Cars Bikes Boats

While we've seen car stereos designed to hold iPhones in the dash, they're usually limited to fit the current generation iPhone only. If you have an Android device or are waiting for the next generation iPhone, you are usually out of luck fitting your current smartphone into products like these. Until now. Introducing the DASH from Devium.

Unlike other smartphone compatible head units, which consist of one face plate and the body of the system, the DASH can be used with a variety of face plates that are hot swappable and can accommodate a variety of popular phones. The Dash is a Kickstarter project. Kickstarter is a company that raises project money from consumer investors, promotes that product invention and gauges market response prior to manufacturing of the actual market product. For Devium's Kickstarter project, they're only building an iPhone/iPod compatible version for now. So, if you invest in the DASH today and 1 year from now Apple releases a new iPhone, with an entirely new form factor, Devium will develop a face plate to accommodate the new shape and size.Read more

We take the open highway for granted, especially when we're operating a 4000-lb automobile. I don't think I need to tell anyone that accidents happen every day, many of which are avoidable if today's drivers paid a bit more attention to the road and not their smartphone or radio. How nice would it be to have a copilot monitoring your driving behavior, and provide you with a heads up to those obstacles and distractions on the road. Introducing the Mobileye 5-Series.

The Mobileye 5-Series is similar to some of the systems found in today's luxury vehicles, though this one can be outfitted in any car as an aftermarket part. It is composed of a camera and heads up display. Inside the camera is a microprocessor that actively watches the road as you drive and warns you of any impending dangers, such as a bicyclist in the road or a stopped car in the middle of a freeway. It's capable of alerting a driver 2.7 second before a crash, which might just be enough time to avoid one. The system can also be programmed to teach you to keep a safe driving distance from vehicles in front, warn you of a dangerous lane change, lower and raise your vehicle's high beams, and read speed limit and traffic signs to help you reduce the likelihood that you'll get into an accident or receive a ticket for speeding.Read more

JBL's Quick, Easy Fix to Car Audio

Pump up the volume in any car stereo system with JBL's MS-2, a groundbreaking car audio accessory that automatically optimizes your car stereo to improve listening experience. The JBL MS-2 uses digital signal processing to create clearer, more powerful sound from existing speakers in any car, making it the perfect iPod, iPhone or Android smartphone accessory for music fans.

Small enough to fit in a shirt pocket and simple enough for even a novice to set up in seconds, the MS-2 will transform the listening experience in all your vehicles and even at home (with a third-party power supply).

If your music is important enough to carry with you everywhere, you should carry the JBL MS-2 pocket digital processor. The MS-2 optimizes system performance for the acoustic characteristics of your speakers, electronics and vehicle interior, and DSP time correction to ensure that all the sounds reach your ears simultaneously, creating a coherent, richly detailed soundscape.Read more

The past few years have seen a big influx of car gadgets, and many consumers will not consider even the best looking car if it doesn't have the gadgets and technology they need. Simply put, people are hooked on gadgets, gizmos and all sorts of tech for their cars and trucks. From music - to Bluetooth - to GPS - to onboard PCs, the automobile's primary attraction is not so much the big engine anymore, but rather, all of the bright shiny electronics that accompany them.

These are the top 5 car gadgets that people are interested in when purchasing a car:

Keyless Ignition: Cars with remote ignition make it easy to warm your auto during the winter. With this gadget, you can push a button and the car starts heating up for you, while simultaneously locking the doors and securing the car. But if you really want to keep your hands free to battle corruption, you should go keyless. With a keyless ignition system, you keep a key fob in your pocket. A sensor will detect the key fob's presence in the car and start. All the driver has to do is push a button on the dash and press the brake.Read more

The First Car Radio Specially Built for the iPhone Now Available in the US

If you use your iPhone in the car as your music source like I do, but can't stand the sub-par Bluetooth connection or the entangled cables that pipes your music into your car stereo system, you should look at the Oxygen Audio O Car. This thing has been all over gadget news. Essentially, it turns your iPhone itself into your car stereo, and allows you to control all the regular car stereo functions -- like volume and tuning, your iTunes library, internet radio station apps, GPS navigation, Google maps -- and anything else you use your iPhone for. By clicking the iPhone into the dock/charger (for both landscape and portrait use), it becomes a slick part of your car's dashboard.

Star Rating:
Cost: $299.99
Where to Buy: Amazon

Read more

Scosche this week announced sneakPEEK auto – an in-car audio and video cable that connects your iPad, iPhone or iPod directly to your car entertainment system, allowing you to watch movies, videos or listen to music stored on your device, on the larger screen of your car's AV system.

sneakPEEK auto has a 9 ft. cable – long enough so it can be installed almost anywhere in the vehicle – and features an integrated switch for easily switching between playing video on an external monitor or on your iPod's screen. The 10W charging circuitry allows your iOS device to be charged during playback - including the iPad.

sneakPEEK auto features all-metal barrel connectors with gold plated RCA's and also includes a stepped connector so you can connect the device without removing the case.

The Scosche sneakPEEK auto is available now at Scosche.com for $74.99.

Starting July 24, owners of older vehicles will be able to add the safety and security of OnStar to their automobiles thanks to OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle), the first out-of-the-box solution of OnStar's "blue button" service.

OnStar FMV features:

• Automatic Crash Response: triggered by an accelerometer in the unit, connects the vehicle to a trained OnStar emergency advisor in the event of a crash. The advisor can provide the exact location of the crash to emergency responders using the mirror's GPS location, even if the vehicle's occupants are unable to respond.
• Turn-by-Turn Navigation: OnStar's most-popular service with 1.9 million requests a month is accessible with a press of the blue button. The driver asks the advisor for directions for a specific address or location, such as a gas station or restaurant. Directions are downloaded to OnStar FMV, which provides spoken turn-by-turn instructions to the destination.
• Hands-Free Calling is available through the OnStar service itself or through a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone. An external microphone, which is tucked neatly into the roofline or above the overhead console, gives the best-possible voice quality while drivers keeps their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
• Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance: uses OnStar FMV's global positioning satellite system to provide a stolen vehicle's location to law enforcement officials.
• Emergency Services: summoned by pushing the red button, bring specially trained emergency advisors on the line immediately to help in a crisis, such as witnessing a collision or a crime in progress.
• Roadside Assistance for non-emergency situations, such as a mechanical breakdown or a flat tire, is a blue-button push away.

XtremeMac just launched one of the best road trip travel gadgets we've found this summer – the InCharge Auto BT (Bluetooth).

InCharge Auto BT allows users (in the front or back seat) to control the car stereo wirelessly through Bluetooth. Simply plug the device into the car's AUX port, pair any Bluetooth enabled device – such as your iPhone or iPad – and begin streaming all your favorite tunes wirelessly. InCharge Auto BT also allows for hands-free calling and provides 10 watts of charging power.

Features:

• Charger plugs into AUX port allowing users to make Bluetooth wireless calls and audio playback
• One-touch multi-function buttons allows users to pair phone with car stereo, answer calls and play/pause music
• Features include a self-resetting fuse to protect devices and a 10 watt standard USB connection for charging most mobile devices

XtremeMac InCharge Auto BT is available at www.XtremeMac.com for $79.99.