The Bushnell ONIX 400 GPS/XM Satellite Radio/XM NavWeather uber-device has been a subject of obsession since CES, but beyond the "Summer" ship date we've never known when it would be available to the equally obsessive masses.
Well, an Orbitcast reader grabbed the bull by the horns and did the unthinkable... he emailed Bushnell. And who'da thunk it, they actually gave him the scoop on the ship date:
Good afternoon,Thank you for contacting Bushnell. You should start to see the Onix 400 in stores around the first to second week of September.
And there it is. The wait is nearly over.
Thanks Gregg!
The device is sweet. But what's the damage to the wallet?
Only way this could be better is if it incorporated bluetooth and a Pocket PC cellular system into it. How fucking awesome would a fully bluetooth compatible deal like this be so you can hook up to your car, bluetooth stereo headset, etc. and use it as your phone. That would be the ultimate iPhone killer.
First they said, "Summer."
Then it was "Mid-July."
Later they said, "August."
Now it's updated to "second week in September."
I have spoken with Bushnell's customer service department four times now on their toll free line, 800-423-3537.
They also said you could just pull out the existing micro SD card and replace it with one of the new 1-gig cards and carry on.
Cabela's, Bass Pro and Optics Planet are all asking $499.99 but Optics Planet offers free UPS shipping.
Also, I have heard the Onix 200 is not very user friendly, but I have not taken one for a drive.
You know Garmin and Magellan will be right on their tracks.
If they ship before October, I will try mine in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico and post an update...otherwise, I'm still waiting for a retail outlet to offer one for sale.
I contacted Bushnell last week and they told me the 400s will not ship until October 17th.