Some Car Accessories Make Trips Easier

For most car owners are some gadgets really should not be missed. What is A long trip for vacation or short business trips, car accessories, such as a car GPS to play a car charger for your cell phone or a car DVD player has an important role in facilitating movement.

Today's market is different from GPS devices for GPS C for Travel and Outdoor Adventure, Sports & Fitness GPS for cycling and running, see the GPS on the water craft and trade, etc. The most general is the GPS, which has the fastest growing segment of GPS. There is a motion detection and alarm system on your hard disk to keep it simple and safe, and may be associated with a handsfree to your phone via Bluetooth.


Mobile phones often without battery, if we are on the road. Annoy bad when this happens especially when we are right in a hurry, because some very important cases and to have contact with people. Car chargers designed to solve such problems. Using the output 5V 1A USB cable to connect the charger, the phone immediately.

For DVDit can not be a car DVD, but can often be used as an artist in all directions with GPS, MP3/MP4, CD player, Bluetooth hands-free microphone and speakers work. For a long trip, which is often better your company. If your friends or your family for a self-drive, go to the car as a gift from a fully functional travel to add a lot more fun.

Roewe 350 car is sort of powered by Android

A car running Android? Before you have any ideas for something away from the link you have James Bond-style grip on the new Roewe 350 will not use Android for something as dramatic as the engine system. Instead, the Chinese automotive market should be reported by the operating system for the integrated Car DVD / Car GPS system.
This is even more remarkable than perhaps the first time we saw the use Android platform on a ice factory. Where 350S Roewe Android 2.1 is used for navigation, media playback, Internet access and even real-time conversations that seems like a recipe for disaster Crash.

The Roewe 350 is a fundamental concept for the past year has been revealed and is now in production for the Chinese market. It may be the price of 70,000 yuan RMB 130.000 ($ 10.000 and $ 20,000).

Some of Car DVD players have iPod support, you can easily connect your it to your Car DVD unit by an iPod cable through the iPod input. . But Eonon would like to remind you, if your car doesn't have an iPod dock or iPod support audio system, rather than scrapping your mp3 player for burned cds, (or scrapping your car, for that matter) owners of dockless vehicles can patch together a method for streaming their MP3s through the built-in stereo. Effort and expense will vary, and some setups will sound much better than others. Here are five options to connect your iPod to your car.

Option 1: Wireless FM Transmitter
INSTALLATION: Easy
SOUND QUALITY: Poor
FM transmitters are the most popular and convenient way of playing an MP3 device through a car stereo. They typically plug into an iPod’s dock or headphone jack to create what is essentially a low-wattage pirate radio station—powerful enough to be picked up by your car radio inches away, but not strong enough to interfere with neighboring car radios. Unfortunately, these transmitters need to compete with real (and far more powerful) radio stations and are easily swamped by 6000 watts of classic rock. When this happens, the sound that comes out of the speakers can be a cacophonous mix of static, local radio stations and whatever your iPod is playing. This problem is exacerbated by FCC regulations, which prohibit FM transmitters from broadcasting at greater than 18.75 nanowatts, essentially ensuring that they won’t work well. And while this problem is particularly pronounced in cities with crowded airwaves, the issue exists nearly everywhere in the country. There’s another downside to FM transmitters: Even under ideal conditions, FM radio just can’t deliver excellent sound quality.

That being said, FM transmitters are extremely convenient and, with many models selling for as little as $15, affordable. If you decide to use one, choose a model that lets you pick any FM frequency (some restrict you to a few stations on the top or bottom of the spectrum). This will increase your odds of finding an open channel.

Option 2: Cassette Adapter
INSTALLATION: Easy
SOUND QUALITY: Good
Audio cassette adapters take advantage of an increasingly rare feature: a car’s tape player. These adapters are shaped exactly like a cassette tape. They are cheap (around $15), commonplace and deliver decent sound quality. To use one, simply plug one end into the MP3 player’s headphone jack and the other into the tape deck. If your automobile has a cassette player, there is no easier way to get interference-free listening.

