I am KY and I’m a gadget junkie.

I have 6 phones, 3 cameras, 4 watches, 2 desktops, and a life so entrenched in technology it is bordering lunacy. The latest shiny toy that I have with me, thanks to Kim, is a review unit of the Garmin-Asus nüvifone M10.


Garmin Asus nüvifone M10

I must be one of the earliest adopters of GPS devices. Back in 2002 I bought a usb GPS receiver, hooked it up on my laptop and drove around Northern Virginia. There were no routing program I could use back then, just a little moving dot on the map showing where I was.

I felt like James Bond, the concoction was as cool as it was impractical.

Fast forward to 2010, enter the Nuvifone M10.


Nuvifone M10 in action, a true road warrior

In essence, this is the same solution in 2002 shrunk to a little device not larger than any ordinary smart phones. Running Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional with full featured Garmin GPS.

Flip it around (actually works in portrait mode too) to landscape mode, search or input your destination, click a button, and viola! The phone is now a true blue GPS device.

The Garmin GPS is definitely not stripped down mobile version found in some other phones. It is turn-by-turn navigation that actually speaks out the road names, and there’s even junction view too.

Since it’s a Nuvifone designed to move you, locking on GPS is a snap. I can’t tell you how many times I actually need to stop the car and wait for GPS on my other phones to lock, no such problem with this nifty little thing.

The car kit for M10 is pretty smartly designed. I like how the power cable is connected to the kit so when you remove the phone from the kit there’s no need for the extra step to take off the cable.


the bright 3.5″ screen

The 3.5 WVGA display is bright and very refined. With 800 x 480 pixels, it is actually very useful to browse most websites without having to scroll side to side especially when you use it in landscape mode.

For the workaholics, there’s also Office Mobile with the familiar Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote.


mini keyboard and wireless manager

When I first lay these fingers on Windows Mobile, it was on a Sharp PDA with a built in 36 kbps modem (to hook up with an actual phone line!) running on Windows CE 2.0. It didn’t have colors, it was sluggish, sucks battery faster than little kids with on lollipops, and downright impractical. Of course, that was something like 1999.

Actually even just a few years back working with Windows Mobile 2003 and version 5, I wasn’t impressed. However, with version 6.5, I think Microsoft has finally gotten it right. The UI is much cleaner, sleeker, and finally very usable. The touch interface is very responsive too.


sample photo shot with the M10

The M10 comes with a 5 megapixel camera that takes pretty good photos, just about the only qualm I have with this phone is the lack of flash (just like iPhone). Fortunately, the sensor managed to do pretty well even in pretty low light condition. The above photo is taken straight out of the camera at KLCC during night time when it wasn’t brightly lit.

I hooked up the phone on my work laptop running Windows 7 trying to download the photos, and within a few minutes this little applet showed up – Windows Mobile Device Center. At the end of the day, mobile phones running Windows Mobile is going to beat any other platform when you pair it up with a Windows machine.

Here you can download/transfer photos, music, video, change device setting, install programs, etc etc. Pretty cool, I didn’t even insert the CD to the laptop and all this was done automatically.

The Garmin-Asus nuvifone M10 will be released on the 25th of March, and I’ve heard that it’s gonna be priced below RM 1.8k.

I think this is unquestionably the #1 choice if you’re looking for a GPS phone, nothing I’ve tried came close to it, unless you prefer to have a 14″ laptop in your car…

Garmin Asus M10, the GPS phone that wants to go places
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46 thoughts on “Garmin Asus M10, the GPS phone that wants to go places

  • March 23, 2010 at 1:13 am
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    told u it’s awesome. haha

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 1:52 am
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    Yah it’s a nifty device, a lot of ppl are caught between buying a smartphone with GPS or buying a cheaper phone and a dedicated Garmin unit.

    This solves their quandry, get both at the same time in 1 device!

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 1:58 am
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    but seriously do you need 6 phones ? Hehe 6 gfs would be a better choice, you can take a break on Sunday !

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 3:33 am
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    kimberlycun,
    yess!

    ShaolinTiger,
    yah, perfect combination!

    Jess,
    good idea, I shall think about that one. lol

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 9:03 am
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    6 phones, 3 cameras, 4 watches, 2 desktops???

    That’s a lot man…. 🙂

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 12:18 pm
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    I wonder what kind of pants you wear that has 6 pockets for your phones. I could guess where the watches would go though. hands and legs. 😛

    How’s the GPS reception compared to a dedicated Garmin?

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 12:26 pm
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    CincauHangus,
    Hahaha, I usually only carry 1-2 laa. GPS reception’s actually very good!

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 12:31 pm
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    cincauhangus: the GPS reception is on par with a dedicated device 🙂

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 12:33 pm
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    kewl . .just what we needed as a marketing personnel. . .damn.

