Mio unveils GPS phones with iPhone influence

Mio today chose Computex as the venue to launch three new GPS devices, two of which push the company further into the smartphone market. The pictured Leap G50 is Mio's first Windows Mobile 6.1 device and uses an iPhone-like design with a chrome bezel focused around its touchscreen: only a scroll strip and call buttons interrupt the front face. The phone keeps to Mio's emphasis on navigation with the company's MioMap 2008 mapping software onboard. A 2-megapixel camera is onboard and can be used to geotag photos thanks to the GPS hardware.

The G50 is built for a worldwide release and supports quad-band GSM calling as well as EDGE data, making it useful with both AT&T and T-Mobile in the US. An Asian launch has been set for the summer, though other releases are likely to follow.

A simpler device, the Leap K1, borrows the dual-sided concept behind phones like the Samsung UpStage to fit both a full phone and a more committed GPS device in the same phone: a toggle switches from calling to a navigation system on the reverse side's large touchscreen. The phone also comes with updated map software and also serves as a media player when controlled through the back display.

Mio equips the K1 with a 2-megapixel camera but uses the older Windows CE 5 for its software platform. The phone is slated for a summer launch but is unlikely for North America without 850MHz support.

A final device, the Moov 380, is focused primarily on navigation but includes a GSM radio and a SIM card slot to give it hands-free calling and basic GPRS data while on the road. The navigator is otherwise close to the Moov 370 with a 4.3-inch screen, Bluetooth, and traffic data. Launch info for the 380 hasn't been made available. [via DigiTimes]

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