Motorola's designers have been busy creating products that appeal to drivers. First we reported on the Moto T605 music and hands-free system that lets drivers stream audio files wirelessly from their Bluetooth 2.0-enabled cell phones and MP3 players. And now, Motorola is launching iRadio--its own music subscription service that looks like a cross between iTunes and satellite radio.
iRadio enables owners of select Motorola devices equipped with the stereo Bluetooth profile (such as the Motorola Q) to compile their own commercial-free playlists of songs from an online database and then use their mobile devices to stream the music wirelessly through their cars' audio systems.
The service comes complete with its own software program for downloading music, as well as an in-car Bluetooth receiver module, which can be connected to any head unit via the auxiliary- or satellite-radio inputs. iRadio subscribers can upload up to six "radio stations" to their phone or PDA (via a USB connection) per day, with each station playing a maximum of four hours of genre-specific music. The system is expected to ship in spring 2007 at a cost of between $149 and $199 for the hardware, and $7 to $10 per month for subscription fees.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
You know when you're in your boat, and you want to listen to MP3s without the ocean spray interfering with the electronics of your built-in, seafaring audio system?
What's that? You don't have a boat? Well, when you get one, the first thing that you'll want to install is Sony's CDX-HS70MW waterproof head unit. We know it's waterproof because we spent a good deal of time today at the 2006 SEMA show here in Las Vegas squirting water at the unit, courtesy of a demonstration exhibit at the Sony booth.
The CDX-HS70MW is the latest in Sony's oceangoing-stereo lineup, and it follows on the heels of the company's line of Marine head units, amps, and speakers. As well as being able to weather a tempest and remain unscathed, the unit supports MP3-encoded discs, is prewired for satellite radio inputs and iPods, has a 52Wx4 output, and is resistant to UV rays and salt exposure. Perfect for streaming audio, surfing channels, and docking an iPod--just watch out for pirate radio stations.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
More than 35 million cars have built-in HomeLink, a radio-frequency transceiver system that enables drivers to open the garage door without getting out of the car. But what about poor bikers? They have garages, too. The solution is the HomeLink Wireless system, a portable version of the device that has been available to date only as a factory-installed option in cars. HomeLink Wireless, which is getting its debut at the SEMA 2006 show in Las Vegas this week, comes with a variety of handle-bar mounts to finally bring bikers in from the cold.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
Automotive electronics supplier Visteon is taking in-car wireless technology to the next level with a system that charges mobile devices, such as iPods and cell phones, wirelessly. To charge devices, the unit uses a built-in inductive coil, which can also detect the specific power requirements of each device and when the charge is complete. The catch is that the mobile devices also require a built-in coil (the iPod and Moto Razr used to demonstrate the prototype on display at the SEMA show in Las Vegas used special plug-in docks). However, Visteon says it is working with a consortium of consumer-electronics manufacturers to get the required components into mobile device as soon as possible. We're told to expect an announcement on the system at CES 2007 in January.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
Like the integrated Bluetooth hands-free calling interface in a Lexus, but don't have a Lexus? Johnson Controls, the company that supplies Toyota Motor Corporation with its fancy Bluetooth technology, is making the same system available as an aftermarket install. The BlueConnect module fits in the hole that you (or professional installers) will have to cut out of your car's roof, and it enables drivers to make and receive calls via their paired-up Bluetooth phones with the push of a button. The device supports voice dialing, can store more than 1,000 phone book entries, and is yours for $239, excluding installation.
When a bunch of Silicon Valley venture capitalists threw down a bounty of $5 million last month for a device that would enable drivers to check e-mail while on the road, we must admit we were a bit skeptical. Oh, we of little faith.
A product showing at SEMA 2006 from Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) is proving that the age of in-car e-mail is already upon us. Dubbed iLane, the device uses Bluetooth connectivity and text-to-voice technology to read out incoming e-mails received by a driver's PDA or smart phone. Drivers are notified of an incoming message by a chime, after which the system proceeds to read out the text of the message in a comprehensible robotic voice via the car's speakers. Drivers can then dictate a response, which is recorded and sent as an MP3 file to the sender's computer. There also are 10 preset responses drivers can select by voice command, which are e-mailed as text responses.
