Man, a lot -- a lot -- has happened in the mobile space since Garmin went public with its then-mesmerizing nüvifone. Nearly a year later, it's become but a blip on the radar behind the Touch HD, G1, XPERIA X1 and iPhone 3G. Nevertheless, Garmin has come out and reaffirmed that the long-awaited handset will actually not be delayed once more, and that the "first half of 2009" shipping estimate is still valid. Let's just say that $500+ price tag we saw floating around back in May better be substantially lower whenever this thing finally gets around to hitting up a store shelf.

Garmin launched its updated 7x5 series of nuvi navigators back in August, but the high-end MSN Direct-equipped 785T is just hitting stores, and GPS Magazine says it's a solid improvement over previous nuvis -- but if you're not willing to pay the $50 / year for the MSN service, you're probably not going to miss it. The 785T drew high marks for its fast frame rate, nice 3D lane guidance / upcoming turn features, and semi-realistic building displays, but the MSN Direct traffic implementation was less accurate than the free traffic service built into lesser T-series nuvis, and download speeds for the service weren't particularly swift. We're not all that sold on the connected GPS concept yet, so we're inclined to take the reviewer's advice and pick up the otherwise-identical non-connected 765T, but click on for the full exhaustive review to decide for yourself.

We get plenty of emails from big-time drug smugglers in Miami who want to know: "When will Garmin provide a comprehensive, affordable GPS solution, at home both on the road and the water?" Looks like we're one step closer to an answer with the GPSMAP 600 series. These rugged, portable touchscreen nav units feature a 5.2-inch display (800 x 480) and come with two mounts: when placed in either the marine or auto mount, the device will start up in the appropriate mode. On the road, the domestic GPSMAP 640 ($1,199 MSRP) provides the maps, turn-by-turn directions, custom POIs and proximity alerts you expect. On the water you get aerial POI views and optional BlueChart g2 Vision for underwater 3D perspective. Rounding things out, XM WX Satellite Weather data, XM Satellite Radio and XM NavTraffic are available with the optional GXM 40 antenna and subscription. The international GPSMAP 620 ($999 MSRP) is a bit scaled down, with street maps and marine chart data available through the SD card slot. There you have it, kids -- and keep an eye out for Crockett and Tubbs!

[Thanks, Rich]

We got a brief glimpse at Garmin's new nüvi navigators, the 7x5 Series and 2x5 Series. Since we weren't on the road, the 755T treated us to 3D views of the IFA building we were chilling at, spinning at a blistering 10 fps. The Lane Assist also does what it says on the box, giving you a crystal clear look at your next merge. The 265T was considerably less dramatic, and both units show a considerable amount of boredom on the industrial design front. Garmin clearly knows what it's about when it comes to navigation devices, but we could use a bit more spice with those maps to keep us coming back.

Oh, Nuvifone, how you disappoint us. Over here at IFA we just managed to get a Garmin rep to whip out his Nuvifone prototype for a quick look, but sadly, almost a year after the device was first announced, there really wasn't anything new to see. We still aren't allowed to take video of the interface, or really see much of the phone other than the home screen, and when the rep tried to show us how the Nuvifone kicks the iPhone's ass in navigation, the Nuvi promptly crashed -- so at least those two have that in common. Not that we should be surprised, Garmin mentioned last month that the phone had been delayed into 2009, but we're quickly running out of patience, as well as any scrap of remaining hope for this thing to actually matter when it does arrive. Peep the gallery for a little bit of iPhone 3G versus action.

Garmin continued its contribution to the general, incremental advancement of technology today by spitting out a handful of new satnavs destined to be suctioned to your windshield in the very near future. The company introduced updates to its low-end 2x5 series, including the 265T, 265WT and 275T. The models include lifetime traffic alerts via NAVTEQ Traffic, Bluetooth connectivity, and are offered in 3.5-inch or 4.3-inch touchscreen iterations. Garmin also updated its higher-end 7x5 lineup, bringing the 755T, 765T, and 775T into the mix. The devices sport 4.3-inch touchscreens, those same NAVTEQ Traffic updates, 3D transparent building views, accelerated graphics rendering, and HotFix (which stores "critical satellite information"). No word yet on release date or pricing for the new models, though we expect to see them on display at IFA.

[Thanks, Tim]

Read - Garmin Expands Affordable nüvi 2x5 Series, Offering Hands-Free Calling and Lifetime Traffic Alerts
Read - Garmin Introduces nüvi 7x5 Series with Lane Assist, Giving Drivers a Clear Picture of the Road Ahead

Garmin's Oregon 400 nav comes in a few different flavors depending on how you like to experience the outdoors, but the essential 3-inch touchscreen package is the same, and it looks like it's a winner -- the folks at PC Magazine just put the 400t variant through its paces, and found that it's an "excellent hiking companion." Of course, for six bills you'd damn well better get a sensitive GPS receiver with quick acquisition times, but the 400t also impressed with solid battery life on just two AAs and easy set up. Of course, as an outdoor-centric PND, the highway guidance features are a bit lacking compared to devices like Garmin's Nuvis, but if you're looking to tromp around the woods in style and you've got cash to spare, it sounds like the Oregon series is worth a look.

