Jbl On Stage Iv And On Stage Micro Iii Ipod And Iphone Speaker Docks

JBL launches two new On Stage iPod/iPhone speaker docking stations, the On Stage IV and On Stage Micro III. These speaker docks play your iPod or iPhone and will charge the docked device. They also connect directly to iTunes on Mac or PC via USB 2.0. The On Stage IV features four aluminum-domed Odyssey transducers for rich and clear sound while the On Stage Micro III, the successor to the Micro II, is equipped with two Odyssey transducers. They feature OCT (Optimized Compression Topology) a proprietary compression technology, ensuring clean, accurate sound at high output levels; COE (Computer-Optimized Equalization) for proper equalization; and a slipstream port design to optimizes bass output while minimizing distortion. The On Stage IV and On Stage Micro III can be powered by AC adapter or by six fresh AA batteries and four AAA batteries, respectively, that offer up to 24 continuous hours at normal listening levels. JBL’s On Stage IV are available at Amazon for$149.00 and the On Stage Micro III for$99.

Standard 30 Pin Dock Connector On Iphone

Standard 30-pin dock connector has been around since 2003 on every iPod/iPhone (with the exception of Shuffle models). While I agree that Apple is notorious for changing form factors on a whim (ex. the headphone jack seems to switch sides with every generation of Nano), the physical connection itself has been pretty consistent. Apple have used the 30-pin connector since 2003, but many of the accessories that use that 30-pin connection will not function with the current iPods/iPhones. One glaring example is the older Apple Wall Charger will not work with their own current devices. So, if Apple turns its back on their own accessories, we know they won't hesitate to turn it on a third-party accessory.

New Iphone App Replace Your Face Lets You Become Lady Gaga And More

Clever Twist today announces that you too can become Justin Bieber’s girlfriend or even Justin Bieber himself with their new app “Replace Your Face” for the iPhone. And so far, iPhone users have gone gaga over the ability to become Lady Gaga and more of their other favorite celebs, as Replace Your Face shot to #1 in the Photography section of the iTunes App Store within 48 hours of its launch. Becoming a star is easier than you might think. Insert a photo of your own face into that of Justin Bieber’s female companion and upload the new pic to Facebook to impress your friends with your newfound celebrity status. Looking to gain a few man points? Replace Chuck Norris’ face with yours and marvel at your instant man-eating abs and grizzled chest – all with the touch of your finger. With Replace Your Face’s intuitive interface, it has never been easier to ‘replace’ the face of a celebrity with yours and your friends’ faces. With over 150 faces available, you can be anyone from Mister T to Mr. Rogers. Can’t find the right celebrity? Try picking from your favorite decade, funny baby photos, or other unique genres including My Little Pony. With Replace your Face, resizing photos is a breeze. Just pinching and twisting the image on the screen is enough to splice anybody into Wonder Woman’s shoes. Editing the contrast is just as easy, which makes your photo and the original fit together seamlessly for a more realistic end result. And with the use of text bubbles, you can make your picture worth more than just 1,000 words. Finalized photos have the option of being uploaded to Facebook, emailed to a friend, or saved in the photo library and assigned as contacts.

Apple Antenna Testing Lab

Apple has highlighted the iPhone 4 antenna design and testing during the press conference held yesterday. Steve Jobs commented ‘Nobody is perfect’ and accepted that there are more call drops in iPhone 4 than iPhone 3GS. He revealed some information about the testing lab formally called ‘Black Lab’ which is used for testing by Apple team. Apple has invested around $100 million in development of the lab. It consists of 17 antenna characterization chambers (anechoic chambers) designed to accurately measure antenna and wireless performance and there are 18 PhD scientists and engineers working for the lab. Inside the black lab, testing is taken up to 25 hours to run across all frequencies. There are various types of testing conducted in the lab which includes positioning the device on Styrofoam blocks, in human hands, and in the vicinity of realistic “phantom” mannequin body parts. Apple posts about the testing on their site: ”Apple engineers tested iPhone 4 in a variety of scenarios, environments, and conditions in order to gauge performance. They spent thousands of hours in cities in the U.S. and throughout the world testing iPhone 4 call quality, dropped-call performance, call origination and termination, and in-service time. They tested iPhone 4 while stationary, at high and low speeds, and in urban, dense urban, and highway environments. In low-coverage areas and good-coverage areas, during peak and off-peak hours — iPhone 4 was field-tested in nearly every possible coverage scenario across different vendor and carrier equipment all over the world.” Despite of all these showcasing and testing, Apple didn’t deny that there are some call drops in iPhone 4 which are higher in quantity than iPhone 3GS. In order to satisfy the customers and maintain the goodwill Apple has announced to provide free cases for iPhone 4 or iPhone 4 can be returned back with complete amount refund by September 30.

