GPS maker Garmin unexpectedly announced the nuviphone late on Wednesday, which combines a cell phone with GPS technology -- or, in Garmin's case, vice versa.

As of now, the nuviphone is a phone in search of a carrier. No partnerships were announced, and the company has yet to officially announce the 3.5G technology that's used inside of it, although Engadget reports that the quad-band phone actually uses HSDPA. Users should expect it in the third quarter of 2008 at an undisclosed price.

The phone mimics the Apple iPhone in that it has a touchscreen interface that takes up the majority of the phone's interface. The phone contains a camera of unspecified quality. But as one might expect from a manufacturer like Garmin, the centerpiece of the phone is the true GPS functionality.

And GPS is the keystone technology. If the phone is inserted into its docking cradle, the nuviphone instantly turns on hands-free call capabilities, according to Garmin. Pictures taken with the onboard camera can be instantly geotagged with a specific latitude and longitude.