(Credit:
Shenzhen MCD Electronics)
Enduring certain ridicule, we have suggested on occasion that the rear-view mirror could become one of the main control centers for vehicles of the near future. Already, there have been versions that have technologies ranging from GPS navigation to built-in camcorders and Webcams. And now there's one that appears to cram in more functions than all of the others combined.
As indicated by its name, the "Multifunction GPS Bluetooth Rearview Mirror System" claims a broad array of features, including a 3.5-inch touch screen, satellite navigation, audio and video players, speakers, SD card slot, five games, and even a stylus, according to Red Ferret. It also has a rechargeable battery, in case you want to pull it off the windshield and use it as a mini-boombox.
Fair warning, though: It's being offered by one of those generic distributors from China, so warranties and any kind of support may be scarce to non-existent. Besides, this version doesn't have a heart monitor--yet.
(Credit:
Cerevellum)
If Cerevellum sounds like some Latin term from a medical dictionary, it would be entirely appropriate because it's the name of a new heart-monitoring device. But this one isn't attached to your arm or chest--in fact, it's not affixed to the body at all. Try the handlebars on a bike instead.
The Cerevellum doesn't stop there either: While checking your ticker, this gadget also serves as a GPS system and a digital rear-view display similar to those seen increasingly in cars. According to ProductDose, this all-in-one device has a 3.5-inch screen and 32MB of space to store your fitness data, as well as a 4-hour battery for those who ride that long (unlike us).
All this doesn't come cheap at $299, but we suppose there's some consolidation savings because you won't have to buy three or four separate products for these various functions. Besides, we applaud anything that obviates the need for those nerdsome helmet mirrors.
(Credit:
SkyMall)
Car makers are increasingly looking backward in their visual safety features--as in Webcam screens built into their rear-view mirrors in an effort to eliminate blind spots once and for all. While we're all in favor of the idea, for some reason we have a feeling that the cost of such add-ons will involve bodily appendages such as arms and legs.
But SkyMall, of all places, is offering a "Wireless Backup Camera" that plugs into the license plate light socket and feeds video to a 2.5-inch color display that can be fastened to a visor or the dashboard for $150. It's not as fancy as the LCD that disappears into the mirror of some Mazda SUVs, but it's also only a fraction of the cost.
If you're on the verge of a mid-life crisis, however, you can always wait for similar features that are expected on Intel's computerized motorocycle of the future. That'll give you plenty of time to hit the tattoo parlor first.
(Credit:
Ford Motor)
Mazda says it's come up with a car technology that's the closest thing to having eyes in the back of your head. The "Back Up Camera with Auto-Dimming Mirror Display" promises to do precisely what the prosaic name indicates: Its rear-view mirror has an LCD screen that appears only when the car is in reverse, otherwise concealed by a special coating (called "transflective," whatever that means).
The idea is to eliminate blind spots with a built-in camera that sends a live feed to the 2.4-inch screen embedded in the mirror, which will be available as an option for Mazda's CX-9 SUV. Prices start at $665, but Gadgetell notes that this is the "poor man's" version of a rear-view display that comes standard with the automaker's GPS system. Or, as some have suggested, you could save your money and just turn around.
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