Iphone 4 Bumper Refund Gets Kicksoff By Apple

Apple had announced in a press conference for refund of bumper cases of iPhone 4. Apple has now started refunding the cost of bumper cases purchased. Any other types of extra charges like shipping and VAT is also refunded by Apple. For customers who have purchased the bumpers using credit cards, the refund has been started for them automatically and in next few days they will receive their amount back. Due to loss in signal issue, Apple has announced to refund the bumper cases for iPhone 4. However, Apple is constantly trying to prove that iPhone 4 is completely perfect with no signal problem in the handset and they just want their each and every customer to be happy. For that reason only they have announced to give away iPhone 4 free case or return iPhone 4 with complete refund amount. They have also promised to refund the bumper cost for the customers who have bought them. The cost of the bumper is $30. So, customers are now getting back their bumper money along with any extra cost attached with it. Apple has also removed the bumpers from the stores so that no one is now able to purchase them. For new iPhone 4 customers, Apple will be providing free cases for iPhone 4. Apple is also launching iPhone 4 in 17 other countries along with shipping of White iPhone 4 models from July 30. It seems before that Apple will try to refund the amount and start will giving choices of free cases for iPhone 4. So, if you have purchased bumper directly from store go and get your bumper refunded and if you have bought it with your credit card you must soon be getting a call with full money refund automatically.

The Emergence Of The Portable Bluetooth Speakers For iPhone And iPad

Over the last few months there seems to have been a growing trend of portable bluetooth speakers for iPhone and iPad hitting the market, which could be a reaction to the new Apple iPad and other devices increasing in popularity and creating a demand for more universal compatible speaker solutions. Bluetooth has been around for a long time now, and there have been bluetooth speakers and solutions for allowing you to play music wirelessly from your handheld device, such as from an iPhone or iPad. What seems to have changed is that there are more of these portable iPhone speakers now becoming available in the lead up to peak Christmas shopping season. The beauty of course of the bluetooth speakers is that you can take them wherever you want to go without having to worry about wires or the length of them + of course the fact that they are universal in the way that any compatible bluetooth player can be connected to them. We have had a look at some of the new emerging portable bluetooth speakers that are focusing on the likes of the iPhone and the Apple iPad. Creative D100 Pure wireless bluetooth speaker The Creative D100 portable bluetooth speaker is one that is growing in popularity, much thanks to its simple but stylish design, which includes a range of color options, and the easy of portability without compromising too much on the sound quality. Featuring 2 fairly powerful 3-inch drivers the sound from these boombox style speakers are not half bad, and with battery play time of up to 25 hours on 4 AA batteries you can keep the party going. The Creative D100 portable bluetooth speaker is available from $70 - buy from Amazon USA Supertooth Disco Portable Bluetooth stereo speaker This Amazon bestseller combines being ultra portable with delivering a good and powerful audio quality through its high efficiency subwoofer system. Battery time is also good at about 10 hours, and it charges quickly, which is always a plus. The Supertooth can be connected with any bluetooth A2DP compatible device for easy streaming of music. Get the highly rated and popular Supertooth Disco Portable bluetooth speaker for $120 - buy from Amazon USA Logitech Pure-Fi bluetooth speakers Another portable and handy portable bluetooth speaker from a well known brand, the Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile comes with 2-inch active and 2-inch passive drivers for advanced accoustic audio quality, and it also features a built in microphone so can also be used as a wireless speakerphone. The rechargeable battery provides up to 12 hours of playtime. The Logitech Pure-Fi portable bluetooth speaker is available from $76 - buy from Amazon USA Sony Ericsson MBS-200 portable bluetooth speaker The lowest priced one among our chosen few, the Sony Ericsson MBS-200 is among the most stylish ones with its spherical design and OLED display that gives you track information. But this is not just a stylish little bluetooth speaker from Sony Ericsson, as for its size it competes with the others on sound quality as well. Battery life is announced to around 6 hours of play time and about 40 hours standby. The Sony Ericsson MBS 200 is available from $50 - buy from Amazon USA For those of you that are perhaps after some quality iPhone speakers for use at home, already own an iPod docking stations with speakers, but want to make it wireless, there are options for you as well. Personally i use the Cerulean RX/TX bluetooth dock adapter with my Focal XS sound system. Please let us know your experiences with these portable bluetooth speakers, or give us the heads up on any other ones that should be added to the shortlist by leaving a comment below.

Navigon iPhone Holder And Car Charger Review

iPhone Car Holders are a must have item – especially if you use your iPhone for Sat Nav. I’ve already covered some of the most popular mounting solutions for the iPhone in my post on Using Sat Nav on the iPhone, but this week I came across the Navigon iPhone Holder and Car charger and thought it was worth reviewing. Navigon were one of the first software companies to launch a Sat Nav application for the iPhone and it often features in the top ten apps in iTunes. The Navigon Car holder is designed to compliment their software and provide you with a simple and effective in car holder. Features There’s not really a lot you can say about a phone holder, after all, it is just a holder. Unlike the TomTom iPhone Car Kit, the Navigon car holder doesn’t have a GPS receiver or loud speaker built in, but there are a couple of features that make this one stand out. Firstly there’s a discrete cable holder built in to the underneath of the arm. While this might not sound that great, it does mean that once your cable is clipped into it you won’t have to fish around between the seats to find the end of your charging cable when you want to charge your iPhone. The cradle for the iPhone has a ball joint fitting so that allows you to rotate it through 360° - nothing new, but what I did like with the Navigon holder is that it’s the only car holder that I’ve seen that lets you tighten up the ball joint when it starts to come loose (although the allen key needed isn’t included). Design As holders go, it’s slim and it’s not bad to look at, although from the images on the box I did expect it to be a little slimmer than it is, although it’s by no means bulky. The cradle allows you to slide your iPhone in and out quickly and easily and it can be done with one hand, you just pull your phone forward slightly and lift it out. There’s no spring clip to keep your phone in place, but given the shape of the cradle I really can’t see that it would ever fall out. In the Box Navigon are rather generous. Instead of just including a generic third party car charger, they’ve partnered with Belkin to include the Belkin Micro Auto Charger + Charge Sync Cable. This is one of the most compact car chargers available for the iPhone and can be left in your cigarette socket even when not being used – just remove the USB cable and it will look like a standard USB Port in your dashboard. Why choose the Navigon iPhone Holder? The Navigon iPhone holder is a solid, sturdy holder that will work brilliantly with your iPhone and any Sat Nav App. The suction pad is strong and the built in cable holder is a nice touch – although it would have been even better if you could connect the cable to the base of the cradle so that it connected each time you put your phone in.