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(Credit: CNET Networks)All functions are performed by voice command, in keeping with iLane's promise of "hands-free and eyes-free e-mail for your vehicle." The device also doubles as a hands-free interface, enabling drivers to dial phone numbers using voice commands. To use iLane, you'll need a Bluetooth-enabled, e-mail-capable mobile device and either a Bluetooth headset or a Bluetooth-enabled stereo (such the KDCX890). iLane is set to go on sale next March and will cost "under $1,000," according to IMS.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
Dual is bringing car-stereo iPod control to the masses with the release of its XDMA690, a single-DIN garden-variety stereo head unit that can be used to control streamed audio from an iPod. All iPod controls (except Shuffle) can be programmed via the buttons on the faceplate, with playlist, artist, album, and song title all showing up on the unit's monochrome display. Like the Dual XDVD8182 in-car multimedia system that we reviewed this week, the XDMA690 ships with a 2-meter iPod interface cable, and it's able to play CDs and MP3- and WMA-encoded discs. Unlike the XDVD8182, you can get this unit for less than $450--Dual reps tell us that it will retail for between $129 and $139.
On show for the first time at this year's SEMA 2006 in Las Vegas is the HD Jump, a transportable radio receiver from Visteon that enables drivers to take their HD radio on the road.
The HD Jump connects to car's audio system either with an auxilliary input jack or--for those cars without an aux-in--via an FM band. The device has an integrated monocromatic display that displays real-time artist, song title, and station information. It also comes with its own dock for mounting on the dash.
With more than 3,000 radio stations now broadcasting in HD, and many delivering multiple channels on the same frequency, HD is set to become a big deal in the in-car entertainment world. BMW is the only manufacturer that offers HD as a factory-installed feature of its audio systems, but that is about to change as nine manufacturers having committed to offering HD in a total of 49 models by 2009.
In the interim, the HD Jump is offering non-Beamer-owning early adopters the chance to get HD radio while on the move. The HD Jump comes with a docking-cradle for your car. It is expected to become available in the first quarter of 2007 for about $200.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
Pioneer is using this week's SEMA show in Las Vegas to launch the AVIC D3, its latest in-dash DVD-based navigation/entertainment system. The D3 improves on the D2 by incorporating some of the features of Pioneer's flagship AVIC Z-1 hard-drive-based system and by adding some extra features of its own. Upgrades to the D2 include an increased range of multimedia options, such as video-playback capabilities (both regular DVD and DivX compressed video formats supported), as well as the ability to play streamed audio via the A2DP Bluetooth profile. With optional add-ons, the unit will also play iPods and act as a satellite radio receiver.
On the navigation front, the AVIC D3 inherits some of the advanced functions of the Z1 including the optional XM traffic service, which provides real-time traffic info for 44 areas nationwide. There is no pricing information as yet, but Pioneer says the AVIC D3 will be available in March 2007.
(Photo: Kevin Massy/CNET Networks)
Motorola has jumped on the in-car entertainment bandwagon with the release of its Motorola T605 Automotive Music & Hands-free System, which allows users to use their Bluetooth-enabled Motorola phones or digital music players to stream audio wirelessly through the car's speakers, while doubling as a hands-free calling device. The T605 also features a jack to enable users to plug in MP3 players that aren't equipped with the Bluetooth audio (or A2DP) profile, such as iPods. According to Moto, the T605 works in a similar way to OEM Bluetooth systems, in that it will pause music when it detects an incoming call and resume the stream when you hang up. Like some Motorola Bluetooth headsets, the T605 features digital signal processing technology and variable volume adjustment so that the music gets louder when the kids start screaming in the backseat. There's no pricing available yet, but expect to see the T605 in stores--and on CNET Reviews--in the first half of 2007.
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