Garmin is not launching the product for mountain bikers, however; rather, the GPS market leader sees its application in the localization of animals, vehicles or other mobile (valuable) objects. The small, robust tracker transmits its current position via the mobile network to a web server, which enables the position to be displayed on computers or smartphones. Garmin currently offers this service for 19 European countries, including Switzerland.

The Garmin GTU 10 weighs less than 50 grams and is about the size of a lighter. Its housing is robust and waterproof. The integrated high-performance lithium-ion battery transmits the position for up to four weeks, depending on the transmission interval. The current position of the GTU 10 is displayed on the my.Garmin.com website. The basic tracking service is free of charge for the first year (included in the purchase price) and only becomes chargeable from the second year onwards. In addition, a free app is available for mobile use with smartphones. For reasons of data protection, the location of adults requires their consent, while the location of minors requires a positive intention (e.g. to prevent abduction).

The recommended retail price is 289 francs and the device will be available from March 2011.

Source: Press release, www.garmin.ch