White Iphone 4 Delay Might Be Due To Antenna Fixing

Every iPhone fan has been dying to know what has been happening why up to this very time Apple has been holding the release of their much awaited White iPhone 4. It has been announced by Apple that White iPhone 4?s release would be delayed until late this year. The reason that they are delaying the release basically because their are fixing some sort of manufacturing problem. They are saying they didn’t expect that it would be this challenging. Whatever it is, it seems that not all Apple enthusiasts are buying the explanation. There has been speculations that Apple is making sure that the White iPhone 4 won’t experience the antenna problems that the black one had. Apple didn’t give any comment about all these and still sticking to their explanation. In fact, Apple released a downloadable app Friday that allows iPhone 4 customers to get a free bumper that’s designed to protect the phone from the thing that hinders antenna performance. The promised cases to solve the antenna problems has been released wholeheartedly as well as refunds to those who purchased before the problem burst out. Apple surely be up to something great with all these delays. They can’t afford to have another problem this time. They need to have the White iPhone 4 perfect.

Iphone 4 82 Percent Higher Screen Damage Rate Than 3gs

Specifically, iPhone 4 owners reported 82-percent more damaged screens in the first 4 months, compared to iPhone 3GS owners. The company is also not entirely impressed with the aluminosilicate glass, which they reckon “doesn’t seem any less likely to break than previous models.” At least a quarter of the broken glass claims involved the back panel, SquareTrade says, and the company is projecting accident rates of 15.5-percent by twelve months after purchase. Of course, as a warranty company it’s perhaps in SquareTrade’s best interests to be ominous about the figures, but with over 20,000 handsets covered you do have to wonder if there’s still something to it all.

Secret Apple Factory For Foxconn

Steve Jobs himself confirmed that Apple was exploring other ways to address the iPhone 4?s antenna issues at the company’s press conference a little over a week ago. While a full recall is not on the cards, there’s been plenty of speculation that Apple is looking to tweak their hardware design alongside the launch of the delayed white iPhone 4. However, a private, more tightly controlled facility would also allow Apple to work with Foxconn on the next-generation iPhone 4; while the latest model has only been on the market for a relatively short period, it’s no secret that development of the handsets stretches into years and Apple is undoubtedly considering the device that will replace it. Foxconn’s record of secrecy has been punctuated by various high-profile leaks together with employee suicides, and this temporary works might be a move to better control access to development information.

Thesixtyone Brings Music To The Ipad With Aweditorium

We loved Thesixtyone’s take on web-based streaming music, and we really love what the company is doing with its new iPad app. Mashable (Mashable) recently highlighted this music startup’s newly redesigned website as one of the best web designs of 2010. Its full-screen, lean-back/lean-in user experience leaves little to be desired and is an immersive way to listen to great music from independent artists. Similarly, the company’s iPad app, called Aweditorium brings high-quality multimedia and unique content for a stand-out experience that’s already getting rave reviews. Through the app, you can view beautiful photography, read lyrics, explore related artists, watch interviews, view high-definition music videos and a whole lot more. Thesixtyone (thesixtyone) co-founder James Miao told us in an e-mail that ever since the creation of album art as we know it in 1939, the record industry has “captured people’s emotions and imaginations through inspiring, tactile experiences. “Of course, all this cultural texture was lost in translation when music went digital. Today, it’s a third wheel, low-fi, and exiled to Adobe PDF. Digital music interfaces look like Excel spreadsheets — what kind of backwards society do we live in where we’re limiting the genius of a Thom Yorke or Trent Reznor to a single vertical column? “And then Apple released the iPad and I told my partner, Sam Hsiung, ‘We’re going to change all of this.’ ” That ambition is reflected in the app’s name — the desire to bring the awe and majesty of album art back to music. Competitors in the very exciting “music-related iPad app” category include the already successful Pandora iPad app and MySpace’s Romeo iPad app. Both of those experiences offer something slightly different to their users, but neither app has the multimedia richness of Aweditorium. Another thing that distinguishes Aweditorium from other music apps for iPad is its focus on independent artists; currently, Thesixtyone works almost entirely with indie artists, although some majors are playing around with the platform, as well. The app is free and available now in the App Store (App Store). If you’re an iPad user, check it out and let us know what you think.

