Archive for category Car Adapters

Monster Cable Announces Four iPhone Car Accessories

Jan 7

Posted by Tim Barribeau in Car Adapters, FM Transmitters for iPhone, News, iPhone Accessories, iPhone Car Chargers | No Comments

High-end (and high-priced) cable maker Monster Cable has announced four new iPhone car accessories at CES2010:

The iCarCharger 1000 (above, $60) is a car charger with music controls.The charger features a cable with a 30-pin connector compatible with the iPhone. It also has a headphone jack/line out that can connect your iPhone to your car stereo.

The new iCharger 800 ($29.95) can charge two devices at the same time, one via USB and another through the dock connector. Perfect for rolling with your homies who have a USB-chargeable device, yo.

The iCable 800 is a straightforward three-foot-long 3.5mm cable for car stereos that support a line-in. Anyone who uses an iPhone GPS app might want to consider this or a cheaper version you can get online, as it’s tough to hear voice directions over car noise.
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Review: Kensington Windshield Car Mount for iPhone

Nov 30

Posted by Tanya Menoni in Car Adapters, iPhone Accessories, iPhone Car Mounts | 1 Comment

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If you regularly use your iPhone for its GPS or mapping capabilities, a sturdy and reliable car mount is an essential accessory. The Kensington Car Mount ($25) is a tough little mount that delivers where it really counts — it safely and securely holds your iPhone while you drive.

The Kensington Car Mount is compatible with the original iPhone, 3G, and 3GS, in addition to the iPod touch and some generations of the iPod and iPod nano. The mount itself has adjustable side clamps, so it can be sized to fit snugly on all of these devices. Since it is adjustable, you can use the mount without taking off your protective iPhone case.

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The mount also includes a heavy-duty suction cup attached to a 12-inch flexible arm. The arm adjusts easily but is strong enough to support the iPhone without sagging or bouncing while you drive. In some states, including California and Minnesota, it’s illegal to place anything on the windshield where it may impede the driver’s view. To get around this problem, Kensington includes several pieces of velcro backed with 3M tape so you can mount the device to your dashboard instead of the windshield.

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During testing, the Kensington mount had no problem keeping our iPhone secure. The suction cup is surprisingly strong, and it even stays in place if you give it a good tug (the suction cup includes a small plastic tab that helps you remove it easily when you need to). Bumpy car rides were no problem, and even on rough roads the iPhone stayed stable without bouncing or vibrating unnecessarily. You can twist the mount to position the iPhone vertically or horizontally, and it’s easy to get the iPhone in and out of the mount.

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Conclusion

The Kensington Car Mount isn’t the most exciting accessory, but it works well and we recommend it. I have few complaints about the mount, although at times I felt the arm was almost too long. While this may depend on the length of your dash, I would probably prefer an 8- or 10-inch arm instead of the standard 12 inches. Other than that, the Kensington Car Mount is a great choice for taking your iPhone on the road.

Links:

Official site for Kensington Windshield Car Mount

Kensinton Windshield Car Mount $15 at Amazon.com

TomTom Car Kit Lands in Apple’s Online Store

Oct 21

Posted by Tim Barribeau in Car Adapters, GPS navigation, Tom-Tom iPhone App, TomTom for iPhone, Turn-by-turn Directions, iPhone GPS, iPhone GPS Navigation Apps | No Comments

The TomTom iPhone car kit, which we’ve talked about before, has landed in the Apple online store at the hefty price of $120. While it’s not in stock yet, this gives the chance for people to pre-order if they want.

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The kit is designed to attach your iPhone to the car’s windshield and comes with an extra GPS unit built into the kit itself. TomTom claims using the hardware with your iPhone provides a more steady and accurate GPS reading.

The kit doesn’t include the cost of the TomTom iPhone app, which is an extra $99 (iTunes link). What will be interesting to see is if the GPS unit in the kit will work with other, perhaps less expensive GPS apps (ie, provide an enhanced GPS connection to something like MotionX GPS Drive).

