April 12, 2001

New From Garmin®: a Portable GPS with an Extra-Large Display and WAAS Capability

GPSMAP® 176 is versatile enough to be taken from the boat to the car without skipping a beat

Olathe, Kan. - Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), a leading manufacturer of navigation, communication and information electronics, has unveiled a new portable GPS unit with applications for marine and automotive use – introducing the GPSMAP 176.

The GPSMAP 176 is a 12 parallel channel, WAAS-capable GPS receiver with an extra-large display that makes keeping your eye on the map easy. The display measures 3.75 inches diagonal and delivers a crisp picture thanks to a pixel count of 320 x 240. The GPSMAP 176C paints the same great picture, but with the addition of a 16-color display.

On the inside, the GPSMAP 176 comes equipped with a built-in worldwide basemap and tide data for the United States. The unit is enhanced by Garmin BlueCharts®, miniature-sized chips that insert into the unit and provide additional offshore map detail. The cartography includes detailed depth contours, inter-tidal zones, spot soundings, wrecks, navaids, port plans, restricted areas, cable areas, anchorages and much more. For use in a car, the GPSMAP 176 can accept downloadable points of interest information from Garmin's MapSource® MetroGuide® U.S.A. CD-ROM. A special mounting bracket is available that will allow the GPSMAP 176 to be temporarily mounted in a car.

"The GPSMAP 176 is going to have broad appeal among our customers," said Gary Kelley, director of marketing, Garmin International. "Not only will users see increased accuracy to three meters thanks to the WAAS capability, but they will benefit from one of the largest displays currently available on our portable products. The result will be a clear picture that can be seen with ease either in color or high resolution grayscale."

Specific features of the GPSMAP 176

• WAAS-enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver with accuracy up to three meters in the United States and portions of Canada and Mexico
• Large 3.75-inch diagonal, high-resolution display.
• Built-in worldwide basemap with tide data for the United States
• Accepts additional map detail from Garmin BlueCharts; offshore cartography loaded onto a miniature data cartridge
• Compatible with Garmin's MapSource CD-ROMs
• High-speed processor for faster map redraw rates
• 16-color high-resolution display – GPSMAP 176C
• Waterproof to IPX7 standards; can be immersed in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes
• Weighs just 12 ounces
• Stores up to 500 waypoints with name and graphic display
• Built-in celestial tables provide for sun and moon by date and position
• Operates on four AA batteries for up to 15 hours

The GPSMAP 176 is expected to be available in April at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $571.41. The GPSMAP 176C is expected to be available in April at a suggested retail price of $685.70.