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Germans won't take directions from a female GPS

 
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:23pm

I was listening to a NPR Science Friday podcast today and the segment discussed GPS voices.

Quote:

(NPR) FLATOW: ... I found interesting in your book, you start out in the front of your book talking about that German carmakers would not put a female voice into the GPS.

Dr. NASS: Well, even worse, BMW did in fact put a female voice in their GPS, and they actually had to have a product recall because German drivers would not take directions from a woman.

Here's the article/podcast link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1296297...

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Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:18pm

I am a quarter German

I am a quarter German and I take directions from Jill! I have great faith in what she says, and her diction has improved with recent updates! I even prefer Jill over other female voices with better looks! It couldn't possibly be that the Germans in your podcast would be so pigheaded!

dobs108 razz

Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:23pm

LOL

dobs108 wrote:

I am a quarter German and I take directions from Jill! I have great faith in what she says, and her diction has improved with recent updates! I even prefer Jill over other female voices with better looks! It couldn't possibly be that the Germans in your podcast would be so pigheaded!

dobs108 razz

I'm 100% German and I take directions from Jill also,
or is that my wife giving me directions? confused Either way, when she says turn left, i turn left.

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2 DriveSmart 65's - We do not live in Igloo's and do not all ride to work on snow mobiles.
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:28pm

feminine voices

Speed2 wrote:
dobs108 wrote:

I am a quarter German and I take directions from Jill! I have great faith in what she says, and her diction has improved with recent updates! I even prefer Jill over other female voices with better looks! It couldn't possibly be that the Germans in your podcast would be so pigheaded!

dobs108 razz

I'm 100% German and I take directions from Jill also,
or is that my wife giving me directions? confused Either way, when she says turn left, i turn left.

that was funny, I needed a good laugh. I read something a long time ago that we men respond better to a feminine voice. I use the feminine Australian voice don't know her name.

Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:34pm

.

That would be Karen. Quite a beaut in real life too!

--
nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 10:04pm

Ok.... what gives?

Juggernaut wrote:

That would be Karen. Quite a beaut in real life too!

How would you know what she looks like?

BTW..you lied to me. Efalants and trampolines are on back order. No ETA and no rain checks.

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2 DriveSmart 65's - We do not live in Igloo's and do not all ride to work on snow mobiles.
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 10:08pm

she has a website

Speed2 wrote:
Juggernaut wrote:

That would be Karen. Quite a beaut in real life too!

How would you know what she looks like?

http://www.thegpsgirl.com/thegpsgirl.com/Welcome.html

Tue, 09/14/2010 - 10:17pm

OH GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ

-Nomad- wrote:
Speed2 wrote:
Juggernaut wrote:

That would be Karen. Quite a beaut in real life too!

How would you know what she looks like?

http://www.thegpsgirl.com/thegpsgirl.com/Welcome.html

OK Rob...my humble apology's
Speed2 switches from Jill to Karen

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2 DriveSmart 65's - We do not live in Igloo's and do not all ride to work on snow mobiles.
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 10:23pm

Heh

See? I don't lie ALL the time... mrgreen

--
nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 10:32pm

What was I thinking?

Juggernaut wrote:

See? I don't lie ALL the time... mrgreen

Was gonna show the wife a pic of her to go with the voice. Then i thought, my life could be over if I did that. laugh out loud This is the second time you almost got me into trouble.

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2 DriveSmart 65's - We do not live in Igloo's and do not all ride to work on snow mobiles.
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 10:41pm

My gal and I

...both listen to Karen. She rocks! We love the way she adds "r"'s onto the end of words and mangles Spanish names. Much more entertaining than Jill and you pay attention to her too.

--
Nuvi 760 (died 6/2013); Forerunner 305 bike/run; Inreach SE; MotionX Drive (iPhone)
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 11:13pm

Karen has an attitude...

when you change "recalculating" to, "OK fine. Do it your way."

grin

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nuvi 1690 with ecoRoute HD, SP2610 (retired), Edge 305, Forerunner 405
Tue, 09/14/2010 - 11:20pm

Your kidding?

speedlever wrote:

when you change "recalculating" to, "OK fine. Do it your way."

grin

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2 DriveSmart 65's - We do not live in Igloo's and do not all ride to work on snow mobiles.
Wed, 09/15/2010 - 12:25am

one bad thing

Juggernaut wrote:

That would be Karen. Quite a beaut in real life too!

the only bad thing is on my 765 you need to use the fm transmitter to really get a good sound, the internal speaker is tinny.

Wed, 09/15/2010 - 1:15am

when you change "recalculating" to, "OK fine. Do it your way."

Now that is funny grin

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Dudlee
Wed, 09/15/2010 - 2:43am

My replacement for

My replacement for "recalculating" is "OK, your way Master."

Fred

Wed, 09/15/2010 - 7:57am

Oh, Really!

C'mon, how many Germans or BMW drivers are married and drive around with their wives?

Wed, 09/15/2010 - 8:13am

What's a 'wife'?

DanielT wrote:

C'mon, how many Germans or BMW drivers are married and drive around with their wives?

smile

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Striving to make the NYC Metro area project the best.
Wed, 09/15/2010 - 2:03pm

Quote

speedlever wrote:

when you change "recalculating" to, "OK fine. Do it your way."

grin

LOL!

Wed, 09/15/2010 - 6:41pm

Is/Was karen Available...

... on Garmin XT for my Treo? I'd love to "test drive" Karen too!

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The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe(')
Wed, 09/15/2010 - 7:47pm

ME

camerabob wrote:
DanielT wrote:

C'mon, how many Germans or BMW drivers are married and drive around with their wives?

smile

And i don't drive a Beamer, i'm not that cheap.

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2 DriveSmart 65's - We do not live in Igloo's and do not all ride to work on snow mobiles.
Wed, 09/15/2010 - 8:43pm

germans and directions

Does anyone know what American Jill looks like while were at it.

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The Home of BLUMARU HOUNDS
Thu, 09/16/2010 - 7:06am

Here's Jill

coonhunter wrote:

Does anyone know what American Jill looks like while were at it.

Jill is quite good-looking, too.
http://www.jilljacobsenvoice.com/about.html

Thu, 09/16/2010 - 7:22am

LOL

Now that is funny.

Speed2 wrote:

Was gonna show the wife a pic of her to go with the voice. Then i thought, my life could be over if I did that. laugh out loud This is the second time you almost got me into trouble.

Thu, 09/16/2010 - 8:49am

Jacobsen?

What's up with both Garmin girls having the same last name?

Karen
http://www.thegpsgirl.com/thegpsgirl.com/Welcome.html

Jill
http://www.jilljacobsenvoice.com/about.html

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nuvi 1690 with ecoRoute HD, SP2610 (retired), Edge 305, Forerunner 405
Thu, 09/16/2010 - 10:15am

Has anyone pasted a cutout on their GPSr yet?

Down boy! smile

LavaTech wrote:

I'd love to "test drive" Karen too!

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Maps -> Wife -> Garmin 12XL -> StreetPilot 2610 -> Nuvi 660 (blown speaker) -> Nuvi 3790LMT
Thu, 09/16/2010 - 11:56am

I'll Listen

I am 3/4 German and I'll listen to a female. Yes, it is nice to associate a face with "Karen". I went to her website and there is an audio file of her being interviewed on a local Sydney radio station. It is hilarious when they ask her to give driving directions. Just like the GPS.

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I support the right to keep and arm bears.