Long ago recognizing that smartphones were encroaching on the PND segment, Garmin decided to make its own smartphone to cover its bases and diversify. Accordingly Garmin has teamed with ASUSTeK Computer Inc. to make the handsets, two of which will be previewed at next week's Mobile World Congress event.

The first of those phones, the Garmin-Asus nüvifone M20, looks like this:

It's apparently going to be a Windows Mobile 6.1 phone, but there are suggestions that there will also be an Android phone. The G60 is the other forthcoming model. Both come with car mounts so they can function as conventional PNDs while you're driving. 

The question is whether such a device is novel enough to attract buyers. Price is also a significant issue. It remains to be seen how much they cost. It's unlikely that consumers will see this as offering double the value or "two devices in one." 

Meanwhile Samsung has reportedly pushed to the second half its intended launch of an Android phone. According to a Sumsung marketing executive quoted in the Guardian:

[T]here will be no Android phone at the show, but they are "planning internally" for a release in the second half of the year. [Mobile devince marking head Younghee Lee] said the company is in negotiations with a number of operators about taking a Samsung-designed Android phone.

In the US, Sprint is scheduled to offer that Samsung Android phone. So its delay is not good news for the struggling carrier. However excitement surrounding the Palm Pre will potentially mitigate the impact of a delay in the Samsung Android phone.