THE Nuvifone G60 is different in the sense that it is very obviously a GPS first and a phone second, as opposed to most other phones where the GPS ­functionality is secondary at best.

This was to be expected ­considering that the phone is manufactured by Garmin, one of the world leaders in GPS technology, in collaboration with hardware maker Asus.

We are not suggesting that specialised GPS phones are a new idea. However, the Garmin-Asus link-up has produced a unique end product.

A touching gesture

This model is completely touch-driven save for a few buttons on its frame. Nowadays, most ­manufacturers try to design a touch interface which would become second nature to new users, a ­firestorm trend that has its roots in the success of Apple’s iPhone.

Seeing that this is a phone, one needs to get from one option to the next very quickly. Here is where the inexperience in making mobile phones from Garmin-Asus seems to creep in. Usually, when one wishes to go back to the main menu, if all else fails there is the “end call” button. This model has no such button and you need to go back every step you came from to get back to the beginning. This is a highly avoidable inconvenience.

Also, the interface sometimes runs so fast and seamlessly that it gets lost in itself and hangs. Usually, if you wait long enough, it will untie its own noose. At the time of writing, there were no firmware updates available to remedy this persistent hanging problem.

The all important typing interface takes some getting used to, ­especially when typing SMSes, which will be discussed later.

Route me

The main reason anyone would buy this phone is because of its GPS capability and this is very obviously what the G60 excels in.

Search and Map icons are prominently displayed on the main screen. Even the most aged seniors can decipher the search options in a reasonable amount of time.

Once you get into the search options, the classic Garmin software is instantly recognisable. The screen is sufficiently big so that the roads, exits and street names can be seen clearly. However, the “junction view” feature is not as clear as it should be and this is a very tragic drawback.

Every single contact can have their address programmed into the phone with an easy Go icon at the ready when needed.

Routing can be done in the phone’s upright position or in ­landscape mode. The latter is best used while driving as the unit can be attached to the mount. The mount, along with a car charger, comes bundled with the phone.

This model is constantly ­searching for a satellite signal which, when coupled with WiFi enabled, can take its toll on the battery. The battery life is still ­pretty decent, all things considered. It will last about 36 hours with average usage.

EASY ON THE EYES: The G60’s screen is big enough that the roads, exits and street names can be seen clearly.

Can you hear/read me now?

At the end of the day, the G60 is still a phone which you will use to make and receive calls as well as text messages. As I said before, the G60’s phone functions are secondary to its GPS capability.

Making calls is straightforward enough, although there are one too many hoops to jump through whilst in the contact menu.

However, the test of any good phone IMHO is its text messaging capability and here the G60 scores average at best.

Typing out an SMS takes time to master and there are a few ­significant shortcomings within this spectrum. One example is editing the middle of a sentence. While I have read it is theoretically possible to touch the middle of sentence so that part may be edited without erasing half the SMS, I have not been able to successfully achieve this supposed capability. It does not help that the screen is depressed into the frame making it very ­difficult to touch the edges.

There are plenty of these minor functions (that are usually taken for granted) lacking in this model. Sending or receiving business cards is also not possible. You do not even have the option of adding a contact’s details into an SMS so that you can send those details to ­another person.

Also, there is no MMS ­functionality and pictures can only be shared via an online account. However, this phone does offer geo-tagging which allows you to attach a GPS location to the picture while uploading.

Another thing to note is that the G60 cannot shoot videos, which is not acceptable to me.

Everything else

The phone’s camera is average at best and there is no flash at all. There is a camera button on the side and the response time is also just average.

Surfing the Internet is an ­adventure in itself. It would seem like the Garmin-Asus folk did not spend much time tweaking the browser as it also has plenty of shortcomings, especially in relation to the touch interface. A lot of the time it does not know whether you are scrolling or clicking and that was very frustrating.

Topping the list of “just average” functionality are the speakers. While it is difficult to consider them bad, it seems unlikely that anyone would actively use the music player icon on the main menu. The speakerphone volume is also soft and the receiver does not seem to pick up and transmit the nearby voice of the speaker properly.

Conclusion

Most GPS units are priced between RM800 and RM1,300 these days. In that view, the Garmin Asus G60 at RM1,799 is worth it despite all its inadequacies as a phone.

Other than the frustrating system freezes, it is hard to find a major component missing that would render the phone completely unusable.

Overall the G60 is a healthy (albeit shaky) start for Garmin in its attempt to break into the mobile phone market.

Pros: Excellent GPS; good touch interface; easy to use.

Cons: Too many system freezes; no video; no flash.