Garmin announces GPSMAP 640 and 620

Garmin is a well established name when it comes to GPS navigation systems, and the latest in a long line of such devices is the GPSMAP 640. This device is an ultra portable and rugged touch screen navigator that helps you find your way thanks to a comprehensive set of street maps and marine charts that have already been pre-loaded onto the device. In addition to the GPSMAP 620, both devices will target markets outside the United States. More on these new Garmin releases right after the jump.

Portable and powerful, the GPSMAP 600 series features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and boasts an intuitive, waterproof (IPX7) super-bright 5.2” WVGA touchscreen display (800 x 480 pixels) that reacts as users tap or drag through intuitive menus and options. The GPSMAP 640 comes preloaded with comprehensive street maps of North America and worldwide shaded relief mapping in addition to detailed U.S. coastal BlueChart g2 charts. When placed in its included marine mount, these new portables will automatically start up in marine mode, presenting chart features such as shaded depth contours, port plans, wrecks, restricted areas and more. With optional BlueChart g2 Vision technology, the GPSMAP 640 provides a true 3-D “mariner’s eye view,” for a navigation perspective above the waterline, and a “fish eye view” for an underwater 3D bathymetric contour perspective. Mariners will also benefit from the auto guidance technology the g2 Vision data card enables that suggests the best navigational route. In addition, photo references give detailed aerial views of points of interest (POI) such as ports, marinas, waterways and landmarks.

You can also opt to augment the GPSMAP 640’s already formidable capabilities with the optional GXM 40 antenna that is sold separately, turning your GPSMAP 640 into a device that graphically displays XM WX Satellite Weather data directly, letting you in on more than 20 different types of weather attributes including information such as NEXRAD, wind speeds, visibility, severe weather storm tracks and more. The Garmin GPSMAP 640 and GPSMAP 620 will retail for 9.99 and ,199.99, respectively.

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