Garmin announces record-your-own-voice feature for nav instructions, green driving system

Chris Shunk — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:33:00 EST

The Computer Electronics Show (CES) is underway, and the first navigation item to hit the wires is this: the Garmin Voice Studio.

The software enables Nuvi owners to record their own voice for basic navigation instructions. Garmin says the PC-based application will take about 20 minutes to complete, but when you're done you can tell yourself when to turn instead of that computer generated voice that dominates directions. While the program will allow you to voice directions like "turn right in one quarter mile" but for obvious reasons you won't be able to voice text-to-speech for specific directions like reading street names. Additionally, Garmin is releasing an ecoRoute cable that ties into your vehicles ECU to help you tread lighter on the gas pedal and record the results. Engadget tells us that both programs will not work for 3xx and 6xx series navigation systems, but other Garmins should work just fine.

We're guessing that the more creative types among us will find some unique ways to voice directions including some stuff that wouldn't pass FCC guidelines. Borrowing someone else's Garmin long enough to program your own unique version of directions could be a lot of fun, too, but that could get you into a bit of trouble. Press release after the break.

[Source: Garmin via Engadget]

Continue reading Garmin announces record-your-own-voice feature for nav instructions, green driving system

Garmin announces record-your-own-voice feature for nav instructions, green driving system originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Suzuki SX4 getting nav system as standard equipment

Alex Nunez — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Sedan, Etc., Hatchback, Suzuki

Click image to enlarge

Integrated nav systems are cash cows for the automakers. We've discussed this here before. While you can run to the local Target and buy a perfectly useful portable unit for around two-hundred bucks, clicking the nav checkbox on a car or truck's option sheet will probably run you ten times as much. That's painful. For the 2009 model year, however, Suzuki's looking to give shoppers some relief by making touchscreen nav standard equipment in the four-door SX4 Sport and front-wheel-drive SX4 crossover (the enclosed PR makes no mention of the 4WD crossover, but we're assuming that it also benefits from this). This makes Suzuki the first automaker to offer the feature as standard equipment in a sub-$16,000 vehicle. What a novel concept: using desirable equipment as the carrot instead of the stick.

The flip-up unit, supplied by Garmin and dubbed "T.R.I.P", also delivers Bluetooth connectivity, features live traffic info, helps locate the lowest gas prices, and is pre-loaded with a number of points of interest. The automaker is even launching a social networking-type website where owners can upload and share their favorite routes and places to go. Will standard nav help Suzuki win over new customers? It sure isn't going to hurt. Given that the technology has dropped in price so precipitously, it's probably not even costing Suzuki too much in the grand scheme of things. And if the presence of that nav unit gets some fence-sitting new car shoppers to write out a check for at least $16,000, it's probably worth whatever it cost to integrate it into the base package. Maybe Suzuki's onto something.

[Source: Suzuki]

Continue reading 2009 Suzuki SX4 getting nav system as standard equipment

2009 Suzuki SX4 getting nav system as standard equipment originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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