Fujitsu Ten*, which I suppose is Fujitsu's venture into the car equipment market, has announced a new navigation system today with this quite comical "host."

More details inside.

*Though I can't find the full name written in Kanji anywhere o­n the official site, this "ten" is likely from "unten," meaning "to drive."
Update: Apparently the "ten" is for "heaven." Sorry! Thanks to sar again for the corrections.

Fujitsu Ten Corporation will be release the upper-level "AVN9904HD" as part of their Fall 2004 "Eclipse" line of car AV navigation systems, o­n November 1st. The price is 372,750 yen.

This is an in-dash AV navigation system. It stores an LCD display, and uses a "DUAL FACE" front panel that resembles a normal car audio system, for security purposes. The display is a 7" widescreen TFT LCD with a resolution of 800 x 480.

Apart from having a 20GB hard drive for audio and navigation data, and being able to play DVD-Video, it can also playback MP3/WMA files stored o­n CD-RWs. It also has a Memory Stick slot, as well as a max output 50W x 4ch (4 ohms) amplifier.

Just like the previous "AVN9903HD" model, it features the "Music Juke" function allowing for the recording of as many as 3,000 songs o­nto the audio hard drive, in the ATRAC3 format. Not o­nly can it record at 4x,  it can play while recording. Furthermore, this model also contains the "FM de TITLE" function providing the reception of the latest CD title information using multiple FM-radio broadcasting.

An interface for terrestrial digital tuners is also furnished. However, there are currently no announcements from the company regarding either release date or price of said device.

Both Dolby Digital and DTS decoders are featured internally for DVD-Video playback. With the addition of a special center speaker and subwoofer, it can easily be adapted for 5.1ch environments. Audio location adjustment functions are also included.

Navigation functions include the "Satellite Shot" function, which links IKONOS satellite images, "3D Real Intersection Enlarged Map" doing the obvious, and the "Route Bank Function" which will allow the recording of any route. Furthermore, an "agent" function with "Eri Hinata" as an assistant character provides interactive communication options to offer information to the driver. Her clothes will change according to the season (e.g., wears a kimono for New Year's and a T-shirt in the summer), and her hair will grow.




Inspired by:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20040913/ften.htm

Press Release:
http://www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/release/2004/20040913.htm