Car Gear

Kinivo Bluetooth Car Kit Makes Your Hooptie Hands-Free

News, Vehicles & Gear

Kinivo Bluetooth Car Kit Makes Your Hooptie Hands-Free

My car is a 2008 Yukon Denali XL, and while it has tons of bells and whistles, it doesn’t have a hands-free bluetooth hookup for calls or audio. I figured I’d have to wait until we eventually upgraded vehicles (not any time soon!) before I had that feature, but with the $45 Kinivo Bluetooth Car Kit, there is no need. Setting up the device is as simple as plugging the BTC455 directly into the auxiliary port on your stereo (assuming that your car stereo has at least that) and then plugging it into the volt outlet. Once that’s done, you’ll have hands-free streaming through your…

Audiovox inSite Separation Alarm Review - Perfect for the Forgetful

Reviews

Audiovox inSite Separation Alarm Review – Perfect for the Forgetful

Audiovox’s inSite Separation Alarm is just that, a device that alerts you when the tag has been separated from your smartphone by a certain distance.  This super slim device can fit in your wallet or more easily, on your keys.  The inSite might be perfect for those who are always leaving their valuables behind.  The inSite sells for $29.99.

Escort SmartCord Live! Brings Smarts to My Passport Max

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Escort SmartCord Live! Brings Smarts to My Passport Max

Escort’s Passport Max is the best radar detector I have ever used. It looks great, sounds good, and works extremely well — signaling only if there’s a real issue. (Read my review, and keep an eye out for Judie’s “second look” post!) I was, however, missing the active real-time connection with traffic information. The Escort SmartCord Live! fixes that.

Open Automotive Alliance Putting Android Behind the Wheel

Vehicles & Gear

Open Automotive Alliance Putting Android Behind the Wheel

The Open Automotive Alliance was announced this week as a partnership initially between Audi, GM, Google, Honda, Hyundai and NVIDIA to work together to advance integration of the Android platform into the automotive environment. The announcement boasts the OAA being dedicated to a common platform to drive innovation and make technology in the car safer and more intuitive.

Ford Announces Four New SYNC Apps at CES

Events, Gear Bits, Vehicles & Gear

Ford Announces Four New SYNC Apps at CES

At CES in Las Vegas today, Ford Motors announced four new apps for SYNC’s AppLink.  Now, you’ll be able to order Dominos, monitor on your home’s security system with ADT, play music automatically based on your mood with HABU, or find the nearest parking spot with Parkopedia and pay for it with Parkmobile.  Click each link to find out more. Ford also announced that they will be hosting a developers conference in June, 2014 to focus on bringing new apps into your car.  It sounds like Ford is making a push to drastically improve their in-car SYNC interface and bring…

GM Announces 4G LTE and AppShop for 2015 Chevrolet Models

Events, News, Vehicles & Gear

GM Announces 4G LTE and AppShop for 2015 Chevrolet Models

General Motors is announcing technology news at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Select 2015 Chevrolet models will be rolling out with 4G LTE connectivity speeds via the vehicle’s OnStar system and, taking advantage of this new technology, infotainment personalization is being enhanced with the new Chevrolet AppShop accessible from the vehicle’s MyLink screen.

Tired of False Alerts? Check Out the Escort PASSPORT Max

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Tired of False Alerts? Check Out the Escort PASSPORT Max

Unlike my wife and father-in-law, I’m not a particularly fast driver, but I still appreciate knowing when there is a speed trap looking to snare unsuspecting drivers. For the last two years, I’ve used an iOS-enabled unit. When I started reviewing the PASSPORT Max, a next-gen detector, last week I suddenly realized just how many false positives I was getting.

Passport MAX Wins SEMA, Heads Out on Road Trip

Gear Bits, Vehicles & Gear

Passport MAX Wins SEMA, Heads Out on Road Trip

I had a chance to see the new Passport MAX from Escort last night. It is a huge leap forward in radar detector technologies. It is so advanced that it just one “Best New Product” at SEMA. With scanning technologies that separates real threats from RF interference, the MAX “sees what others can’t”. We will have much more soon.

Ventev Powerdash r900 Brings Power On the Go X2

Reviews

Ventev Powerdash r900 Brings Power On the Go X2

Sometimes the small innovations make the most sense. They can also make you step back and think, “Now why didn’t I think of that?” The Ventev Powerdash r900 is a 2.1A in-car rapid charger for your smartphone or tablet that it is also a 900mAh external battery you can grab when you reach your destination. Brilliant!

