Sanyo’s new in-car navigation system is appropriately named. The ‘HD Gorilla’ is packed with features, including an integrated TV tuner, 30GB hard drive, and full-blown GPS with 3D mapping (the real deal, too, not just the tilted-perspective 2D map that the newer GPS units here in the US do). And of course, it’s all stuffed behind a 7-inch LCD screen—perfect for ignoring pesky stop signs and screaming children. There’s pretty much nothing it can’t do—rip audio to the hard drive from CDs with a built-in CDDB-like artist and title lookup, play DVDs, etc. In fact, it’s sort of a like a ‘dash-top’ box for cars (or ludicrously finned and painted Japanese vans).
I wonder if there’s any sort of future for something like this in US vehicles, or if we are too nuts about in-dash integration to tote around a super-functional boom box. At the very least, we should start naming our electronics after primates. (Thanks, Bryan!)
Sanyo “HD Gorilla” car audio/GPS navigation [TechJapan]
