Car Accessories

Available just in time for summer travel, the Mio Moov S700 GPS sports a 7-inch touch-screen display, the largest screen on any Mio Technology product in North America. The Moov S700 also has an A/V input, so you can convert your GPS into a second screen for DVDs (or other multimedia) while on your trip.

The Mio Moov S700 comes preloaded with MAD Maps for those who like to take ‘the scenic route.’ Select a custom MAD Maps route to reach nearby must-see landmarks and quirky roadside attractions that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. And to keep yourself oriented in unfamiliar territory, the Mio Moov S700 also features 3-D landmarks (bridges, tall buildings, etc.).

Want to explore the city? The Mio Moov 700 also comes with eight city guides from WCities – a global information service provider. It will give you detailed information about nearby accommodations, dining, shopping, entertainment and attractions. Want to see the menu of a nearby restaurant? Done. Want to learn when the Sears Tower was built? No problem…

The Mio Moov S700 comes preloaded with 12 million points of interests and full maps of the U.S. and Canada. It will be on shelves in May 2009 for approx. $300. www.mio.com

Fans of the 1980’s TV show Knight Rider will appreciate this GPS from Mio. The Knight Rider GPS features the original voice of the car from the show, actor William Daniels. Every time you start it up, K.I.T.T will greet you by name and its active LED display moves in sync with the voice, just like it did on K.I.T.T.’s dash on Knight Rider. How cool is that?

The GPS comes preloaded with maps of U.S. and Canada and over 4 million points of interest. It also features a 4.3" interactive widescreen touch-screen display, a built-in card slot that supports Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard formats (media cards not included), built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery with up to 2.5 hours of battery life, and comes with a windshield mount, car charger, USB cable and software CD-ROM.

The Knight Rider GPS is available now for about $180. But check around…I’ve seen it even cheaper than that.

Zoombak just announced they have reduced the price of their entire line of GPS Locators by $50. Zoombak’s compact, assisted (A-GPS) locator system uses a satellite-enabled GPS and a location network server to track your teen driver, recover a stolen vehicle, find your lost pet, among other things.

The Zoomback GPS Locator can be installed in your car or left portable for use in boats, bicycles, motorcyles etc. Go to Zoombak.com to track your vehicle in real time and view its location history (for a monthly fee).

Zoombak’s MSRP list is as follows:

• Zoombak Advanced GPS Universal Locator, now $149.99
• Zoombak Advanced GPS Dog Locator, now $149.99
• Zoombak Advanced GPS Car and Family Locator, now $199.99

Autonet Mobile is the first in-car Internet service provider. It turns vehicles into WiFi hotspots, so you can use your WiFi-enabled devices such as laptops, PSPs, PDA’s and more while on the road. More than one device can be used at the same time, so every passenger in your car can connect to the Internet at once. No software is needed - the small (7x7-inch) Autonet Mobile router is installed in the trunk (or cargo area) of your car and is hard-wired into the vehicle's 12 volt system. Just start up the car for immediate WiFi access.

Autonet Mobile runs over 3G and 2.5G (EVDO, 1xRTT) cellular networks and the WiFi connection is secured with WEP encryption, MAC address restriction or WAN port restriction. It also includes Autonet Mobile’s Mobile’s TRU Technology which automatically fixes network issues and reports them to the Customer Service Center. It is compatible with all operating systems supporting WiFi including Windows, Mac, Linux and Solaris.

Autonet Mobile retails for $499 and can be purchased at authorized dealers. Monthly service plans start at $29. For a limited time, get three months of service free with new activation.

Most people reading this blog are probably technologically sophisticated enough to have, at minimum, a cell phone, MP3 player (iPod), and possibly a PDA or handheld game console. Although the day is near that all of these will be merged into one unit, it will undoubtedly take time before everyone has upgraded to the new all-purpose unit. Given the current state of the economy, it might take quite a long time.

In the meantime, you need to be able to charge your multiple gadgets in the car as well as the home. As annoying as it is to have multiple chargers at home, it’s infeasible to do so in a vehicle. TUNEWEAR realized this and invented an all purpose car charger – the TUNEMAX. Stylish and compatible with any 12V outlet, the TUNEMAX boasts impressive compatibility as well as a self-resetting fuse to minimize accidents.

At 24.99, you can significantly reduce the clutter in your automobile without sacrificing functionality. Go to TUNEWEAR’s site for more information.

In these economic times, every dollar counts. In an effort to help families save money wherever they can, OnStar continues support for the Low-Mileage Discount program. This program helps those Americans who drive less, pay less on their automotive insurance.

Using built-in technology, customers who opt-in can save up to 54% just by driving less than 15,000 miles annually. With the subscriber’s permission, the odometer reading from the monthly diagnostics email is forwarded to the insurance company. Based on those readings, the company will decrease premiums accordingly.

Not only does this program cut down on insurance premiums, but it also gives families an incentive to limit unnecessary driving.
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The features on the NAVIGON 8100T GPS unit are amazing. The brushed metal housing and expansive 4.8” display ooze quality and style. When holding this unit you expect performance that goes above and beyond traditional GPS units in the marketplace.

For $599 MSRP this is what you get: a Panorama 3D view, Free Real-Time Traffic Updates (for life), Voice Destination Entry (just say where you are going), Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Bluetooth Hands-Free, Advanced Text to Speech, Zagats Ratings and Reviews, Exit Guide, DirectHelp, Speed Assistant and more. For the traveler who expects quality in their trip, this unit will get you there and ensure a great time with ease of navigation.

NAVIGON was founded in 1991, and they not only make their own navigation products, but provide their products for other GPS navigation companies as well. Check them out, www.navigon.com.

For more information read the press release.