The PowerFuze keeps your USB devices juiced in the car and at home.
(Credit: Scosche)You should see the mess of cables, chargers, and charging cables that clutter my backpack every day. Moving from car to car and home to work while testing a variety of devices means that iPod sync cables, USB cables, Mini- and Micro-USB cables for mobile phones and GPS devices, 12-volt car chargers, and 110-volt wall chargers eat up a good deal of my bag space. For me, this is why Scosche's PowerFuze charger system looks interesting. This charging solution should let you replace a number of cables and chargers for an all-in-one approach. It's a car charger and a wall charger. Ideally, it's the best of both worlds.
The PowerFuze system crams a few different charging configurations into one package. When you're at home, it is a two-port "Made for iPod" and "Works with iPhone" certified USB AC charger that plugs into a 110-volt wall outlet. When you're on the road, a 12-volt USB charger pulls out to take advantage of your vehicle's DC power port. If you have 12-volt DC car accessories that you want to use indoors, the vacant 12-volt port will work as a power inverter to accommodate them. With 1 amp of current split between the two channels, you shouldn't expect to power a 12-volt air compressor on the PowerFuze, but there's more than enough overhead for most portable devices.
Then again, most users only have one car, so they won't really see the point of carrying around the 12-volt charger. That little bugger will probably find itself perma-lodged into your car's DC power port after the first week--when you get sick of bringing it into the house every day. That being said, I still think it's nice to be able to pick up both chargers for one reasonable price and have the flexibility to use them together if you should decide to do so.
The PowerFuze and the PowerFuze Pro (with an included iPod sync cable) sell for $34.99 and $44.99 respectively. If you only need a car charger, look for the PowerPlug and PowerPlug Pro with sync cable for $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. Check out Scosche.com for more details on this cool little stocking stuffer.
This USB drive from Mercedes-Benz is shaped like a car key, and holds information and photos about the new E-class.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
As a bit of Friday fun, we gathered up the most unique USB flash drive press kits we've seen from automakers to date. These kits range from diverse brands--Bentley, Ferrari, Kia, and Toyota, among others, and with a sidestep to Caterpillar. Typically they hold photos and documents about a particular car, or sometimes the automakers' entire lineup, and are handed out during the press days at auto shows. Your typical automotive journalist will have a drawer full of these drives.
While many of the drives we receive are fairly standard, some are instances of marketing genius. The most interesting of these drives try to say something about the car they represent, such as the bamboo drive for the Lexus HS, or the key replica for the Mercedes-Benz.
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CNET)
When we last saw JVC's El Kameleon car audio receiver, we awarded it our Editors' Choice award for its innovative interface and expandability. However, we wished that the unit featured a touch screen instead of a touch pad.
With the new El Kameleon KD-AVX77, we get our wish. The new El Kameleon features a superwide touch screen that fills up its entire single-DIN faceplate. But is a bigger screen always better?
I like my wide-screen movies as much as the next guy, but the new El Kameleon's super Cinemascope screen means that most movies will be stretched wide but will only be about as tall as a business card, making it less than ideal for prolonged DVD viewing.
We'd need to see a much bigger screen before we could recommended the new El Kameleon as a standalone multimedia solution. However, the El Kameleon's plethora of inputs and outputs, as well as its customizable interface make it a great starting point for controlling more complex multimedia systems with rear seat entertainment and external amplifiers.
The Alpine iXA-W404 shows plenty of promise, but needs a bit more polish to really shine.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)Our experiences with Alpine's "mechless" car audio receivers have been mostly positive. So, when we received the iXA-W404, which ups the ante with the inclusion of a larger display and touch sensitivity, we naturally assumed that bigger would be better.
During testing, we found that everything that we liked about Alpine's single DIN mechless units was still intact in the W404, such as the snappy high-speed USB/iPod connection that allowed us to quickly scrub through large digital-audio collections using the double-action encoder. We also liked that the W404's larger screen and dedicated iPod video cable allowed the playback of movies and video podcasts from capable iPods.
However, the touch-screen interface is unintuitive at times, relying on an iTunes CoverFlow-like paradigm to navigate its menus. The additional eye candy of the interface seems to have adversely affected the Alpine's menu responsiveness when compared with its simpler siblings.
The unit features the capability to add modules to expand its admittedly limited feature set, but doing so can be prohibitively expensive. For example, it costs about $500 to add navigation ($300 for the GPS module and $200 for an adapter cradle to connect it) and $230 to add Bluetooth wireless, bringing your total investment to about $1,280. At that point, you may as well be looking at Alpine's superior IVA-W505/P1, which packs more functionality into a single box, without the need for additional modules.
If you want a simple, "mechless" receiver and can live without iPod video playback, we'd suggest you look at Alpine's single-DIN iDA-X305.
Read the full Alpine iDA-X305 review.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" That seems to be the approach taken by Alpine Electronics when designing its new iDA-X305 digital media receiver.
