http://www.navtones.com/blog en will@navtones.com Copyright 2011 2011-10-09T22:12:38+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/jeremy_clarkson_tomtom_voice_download http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/jeremy_clarkson_tomtom_voice_download#When:22:12:38Z TomTom announced this week the release of a "limited edition" Top Gear GPS bundle featuring the voice of the show's primary star, Jeremy Clarkson.  Billed as a "match made in petrolhead heaven" the unit blends TomTom's HD traffic with Clarkson's voice and a few window dressings such as start-up and shut-down screens that feature the Top Gear logo.  Not to be outdone by the show's outspoken and defacto leader, the Stig also gets in on the action with his own voice on the device.  As expected, selecting the Stig's voice functions as a mute button.   Unfortunately, TomTom has decided not to release the Jeremy Clarkson voice as a standalone download and instead has chosen to release it only as an integrated feature of the "limited edition" Go Live device.  How "limited" this edition is and whether or not this GPS device will hold its value as a collector's item remains to be seen, however you can get your very own TopGear TomTom for $269 at TomTom's online shop. TomTom announced this week the release of a "limited edition" Top Gear GPS bundle featuring the voice of the show's primary star, Jeremy Clarkson.  Billed as a "match made in petrolhead heaven" the unit blends TomTom's HD traffic with Clarkson's voice and a few window dressings such as start-up and shut-down screens that feature the Top Gear logo.  Not to be outdone by the show's outspoken and defacto leader, the Stig also gets in on the action with his own voice on the device.  As expected, selecting the Stig's voice functions as a mute button.   Unfortunately, TomTom has decided not to release the Jeremy Clarkson voice as a standalone download and instead has chosen to release it only as an integrated feature of the "limited edition" Go Live device.  How "limited" this edition is and whether or not this GPS device will hold its value as a collector's item remains to be seen, however you can get your very own TopGear TomTom for $269 at TomTom's online shop. Celebrities, Industry News, TomTom, NavTones, News 2011-10-09T22:12:38+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C11/make_your_gps_fun_for_less_than_5 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C11/make_your_gps_fun_for_less_than_5#When:23:13:18Z It doesn't take much to transform your GPS into an entertainment system and, in fact, there are several ways to do so.  We can't guarantee that these joy-enhancing tips will leave your GPS intact, but there might be times when one of these might be worth the risk involved.   Let's examine a few of the cheapest ways to turn your GPS into a bona fide party in a box: CONTINUE >> It doesn't take much to transform your GPS into an entertainment system and, in fact, there are several ways to do so.  We can't guarantee that these joy-enhancing tips will leave your GPS intact, but there might be times when one of these might be worth the risk involved.   Let's examine a few of the cheapest ways to turn your GPS into a bona fide party in a box. Here are your options: 1 -- Put your GPS in the freezer and then place it on a cold floor.  WHACK!  It's a hockey puck.  2 -- Input a route and start 'Demo Mode' on your GPS.  BAM!  It's a TV stuck on the Speed     Channel. 3 -- Douse your GPS in kerosene and light it on fire.  POW!  It's a personal fireworks display.  4 -- Borrow your significant other's GPS and change their default language to Japanese.  WHAM!     It's a sudoku puzzle. 5 -- Download a funny GPS voice with personality and randomized jokes from NavTones.  VOILA!  It's a GPS entertainment system!*  *(Actually, we can guarantee that this option will leave your GPS intact.) So there you have it!  You can destroy your GPS, or you can make  it a fun experience for the whole car for less than $5.  It's your call, so Nav It YOUR Way!  Industry News, Garmin, TomTom, NavTones 2011-05-03T23:13:18+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/gary_busey_is_the_original_charlie_sheen http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/gary_busey_is_the_original_charlie_sheen#When:19:08:22Z The good folks over at Esquire Magazine recently spent some time with our hero, Gary Busey.  As you will certainly know by Monday, March 7, 2001, Gary is a contestant on this season's Celebrity Apprentice which premieres on NBC on Sunday, March 6th.  After you check out this interview you'll be hard pressed to allow Charlie Sheen to take 100% of the credit for his newly-revealed outlook on life.  Here's an excerpt from the pioneer of Hollyweird: ESQ: What about the biggest challenge of being on the show? GB: Making sure I wasn't wearing my underwear backwards. ESQ: You did that? GB: No. I never do that. Read more HEREThe good folks over at Esquire Magazine recently spent some time with our hero, Gary Busey.  As you will certainly know by Monday, March 7, 2001, Gary is a contestant on this season's Celebrity Apprentice which premieres on NBC on Sunday, March 6th.  After you check out this interview you'll be hard pressed to allow Charlie Sheen to take 100% of the credit for his newly-revealed outlook on life.  