Garmin has stepped over to mobile application technology with víago, a navigation application for smartphones. Garmin is known for producing GPS receivers and products for the automotive, aviation, marine, outdoor, and sports industries, with products ranging from pet obedience gadgets to chart plotters and watches among the plethora of products they create. víago sets itself apart from more popular navigation apps like Waze or Google maps with several advanced features.
víago’s features
The app provides specific turn-by-turn directions and actively assists users on which lane to stay in to be able to make a safe turn. víago displays photo-real junction views allowing you to have a realistic view of the turn ahead while also displaying which street you are currently on, the speed of your vehicle, and the speed limit of the street as part of its safety features.
Travelling made easy
víago is an ideal travel companion as it provides international map browsing and regional navigation, allowing you to search addresses and browse points of interest internationally. Planning your next getaway can also be made more systematic with víago as it enables you to plan your trip’s pit stops and routes. The app also displays a three-day weather forecast, helping you plan your trip better as you can anticipate the weather conditions you’ll face along your journey.
Available upgrades
You can download full-featured maps that you can access on the go without WiFi or mobile data. You can also add 3D buildings and landmarks to help you navigate and there’s a voice command function that tells you the name of the street where you’re supposed to turn. You can also opt to get Garmin Real Directions™, which voices directions in a more practical way such as asking you to turn when you see a particular building or landmark. You may also get real-time updates with Traffic Live, which helps you get to your destination by choosing more efficient routes. Urban Guidance allows you to navigate the streets on foot while Panorama View 3D gives you the ability to see the terrain around you including mountains, hills and valleys.
Garmin víago costs $0.99 and is available for Android and Apple devices.
You peaked my interest so I popped over to their site and watched their promotional video. It looks pretty good, but it really is just a brushed up sat-nav. I am not sure how many companies can enter this space and really deliver something people will want. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely need my sat-nav or I can’t find my way anywhere, I am just not sure what this product offers that I don’t already have, but need.
I agree, Phil. I’m just not sure I understand why they bothered. It’s already a pretty saturated market, surely?
Maybe I’m in the minority, but I can’t stand getting driving directions from my phone. I much prefer a dedicated device. And I do happen to have a Garmin GPS for my car. I love it. I just don’t see the need for yet another nav app.
I completely agree!
For $0.99, it is certainly worth the try. At first glance it provides all the experience brought to you buy your conventional navigation app, but it includes some nice features. Having your speed limit and your cars speed read to you is pretty nice. The only problem is the optional “upgrades”, I would rather have it all included in one app because having to buy these extra features always ticks me off.
Excited to hear Garmin has finally made an app. I have been happy with their navigational products in the past and look forward to checking it out. I don’t really like any of the other nav apps I’ve tried. They are very bulky and not very intuitive.
The one thing that I never see is offline navigation. Download maps and do the routing on the phone. Update the map whenever connected to the internet. GPS is available offline, you don’t need a network for it to connect. The only limiting factor is the phone’s processing power, and with phones becoming just as powerful as full-fledged laptops today, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Viago really sounds like a one of a kind app! I’ll definitely tell my friends about it. This app sounds so useful, it’s so cool it can be used internationally with no restrictions! I can see how his could help out a lot travelers out there who decide to rent a car while traveling! Way to go.
The Viago app conveys to me that it is really useful and an in-depth GPS navigation. I love that it can inform you of situations that concern driving on the road, such as circumstances and weather. Drivers are going to have a field day with this app.
Glad to see Garmin back in the game. Their physical gps sales dropped when people just started to use their smartphone instead. Since a smartphone has a data connection the features mentioned in this app can be possible. I think this app can be useful to people that use their gps often because I only use my gps when going somewhere far or going to a new address.
Why can’t all transportation systems, whether personal, office or public have this feature by default? I think it’s quite the necessary safety precautions for the population to have something like the Viago so that they would feel empowered in their travels. It’s a basic survival kit for anyone, whether a pilot or a cyclist.
Viago app looks good at first glance. I might have to actually try it on the road first before I make a decision, but overall the whole design and interface looks pleasant. There are a multitude of apps out there that do the same things so it;s always good to differentiate yourself from them somehow.