iPhone Car Mount And Hands Free Kit

I just installed my iPhone in my Mazda 3. I used a leather wrapped mount from Kuda. On the kuda is just an adjustable quick mount that holds the iPhone securely. The power comes from a Belkin charger. This charger also has a line out connection coming out at the 12v plug. My car has a built in "line in" mini jack . I have a cable from the belkin plug into my line in. All the wires are hidden except the last 8" which attaches to my phone. The hands free kit is a Motorola that I've had since my previous car. It works very well with the iPhone. I don't use the voice commands very much since the iPhone is only a touch away, but it works well when needed. I think it looks nice, it certainly works very well (excuse the dirty car on photo!) A few more random thoughts: The Belkin has a built in pre amp which allows you to adjust the gain into your factory setup. When the iPhone is in iPod mode, the screen stays active.... it won't go into black screen sleep mode. The Kuda mounts are VERY WELL MADE. Installation took about 10 Minutes. They are leather wrapped and available for many different vehicle apps. If you have a nice vehicle and don't want to make it look cheap or messy with one of those suction cup or sticky tape mounts, look into this. The mount can be removed without any evidence that it was ever there.

Parrot Bluetooth Wireless Speakers

Parrot, a leader in wireless peripherals around the mobile phone, will announce the launch of two new sleek and powerful wireless stereo speaker systems at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next week -- the Parrot DS1120, a set of trendy and sleek 30W wireless speakers which were selected as a finalist in the Music category of the Bluetooth SIG Best of CES 2008 contest, and the Parrot DS3120 which combines a multi-connectivity stereo speaker dock with hands-free calling capabilities for an all-in-one home entertainment hub. Parrot will demonstrate these products at CES, South Hall booth # 36838. Parrot DS3120 bluetooth speaker - FM Radio The new Parrot DS3120 is an innovative home stereo that combines Parrot's award-winning wireless music and hands-free calling technology in one unit. Consumers can now enjoy their music without being tethered to headphones, allowing them to listen to music out loud virtually anywhere, anytime. The Parrot DS3120 allows users to play music from mobile phones, music players, PCs and laptops wirelessly via Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) or through a USB connection. It also has an SD card slot, a line-in for iPod and a built-in FM/RDS radio. Parrot DS3120 - Clock radio “Music is part of our everyday life. The Parrot DS3120 is a clock-radio with unique high-quality sound, amazing new features like the built-in screen display, all packed in an exceptional wireless design,” says Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. “The Parrot DS3120 has been designed to offer unmatched audio performance and provides a smooth connection to a wide range of audio sources.” Parrot DS3120 speaker - Quality Once paired with a mobile phone, the unit also allows users to search through their contacts and channel voice calls through its high-quality 20W speakers. The 1.8-inch color TFT screen displays track and album details when playing music and phonebook information when making or taking a call. When in music mode, the track details are grouped by source, artist, album and title. Users can select their source, see the track information and enjoy their music. The Parrot DS3120 has its own battery power source when required, allowing for up to 10 hours playback, and weighs in at only 1.5kg / 3.3 lbs making it highly portable. Parrot DS3120 bluetooth hands free speaker - Price & Availability Voice calls are high-quality thanks to Parrot's heritage in making high-end in-car communications technology. A microphone built into the unit picks up the user's voice from wherever they are in room and effectively cancels out all background noise. When receiving incoming calls with caller ID, music is automatically muted and any phonebook images stored on the user's mobile phone are displayed on the bright screen. The Parrot DS3120 will be available in Europe and the U.S. in the second quarter of 2008 with a suggested MSRP of $249.99. Parrot Bluetooth speakers - Design The Parrot DS1120 is an all-new high-fidelity set of wireless stereo speakers that work seamlessly with the users' cell phone, MP3-player, or laptop, delivering unrivalled sound quality in the house. Packed in a pure and compact design, it plays the users favorite tracks from any Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) music source with great audio quality. “The Parrot DS1120 has been designed to deliver optimal audio performance, and provides a very easy connection to a wide range of audio sources,” says Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. “Its wireless design provides more flexibility than any traditional stereo, which makes it ideal for the home environment.” Parrot DS1120 bluetooth speaker - Price & Availability The Parrot DS1120 has a Class-D digital amplifier in each speaker with a total power output of 30W RMS, delivering crystal-clear sound with the necessary punch. The bass system is cleverly hidden in the speaker stands and the three-button user interface located at the top speaker face is touch-sensitive. If the audio source device does not have Bluetooth technology nor support the A2DP profile, users can still play music wirelessly by using a Bluetooth 2.0. USB Parrot dongle included with the Parrot DS1120 or in the traditional way by simply connecting their music source via the included line-in RCA jack. The Parrot DS1120 will be available in Europe and the U.S. in the second quarter of 2008 with a suggested MSRP of $279.99.