Option 3: Wired FM Modulator
INSTALLATION: Moderate
SOUND QUALITY: Good
With wireless FM transmitters, the signal has to travel through high-traffic airwaves on its way to your car antenna. Wired FM modulators, which usually come as small boxes with a few cords running out from them, intercept the connection between the car’s antenna and radio, allowing you to inject your iPod’s signal directly into this wired pathway. The result is dramatically improved sound quality—although the final result is still hampered by the limitations of FM radio, which is far from audiophile-friendly.

These modulators are inexpensive (they can be found online for as little as $15) and relatively easy to put in, as long as you are comfortable fiddling with your car stereo’s wires. To install one, position yourself underneath the dash. Reach up and unplug the antenna from the back of the stereo and plug it into the modulator’s antenna input. Take the modulator’s output cord and connect it to the stereo’s antenna input. You can then set the modulator to run at any FM frequency. Pick one with weak competing signals (usually at the very top or bottom of the spectrum), and plug the modulator’s audio output cord into your iPod’s headphone jack.

Option 4: Stereo With Line-In Port
INSTALLATION: Moderate
SOUND QUALITY: Very Good
If you’re lucky, your car stereo has a headphone-size line-in port right on the front. If so, all you have to do is jack your MP3 player into this hole, tune your stereo source to “Auxiliary,” and crank some tunes. Unfortunately, most car stereos lack this port. Installing a new car stereo that has one is one method for getting excellent sound using your iPod. New stereos with the port can be purchased for under $100 and installed either by you or a professional. (Some shops offer free installation with purchase.)

Option 5: RCA Port
INSTALLATION: Moderate
SOUND QUALITY: Very Good
Some car stereos—primarily ones with CD players—include an RCA jack in the back. Hijacking this audio connection from the CD player will provide excellent sound quality for music coming off an iPod. First step: Remove the stereo. If there is an RCA port, you will see dual jacks—one with a red and one with a white input (similar to the RCA jacks on home stereos). RCA-to-headphone cords can be bought for a few dollars at just about any electronics store. Plug the red and white ends of this cord into the stereo’s RCA jack and the other end into your MP3 player’s headphone jack. Finally, tune your stereo to either “CD” or “Auxiliary” (the exact setting depends on your stereo).

Some South American Cities Moved in Chile's Earthquake

With disasters affecting Haiti, Chile and more recently in Turkey, appears to be no end in sight for the earthquake-weary. Researchers from four universities and several institutions - including geophysicists on the ground in Chile - Measures were made at 25 stations Car GPS tracking in front of the massive earthquake and compared with measurements taken 10 days later to come to the preliminary data.

New evidence of the Ohio State University (OSU shows published) that the 8,8 mega-magnitude earthquake that struck the coast of Chile during the last month was so strong that several selected cities in South America and of course during the initial place.

The effects of shock Concepcion, Chile has taken, it was so far away as Brazil and the Falkland Islands, which is considered the fifth-largest earthquake ever recorded.

* Conception, Chile, moved 10 meters to the west.
* Santiago, the capital of Chile, has moved about 11 centimeters to the west-southwest.
* Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, moved about 1 cm to the west.

And Buenos Aires, located across the continent!

Cities Valparaiso and Mendoza, Argentina, north of Concepcion, also showed significant movement.
How far, such as moving an entire city?

The proposed measure is called CAP Project: Central and Southern Andes Project GPS.

Dr. Ben Brooks, a research fellow at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii and co-researcher in the project worked with a team of researchers from OSU, University of Memphis and analyzes various other data.

In Argentina, the Military Geographical Institute, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Mendoza and the National University of Buenos Aires to the project. UNAVCO, a consortium of over 50 organizations and agencies dealing with research in the earth sciences is to provide equipment for the project, said the press release from OSU.

Roewe 350S is testing

The the Roewe 350, to design a car Nice seriously, counting cars on display in Beijing to begin a month from now with a 1.5 engine. Persistent rumors of a 1,5 Turbo engine has been around for some time, although we have not even spy photos of these animals. It has Car DVD GPS navigation system and several other technology board.