Somehow this doesn't surprise us. According to a statement released ahead of Garmin's Q2 earnings call, the company says it will be delaying the release of its Nuvifone from late 2008 until the first half of 2009. In the press release, the satnav-maker says it has "found that meeting some of the carrier specific requirements will take longer than anticipated," and claims it is "working toward making necessary design changes to meet their requirements." Here's hoping the bump stems from these minor niggles with carriers, versus trouble with the phone itself, which was running only a partially operational OS last time we saw it.

[Via GPS Tracklog]

For those who spend just as much time getting lost in the forest as they do on the highways, Garmin's nüvi 500 holds quite a bit of promise. Combining four modes covering cycling, boating (optional), driving and walking, this waterproof navigator has nearly every walk of life covered. GPS Magazine recently got to spend some time with the Q3-bound unit, and not surprisingly, it came away very impressed. On the roads, this device performed just as admirably as any other Garmin unit. When traveling off the beaten path, things were just as great. The only real knocks on this were the added bulk / weight and the omission of text-to-speech, but true adventurers aren't apt to care about that when consolidating four GPS devices into one.

[Thanks, Fletch]

Sure, Garmin's new nüvi 500 series can get you from point A to point G on paved and well-lit highways, but that's not the (whole) point here. Instead, these rugged (and waterproof) navigators are geared up to take to the trails, waterways and sidewalks with one-touch transitions between driving, bicycling, boating and walking modes. The 500 includes road maps and topographic maps for the lower 48 US states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while the 550 touts comprehensive street map coverage of the US and Canada. Both devices boast a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a removable, rechargeable battery, Garmin's "Where Am I?" feature and geocaching support to boot. As for USers, you'll find the 500 and 550 on sale in Q3 for $499.99, while those across the pond will see the nüvi 550 land this September for £299.

[Via GPSTracklog, thanks Rich]

As expected, Garmin has gone official with their new Oregon 200, 300, and 400 nav units. To make things extra confusing, the Oregon 400 includes the 400c, 400t, and 400i. The outdoor-friendly PNDs are waterproof, feature high-sensitivity receivers, and sport 3-inch touchscreens. As for the various 400-series units, it's all about your outdoor poison. The 400c is for sea anglers with chart coverage for the coastal US and Bahamas, the 400i is for fresh-water fishers with depth contours and boat ramps for U.S. inland lakes and rivers, and the 400t if for you land-lubbers with preloaded US topographic maps in 3D. Meanwhile, the 300 features a worldwide basemap with shaded relief and the 200 provides just your basic basemap. The units weigh in at just 6.8 ounces, run on AA batteries, and support microSD cards. Pricing is set at $479.99 for the 200, $533.32 for the 300, and $639.99 for the 400.

[Thanks, Martin]

It's been a while since Garmin dropped any new gear on us, but it looks like we're about to get a whole new series of nav units soon -- Buy.com and Amazon just put up listings for the Garmin Oregon 200, 300, and 400. The new boxes are a little smaller and lighter than the Colorado series, with a rugged, waterproof casing, 3-inch 240 X 400 sunlight readable touchscreens, customizable user profiles, and the ability to transfer waypoints, tracks, routes, and geocaches between units. We're assuming pricing will change when these things get real, but for now the 200 is listed at $420 and the 400C is listed at $558. It's not exactly clear what the specific differences between the line is, except that the 400 will come in several flavors, with the 400C variant sporting BlueChart g2 marine maps for the coastal US and Bahamas. Hopefully we'll get some more details soon, as these bad boys seem ready to go.

[Via GPS Tracklog]

Read - Oregon 200 listing
Read - Oregon 400C listing

An enterprising nerd by the name of Ryan VanMiddlesworth is clearly a bigger Portal fan than you, since he's cobbled together a GLaDOS-simulating voice pack for Garmin Nüvis. Just don't try to prevent "GLaGPS" from constantly trying to divert you to cake-related points of interest, else you may find yourself tossing your Garmin into an incinerator. Video after the break.

Here's one for the hunters. Strap the Garmin DC 30 collar onto your hunting dog, fire up your Astro 220 receiver, and you'll not only know where your dog is, but you'll also know if he is running, pointing, or treeing, even in dense cover. Range is good for up to seven miles, and the tracking even covers the dog's direction so you can figure out where that delicious nubbin of turkey is hiding. The receiver can track up to 10 dogs at once, and the collar is good for 17-36 hours on one charge. The DC 30 is sold separately for $199.99 or for $649.99 as part of an Astro 220 combo, and should be available third-quarter 2008.

UPDATE: Garmin was nice enough to send us proper shots of the actual DC 30. Thanks!