Unboxing The Parrot Bluetooth Wireless Speakers

It’s your music is on the go with these hip Bluetooth Wireless Speakers. The 60 watt cabinet speakers can be networked with any device in your home including your phone, mp3 player(s), PDAs, PC, laptop, or any Bluetooth enabled device that streams audio. These speakers are a quick fix for those who hate wires everywhere and those who love to boast about their new ringtones. The white-lacquered will match your decor and they’re not too bulky so they should fit comfortably under a desk or hidden near a wall. The Bluetooth speakers also include EDR for up to 3Mbps and it can also support the A2DP and AVRCP format. When these wireless speakers were created they put thought into it by including a RCA line-in input for devices that lack Bluetooth technology. The specifics on sound quality are a bit sketchy but each speaker contains a built-in digital two-channel Class-D amplifier so it doesn’t sound like a car wreck. As you can see, the Bluetooth Wireless Speakers are a great addition to your college dorm room, office, or just about any setting. Add a Bluetooth device to your iPod and you can host parties from your wireless iPod in a flash. There are many Bluetooth devices that promise high quality sound but I say, “give these a try” and see how they sound. Price: $467.91

Alternatives To The Tomtom iPhone Car Kit

With pricing now confirmed for the TomTom iPhone Car Kit at ?99.99 without the Sat Nav Application, it makes the whole package a little expensive at just under ?160 – especially when you consider that you can buy a fully functional stand alone TomTom GPS unit for less than $180. Now, don’t get me wrong, TomTom do make great Sat Nav systems, but I’m really not convinced that their iPhone offering is really worth the $250 that they’re asking for it. The car cradle is a clever bit of kit, but there are other devices out there that will do the same thing. The main features of the TomTom Car Cradle are: * Charges your iPhone * Ability to play your music through your car stereo * Built in speaker for handsfree calling * GPS Enhancer * Volume controls I’ve spent a bit of time this week searching out the best alternatives to the pricey TomTom set up and here’s what I found: Option 1 – Jabra SP700 * CoPilot Live UK & Ireland $39.99 (iTunes Link) * Jabra SP700 $55.53 * Sat Nav Starter Pack $22.95 * Total Cost $119.47 It’s not all in one like the TomTom, but this set up is less than half the price! CoPilot Live is a great alternative to TomTom. The software has been around for years on Windows Mobile devices and is the pre-installed mapping application on most T-Mobile and O2 smartphones. Feature wise it does everything that TomTom does, but for a lot less money. It’s currently rated as a 4 star app on the iTunes App store, compared to 3 stars for the TomTom app. The Sat Nav starter pack for iPhone includes a compact, rotating windscreen holder for your iPhone and a car charger. If you’ve already tried using GPS on the iPhone in your car, you’ll know necessary a car charger is. Having the screen on permanently and locking on to a GPS signal drains the battery quite quickly. The Jabra SP700 is much more than just a standard Bluetooth speaker phone. It has a built in FM transmitter that can stream music, calls and directions from your iPhone through to your car stereo using Bluetooth. Option 2 – Venturi Mini * Navigon MobileNavigator British Isles $54.99 - $81.99 (iTunes Link) * Venturi Mini $81.95 * iPhone Car Pack $23.95 * Total Cost $170.89 – $197.89 Navigon was the first Sat Nav app for the iPhone, and its relatively low price made it incredibly popular. On iTunes it’s currently rated as a 3 and a half star app, so better than TomTom, but not quite as high as CoPilot Live. The iPhone Car Pack includes a robust, adjustable holder that can hold your iPhone in almost any position as well as a car charger to keep your phone fully charged. The Venturi Mini is a Bluetooth car kit that is designed to fit in your cigarette lighter permanently. To charge your iPhone, you just need to connect your existing iPhone USB cable to the USB port on the side of the Venturi. The Venturi works in a similar way to the Jabra SP700. It connects to your phone using Bluetooth and will then stream your music, calls and sat nav directions through to your car stereo using its built in FM transmitter. If your car stereo has a line in/aux in connection, you can connect the Venturi to it using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable (the same as the TomTom Cradle). Option 3 – Parrot MKi9000 Fully Fitted Kit * CoPilot Live UK & Ireland $39.99 (iTunes Link) * Brodit Holder with Dock Connector $59.99 * Parrot MKi9000 Bluetooth Car Kit $129.95 * Total Cost $239.93 This set up isn’t so much about saving money compared to the TomTom kit, more a case of showing you how much more you could get for the same sort of price. Without doubt, you’ll always get better audio quality using a fully fitted car kit than you would with a portable one. The Parrot MKi range of car kits have been designed with iPods and iPhones in mind and they work almost seamlessly. The MKi9000 kit is fitted behind your dashboard and is completely out of sight. There is a multi connector cable that has a USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack and an Apple Dock connector. This cable connects your iPhone to the car kit and will route call audio, music and directions through your car stereo at the same time as charging it. The Brodit holder that I’ve suggested here has a dock connector on the bottom too, so you can connect this cable to it, then whenever you slide your phone into the holder it will connect to the car kit without having to mess around with cables. If you’d rather not use cables, then you can use the kit over a bluetooth connection and get the same functionality from it. A small remote can be attached to your dashboard or steering wheel and can be used to answer/end calls as well as play/ pause music and activate voice dialling (Voice dialling is feature of the MKi9000 and will work with all models of iPhone). The prices shown here don’t include installation and vehicles without an ISO stereo may need additional cables. All three of these solutions work great with the iPhone and any of the available Sat Nav applications available for the iPhone, including the TomTom App. You’ll find more information on each of the Sat Nav Apps on the App Store within iTunes or on your iPhone.

