Be like Hasselhoff: Mio Knight Rider GPS makes official debut
This past weekend word leaked out that Mio Technology had a Knight Rider-themed GPS in the works, and now we can officially say that it's real. Since we were bound by NDA (nondisclosure agreement) till now, we couldn't really spill the full details when the news broke (please don't get me started on this) on Friday afternoon, but the floodgates are open now.
The Knight Rider GPS will indeed feature the voice of William Daniels (aka KITT), and there will be a database of names so you can customize the device to have KITT personally greet and talk to you (provided that your name is included). As far as navigation features, the specs will be similar to the Mio Moov 310/300, minus the real-time traffic. The portable navigation system is expected to ship on August 8 for $269.
Mio actually stopped by our office with a prototype of the Knight Rider GPS and was brave enough to leave it with us for a couple of hours. The video to the right shows what ensued. For the record, this is quite possibly the most embarrassing video I have ever shot (also they didn't have "Bonnie" in the name database, so we used "Katherine" for our lovely First Look shooter and editor. On another note, how do you not have Bonnie when one of the main characters of the Knight Rider TV show was named Bonnie? Sorry, I digress.), but we were just trying to capture the fun of the device. The voice of KITT and the flashing LEDs are certainly gimmicky, but it's still a blast to use and hopefully, it'll deliver on the performance front when we get a final unit in for a road test.
Bonnie Cha is a senior editor for CNET, covering smartphones and GPS. When she's not testing the latest gadgets, you can find her chasing after her crazy lab or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. E-mail Bonnie.