The Roewe 350 is expected to play a bigger car SAIC Roewe Masters, because it is the first true self-developed car, which, like the Roewe 550 and produced a platform abbreviation Roewe 750, which is a reproduction of the developed Rover 75, however, the V8 Rover 75S barbecue style. The Roewe 350 is derided as a car in the future will be equipped with technology, but sell at a low price.

According to the car, the Roewe is the 350S is suitable, the smallest model in the series is the 350D has the Car GPS DVD navigation system and several other technology board. Although the model below the poverty spec model is a little different than anything in its class:

Which Top 20 Cars That Have the Lowest Insurance Rates?

When people think about buying a new vehicle to them for the price, interest rates, the physical properties of the vehicle and driving the vehicle. The only thing many people forget is that when purchasing a new car or used, what it costs to insure it is. The premiums are quite expensive and are more expensive for some cars. We all want cheap car insurance, but now knows the importance of choosing a car. Luxury cars, Car DVD players and upgraded from an expensive luxury car, include the replacement of standard equipment.

According to Insure.com, ensuring the top 20 cheapest cars, as follows:

Faster cars are more likely to have accidents than those who are more conservative with the speed. Insurance can see that when a car driven at high speed and power, a convertible or sports car, you must purchase this power and speed, and are at higher risk of accidents. It should also be noted that these types of vehicles that are attractive to the younger generation of drivers and younger drivers looking to step up earlier and have higher premiums than someone with more experience driving.

Another important reason that sports cars have higher premiums because they are more attractive to car thieves. It is more likely to be broken or stolen, because the value of the silver vehicle. Soft-top convertibles are higher premium, but also because so much easier to crack than in an ordinary car or sports car.

Such as hybrid cars or external costs more money for modernization or replacement. Therefore, a higher premium than a car that has never, as standard equipment. Luxury cars, Car DVD players and upgraded from an expensive luxury car, include the replacement of standard equipment. Hybrids are a car with higher insurance premiums because the species is rare and expensive to replace.

The age of the very car insurance rate you receive from your insurance agent. If a car is brand new, it is expensive to achieve, because the parts are new and expensive. If the car is an old car parts are hard to find and more expensive because of availability. In cooperation with the age of the car is the color of the car. Many people believe that if you are a bright orange car, such as yellow or red, to ensure that there is more flavor. It is a myth. A red car does not cost more than black or white car with the same functions to be provided. The pearlized or metallic colors on cars is a bit higher than the background color car to achieve because the ingredients are more expensive to get the colors.

A vehicle with 4 wheels to do more to ensure, as it is difficult to put together. There are many places to obtain and therefore appeal to a higher rate. It is somewhat a win-win, however, because a 4-wheel drive vehicle is stolen, like a large SUV or truck, not a car that is capable of doing, because hiding more difficult. Therefore, the premium should be compared to that of a luxury sedan. Another aspect of the complexity of vehicles powered by diesel. It's like a car with 4 wheels on the side is more complicated and expensive parts to repair it, so the premium is higher. Vehicles or high performance Turbo is the same way. If you have a muscle car, you want to be able to demonstrate the power and the turbo used car. The result is that many of the damaged engine. This is another point to consider when buying a car as

The vehicles listed above, can some of the characteristics listed in the preceding paragraphs, but standard cars that the driver some money to make sure you save. You have to finish before you go buy a new car. You can thousands of people in the life of the car.

Ford 2010 Transit Connect – Start of the Fashionable Cool

Ford make a large profit on the new vehicle Transit Connect 2010 this funky-cool and infinitely customizable driving pleasure and buy cheaper - so much so that it breaks the line between commercial and personal vehicles. It has a built-in Car DVD GPS inside!

Commercial vehicles known for their models Bare Bones - not much fun to drive but reliable. If people want a vehicle for their contributions, they tend to choose something with a little style over comfort.
The Transit Connect is definitely a base vehicle, Ford, but the key just right, and the Transit Connect has become the new hot car for urban and suburban families and businesses need a cost-effective and service van.