TomTom Car Kit Gets Official Price

Sep 25

Posted by Tim Barribeau in Car Adapters, GPS navigation, Tom-Tom iPhone App, Turn-by-turn Directions, iPhone AGPS, iPhone GPS, iPhone GPS Navigation Apps | 2 Comments

The eagerly anticipated car kit to for TomTom’s GPS iPhone app (iTunes link) has been given a price, a rather substantial $120. While earlier rumors leaned toward the GPS bundle including the $100 application, the official announcement says otherwise. This brings the overall cost to $220, beyond the cost of many dedicated GPS units.

TomTom Car Kit

TomTom Car Kit

The kit provides a suction cup to allow you to attach the iPhone on the car windscreen, and also a power adapter that plugs into the car’s cigarette lighter. That said, you can get kits similar kits from Amazon for less than $30 (although TomTom claims their kit provides “enhanced GPS performance”).

7 Ways to Get Power to Your iPhone (iPhone Tips)

Jul 15

Posted by Alan in Backup Batteries, Car Adapters, External Battery, Extra iPhone Batteries, Rechargeable iPhone Batteries, WildCharge iPhone Recharger, iPhone Accessories, iPhone Car Chargers, iPhone Chargers, iPhone Docks, iPhone External Batteries, iPhone Rechargeable Battery, iPhone Tips | 1 Comment

Keeping your iPhone charged is a constant battle. There are plenty of tips for how to make your iPhone’s battery last longer by turning off features like 3G or GPS. But sometimes, you just have to unleash the full power of the iPhone. Here are 7 ways to get power to your iPhone throughout the day and never see that dreaded 10% battery warning again.

1. Dock Connector to USB Cable

Having an extra USB iPhone cable is probably the most important additional step you can take for keeping your iPhone charged. The cable can be plugged into PCs, laptops, wall chargers, car chargers, docks, portable batteries, or just about anything that has a powered USB port. The official cable from Apple costs $19, but Amazon has some third-party versions for cheap, like the Eforcity Retractable iPhone cable for $3.

2. Wall Charger

An extra wall charger is another easy way to keep your iPhone charged up throughout the day. Outlets are everywhere, even in public places. In fact, most airports have added free charging stations where you can plug in and charge your mobile devices. I personally keep an extra charger and cord at work. Apple sells the the official wall charger for $30 in their store, but some Amazon vendors sell them for as cheap as $5. Please note that Apple did a recall for some old iPhone wall chargers because the prongs could break off in the outlet and create a risk of shock.

3. Docks

An iPhone dock can make recharging and synching the iPhone a much more comfortable experience. Cords get tangled, tend to get moved or dropped behind desks, etc. But a dock stays stationary and allows you to quickly drop the iPhone in for a charge. Docks also keep the iPhone upright so you can view the screen easily from a sitting position. Plus, the iPhone just looks cool sitting in a dock.

Apple sells an official dock for $29. A cool third-party dock I use is the Griffin Simplifi for $45 (seen below).

4. Car Chargers

Thanks to GPS turn-by-turn directions and stereo Bluetooth, the iPhone can burn a lot of battery in the car. iPhone car chargers are an affordable way to keep the iPhone charged up while driving. The XtremeMac InCharge is a basic charger for $19. There are also fancier versions that offer car mounts and control dongles that you can attach to your steering wheel.

5. iPhone Cases With Built-in Batteries

Nothing is more convenient than a battery case. These cases often double the battery life of your iPhone while still allowing you to use the iPhone as normal (no need to plug the iPhone into anything or stop using its features). And some battery cases, like the Mophie Juice Pack Air ($79), are relatively slim and won’t add too much bulk to your iPhone. The downside to battery cases is that they can be expensive and some aren’t quite as svelte as the Juice Pack. Synching your iPhone also can be a hassle, with some cases requiring you to remove them in order to plug in the iPhone. Some users also report loss of signal strength for the iPhone when in battery cases.