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 12:35 pm
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    show off…. =..=
    I need a GPS… how about you give me this Asus-Garmin?? 😀

    p/s: don’t answer me “how about NO!” hehehe…

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 12:44 pm
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    kimberlycun,
    yess, very true

    cheesie,
    dunch u have gps oledi? 😛

    foodcrazee,
    Hahha yah, get one 😛 why damn? hehe

    sotong,
    how about you buy one yourself? 😛

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 1:13 pm
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    So do you get to keep this too? Anyway, nice phone, but I’m still loving my BB, maybe just a GPS lar.

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 2:21 pm
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    JD,
    Yah it’s hard to separate from BB, but if you’re looking for a GPS+phone combination, this is the one to go

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 2:26 pm
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    Yesss… you’re a gadget freak! I saw that phone review at Ciki’s blog. I want one too!

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 2:36 pm
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    eiling,
    Hehehe yes! buy it make it happen!

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 5:18 pm
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    wow, talking map! i need it in my car, but my car is too old, it won’t look good…

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 5:24 pm
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    lb,
    you can use it in your daughter’s car, heehee

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 5:34 pm
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    nice phone ! but how’s d battery life?

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 5:41 pm
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    mica,
    so far it’s pretty decent, haven’t used it till it runs flat though

    ciki,
    hahaha likewise hot one!

    Reply
  • March 23, 2010 at 11:53 pm
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    Hmm, wasn’t there another Garmin Asus phone being launched at the same time as the M10? The A50, was it?

    Shame the current WinMo devices can’t update to WP7S, ay?

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 2:20 am
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    KY,

    wah lau eh… 6 phones ar?.. so rich ar u

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 11:00 am
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    DAMN as in cant afford. . . .

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 11:02 am
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    Yeah, I like the GPS too – the road names is very nifty.

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 11:20 am
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    Keen,
    I think this is the first one with Garmin-Asus, previous ones were just garmin, or just asus.

    MaN|acZ,
    Hehehe no lah not rich ok!

    foodcrazee,
    you can, sure you can. 😀

    Huai Bin,
    Yah, except for the accent. lol

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 8:30 pm
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    i am a firm believer in GPS. i cant live without my Garmin. The Garmin M10 is way cooler than the BB or the iPhone, imho.

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 9:00 pm
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    Ivan: I agree with u hehehehe

    Reply
  • March 24, 2010 at 10:20 pm
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    ivan khong,
    hahaha, very different type of device, why not have all 3? 😛

    Kimberlycun,
    Yesss

    Reply
  • March 25, 2010 at 2:19 pm
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    Waaaaa….6 phones? Now I don’t even own one. =_=

    I’ll take this into consideration. Still deciding on what phone to buy. But I definitely need one with GPS. 😉

    Reply
  • March 25, 2010 at 2:34 pm
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    Bangsar-bAbE,
    time to get the bf to sponsor one, or three. and get a BB! 😀

    Reply
  • March 28, 2010 at 1:05 am
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    Does the GPS work for those that are on the ground walking about finding for places to dine / shop / etc?

    Reply
  • March 28, 2010 at 10:07 pm
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    Anyone know where to order this phone?
    Thanks.

    Reply
  • March 29, 2010 at 5:57 pm
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    Jay Yang,
    yah it does!

    MeeR,
    I think they’re on sale already, pretty much from any handphone places, try lowyat or digital mall. 🙂

    Reply
  • April 6, 2010 at 4:43 am
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    I tried looking at Tropicana City Mall the other day.. it seems like no one’s even heard of this phone =( Is it really THAT good, KY? I’m still in doubts la since the features are better than HTC and others, yet cheaper at 1.5k!!

    Reply
  • April 6, 2010 at 9:39 am
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    DeadSoul,
    yah it’s pretty good, and when it comes to GPS function it really excels. I think maybe lack of sotck? TCM is a lousy place to look for phones though, try digital mall or lowyat

    Reply
  • April 12, 2010 at 10:40 am
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    where to buy???
    been looking everywhere. funny no info………

    Reply
  • April 12, 2010 at 11:19 am
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    Roszaime,
    Gahh, I think they’re having some problems with supplies. I’m waiting too!

    Reply
  • April 25, 2010 at 6:20 pm
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    Hi, any idea where can I grab this model in KL? Searched in low yat, but never get any luck.

    Reply
  • April 29, 2010 at 9:21 pm
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    i got it frpm Pc fair…

    Reply
  • April 29, 2010 at 9:23 pm
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    The phone is superb, but the screen is not sensitive enough..

    Reply
  • April 29, 2010 at 9:48 pm
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    Victor,
    I have a unit to sell!

    vince,
    cool, I think screen sensitivity can be adjusted 🙂

    Reply
  • May 30, 2010 at 10:23 pm
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    i want tis gpsphone! but have to think twice…just because M10 has NO autofocus!!! haiz…

    how much you bought this phone? Can you make a close up shot on a book or newspaper? (i just want to see the quality of d photo without macrofocus…)

    thanks a lot

    Reply
  • January 14, 2011 at 11:16 pm
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    how to change the size of messaging font…i’ve changed it before but now i forgot it…help me plez..

    Reply
    • January 15, 2011 at 9:17 pm
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      hadi92: err.. can’t remember myself.

      Reply

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