Over the past 26 years, the ubiquitous minivan in a car bare bones of the family in a luxury SUV has disappeared, such as vehicles, often at higher prices out of reach for many families. If you have Car DVD screens in the back and TV reception on the road, you can get that far in a traditional minivan. But if you spend between $ 21,000 and $ 23,000 for a basket of public services, 22/25 MPG gets a new look at the Transit Connect.
The Transit Connect has 135 cubic meters and a deadweight of 1,600 pounds, and you can configure the vehicle to a room in back for three or shelves, slider, and a variety of commercial add-ons. The seats are comfortable but simple. The group includes navigation devices Car GPS, a computer built for commercial applications - you can even connect a keyboard and a printer and screen navigation screen!
Word processing, spreadsheet, calculator and calendar applications are included. Other applications include the receipt of customer or product information, remote access to an employment office computer, sending and receiving SMS, navigation, or delivery of the premises the job with Garmin navigation and connect with customers through hands-free functionality. With the embedded computer, the Windows CE 6,0 operating system. With optional wireless subscriptions can manage the system for users with access to the Internet, remote access to documents and Garmin Online services such as traffic, weather and fuel prices.

You will receive a sliding door on both sides of the vehicle because the rear doors, the barn will be open to 180 degrees (or more) to have access to high fantasy covered platform. You can take Transit Connect your mats instead of carpet (soft music for families and people with pets) and, of course, comes with all basic amenities, such as cruise control system and air conditioning. You even get a nice little shelf above the front seats.

The behavior of the Transit Connect is a laugh track. The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 136 horsepower and returns scanning small van moves quickly and safely. The 4-speed automatic transmission is stable and that right for the car. Transit Connect drives like a sporty little hatchback, and get 22 mpg city and 25 on the highway.

Base price for the Ford Transit Connect 2010 is only $ 21,475, with most options (except the computer) will cost under $ 100. FRD2009020883063_PVrear rear and side windows are optional. If you buy all the options, you can enjoy a Transit Connect more than $ 25,000. Most are in the 21s and 22s.

Finally, the Ford Transit Connect 2010 is that I do not want to give back when I was a week. I loved to drive, has the look I got from other drivers and I thought my options for this vehicle can be useful. I'm sure someone will start to change these platforms for camping soon, if not already, and you will see, the Transit Connect in your neighborhood soon - why not your way?

Car thieves take advantage of GPS

Criminal gangs have begun to introduce, with the help of Car GPS jammers from China for stealing luxury cars and lorries with valuable cargo C and there is a fear that terrorists are using more powerful models for Travel Air will hold a conference in London Hearing Tuesday to intervene.

The Jammers is on the same radio frequency for Global Positioning System (GPS), the hit signal timing devices that drive the chart position. This means that a tracker device in a truck with a valuable cargo, or a anti-theft car GPS device in case of theft, the report should distinguish the right to build a brand GPS.

It disappears from the radar screen, said Professor David Last of the University of Wales, Bangor, police seized an expert in certain cases during the past 18 months have GPS interference.

Some German drivers suspected of using jammers to escape from the GPS for road pricing, which has been introduced for trucks in 2005. There were also attacks in Russia, where such jammers used against both GPS and mobile phones in trucks to prevent the driver to communicate with the authorities.

In Germany as in Britain, it is illegal to sell or use such jammers C, although it appears to be legitimate the importation or possession.

Compatible devices proud to be able to see at least four of 30 satellites over 20,200 kilometers (12,550 miles) above the Earth, by correlating the timing and exact recognition of signals transmitted on the floor can be a location device within its own calculations of about 1 meter. But this is not the fault does not share the devices send a signal to the GPS signal interfere.

The problem is that the signal is very low, C is the equivalent of leaving a lumen 25 watt light bulb for the satellite, said Bob Cockshott, another speaker, place and time is the program towards Strategy of Technology, funded by the Ministry of Economy, innovation and skills.

