Directus Intro’s First Car Kit with MirrorLink (Terminal Mode)
Directus has done it again. Last year they introduced a car kit named Prodigy One which offered mapping, navigation, internet connectivity, backup camera and Bluetooth. It also included options for add-ons like radar detector and GPS tracking. It came with its own dash touch screen. Although Prodigy One Pro offered a lot of new features it lacked one main futuristic feature – Voice Control.
A recent survey conducted by Herman reveals that every 7 out of 10 drivers want voice control including talk-to-type email and voice texts. 70% people think that voice controls make the driving safer in-dash or touch inputs 97% people are more afraid of drivers who are texting while being at the wheel. These statistics are really illuminating and give an insight of what drivers ACTUALLY want.
Directus hit the bull’s eye by introducing exactly that in a new upgrade and naming it PRODIGY ONE PRO. It is the one of a kind aftermarket car kit that offers Mirror Link (Formerly Terminal Mode) that allows the user to “mirror” your smartphone onto the LCD of the car. Mirror link is quite a useful innovation that allows you to integrate your smartphone with your car and thus remaining in touch with your world while you are on the go. Its best feature, like Prodigy One, is its ability to integrate with virtually all of the aftermarket radios like Kenwood, Alpine, Pioneer, Clarion and Jensen as well as OEM radios in Cadillac, FIAT, Dodge, Nissan, Infiniti etc.
Prodigy One Pro also offers several apps including but not limited to, Mapping App and Voice Text app that reads your Texts aloud and lets you respond by talking, the app will do the writing job for you. It also introduces a Match Local app that works like a “drive by Groupon”. For instance, you are passing by Starbuck then you can also receive a 10% discount on some specific products. At present, only certain apps can show on the mirror link. Although this may sound a little restricted at first but when we consider the fact the Prodigy Pro also offers all the features of Prodigy One along with its new features then it surely becomes tempting and irresistible. There are featured options for Bluetooth, Wifi, a radar detector, a 4-way night-vision camera with recording and guess what? A Mobile DTV (ATSC m/h digital TV) as well!
The Prodigy One Pro is currently supportable to Android Devices only supporting Android version 2.3 (Gingerbread) and above. Directus announced that Prodigy One Pro will be available in the consumer market in the first quarter of 2012 and will cost around $899 for Pioneer Radios and $3,500 for Cadillac Radios.
With so many convenient features to offer, Prodigy One Pro has raised the stakes higher for other Car Kits developers. In our opinion, Prodigy One Pro worth its price tag. After all, it is an Editor’s Choice Award winner by Popular Mechanics during SEMA. With so much to offer it is our recommendation to surely go for it as it offers the technology of the future and convenience you always dreamed of.
