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Monday, February 24, 2014
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MWC2014: Garmin Announces Navigation App for Xperia Smartphones
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Garmin today announced a new navigation app for Xperia smartphones with an extension for Sony SmartWatch 2.
The Garmin Xperia Edition features Garmin navigation features including onboard maps, lane guidance, speed warnings, lifetime traffic, social media integration, and more. The new app integrates with Sony SmartWatch 2 to display walking directions, providing users navigation information right on their wrist and without having to hold a phone.
 Garmin will offer an app extension for the SmartWatch 2 in Google Play. The app extension allows the SmartWatch 2 to receive navigation information via Bluetooth from an Android smartphone running the Garmin Xperia Edition or the NAVIGON Android app. The SmartWatch 2 extension displays a detailed map, making it convenient to navigate on foot. Users can see their current position as well as their route. A zoom function can be controlled with a button-press on the watch to take a closer look at the map or route.
Garmin Xperia Edition features onboard maps stored locally on the smartphone, so users can navigate even in areas where cell phone coverage is spotty, such as when traveling in the backcountry. Garmin Xperia Edition offers multiple options to search for points of interest or addresses, all integrated into one interface. The app combines an onboard database with other sources such as Local Search, Wikipedia, Foursquare, or addresses from the user's phone contacts. With the Reality Scanner function, users can even display nearby points of interest in a live camera view. The app also features a Trip Editor to plan trips with multiple destinations in advance. Additionally, users can share travels with friends and family via Glympse.
With Traffic Live users get routed around gridlock, and once they arrive at their destination, Clever Parking provides information on nearby garages. Urban Guidance integrates public transportation, complete with detailed itineraries of transit stops. The Last Mile function automatically saves the position of the parked car and switches into pedestrian mode to provide walking directions. The feature also shows a Google StreetView image of the destination for better orientation. Since the car?s position is saved, the app can easily guide drivers back to their car at any time.
Garmin Xperia Edition is compatible with the Garmin HUD. HUD is a new way of viewing navigation information in the car, projecting directions onto a transparent film on the windshield or an attached reflector lens.
Both Garmin Xperia Edition and its extension for the SmartWatch 2 are expected to become available in March 2014.
Garmin Xperia Edition will be available free for the first 30 days with access to all navigation features. After this trial period, the app provides free access to a map viewer as well as pedestrian navigation. Users can purchase a monthly subscription for $2.95 to gain access to the complete feature set or choose between different one-time in app purchase options.
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