T-Mobile USA prices Garminfone for June launch

Looking to perhaps counter any bad press from its disappointing first quarter financial results, T-Mobile USA Inc. announced today pricing and vague availability for Garmin International Inc.’s Garminfone.
The carrier, which announced exclusive domestic availability of the device last month, said the Google Inc. Android OS-powered device would be available in June for $200 after all rebates and qualifying data and voice plans.
The pricing places the Garmin device at the high-end of T-Mobile USA’s device line up, squared up against its highly-touted HTC Corp. HD2 and HTC Touch Pro2 models. The Garmin’s trump card in the competition is the embedded navigation functionality as well as the applications available through the Android OS. Qualifying rate plans begin at $40 per month for voice service and must also include a mandatory $30 per month data package that is becoming common across the industry. An unlimited messaging package will tack on an additional $10 per month.
The device also includes access to T-Mobile USA’s 3G network, a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a 3-megapixel camera and Wi-Fi connectivity.
The device will be the second offered by Garmin through a domestic carrier with AT&T Mobility gaining exclusive access to the company’s Nuvifone last October. That device also included Garmin’s navigation service and ran a version of the Linux OS. The Nuvifone originally sold for $300 after rebates, but is now absent from AT&T Mobility’s Web site.
T-Mobile USA had previously gained exclusive domestic rights to offer HTC’s HD2, as well as being the first domestic carrier to offer devices powered by Android.