6. Portable USB Batteries

Portable USB batteries are perfect for charging the iPhone when traveling in places with no wall outlets or other power sources. USB batteries can be relatively inexpensive, like the Rekkeon TekCharge for $25. USB batteries are either powered by a rechargeable laptop battery or by AA batteries that you can supply yourself. They can be used with just about any gadget that recharges via USB. Their downside is that they’re just one more thing you have to pack and carry around with you.

7. Wireless Recharging Pad

Recharging pads are relatively new to the mainstream world of gadgets. They are dubbed “wireless” because the gadget is charged by simply laying it on the pad–no wired connection needed. The WildCharge ($80, comes with special iPhone case) is the first charging pad for the iPhone. This solution may best for those who rarely sync their iPhone with the computer. It also works with a number of other mobile electronics too.

Hands-Free iPhone Calling With SurfaceSound Compact from Contour Design

Feb 21

Posted by Alan in Bluetooth, Bluetooth Accessories, Bluetooth Headsets, Car Adapters, Car Speakers, Hands-Free Calling, iPhone 3G Accessories, iPhone Accessories | No Comments

SurfaceSound Compact ($99.00) is a bluetooth speaker and microphone that attaches to your car’s sunvisor and lets you take calls on your iPhone hands free. If you have your iPhone’s bluetooth turned on, it instantly pairs with your iPhone–no fumbling with menus or buttons. Another cool feature is that its thin speaker and slim profile blends in with the visor.

Because the speaker hangs directly above your head, caller audio comes out clearly. The microphone features DSP noise reduction and echo cancellation, so your voice also sounds clear to the caller. iLounge tested the SurfaceSound Compact’s micrphone and said, “Callers told us that we sounded “excellent” when we called them, and we generally had no problem hearing or understanding them as well.” They also noted that passengers could also be understood clearly.

Buttons on the SurfaceSound let you answer and close calls as well as increase and decrease the volume. If you want some privacy, it also comes with a wired headset that you can plug in.

A big advantage for the SurfaceSoud over bluetooth headsets is its battery life, which offers 15 hours of talk time and 21 days of standby time. That easily outdistances that of bluetooth headsets, which usually run half that.

The SurfaceSound Compact uses a thin, flat speaker, so it has a small profile that looks natural attached to your visor. It can be recharged either by a car charger or a USB cable, both of which come with the unit. iLounge noted that the cable for the car charger is not very long and using it to charge the unit while driving is impractical. You’ll have to remember to charge it when it’s not in use. Fortunately, its long battery life somewhat negates the drawback.

iLounge reviewed the device and gave it a highly recommended A- rating and awarded it a Best of Show award.

Links:

Amazon.com Link

Official Website for SurfaceSound Compact from Contour Design

iLounge Review of SurfaceSound Compact

Griffin’s iTrip Autopilot Now for the iPhone

May 22

Posted by Alan in Apple iPhone, Car Adapters, FM Radio, iPhone Accessories, iPod, iPod Touch | No Comments

Griffin iTrip AutoPilot for iPhone

Griffin has just announced an updated version of their iTrip Autopilot that allows playback of music from an iPhone over a car’s FM stereo radio. It also charges the iPhone by plugging into the 12v power port (cigarette lighter). In addition to the iPhone, it also works with all docking station-compatible iPods, including the iPod Touch.

Perhaps the most important feature for iPhone and iPod Touch users is the iTrip’s remote, which removes the need to manipulate the iPhone’s touchscreen interface, which can take more of your concentration than a normal iPod. This is an especially important feature when driving. The iTrip’s controls allow you to play, skip, and pause tracks as well as change the volume.

The iTrip automatically scans through the FM frequencies for the 3 best stations that will deliver the cleanest sound. It also saves those stations to presets for repeat use. Song details will display over a RDS-enabled car radio display.

The control unit also features a light ring that displays red, yellow, or green depending on the level of charge of your iPhone or iPod. The Griffin site still lists it as “Coming Soon” with a price of $99.00.

Griffin iTrip Autopilot for iPhone FM Transmitter

Link:

Griffin Technology iTrip Autopilot.