Garmin has announced a new line of GPS devices for this year, a brand new update to its HUD+ GPS device, and a brand new dashboard camera that will be able to take full 1080p HD footage of your drive.
The Garmin Dash Cam (pictured above) continuously records a wide-angle view of the road while you drive, and has an integrated gravity sensor to detect incidents – like breaking or collisions – and saves the footage so you have some evidence if you need it. It can record in 1080p, 720p and WVGA quality, and has an microSD card slot that can handle up to 32GB.
The Dash Cam has a 2.3-inch colour display at the back so you can easily position the camera correctly or replay video; and an optional inbuilt GPS tracker that timestamps and geotags all footage.
The Dash Cam 10 (without GPS) has a price tag of US$219.99, while the Dash Cam 20 (with the GPS) will set you back US$249.99. Both are expected to be available in the United States from February, but no word on Australian pricing or availability.
GPS Refresh
Garmin’s nuvi 2798LMT features a 7-inch display with a wireless backup camera that you can attach to the back of your car so you can spot vehicles, pedestrians and other obstructions. You can easily switch between camera and GPS mode with a push of the button. The 2798LMT will also come with free lifetime traffic and maps, and has a retail price of US$399.99.
It has also refreshed its Essential series. They now come in 5-inch and 6-inch models, and feature turn-by-turn directions, lifetime traffic avoidance (on some models), and quick search of points of interest – the latter three being previously available only on the Advanced Series. Maps are preloaded onto the device, and range between US$129.99 and US$209.99.
Lastly, the Garmin HUD receives an update. Now called the HUD+, the portable head-up display unit now comes with a smartphone app. For those who don’t know what the device does, it basically puts directions onto the windshield or reflector lens – and relies on your smartphone running the app to retrieve directions. The app itself is free and available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone. The HUD+ unit, however, will have a retail price of US$179.99.