New Gear From Just Mobile

Gear Bits

New Gear From Just Mobile

Our friends at Just Mobile have always put out some of our favorite iPhone, iPad and Mac accessories. Over the past few months they have added some great new items to their portfolio. We have a few one the way for review and as a giveaway. In the meantime, here’s a look at some of them.

TYLT Y-CHARGE + SYNCABLE Keeps You and Your Gear Going

Reviews

TYLT Y-CHARGE + SYNCABLE Keeps You and Your Gear Going

Keeping your gear going is a challenge of modern mobile life and the accessories that help keep gear charged is usually far from exciting or stylish. TYLT is seeking to change that with their Y-CHARGE + SYNCABLE. The Lightning version is $49.99 while the microUSB version is just $29.99. 

2014 Honda Odyssey Minivan Sucks in a Really Good Way

Vehicles & Gear

2014 Honda Odyssey Minivan Sucks in a Really Good Way

While some automakers have abandoned the minivan segment, Honda is out to prove its leadership in this arena yet again with the release of the 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite. The new model has already begun an interesting marketing campaign in the quest to prove the Honda minivan doesn’t suck with the launch of an all-new feature that, well, truly sucks. I don’t really know why it took an automaker four decades to introduce a built-in vacuum in a minivan, as kids have been dropping stuff on the carpeted floors since they were first strapped in the second or third rows….

Nissan Becomes First Automotive Partner for Apple's iTunes Radio

Vehicles & Gear

Nissan Becomes First Automotive Partner for Apple’s iTunes Radio

Nissan North America has just announced that it has signed an exclusive partnership deal with Apple and its new iTunes Radio. From now until the end of 2013, Nissan will be the first automaker offering iTunes Radio in its vehicles in the upcoming 2014 Nissan Rogue, the new 2014 Versa Note and the LEAF electric vehicle. Citing the Nissan brand as also being known for its innovation, Nissan North America Vice President of Marketing Jon Brancheau said in a press release the company is proud to support iTunes Radio from the very beginning and they see it as a huge…

What's Red, White or Black and Filled with Sound?

Gear Bits

What’s Red, White or Black and Filled with Sound?

speeCup may look like a cup of coffee, but this cup is filled with sound. Available in red, white, or black the $129.95 speeCup is a Siri/S Voice enabled Bluetooth surround sound speaker with gesture control. 8” tall, it has a noise canceling microphone, top mounted controls and up to 20 hours of use per charge. Check it out.

Zetta Z12 Camcorder Review- Somebody's Watching Me…

Reviews

Zetta Z12 Camcorder Review- Somebody’s Watching Me…

The Zetta Intelligent Security Z12 Camcorder is a small, relatively inexpensive, simple to use spy camera. There’s no WiFi onboard which means you have to pull the microSD card to review the video. Still, it is relatively inexpensive to keep an eye on things at home, in the car and on the go. Check it out. In the Box: Zetta Z12 Camcorder Mini USB Wall Adapter Mini USB Car Charger Mini USB Cable 4GB MicroSD Card Suction Cup Car Mount The Zetta website describes the Z12 as a “Car Security Cam, Dash Cam, Home Surveillance, Shop and Booth Security, Meeting…

My Day at the 2014 Toyota Tundra and 4Runner Preview Event

Events, Vehicles & Gear

My Day at the 2014 Toyota Tundra and 4Runner Preview Event

As I mentioned in a brief post the other day, last week I had the opportunity to travel to south-western Pennsylvania to stay at the Nemocolin Woodlands Resort and see, and drive, the 2014 Toyota Tundra and 2014 Toyota 4Runner. The resort was amazing and served as a terrific backdrop for getting to know the new Tundra and 4Runner. What follows is a brief description of our day along with some details on two lines of trucks that — spoiler alert — impressed the heck out of me. A bit of background. On farms throughout America, pickup trucks are like a member…

Cobra iRadar ATOM Radar Detector Review- A Small Package With Big Protection

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Cobra iRadar ATOM Radar Detector Review- A Small Package With Big Protection

Last October I reviewed the Cobra iRadar iOS 200 radar detector. This system is a combination of an iRadar application and accompanying hardware. It is an interesting solution in that the radar detector itself works quite well on its own but becomes far more powerful when paired with and connected to a mobile device. It obviously impressed me since I continue to use it on a daily basis. (You can read the full review here.) Now the company has come out with the next generation of the hardware/app combination. The iRadar ATOM radar detector is smaller and more powerful. Let’s…