Here's an excerpt from the pioneer of Hollyweird: ESQ: What about the biggest challenge of being on the show? GB: Making sure I wasn't wearing my underwear backwards. ESQ: You did that? GB: No. I never do that. Read more HERE Celebrities, Gary Busey, Projects 2011-03-03T19:08:22+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/david_hasselhoff_is_swapping_lives_with_this_guy http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/david_hasselhoff_is_swapping_lives_with_this_guy#When:00:51:46Z Details are emerging about a new CBS television show featuring real celebrities swapping lives with lesser, average citizens of the same name.  Sounds pretty cool if you're one of the "Joe Schmo's" who gets to move out of their parents' basement and in to the lap of luxury.  But it doesn't sound so good for the celebrities involved...   READ MORE >Details are emerging about a new CBS Television series featuring real celebrities swapping lives with lesser, average citizens of the same name.  Sounds pretty cool if you're one of the "Joe Schmo's" who gets to move out of their parents' basement and in to the lap of luxury. But it doesn't sound so good for the celebrities involved... At left is a picture of one David Hasselhoff who's changing places with the 'real' David Hasselhoff of Knight Rider, Baywatch, and NavTones fame.  Our man at the left will leave his job as a power technician and take on the role of an international celebrity while The Hoff learns how to wire power to people's houses and places of business.  Sounds cool, right? We'll keep you posted as news develops, but I'm pretty sure this is will be the best Hasselhoff show since 1986 when KITT and The Hoff parted ways.       [Video @ TMZ] Celebrities, David Hasselhoff, Knight Rider, Projects 2011-02-18T00:51:46+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/hasselhoff_cavorts_with_uk_prime_minister_david_cameron http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/hasselhoff_cavorts_with_uk_prime_minister_david_cameron#When:23:53:12Z In what can only be described as a HUGE piece of news, David Hasselhoff a/k/a The Hoff, met with the prime minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron.  You see, The Hoff is over in Europe preparing for his European tour, so it's only logical that he stopped by the House of Parliament to pay his respects to a man that most of us here in the US have ever heard of.  No word yet on what was discussed, but we're guessing The Hoff's GPS voice was topic #1. [PHOTO CREDIT: DavidHasselhoff.com]In what can only be described as a HUGE piece of news, David Hasselhoff a/k/a The Hoff, met with the prime minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron.  You see, The Hoff is over in Europe preparing for his European tour, so it's only logical that he stopped by the House of Parliament to pay his respects to a man that most of us here in the US have ever heard of.  No word yet on what was discussed, but we're guessing The Hoff's GPS voice was topic #1. [PHOTO CREDIT: DavidHasselhoff.com] Celebrities, David Hasselhoff, Projects 2011-02-08T23:53:12+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C11/tomtom_announces_new_thinner_sleeker_via_line http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C11/tomtom_announces_new_thinner_sleeker_via_line#When:18:09:16Z During the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas, TomTom unveiled its new Via line to their long list of portable navigation devices. The Via is super thin and compact with new features like voice recognition and Bluetooth Handsfree calling.  All Via models come with the TomTom fold-and-go EasyPort mount, Lifetime map and traffic upgrades, an updated interface, and text-to-speech spoken street names.  There are two touch-screen sizes with models 1405 and 1435 having a 4.3 inch... Read More > Photo: CNET During the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas, TomTom unveiled its new Via line to their long list of portable navigation devices. The Via is super thin and compact with new features like voice recognition and Bluetooth Handsfree calling.  All Via models come with the TomTom fold-and-go EasyPort mount, Lifetime map and traffic upgrades, an updated interface, and text-to-speech spoken street names.  There are two touch-screen sizes with models 1405 and 1435 having a 4.3 inch screen and the 1505 and 1535 models a 5 inch screen. Via offers two finishes; black for the lower 1405 and 1505 models, and an added upgraded brushed aluminum finish for the higher-end 1435 and 1535 models.  The TomTom Via series of GPS will be available at retail stores and online in mid-2011. Prices begin at $169 MSRP for the 1405 model.  Photo: CNET Tweet Industry News, TomTom 2011-01-28T18:09:16+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/kim_cattrall_is_sexing_up_butter http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/kim_cattrall_is_sexing_up_butter#When:19:27:18Z Recently PopWrap writer Jarett Wieselman interviewed the Sex And The City star Kim Cattrall about her new role as spokesperson for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or ICBINB as I like to call it.  The new ICBINB campaign kicks off in early March with Kim telling woman that "by using the brand, they can have it all: big taste without the big pants". Kim tells PopWrap, "Enjoying I Can't Believe It's Not Butter is kind of like finding a deliciously gorgeous man, and then discovering he's single".  PopWrap asks Kim how she got hooked up with ICBINB and Kim simply says, "they approached me - their ideas were funny and witty". Kim thought.... Read More > Recently PopWrap writer Jarett Wieselman interviewed the Sex And The City star Kim Cattrall about her new role as spokesperson for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or ICBINB as I like to call it.  