CES - Car tech

Alpine's first touch-screen digital media receiver

The Alpine iXA-W404 takes the fantastic interface of Alpine's line of digital media receivers, stretches it vertically, and adds a new feature: a touch screen.

Now, you can control the unit using the lightning fast double-encoder knob or by lightly dragging your finger across and tapping the 4.3-inch QVGA color touch-screen monitor. The interface more or less apes Apple's coverflow, so users of iPods and iTunes should find it familiar.

The unit, like all of Alpine's digital media receivers, features a full-speed USB connection that's optimized for iPod, which you'll be getting a great … Read more

Partnership puts AT&T CruiseCast in rental cars

AT&T stopped by the Car Tech booth at CES 2009 to give us a look at its CruiseCast mobile satellite TV service. The details of the service haven't changed much since the unveiling just a few months ago at the 2008 SEMA Show, but today we received a bit of news that means you may be able to experience CruiseCast for yourself sooner than you think.

RaySat Broadcasting Corp. (co-creator of CruiseCast along with AT&T) and Avis Budget Group are teaming up to offer Avis and Budget Rent A Car customers the use of AT&… Read more

Ford Sync Version 3.0

We've been pretty impressed by Sync's Bluetooth phone and MP3 player connectivity, but Version 3.0 of Sync gains a whole new dimension with an array of connected services that includes navigation, traffic conditions, business search, weather, and other information sources. To use these services, you hit the voice command button in a Sync-equipped car and request services. The system uses your Bluetooth paired phone to connect with a server where you can request, by voice, directions, traffic conditions, a local business search, and other services.

The really innovative aspect of this system is that Ford can easily … Read more

Sony MEX-BT3700U first look (video)

Sony stopped by the Car Tech booth at CES 2009 to install its MEX-BT3700U Bluetooth-enabled CD receiver, which features hands-free calling and A2DP stereo audio streaming.

However, this isn't a one trick pony, with neat features such as a front panel USB port that offers full iPod control, Quick BrowZer searching that helps to quickly locate the desired song, and Zappin technology, which lets you choose songs by simply listening to snippets.

Gracenote puts a star in your car

Imagine having your favorite recording artist talking to you from your dashboard, recommending new music that you might like. Now imagine the music available to you in your car extending to just about every track ever recorded. Let's take it a step further and say you can use your car stereo like an instant messenger, where you can recommend songs and playlists to people on your buddy list. Gracenote CarStars does all of this, and its slated to become available in a 2011 model car, with a release date sometime in 2010, although Gracenote currently isn't releasing details … Read more

Pioneer updates car audio line

Pioneer didn't bet too big this year at CES 2009 in Las Vegas, and has only incrementally updated its full line of car audio receivers, amps, and speakers.

Pioneer's line of audio/video head units gains three models benefiting from better iPod integration compared with its outgoing models. The double DIN AVH-P3100DVD and AVH-P4100DVD and the single DIN, motorized AVH-P5100DVD give users a variety of options for controlling their iPod, such as the Alphabet Search feature, which allows for quick navigation to large music collections. A cool feature called Link Search selects music of a similar artist, album, … Read more

Alan Mulally talks up Sync 3.0 at CES keynote

Last year, GM CEO Rick Wagoner showed up to bring Detroit a little closer to CES, and at this year's show, Ford CEO Alan Mulally made an even stronger commitment to bring the kinds of electronics on show here into cars. Nothing could have set the tone of his keynote better than having Microsoft's Steve Ballmer come out at the beginning for a quick handshake and talk about working with Ford on Sync. Ballmer pointed out that Microsoft and Ford share a vision of making the car a connected environment, while Mulally said that Ford is learning to … Read more

Sony expands Xplod line of in-dash receivers

Sony is expanding its mobile-audio lineup with eight new Xplod in-dash CD receivers. Of these new models, three offer built-in Bluetooth connectivity and seven feature USB ports--five of which are iPod compatible. Also among these new models is Sony Xplod's first double DIN receiver in years.

Starting with top-tier model being added to Sony's GT line of car stereos, with the high-end CDX-GT930UI features a rear USB connection for iPod, iPhone, Walkman, and other USB devices, as well as a rear aux-in. Out back, you'll also find four-volt front, rear and sub preamp outputs. On the business … Read more

JVC adds 7 CD receivers to its 2009 lineup

JVC rings in the New Year with not one, not two, but seven new CD receivers for its 2009 mobile entertainment product line.

JVC Mobile's new flagship KD-R900 In-Dash CD Receiver has two USB 2.0 ports (one front and one rear) for connection to an iPod, an iPhone, USB flash memory drives, digital audio players, portable HDD devices, or any two devices simultaneously. The KD-R900 also features hands-free Bluetooth phone calling and A2DP wireless audio streaming capability via an included USB Bluetooth adapter and high-quality external wired microphone. This adapter operates as a fully functional receiver, transmitter, and … Read more

Charge your gadgets without a powercord

Imagine dropping your cell phone and MP3 player into a special pocket in the console of your car, and having them automatically charge up. Leggett and Platt, an automotive parts supplier, is using technology from Fulton Innovation that makes this scenario a reality. Fulton's ECouple technology lets devices charge up wirelessly, just by setting them down on a special charging surface. At CES, Leggett and Platt is showing various applications of this technology, including a car console with special pockets to recharge a BlackBerry and a flashlight. The company also has a Bosch power toolbox that automatically charges a … Read more