Based on the already impressive iDA-X100 receiver, the X305 keeps the same single-DIN size, rotary encoder-based interface, and lightning quick browsing of digital media while adding Apple iPhone support and a few more watts of power to boot.
On the surface, the X305 also receives a visual refresh with a new matte-finish faceplate that blends better with many vehicles' dash panels and a brushed metal control knob that adds a bit of bling. Compact disc aficionados need not apply as the iDA-X305 also continues the X100's formula of omitting a CD-slot and moving parts in favor of a purely USB-based input scheme.
The Alpine iDA-X100 is so digital audio focused that it doesn't even have a CD slot.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)Whether on an iPod, a USB drive, or a cell phone that plays MP3s, more and more drivers are carrying an ever-increasing percentage of their audio on digital audio players.
These users don't want to go back to shuffling CDs when it's time to get behind the wheel, so car stereo manufacturers have responded to the market by including aux-inputs, USB ports, dock connectors, and Bluetooth connections in their stereos. We've compiled a list of some of the best car stereos for use with digital media.
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 ...
Read the full post at CNET's CES 2009 blog.
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CBS Interactive)
When was the last time you walked into a store and purchased a CD? If it takes you a few moments to come up with an answer, you've probably made the jump to digitally distributed and stored audio. If so, Alpine may have the car stereo for you, the Alpine iDA-X100 digital media receiver.
The iDA-X100 eschews physical media in favor of a purely digital approach. Music is played back over a USB pigtail that features full-speed iPod connectivity. An intuitive interface makes it easy to find the song you want, and advanced audio controls ensure that your digital music sounds as good as the day you ripped it.
The Alpine TUA-T550HD HD Radio tuner module
(Credit: CBS Interactive)Adding the TUA-T550HD HD radio tuner allows playback of high-quality digital radio transmissions, and adding a compatible iPod to the mix unlocks the iTunes Tagging feature, which allows song metadata to be stored in a playlist on the iPod to be previewed and purchased through the iTunes software.
The Alpine iDA-X100 is a great receiver for users who transport all of their music on an iPod or MP3 player. The unit offers fantastic digital audio integration without the need for a separate adapter, but should you ever want to just play a CD, you'll be out of luck.
Read the full Alpine iDA-X100 digital media receiver and TUA-T550HD HD radio tuner reviews.
The Fiat eco:Drive application monitors driving habits and suggest tips for greener driving.
(Credit: Fiat Group)In the world of racing, everyone knows that the easiest way to get more speed out of a car is not to upgrade the car, but to upgrade the driver. The same goes for green driving. A driver trained in efficient driving can extract better fuel economy from a Honda Fit than a driver with poor technique in a Prius hybrid. Auto manufacturer Fiat thinks it may have found a way to teach drivers to get the best fuel economy out of their Fiat vehicles with the new eco:Drive program.
The eco:Drive program consists of a downloadable Adobe AIR application and a Microsoft Blue&Me equipped Fiat vehicle. For now, that means drivers of the Fiat 500 and the Grande Punto, but the upcoming Alfa Romeo Mi.To is expected to be equipped with the Blue&Me system as well. Users will also need a USB thumbdrive to transport data from the vehicle to the computer.
The application's interface features bright colors and cartoony cars and people. Even the name eco:Drive has an emoticon smiley hidden in the middle!
(Credit: Fiat Group)The process is as follows: Users download the application from Fiat's Web site and install it on their computer. Next, users will use the application to enter information about their vehicle and prepare the USB drive to transport data. It doesn't have to be a blank drive, and the files installed occupied only 223KB of space, but we expect that size to bloat just a bit as data is collected. Finally, users plug the USB stick into the USB port on their Blue&Me system. The system records anonymous information about driving habits and techniques.
When plugged back into the computer, the eco:Drive application analyzes the information and offers tips to improve fuel economy and emissions. Users are able to track their progress, mileage, and emissions from the application's interface. Interestingly, there's a social aspect to the eco:Drive program called Ecoville, which shows how many drivers are using the system and how well the community is doing.
We were able to download the eco:Drive application, but weren't able to fully test the system, as Fiat vehicles with Blue&Me aren't readily available in the United States. However, Fiat Group member Alfa Romeo is planning its return to American market, so we may see this system in use on the vehicles it brings over.
Read the full 2009 Dodge Challenger review.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)Riding around in a bright red Dodge Challenger SRT8 is not the best way to go unnoticed. With its wide and low design and deep HEMI V-8 growl, all eyes were on us as we cruised the streets of San Francisco. But the kind of attention attracted in the Challenger was unlike most high-powered sports cars in which we've found ourselves behind the wheel. Everywhere we went, people--almost exclusively male--were giving us the thumbs up, approving nods, fist pumps, and, on one occasion, a full-on round of applause. Yeah, that last one surprised even us.
The attention didn't stop when the car was parked for the night, either. As it rested in the CNET garage, people asked to sit in it and took pictures next to it. These are the same people, mind you, who just a few weeks ago walked right past the Mercedes C63 AMG without a second glance. How's that for cachet?