The new ICBINB campaign kicks off in early March with Kim telling woman that "by using the brand, they can have it all: big taste without the big pants". Kim tells PopWrap, "Enjoying I Can't Believe It's Not Butter is kind of like finding a deliciously gorgeous man, and then discovering he's single".  PopWrap asks Kim how she got hooked up with ICBINB and Kim simply says, "they approached me - their ideas were funny and witty". Kim thought the spots could be fun. Supposedly, the ICBINB commercials will not only star sultry Kim, but will also include hot men by her side.  ICBINB will air five commercials - Naughty, Nice, Muscles, Dish, and French Toast. Kim says the spots are funny, cute and interesting and that she is excited for people to see them.  We are excited to see the new commercials as well. Meanwhile, you can check out Kim's ultra-sexy voice she recorded for GPS. You can take Kim with you wherever you go and trust me, you won't want to turn off her alluring voice. Download it at NavTones: http://www.navtones.com/kim-cattrall.html Source: New York Post Photo: New York Post Tweet Celebrities, Kim Cattrall, Projects 2011-01-27T19:27:18+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/top_10_gps_features http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/top_10_gps_features#When:00:44:44Z Dashboard mounted portable navigation systems have been coming under fire lately with fierce competition from the smartphone “app”.  Major GPS manufacturers such as Garmin and TomTom are working to quell the onslaught coming from software by lowering prices and adding features to their hardware-based devices.  Using their superior screen size and dedicated processing power to their advantage, here are the top 10 essential features of any portable navigation device. Read More >             Dashboard mounted portable navigation systems have been coming under fire lately with fierce competition from the smartphone “app”.  Major GPS manufacturers such as Garmin and TomTom are working to quell the onslaught coming from software by lowering prices and adding features to their hardware-based devices.  Using their superior screen size and dedicated processing power to their advantage, here are the top 10 essential features of any portable navigation device. Bluetooth – With virtually every state in the union enacting “handsfree” driving laws, Bluetooth is an essential feature of any GPS.  It is usually a cinch to set up you GPS as a speakerphone for incoming and outgoing calls which frees your hands, keeps your eyes on the road, and brings you in to compliance with local laws.  Real-time Traffic  – Once a gimmicky feature with finicky, unreliable service, real-time traffic is finally ready for the spotlight with reliable coverage in major cities and useful applications within portable GPS devices.  Look for devices that have the feature built-in and do not require external antennas or additional subscriptions. Walking Mode  – Navigating using a GPS without walking mode can be a dangerous and even illegal exercise if one chooses to walk along the side of a freeway, for example.  Sometimes called “Pedestrian Mode”, insist on this feature if you’ll be using your GPS to guide you through major cities on foot. Itinerary/Efficient Routing  – This often overlooked feature is very useful to anyone who typically goes to multiple destinations on each trip in the car.  Itinerary routing allows the user to input multiple destinations in a predetermined order to generate a route, whereas “efficient” or “optimum” routing allows the input of multiple destinations from which the software will determine the fastest route.  This is a “must have” feature for soccer moms or delivery drivers. 3D Cities - This feature is showing up with more frequency in GPS as mapping databases cover more major cities.   In supported cities, landmarks such as buildings and attractions are rendered in accurate scale and color along the route on the screen.  Examples of these would be the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Empire State building in New York, or the Space Needle in Seattle.  This feature is especially useful when navigating on foot. Speed Limit Indicator – Speed limit indication is a simple but effective way to lessen one’s odds of being cited for speeding.  This feature is usually comprised of a visual speed limit indication on the screen along with an audible warning, although the latter can usually be toggled on or off. Text-to-speech – In layman’s terms, Text-to-speech (TTS) means the device speaks street names and will tell you the name of which street to turn on.  In reality, many of these technologies are still not ready for primetime and will butcher many street names (particularly those based on foreign languages) to the point that they are unintelligible.  Still, it is a useful feature in unfamiliar environs. Lifetime Maps – Having up-to-date maps is essential to accurate navigation.  Estimates are that 10-15% of the U.S. road network changes every year, and the fact of the matter is you won’t likely care until you’re in an unfamiliar city undergoing lots of construction and using a GPS with old maps.  All of the major manufacturers will sell you an a-la-carte map upgrade, but pay the additional $50-100 up front (built in to the purchase price) and you’ll be notified as often as once per quarter when an update is available. Lane Assistance – Lane assistance is a feature of some GPS devices that will render on screen an accurate, real-time depiction of a driver’s optimal lane choice.  