Garmin nuvifone vs. Apple iPhone

It’s 7pm….sitting in my friend’s house…who is a software developer at Garmin…he’s almost finished his PhD at age 22…runs the sound team at our church…we’re getting ready for our 20 something’s small group…he’s smiling…I said “what are you smiling about”….he said, “big announcement”…”so tell me” I said… “I can’t, just wait” he said…2 minutes later…he comes back downstairs…he said, “ok, the announcement was just made in New York”… “Garmin just announced a full-fledged GSM HSDPA smartphone that will compete against the iPhone”…he said, “I was involved in the software development”…then he proceeded to explain things I still don’t understand.

Features of the Garmin nuvifone include:
• 3.5 generation mobile phone capability vs. Apple’s 2.5 generation
• Google local search
• Marks the exact coordinates of where you parked your car (especially beneficial if you’re at Disneyworld)
• Garmin Online services - traffic, weather, fuel prices, hotel discounts, etc.
• nuvi-like navigation on the road or in pedestrian mode
• Email, text, IM functions
• Camera, video camera, MP3 and MPEG4/AAC
• It might be an unlocked phone or it might be launched with a wireless provider

Click here for the press release.

Click here for pictures.

Click here for the buzz in the gadget world.

Some thoughts on the story:

• Just because someone is at a really high skill level, doesn’t mean they won’t lead the church sound team.
• Just because someone is really busy getting their PhD, doesn’t mean they won’t come to a church small group.
• Just because someone is doing something really cool at work, doesn’t mean you will know about it…unless you get involved in their life.