Using Sat Nav On The iPhone 3g And iPhone 3gs

Since the iPhone 3G launched last year with built in GPS and the new iPhone 3GS launch this year, people have been calling out for a proper Satellite Navigation Application for it. Well, after a long wait, iPhone OS 3.0 finally provides support for turn-by-turn navigation. TomTom were the first company to announce a ‘proper’ Sat Nav solution for the iPhone at last months Apple Developers Conference. TomTom demonstrated the software and introduced the TomTom Cradle – an optional extra to help you get the most out of their mapping software, but they didn’t announce any pricing or release dates. This week though saw the release of the first two Sat Nav apps, and surprisingly TomTom weren’t one of them! First to launch were Navigon - MobileNavigator: Europe came first, with MobileNavigator: British Isles appearing in the App Store this morning. (Both are available now from iTunes and clicking the links will launch iTunes and take you directly to the App Store). Second to release a full turn by turn App is Mobile Maps 2009 by Sygic. From the reviews it’s getting, it’s a better option than Navigon as it has a few more features such as full postcode search. Depending on your budget and what you want to achieve in your car, there are a number of options available: 1. iPhone Rotating Car Holder. If you don’t want to break the bank and just want a simple, no fuss solution, then you’ll need to get yourself an iPhone 3G Car Holder and iPhone Car Charger. The holder simply fixes to your windscreen using a suction cup and can be used in either landscape or portrait mode. 2. Brodit Active Holder for iPhone 3GS. If you don’t like having things stuck to your window or the tell tale circle on the glass that says you have a Sat Nav system, then you should also consider a Brodit Active Holder for the iPhone 3GS. These are phone specific cradles that will hold your iPhone securely and have a car charger wired into them, so there is no need to fiddle with cables. They are made from a strong ABS plastic and have a soft touch coating to prevent your phone from getting scratched as you use the holder. You can use your iPhone in both landscape and portrait modes as these holders have a rotating bracket. Brodit Active holders are designed to be screwed onto your dashboard, although if you don’t fancy doing this you can use a Brodit Pro Clip. These are secure mounting pads that clip on to your dashboard and can be removed without causing any damage to your vehicle. ProClips provide an ideal base for fixing an active holder on to. TomTom on iPhone 3G If you plan on using the TomTom software, then this is probably your best option. The TomTom Car Kit does just about everything you need all in one small discrete holder. The suction mount can be fixed to either your windscreen or dashboard (using a fixing plate) and can be rotated for use in either landscape or portrait mode. As well as holding your iPhone, the TomTom Car Kit will boost your GPS signal for improved tracking; it has an FM Transmitter that allows you to play music from your phone through your stereo speakers, and a built in loudspeaker for the voice navigation while you’re driving. Pricing and availability are still to be confirmed. Music Streaming, Hands-Free Calling and Navigation If you really want to get the best from your iPhone and want an in car set up that can be used with your iPhone 3G / 3GS for handling calls, music and navigation there are a number of Plug & Play and professionally installed options available. There are a few iPhone 3GS Plug & Play Car Kits that will work with the iPhone 3G, and the Jabra SP700 is one of the best. The Jabra SP700 is a self install Bluetooth Car Kit that simply clips to the sun visor of your car and pairs to your iPhone using Bluetooth. The SP700 supports the A2DP profile, which means that you can stream your music to it over Bluetooth and listen to it either using the speaker in the SP700 or you can stream the music from the SP700 to your car stereo speakers using its built in FM Transmitter, in a similar way to how the TomTom car kit works. When you use the Sat Nav app on your iPhone, any voice commands will also be played through your car stereo speakers so you shouldn’t ever miss any directions. The battery life of the SP700 is upto 14 hours talk time and 250 hours stand by. Streaming using Bluetooth can be quite a drain on the battery, especially if you are using Sat Nav at the same time, you will almost certainly need a car charger and a way of mounting the phone in the car. Personally I’d recommend using a Brodit Active holder for iPhone 3G and a vehicle specific ProClip. Fully Integrated to your Car If you want a more permanent solution or one where you don’t need to recharge the handsfree unit, then the iPhone 3GS fully fitted Car Kit will be your best bet. I’ve tried most of these kits out with the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS, and by far the best option here is one of the Parrot MKi Car Kits. Parrot only make Bluetooth accessories and because of that they make sure that every phone works brilliantly with their car kits. There are three kits in the MKi range, but the Parrot MKi9000 for iPhone 3GS is your best bet, mainly because you don’t need an external screen. You can play music from your phone through the MKi9000 either by connecting the Dock Connector (which will also charge your phone) or you can stream it using Bluetooth. The Mki9000 will synchronise with your phone book, and supports voice dialing – even on the iPhone 3G. There is also a small remote that you can attach to your dash or steering wheel to control your music (Play/Pause and Volume only when streaming using Bluetooth). When you use Sat Nav on your phone, voice instructions come through your car stereo clearly, and if music is playing at the same time, it briefly mutes out the music so that you don’t miss any directions. You won’t need to buy a car charger for your iPhone as this kit will charge your iPhone when you connect the dock cable, but you will still need a holder for your iPhone 3GS. Depending on how this kit is installed into your car, you may find that the charging cable may not be able to reach the windscreen, so a dashboard holder such as the Brodit Pass through Holder for iPhone 3G & 3GS will be a better option. It’s made from the same soft touch plastic as the Brodit Active Holder, but instead of having a car charger attached, it has a Dock Connector on the bottom so you can leave the charging cable connected permanently. We would recommend that you have your car kit professionally installed. Click here for details on Mobile Fun’s Car Kit Fitting Service. Over the next few months we will see even more Sat Nav applications make their way into the app store, with products from Telmap, Co-Pilot and Navicore still in the pipeline. If you’ve used any of these Sat Nav applications or accessories, let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Cell Phones And Teens