Sometimes called “junction view” or “lane guidance”, this feature will show the total number and intersection of available lanes while highlighting the vehicle’s suggested position and playing an accompanying audio command such as “keep to the left”.  This feature is especially useful on highways in major metropolitan cities where junctions can be numerous and complicated. Celebrity Voices – Due to his or her flat and uninspired directions, the generic voice that comes standard with all portable navigation devices is a sore spot for many users, so Garmin and TomTom offer real celebrity voices such as Mr. T, KITT from Knight Rider, or rapper Flavor Flav as a personalized alternative.  NavTones is an independent outfit that offers downloadable Garmin voices on their website and also supplies TomTom with many of the voice downloads on their own site.  In addition to premium celebrity voices, NavTones also offers a selection of free Garmin GPS voices on their site. With all of the features available on the market today, choosing a portable GPS can be an overwhelming experience.  To be sure, there are differences between brands which come down to personal taste such as ease of use, screen size, and menu structure, but with a little advanced planning and research to determine your needs, you can make a confident and well-informed purchase. Tweet Celebrities, Flavor Flav, Knight Rider, Mr T., Industry News, Garmin, TomTom, NavTones 2011-01-25T00:44:44+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/its_official_ffc_is_now_open_for_business http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/its_official_ffc_is_now_open_for_business#When:20:10:04Z Flav's Fried Chicken or FFC opened at 2PM today in Clinton, Iowa. Clinton Iowa, you say? Why in the world would Flavor Flav want to open his very first FFC chain in Clinton, IOWA?    Let's dig into this a little bit shall we? With Clinton located in the midwest with a population of 28,000 and 94% of them being white, we wonder if Flav really made the best decision. And of all places, he opens it RIGHT NEXT DOOR to KFC!   It seems Flav really didn't have a lot of input into where his first restaurant would open and most likely left it all up to....  Read more >   [Photo: Clinton Herald] Flav's Fried Chicken or FFC opened at 2PM today in Clinton, Iowa. Clinton Iowa, you say? Why in the world would Flav want to open his very first FFC chain in Clinton, IOWA?    Let's dig into this a little bit shall we? With Clinton located in the midwest with a population of 28,000 and 94% of them being white, we wonder if Flav really made the best decision. And of all places, he opens it RIGHT NEXT DOOR to KFC!   It seems Flav really didn't have a lot of input into where his first restaurant would open and most likely left it all up to his business partner, Nick Cimino, who is from Clinton.   Cimino's family is already in the restaurant business with a place called Mama Cimino's. A joint where Flav used to work at in Vegas serving none other than chicken wings. Apparently, there is also a Mama Cimino's pizza place in Clinton on the same street as the new FFC. So maybe Cimino didn't make the best choice of where FFC should open, but at least he does have some background in the biz.    I guess now all we can do is wait for the reviews of FFC to come in. Flav says that he plans on opening hundreds of FFC's all over the country. Word has it that he has already gotten calls about the FFC franchise. Anyone out there want to open their very own Flav's Fried Chicken? Why don't you give Flav a call? Or take my advice and wait till the reviews start pouring in about how the chicken tastes. Yes, that would probably be the better choice.    Before you open your own FFC chain you might want to put Flavor Flav's voice on your GPS so you can get used to him saying Woooowww and telling you what to do. It's available at NavTones for $9.95. Go here: http://www.navtones.com/flavor-flav-gps-voice.html [Photo: Clinton Herald] Tweet Celebrities, Flavor Flav, Projects 2011-01-24T20:10:04+00:00 http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/flavs_first_fried_chicken_restaurant_to_open_in_iowa http://www.navtones.com/blog?detail/C5/flavs_first_fried_chicken_restaurant_to_open_in_iowa#When:18:32:40Z I'm sure you've heard all the hype about Public Enemy's Flavor Flav opening his own restaurant chain called FFC or Flav's Fried Chicken. Well it was announced today that on Monday, January 24th, Clinton, Iowa will be home to the very first restaurant. If you live in Clinton, Iowa please do us the favor of checking out Flav's... Read more >I'm sure you've heard all the hype about Public Enemy's Flavor Flav opening his own restaurant chain called FFC or Flav's Fried Chicken. Well it was announced today that on Monday, January 24th, Clinton, Iowa will be home to the very first restaurant. If you live in Clinton, Iowa please do us the favor of checking out Flav's chicken and let us know how dope or not so dope it is. Flav's been busy lately. Not only is he opening the chain of chicken joints, Flav plans on opening a line of flavored vodkas including the flavors bubblegum and sweet tea. Recently, he was also in studio recording the world's first explicit GPS voice for Garmin and TomTom. You can listen to the sound clip from NavTones here: http://www.navtones.com/flavor-flav-gps-voice.html. Celebrities, Flavor Flav, Industry News, Garmin, TomTom 2011-01-21T18:32:40+00:00