Ready To Navigate... Right Out Of The Box
Garmin Monday introduced the iQue 3600a, the first Palm
Powered™ aviation device that is ready to navigate right out
of the box. The iQue 3600a package includes an innovative
yoke-mounted cradle as well as built-in basemap, terrain, obstacle
and Jeppesen databases — all of which turn this full-featured
PDA into a premium aviation navigator without any complicated
set-up procedures. In addition, the device features all of the
automotive turn-by-turn capabilities and personal information
management (PIM) applications of Garmin's popular iQue product
line, making it a highly versatile device for aviation
enthusiasts.
"It's like flying with a portable MFD," said Gary Kelley,
Garmin's director of marketing. "Pilots will fall in love with the
rich color, the high-resolution display, the Sectional chart-like
presentation, the terrain-mapping and obstacle-alerting functions,
and the overall ease of use. They'll also have the peace of mind
knowing that, when they snap their iQue 3600a into the smart
cradle, they take to the skies with an enhanced awareness of
surrounding terrain."
The iQue 3600a has a patented GPS antenna design that folds
discreetly into the back of the unit. Once released from this
locked position, the antenna immediately begins acquiring satellite
signals and can be adjusted for optimal reception. The iQue 3600a
features Garmin's Que™ technology, a set of integrated
applications for mobile navigation. The company has added several
new or enhanced Que applications to the iQue 3600a — beyond
those for road navigation, including mapping, turn-by-turn routing,
locating points of interest, trip computing, and satellite
acquisition — to fit the needs and expectations of today's
pilots. These applications include:
QueMap: Displays a comprehensive set of mapping data, such as a
basemap of North/South America; aviation navaids, airports and
airspace; navigation arc overlay with configurable data fields;
Sectional chart-like topographic data; and US obstacles like towers
and obstructions QueTerrain: Takes advantage of the
topographic/obstacles database to alert the pilot of potential
terrain conflicts within the proximity of the flight path using
pop-up windows QueNav: Displays GPS-derived speed, altitude and
guidance features in an aircraft panel format QueFlights: Keeps a
record of flight time, mileage and start/end point as a digital
logbook (also interfaces with Garmin's PC-based FlightBook
software, which is included in the Setup CD) The iQue 3600a
features a unique cradle with a patent-pending design that mounts
to the yoke. Instead of using a stylus for data input, simply
insert the unit in the cradle and navigate using the dedicated
Direct To, Nearest, Menu, Escape, Enter and directional rocker
buttons — giving it the same functionality as other Garmin
aviation portables. When inserted into the cradle, it instinctively
selects settings appropriate for aviation use and allows aviators
to transition seamlessly from personal/automotive use to the
cockpit environment.
"We are pleased to welcome the iQue 3600a from Garmin as it
extends the Palm OS platform to a new category of Palm Powered
devices by providing users with a powerful combination of aviation
mapping and PIM software in a single handheld," said David Nagel,
president and chief executive officer of PalmSource.
As a highly functional PDA, the iQue 3600a features the Palm
operating system and includes the complete suite of PIM
applications — Address, Date Book, Memo Pad, To Do (all of
which can be synchronized with Microsoft Outlook), Calculator and
Palm Reader for e-books. It boasts a bright, high-resolution
(320x480-pixel) color TFT display, a voice recorder and MP3 player,
and a Secure Digital slot for memory expansion.
Other specifications of the iQue 3600a:
- Operating system: Palm OS Garnet
- Processor: 200-MHz DragonBall MXL ARM9
- Internal memory: 96 MB of ROM for pre-installed data and
applications; 64 MB of SDRAM for downloading Palm OS-compatible
applications and map data from Garmin MapSource CDs
- GPS receiver/antenna: 12 parallel channel WAAS receiver /
Flip-up integrated GPS patch antenna with remote antenna
capability
- Aviation calculator applications: QueE6B and
QueWeight&Balance
- GPS applications: Location awareness, electronic mapping,
address lookup, automatic route generation, turn-by-turn directions
with voice guidance, trip computer, tracklog, route avoidance, and
Contact Locator (geocoding a location within the Address or Date
Book applications)
- Unit size (WxHxD)/Weight: 2.8" x 5.0" x 0.8" / 6.2 oz.
- Screen dimensions: 3.8" (diagonally)
- Display information: 320x480-pixel, transflective TFT display
with 64K colors
- Battery/Battery life: Rechargeable lithium ion battery / Up to
9 hours of continuous use (at minimum backlight setting) and four
weeks on standby
The iQue 3600a is expected to be available in January 2005 at an
MSRP of $1,099. It will ship standard with a USB HotSync cradle,
yoke-mount cradle, GA27C external GPS antenna kit, AC adapter,
12-volt adapter, installation/application CD-ROM with owner's
manual, and a quick-start guide. To use the iQue 3600a around town,
an optional auto kit is available for $219 and includes a MapSource
City Select CD-ROM and a skid-friction mount with 12-volt adapter
and speaker.