'D'OH!' Homer provides TomTom GPS navigation
by Stevie Smith - Jun 17 2009, 15:15
Possibly not the most trustworthy candidate for giving in-car directions. Image: webhamster/Flickr.
Using an in-car GPS navigational system that delivers vocal prompts is supposed to provide drivers with a calming sense of assured convenience as they save time by dutifully follow its every direction – sometimes into a river – during their journeys.
However, the recent introduction of bungling Homer Simpson as a willing unseen navigator may now result in some drivers subconsciously exercising a little more caution when it comes to trusting the reliance of their GPS software.
Recorded by Simpsons’ legend Dan Castellaneta, who provides the unmistakable voice of Homer on the award-winning Fox comedy show, the Homer Simpson GPS companion is available for download via the official TomTom site for just $12.95 USD.
Offered up to drivers through TomTom NV in association with Locutio Voice Technologies and Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising, America’s favourite idiot father becomes the latest in a long line of celebrity navigators lending their vocal talents to the GPS experience.
And, if Homer’s particular brand of chaotic self-assurance doesn’t instil confidence while behind the wheel, then TomTom owners can always switch to other celebrity offerings from the likes of John Cleese, Dennis Hopper, Kim Cattrall, and The Tech Herald’s personal favourite Mr. T (“Quit your jibba jabba and take the next left for airport departures, fool! Wait... I ain’t goin’ on no plane!”).
Initial online reaction to the inclusion of navigation a la Homer Simpson appears to be positive, with some prospective users wondering whether the system will say “D’OH!” if the driver takes a wrong turn, and whether the TomTom will instantly know where all the best strip clubs and donut shops are located in any given location.
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