Teens consider cell phones the best invention of all times. I think they are right. I couldn’t imagine my life without the cell phone. I find it useful, entertaining and a salvation. But unfortunately there are teens that are way too obsessed by this invention. They can not stop talking, making pictures, listen to music and all this in a public space. I just hate teens who listen to music in the bus, it’s disrespectful. I don’t agree to listen to others music and I am sure that neither do other people. Cell phones are often personalized, with stickers or images. Some have radio or MP3 incorporated, so walking can be more fun when listening to music. Each person buys a cell phone that represents its personality. That’s why there are so many cell phone models and colors. Teens like fancy cell phones, to match their free personality. Cell phones bond friendships, are part of teens first love, make them get together and know each other. Text messages are more important than food and sleep, because they feed them with the most recent news. The many applications you can develop on the cell phone right now, makes out of it the best friend, not only for teens, but for grown up people too. It help us to keep in touch, carry our best friends’ pictures with us, listen to our favorite music, take pictures (most of the cell phones have cameras now) which we can upload on our computer and share. You cal also attach a memory card to some cell phones to stock more information that you need. It’s a good way too keep in touch with friends that live in other countries, completing emails. I would like to remind about the radiations that some say a cell phone emits. It’s not healthy to talk too long to the phone, or too sleep too close to it! It’s better to profit of its advantages, but knowing some limits. There are several cases when cell phones saved lives, when tourists were caught by avalanches, lost somewhere or in desperate situations. There is still the problem of the network, the signals of the cell phones are not always good, and so the different networks come with different offers to attract clients. This is the main problem for me, because the area I live in has a very bad cell phone signal. I sincerely, don’t think that any person would imagine his life without a cell phone, it saves us from spending time in vain and helps us solve problems from any place we might be. It keeps relationships and brings people together... Now, I should stop right here, my cell phone is ringing...

Ideck In A 2001 Lexus Rx300

I am currently using the iDeck in a 2001 Lexus RX300. This vehicle lacked any sort of Aux input and some internet research hinted that it was possible, but only after splicing some wires and some pretty invasive techniques. I had attempted this in a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix and had poor results, so I started looking for some non-invasive ways to add an Aux connection to the Lexus. My initial thoughts were to suck it up and use an FM transmitter. Once again, I’ve tried them in the past with the Grand Prix and had poor/mixed results. Sometimes it would work wonderfully but, as many people know, the signal would need constantly tweaked when I would commute from Baltimore to Northern VA. Finally, I decided that I would try a tape deck adapter when I got the Lexus. I’m still surprised that it has a standard tape deck but, after finding the iDeck, I’m glad that it does. The iDeck works wonderfully, and I’m especially impressed with it’s cradle – it really holds my iPhone 3Gs firmly. The packaging was excellent, and it includes a multitude of rubber backings based on your particular Apple product. As I had said, I’m currently using an iPhone 3Gs, primarily with Pandora Radio. The sound quality left a little to be desired when directly plugged into the iDeck. There is a white noise that accompanies the sound and this is due, I’m sure, to the tape deck interface. It wasn’t as good as I had expected but was definitely clear enough to hear – the white noise however would overtake the sound at high volumes. Thankfully I had read that you could run a 3.5mm cable from the iPhone headphone output and into the iDeck’s Aux input. This was mainly to allow the device to play phone call audio through the speakers, but I found that it helped the sound output tremendously. So I am currently using the iDeck on a daily basis with a short 3.5mm cable running from the Aux input to my iPhone’s headphone jack. Upon plugging my iPhone in, I receive a pop-up claiming that the device is incompatible, but you can just select ‘No’ and everything is fine. 90% of the time I listen to Pandora with high quality steaming. The audio quality is much improved with the 3.5mm work-around, and now white noise is not an issue until high volumes/quiet audio tracks. The phone will receive calls as usual, and the audio will output to the car speakers. However, it’s much quieter than Pandora, so the car speakers need to be adjusted when I’m receiving a call. Also, my voice is difficult to hear due to the location of the phone and the fact that’s docked. If I speak loudly, then it’s bearable, but I’ve received more than a few complaints when trying to speak through it. That being said, I still primarily use the phone for Pandora and it’s working great! It’s a little finicky when the iPhone is left docked and the car is stopped/restarted. The car cuts its power to the device, and then when it’s restarted you have to handle the popup again, and sometimes the sound is absent. A quick unplug/replug of the 3.5mm jack fixes it – so not an issue. I have already recommended the iDeck to a fellow employee and she loves it. She has a newer Lexus RX330 and has blue tooth for her phone, and uses an iTouch but she still had no way of using it in the vehicle until she got the iDeck. The one report back from her was positive. Overall, I’d recommend this product to anyone with a tape deck adapter. It was the easiest way to take advantage of my iPhone and Pandora without adding another monthly cost (i.e. Satellite Radio). Awesome product!

