and golfing, none of it would be possible if they weren't surrounded by the brightest minds in the business. So we're spanning the U.S. in our search for more software engineers to add to our team. Tomorrow (April 22), we'll be at the Rose-Hulman college career fair in Terre Haute, Indiana. Then next Wednesday (April 29), we'll be talking to students at the Oregon State Spring Career Fair.

And at the end of May, we'll be all over the place in San Diego. As Jake gets ready for the Rock & Roll Marathon, our sales team and product experts will be at the expo showing off the newly announced Forerunner 310XT and Forerunner 405CX. Meanwhile, our recruiters will be in San Diego on May 28 to talk to experienced software engineers who are interested in Garmin. Other job fairs for experienced applicants that Garmin will be attending include Chicago (June 24) and Phoenix (July 15). For more information about careers at Garmin, be sure to check out www.garmin.com/careers or if you're a college student, visit www.garmin.com/garminu.

My-Cast OneLook: Intuitive Weather App for the iPhone

Our friends at Digital Cyclone (a Garmin subsidiary) have just launched My-Cast OneLook for the iPhone. If you're a weather junkie like this blogger or you want to be able to access reliable weather data on your phone 24/7, this iPhone app is for you. My-Cast OneLook is the iPhone's most concise weather app and it gives you a complete weather snapshot for anywhere in the U.S.:

    * Current conditions, hourly and extended forecasts
    * Animated NEXRAD radar
    * Cloud imagery
    * StormWatch that will tell you about watches, warnings and advisories from the National Weather Service
    * Almanac data plotted in relation to forecast

Locations are remembered for quick recall.

Download today from iTunes!

Take a Spin with Marley & Me

Want to make your next trip or your daily commute a bit more exciting? We’ve got the perfect solution – a free Marley & Me audiobook from Audible.com. It’s a great story that you’re sure to love. This audiobook is available as a free download for your compatible nüvi. And as an added bonus, we’ve created a special vehicle icon as well. So you’ll be able to let Marley guide you down the road as you listen to Marley & Me in your car. Two great downloads for the price of none! Stop by the Marley & Me download page to get your free audiobook and then swing by the Garmin Garage for your vehicle icon.

 

Spring snowstorm doesn’t dampen runners' spirits

When a forecast of snow, sleet and high winds caused race organizers for the Olathe Marathon to cancel the race set for last Saturday, some out-of-towners got inventive. Probably wasn’t feasible these folks would make the trip to our fair city the following Saturday to compete in the rescheduled half marathon or 5k distances. So they went about creating their own race day—a good 18 hours before the nasty weather would roll in. While running a marathon course with no official support isn’t for everyone, we have to give these guys credit for their determination and spirit. And from the looks of things, these runners were well-prepared with their night-time running gear. Read on for their story and check out their data recorded by one runner’s Forerunner 305.

We wanted to let you know that we ran the actual race last night (Friday). It took us a bit longer because it was more of an adventure race and we have never been to Olathe before and the map did not have all the streets marked. Most of the public was nice to us, but we had to wait for traffic a few times. We realize that this was not an official race, however in the spirit of Garmin and of Olathe, we are submitting our Garmin download as our race results.

20-year stories: Airport fire brigade in Austria uses Garmin GPS

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re bringing you stories from across the globe of Garmin devices in action. Today’s story comes from Austria where an airport fire brigade relies on Garmin marine chartplotters in their emergency preparedness operations.

At the Airport in Graz, Austria, Garmin devices are used in an unusual, yet extremely important way. The airport fire brigade equipped their commando vehicles and some fire trucks with Garmin marine chartplotters. The reason for using the marine plotters is the size and the good readability of the screen. The entire area of the airport was divided in geographical sectors with dedicated names based on the coordinates. In case of emergency, a message with the exact position of the accident is sent to the vehicle from the tower. Due to this technique, the task force is able to save time — time that can be the difference between life and death. 

To learn more about Garmin’s history, including interviews from our cofounders and other associates around the world, view our video. And if you didn’t get a chance to see our last story in the 20-year anniversary series, check out “Preserving pieces of Garmin history.” This story includes a video tour of one Garmin associate’s private collection of Garmin memorabilia.

