A few months ago, Garmin introduced a new device, called nuvifone, that combines the features of Garmin's popular nuvi line of GPS navigators with that of multimedia phone. Garmin did not reveal what carrier - if any - would offer the device or how much it would cost, however. Today, we've got a better idea about both counts.

The nuvihone, which is due to ship in the third quarter, should go for around $499.99 and be available from AT&T, according to a Garmin survey leaked to engadget.

The tipster who sent the survey in to engadget, said it asked:

Now, how likely would you be to buy the Garmin nüvifone (for yourself or as a gift) if offered by AT&T for $499.99 with a two year contract? You would be required to have both a data plan that would include unlimited Internet browsing and unlimited Navigation for $19.99 per month and one of the standard voice rate plans for a monthly fee.

Nuvifone sports a touch screen-measuring 3.5 inches. Turn the screen on and you'll see icons labeled Call, Search, and View Map, representing the phone's most important functions.

It allows drivers to find a specific street address, establishment names or search for a destination by category using a database with millions of points of interest. These points of interests are supposed to be enhanced through support for Google local search capability, which nuvifone links to through a 3G cellular-wireless data connection.

Turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions guide the user to their destination. If they miss a turn along the route, nuvifone - as with nuvi - automatically recalculates the route and gets them back on track, speaking the names of the streets along the way.

In addition to Web browsing, users can make use of nuvifone's wireless connectivity to send and receive e-mail, text, and instant messages, and to subscribe to Garmin Online to receive constantly updated real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events and weather forecasts.

Nuvifone, which can play music and video, allows you snap a picture and have it automatically tagged with the exact latitude and longitude reference of where it was taken. The phone also provides direct access to millions of geo-located landmark and sightseeing photographs at Google's Panoramio picture sharing site.

At CTIA last month, we had the chance to play with one. We found it to be light, relatively compact and pretty rectangular. More importantly, if the smartphone, which features a pretty large and bright display, performs all the functions of Garmin's personal navigator, Garmin may just may have a winner on its hands. It's a logical next step beyond Garmin's discontinued line of Pocket PC and Palm OS GPS -enabled handhelds.

Nuvifone ships with preloaded maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe.