Garmin GPSMAP 62 series updates a geocaching icon

Garmin has taken the wraps off of their GPSMAP 62 series, an update to the popular GPSMAP 60 series.  The new GPS handheld has a 2.6-inch sunlight-readable LCD display, high-sensitivity chipset with quad helix antenna, and up to 20hrs battery life; three variants will be on offer, ranging from the basic GPSMAP 62 with worldwide shaded-relief mapping, the GPSMAP 62s with a 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, a barometric altimeter and wireless connectivity, and the GPSMAP 62st with preloaded 100K topographic maps for the entire US.

Each can also be used with Garmin's free Custom Maps app, which takes paper or other digital maps into a format the GPSMAP 62 series can display.  Meanwhile Garmin Connect can be used to track waypoints and the like.  No word on pricing at this stage, however.

Press Release:

Garmin® Unveils GPSMAP® 62 series, Updating Iconic Outdoor Handheld

OLATHE, Kan./June 2, 2010/Business Wire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the GPSMAP 62 series of rugged outdoor handheld devices, bringing a sleek updated look, new mapping options and many technical innovations to a product line beloved by hunters, hikers and geocachers of all ages.

"The GPSMAP 60 series has been one of our most popular product lines, and the new GPSMAP 62 series improves the form and functionality to make a best-in-class device even better," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "Whether you've been using Garmin for years or are buying your first handheld, GPSMAP 62 is ideal as it combines our new breakthroughs in outdoor recreation technology with the comfortable feel of an old favorite."

Boasting a 2.6" sunlight-readable color display, up to 20 hours of battery life and a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and quad helix antenna for unparalleled reception, the GPSMAP 62 series features three distinct waterproof models to suit various activities and interests. The basic GPSMAP 62 includes a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief. The GPSMAP 62s adds a 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass and wireless connectivity for sharing routes, tracks, waypoints and geocaches between other compatible Garmin handhelds. GPSMAP 62s also includes a barometric altimeter that tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. Users can also plot barometric pressure over time, which can help keep an eye on changing weather conditions. In addition to these key features, GPSMAP 62st includes preloaded 100K topographic maps for the entire United States (or preloaded 50K topographic mapping of Canada for the Canadian version). Coverage on GPSMAP 62st includes major trails, urban and rural roads, interstates, highways, coastlines, rivers and lakes as well as national, state and local parks, forests and wilderness areas. In addition, you can search for points of interest by name or proximity to your location and view descriptive details for terrain contours, topo elevations, summits and geographical points.

To help each user maximize the mapping potential of Garmin handhelds, each model in the GPSMAP 62 series is compatible with Garmin's subscription-based BirdsEye™ Satellite Imagery, the free online community at Garmin Connect™ as well as Garmin's free Custom Maps utility for transferring paper or digital maps onto a compatible handheld.

Geocachers can help the environment and be more efficient by going paperless with the GPSMAP 62 series, quickly downloading cache information directly to the device. Each model stores and displays key information such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description, so that you don't have to tote printouts with you. Learn more about geocaching, getting started and going paperless at www.garmin.com/geocaching.

Subscribers to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery can use BaseCamp™ software to quickly transfer high-resolution satellite images to any Garmin GPSMAP 62 device and seamlessly integrate those images into the handheld's maps to get a true representation of the surroundings. More details can be found at www.garmin.com/birdseyesatimagery.

Customizing maps for your Garmin outdoor handheld has never been easier. Through a few simple steps, Garmin's Custom Maps can bring the details, labels and landmarks of your existing paper or electronic map to a product in the GPSMAP 62 series, or a compatible Garmin Oregon, Dakota or Colorado. Compatible with both PC and Mac, this free utility complements the myriad of mapping products already offered for Garmin devices, including City Navigator®, NT for turn-by-turn directions on city streets, Blue Chart® g2, for marine charting, and TOPO U.S. 24K and 100K map software for incredible terrain detail (each sold separately). To walk through the steps, to find and share maps and to join discussions about Garmin Custom Maps, visit www.garmin.com/CustomMaps.

Experiences will live on long after the activity has ended, thanks to Garmin Connect (http://garminconnect.com), the free-to-join online community of more than 20 million activities for sharing, storing, analyzing and enjoying at garminconnect.com. Outdoor and fitness enthusiasts alike can share activities on Facebook and Twitter, export to Google Earth or relive the activity in table view, calendar view or on a variety of maps including our new embedded Google Earth view.

Each device in the GPSMAP 62 series has a high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix, which automatically calculates and stores critical satellite information and can use that information to quickly calculate a position. The GPSMAP 62 series is made even more versatile through its universal mounting system that is compatible with the same accessories as Garmin's Oregon, Dakota and Colorado products. Other key upgrades include photo navigation and onboard memory for downloading maps. GPSMAP 62 and GPSMAP 62st models also feature high-speed USB for faster map transfers with your computer, as well as a 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows the user's heading even when standing still, without the need to hold it level. In addition to the preloaded topographic details for the entire United States, GPSMAP 62st features 500 MB of available built-in memory. GPSMAP 62 and GPSMAP 62s are ready to be customized to fit any user's activity, thanks to 1.7 GB of onboard memory.

The GPSMAP 62 series represents the latest breakthroughs from Garmin, which has spent 20 years developing technologies and innovations to enhance users' lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. For more about features, pricing and availability, as well as information about Garmin's other products and services, go to www.garmin.com, www.garmin.blogs.com and http://twitter.com/jakesjournal.