Mac and Forerunner 405: Update software and GPS wirelessly

More great news for Mac users! Now you're able to update your Forerunner 405 software and GPS chipset using your Mac and wireless USB ANT stick.  Through ANT Agent for Mac and our communicator plugin, you can also now send workouts and courses to the Forerunner 405 from Training Center. So in a nutshell, Mac users training with a Forerunner 405 now have most of the same functions available as those using a PC.

20-year stories: Preserving pieces of Garmin history

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re reaching back to the past to bring you stories from our younger years. Today you’ll get a peek inside a garage-turned-Garmin museum. The caretaker and archivist is Frank, a long-time Garmin employee who “likes to collect history he can hold in his hands.” He started collecting antique radios in the mid-70s. Before he started his job in aviation engineering for Garmin in October 1995, Frank worked for another avionics manufacturer where he shared a lab with Garmin co-founders Gary Burrell, Min Kao and two of their business partners.

Frank’s passion for preservation sent him digging through dumpsters in his early days at Garmin.  “When we moved from Lenexa, there was a lot of stuff thrown away and my collecting instincts just took over. Over the years, people have given me stuff that they wanted to get rid of, so I had a lot of help,” Frank said.

Automotive OEMs Look to Garmin

The gates of CeBIT opened today and people from around the world are here to get a glimpse of the newest tech advancements. CeBIT is a huge consumer electronics trade show in Europe, and those in the Garmin booth are busy as we show off our newest wares. This year the booth is especially popular since it includes a MINI cabriolet. Why a MINI? It's helping us promote our OEM capabilities. Did you know we regularly work with OEMs so that they can offer customized Garmin navigation to their customers. These one-of-a-kind mounts hide the GPS wiring and make it look like the Garmin GPS is part of the vehicle's original dash. Today we announced that MINI and the PSA-Peugeot Citroën C3 Picasso will begin offering this customized solution. Those visiting Garmin's CeBIT booth will see a nüvi 255 in the MINI's custom mount. The MINI mount is unique because of its swivel capabilities and because it has been designed for compatibility with future nuvis. Owners of the PSA-Peugeot Citroën C3 Picasso will soon have the advantages of Garmin's premium nüvi 765 in a custom mount. The nüvi 765 has advanced features like lane assist, which guides the driver to the correct lane when approaching a turn or exit by displaying life-like road signs on the display. This feature makes unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. If you're at CeBIT, make sure you stop by the Garmin booth (Hall 15, Stand D08).

How Stuff Works points to nüMaps

If you visit HowStuffWorks.com today, you'll see a Garmin GPS device staring back at you. Since their profile piece is on how to update maps on your Garmin GPS, we decided to take this opportunity to remind you about nüMaps Lifetime. The name probably gives it away, but in case we need to clarify it, nüMaps is a way to get new maps for your GPS. We regularly provide you with map updates because we know that things around you change -- streets are added, new restaurants are opened, new housing subdivisions go up, and that's just the beginning.  Unlike those paper maps you may still be carrying around in the trunk of your car that are yellowed with age, it's important to keep your GPS maps up to date so that you're sure you're always headed in the right direction. nüMaps Lifetime is a one-time, single purchase that lets you download the most up-to-date map information as soon as new content is available -- for the lifetime of your device.  It's a great deal for any Garmin owner. Visit the nüMaps website for more info about pricing.

GRMN's Fourth Quarter Results

Garmin reported its fourth quarter results today.  Click here for the report and join the conference call at 11:00 a.m ET here.

Garmin Connect news: Forerunner 405 and 50 are now Mac compatible

We recently released software that will allow Mac users to upload their fitness activities recorded with the Forerunner 405 or 50 to Garmin Connect via the wireless USB ANT Stick. The software is called ANT Agent for Mac users. You can also send goals to your device when uploading your history/activities.

Soon you’ll be able to update your device software and GPS chipset to keep your device up to date. With future releases you’ll be able to send workouts and courses to the Forerunner 405 from Training Center and Garmin Connect, and independently send goals to the Forerunner 405 from Garmin Connect.  Future releases will also enable you to update your Forerunner 405’s device software and GPS chipset.