That's right - the name you already know and love for high-end audio equipment is getting into the Personal Navigation Device market. HK has teamed up with Sanyo and announced the Guide + Play GPS 500. Well, actually HK outsourced the manufacturing to Kinpo and licensed the navigation software from iGo. So neither Harman Kardon nor Sanyo actually manufactured this GPS -- although Harman Kardon did slap their name on the front! HK says they're the number 3 manufacturer in Europe, and Sanyo claims to be #1 in Japan. With those kind of deep pockets, I'd except nothing less than perfection. So what makes this unit special among the sea of GPS newcomers?

• 4-inch WQVGA color touch screen display
• Built-in upscale media player
• A dedicated volume control wheel on the right side of the unit
• Intuitive and easy-to-use menu system
• Automatic 3D to 2D map panning based on your speed and distance from the next maneuver
• Dedicated pedestrian mode for using the GPS on foot
• Sort music playlists by artist, genre, title, or album
• Support for video viewing (MPEG4 and WMV formats supported)
• 5-hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Built-in maps of the USA and Canada. SD memory slot for music and movies.

Just looking at the features, the Guide + Play 500 looks like it just might be a contender. Still, I'm always a bit skeptical when a company suddenly decides the GPS market is hot, and then farms out the hardware and software to third parties. It'll be interesting to see how the Harman Kardon GPS 500 will stack up against the players who've been doing GPS for years (Garmin, Magellan, TomTom). Suggested retail price is $499, available sometime in Q1 2007.