Topic: Garmin announces record-your-own-voice feature

[Winklovic]

This might be fun.  Saffy, will you record some directions for me?   

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/05/garmin-announces-record-your-own-voice-feature-for-nav-instructi/

PRESS RELEASE

Find Your Voice, Find Your Destination with Garmin® Voice Studio™

OLATHE, Kan./January 5, 2010/Business Wire - Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced Voice Studio, a free and easy-to-use PC application that lets anyone record their own voice to create custom pre-recorded navigation prompts for use on compatible Garmin navigation devices. The application will be featured in the Garmin booth (South Hall 4#35832) at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.

"Voice Studio lets users customize their nüvi to give directions in familiar voices," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president for worldwide sales. "Whether it's a friend, a spouse, or the kids, now you'll always be able to take that special person with you wherever you travel. And you can share your customized voices with other nüvi owners, too."

Simply download the free Voice Studio application from http://www.garmin.com/voicestudio and install it on a PC. Users can then record a few dozen phrases, and edit them directly within the Voice Studio application. To achieve the best quality recordings, an external microphone is recommended. Once complete, the voice file is loaded onto a compatible Garmin personal navigation device. The entire process typically takes less than 30 minutes.

Combined with free and fun icons from the Garmin Garage (http://www8.garmin.com/vehicles/), Garmin customers can personalize their devices to a degree that no other navigation provider can match. Voice Studio is compatible with all nüvis except the nüvi 300 and 600 series. Voice Studio does not provide text-to-speech recordings.

To learn more about Voice Studio and Garmin's other products, go to www.garmin.com and www.garmin.blogs.com.

[Brigitte]

I will gladly do it for anyone who asks.  I will even include "You're going the wrong facking way, you facking moron!" and "Stop spanking your wanker and pay attention to the road!" for free. 

[Turbo Bob]

For $50 I will also record, "Cor blimey Cherie Bobbins, you're goin' the wrong waay!"

[tpl]

Thank you both but no... I'll stick with the Australian lady.   

[UmroAyyar]

I changed few voices in my old Palm PDA based Garmin iQue3600. That darn old thing still works, 6 years old now. Thats 50 years in GPS age.

This would be fun. TomTom has sold celebrity voices including Mr. T for quite some time.

[vdk]

I will gladly do it for anyone who asks.  I will even include "You're going the wrong facking way, you facking moron!" and "Stop spanking your wanker and pay attention to the road!" for free. 

That would be the only reason I'd ever buy one of those Garmins...

[EV Dan]

Voice Studio does not provide text-to-speech recordings.

Settle down people    What it means once you change the voice to a downloaded or pre-recorded one the GPS will stop announcing street names. Very common reason for the devices going back to the store with the same complaint.

[safristi]

 Winkie......."JIMMEH here...HED SOOTH..put tha pettle ta tha mettle and dinna stowp ta ya see SAUN & INJINS...........wot ya mee ya havta PEE....awww mom ya should went before ya went........"....................

[Spheric]

Thank you both but no... I'll stick with the Australian lady.   

^ ^ ^

Is that 'Karen' ? I have the 1490T model and she is good but a bit slow in talking...maybe it's an Australian thing ? Still better than the British woman 'Emily' (?) who seems sounds a bit stiff. I notice the Brit voices say take the 'slip road' (to 401) whereas the Aussies say 'ramp'.

[Turbo Bob]

"Take the stiff road!" 

[safristi]

..and i'll be in afore ye..............