When it comes to mobile navigation these days, many of us rely on our smartphones or tablets to get the job done – a standalone, dedicated GPS navigation device is just so old school. Having said that, names like Garmin are still hanging around, and they intend to make themselves relevant by offering various mobile apps for smartphone users, although the overall cost can add up somewhat. Garmin’s Viago intends to offer an a la carte navigation service, so to speak, targeting iPhone and Android users for just $0.99 (this is a promotional price that will double by the time July 13 rolls around).
The Garmin Viago will be a barebones navigation service, offering free maps, current speed and speed limit display, lane assist, weather information, in-map traffic display, and photo-realistic junction views. In fact, Viago functions pretty much like a freemium game – if you want to add on all of the other features such as downloadable maps, real-time traffic and automatic rerouting, 3D terrain views, directions with spoken street names, then it is time to bust out that credit card. Throwing in the slew of options to make this a full fledged navigational service would end up costing you somewhere close to the region of $20, which might sound expensive in comparison to Google Maps or Apple Maps (which are free), but it is still heck a lot more affordable than a dedicated GPS unit.
You can pick up Garmin Viago for iPhone and Garmin Viago for Android here and here, respectively. [Press Release]