5 Considerations In Choosing A Bluetooth Car Kit

What do you look for in a Bluetooth handsfree car kit or headset? Over the past ten years Blue-tooth car kits have become more and more popular and mainstream in society. This is mainly down to the fact that mobile phones are more common place and have a more prominent role within people’s lives, and the fact we are all traveling in our vehicles more as part of our daily routine. When you combine the two it easy to see why we feel the need to use our mobile phones while we are driving, especially if we are going to be driving for a period of time without stopping. What are Blue-tooth Car Kits and why are they Important? The Bluetooth kit trend started roughly 10 years ago and takes advantage of the built in function of the majority of, if not all new mobile phones. Bluetooth Car Kits such as Parrot and Bury connect to your phone via the Bluetooth function. Once connected the kits act as the Phone and allow a user interface with the phone through the Bluetooth Kit. New Bluetooth car kits such as the Parrot MKi9200 and the Bury CC9060 allow the user to navigate through the mobile phone using its functions like; phonebook, text message, dial etc without having to touch the phone at all, just leave it in your pocket or handbag. The Wireless technology means you can just get in your car and go. Bluetooth Car Kits are becoming ever more important in the modern world as they allow you to be contactable when you’re driving, many people who don’t use a bluetooth kit while driving may feel they are capable of answering the phone or reading a text message without it. However this is proven to cause accidents as a result of dangerous driving, which is why the police and politicians have cracked down on phone drivers. Issuing a mandatory $90 fine and a 3 Point penalty to anybody caught in the act. Advantage of blue-tooth car kits The Aid of a Blue-tooth car kit allows you communicate with anybody safely and legally without having to break contact with the steering wheel or eye contact with the road leaving you to concentrate on driving. Even though Blue-tooth car kits provide a safer means to communicate and drive ultimately you are responsible for driving in a safe manner. The police can still prosecute for dangerous driving if you are using the phone while driving through the Blue-tooth kit if you are driving erratically or dangerously. Manufacturer of blue-tooth Blue-tooth Car Kits have become a very popular accessory within the vehicle world, and many leading brands predict a 3 billion pound market for Bluetooth products across Europe in 2010. Parrot and Bury are the leaders in the aftermarket car kits, specifically to factory fitted car stereos and are already developing further kits on the back of the latest successful Parrot MKI Range and Bury CC9060 units. The latest kits take advantage of the latest technology boom and utilise new and improved features such as advanced voice recognition software where virtually all menus are accessible via voice commands, and no training is required before hand. Just simply narrate the menu title and the function you would like to perform, e.g. dial... In Car Network, the phone dials the number associated with that contact. Other advanced functions include iPod integration, where tracks, videos & artwork are displayed across the screen, SD card & USB input allow additional sources of media and little features like text to voice so text messages can be read aloud, negating the need fumble around looking for and reading incoming texts. Our top 5 requirements would be: * Call Quality * Ability to recognise speech commands for automatic dialing * Ease of use * Reliability, including battery life * Cost – always a factor! Why these 5? There is no point in making or reciving a call if you can’t be heard at the other end, and you need handsfree for a reason, hence the voice dialing. Ease of use should be second nature, but unfortunately is not always the case. Finally you need to know your device will go the distance, without constant recharging, and the cost needs to accord with the features provided. For a headset device we like the look of the new Bluenext B2, whilst the Parrot MKi9000 seems to tick the boxes for a fully fitted device. To sum it up, if you are a passionate car addict as I am, and want to enjoy every bit of your driving, go get yourself the latest Bluetooth car kit in the market. It’s the driving experience that counts in the end. Remember, if you OWN a car, you need a Bluetooth car kit.

20 Best iPod And iPhone Tracks To Drive To

We all probably get a little frustrated while driving on occasions, maybe because its been a long day, or possibly the start of one? One way to reduce the frustration of driving on today's congested roads is listening to your favourite music. There are many ways of listening to music in your vehicle whether it be via CD's, USB stick or radio. However in my opinion the best way of listening to your favourite music is via your iPod. The reasons are obvious, you have all of your favourite tracks loaded and ready, its easy to carry around, Finding music is simple and the quality is second to none. To Help Remove the stress and boredom of driving I'd recommend listening to the following 20 Classic Driving Tracks, Guaranteed to improve your mood. 1) Stereophonics - Dakota 2) Ocean Colour Scene - Riverboat Song 3) The Killers - Mr Brightside 4) Queens of the Stone age - No One Knows 5) Guns & Roses - Sweet Child Of Mine 6) AC DC - Back In Black 7) Queen - Dont Stop Me Now 8) Blink 182 - Whats My Name Again 9) Coldplay - Yellow 10) Greenday - American Idiot 11) Linkin Park - Points of Authority 12) Kings Of Leon - On Call 13) Newton Faulkner - Dream Catch Me 14) King Of Leon - Sex On Fire 15) Oasis - Wonderwall 16) The View- Same Jeans 17) Jay-Z - 99 Problems 18) Eminem - Lose Yourself 19) Vampire Weekend - A punk 20) Jay-Z - Young Forever Have a listen to the tracks above, they may not be your thing however all of them will pick your mood up. If you don't like them just cycle through the next tracks on your iPod via simple interface on the Dension Gateway Lite or Dice Silverline.