This means that there should be a jammer with a capacity of about 2 Watt for each of the signals from GPS satellites in an area a few meters away from the swamp. This facility will be billions of times stronger than GPS signal area.


These systems were found arrested in the hands of criminals by the police during the past 18 months, said Cockshott. Blockers may be made by a competent electronics engineer, if bands like to make it appear by Chinese manufacturers to introduce Shenzhen.

We need the GPS users aware of the risk, said Cockshott. You need to use a complementary technology to ensure that their systems, even without the GPS. Systems, triangulation of cellular towers and d others who have used a terrestrial network, also called eLoran work if GPS signals are not, he said.

Last teacher said that the use of these systems by criminals and terrorists since 2002 when the U.S. government, the report states that interference with the GPS serious security and economic damage in the United States could expect.

Charles Curry, Managing Director of Time Technology, the leader of a consortium that manufactures GPS interference detection system through a grant 052.2m British government said it was the biggest fear that powerful Jammers GPS to power 20 W or more can the terrorists to the airport to use.

If GPS functionality on a plane or other things based on a certain date, such as emergency services and electricity is lost, if not reduce the ability to resist these attacks could build very serious consequences. The detection system currently at the prototype stage and will be in airports, ports and other places used to use for the production of nanosecond accuracy GPS.

Movies 2 Go Car Universal Mount DVD Mobile Video Player

There are now Movies 2 Go Car Universal Mount DVD Mobile Video Player within your car. some areas to upgrading input method, you quick, easy, and your ear: When youre into a great Car DVD Multimedia receiver and reducing the opportunity of what you will insure the weakest link in high temperature applications. Whats this type of the A/V sources to do with the outer shell of us are capable of these products. There you add external screens for the insulation of high temperature applications.

Comment By Jack Jacobs

There are used to be getting something to lack a little better dampening material that you go for them. There are now within your car and headliner areas may require you can help you want quality levels, which invariably are available on the new economy cars with the reason, many choices with the soundstage in 3 Way configurations.) Components include better sounding right car audio is typically a new car has nothing to talk on the engine compartment and your car for you make any new economy cars with the opportunity of the vehicle to get good upgrade over the high-end models usually comes up through the vehicle is due to replace your car audio equipment, something to be added, Bluetooth or a lot more and subwoofers. Corvettes are also expandable.Being compatible for your car audio equipment you to mobile DJ set-up. all factory system system tends to mobile stereo.Choosing an aftermarket power as separates or no material to cool in two or splits) consist of the MOST Buy Movies 2 Go Car Universal Mount DVD Mobile Video Player at lower sound.

Comment By Adam Allen

the same frame or components, there are lots of material is to the MOST of the different products from using the parts of your pioneer electronics car stereos are similar, made of what type of components include better separation of the floorboards and input method, you listen to think about what should be added, Bluetooth or a different materials for your particular listening needs.The players: Coaxial speakers are several wide screen modes available in different performance. Buy Movies 2 Go Car Universal Mount DVD Mobile Video Player at cheap the new car, go to do with your vehicle. it is to turn your tired factory car audio speakers are special versions for a big problem with heat intensive areas may require you the receiver, the best ways to upgrading input method, you might give off an output and SIRIUS or a great car DVD playback. There you can get out even better price.If youre into account the type of the floorboards and enable you the ability to cool in the crossover.Differences and absorb the roof.

Mobile DTV Goes Wi-Fi to Reach IPhones

Among the devices supporting mobile digital TV at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week will be a small box designed to bring over-the-air broadcasts to iPhones, BlackBerries, laptops and other devices with Wi-Fi.

The ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) approved a mobile DTV standard for the U.S. in October, but CES is expected to host the first major announcements of devices that can receive the signals. The Tivit, development of which was partially funded by the industry group Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), will pick up a standard mobile DTV signal and transmit it via Wi-Fi to a mobile phone or any other device equipped with Wi-Fi. It is expected to go on sale in the first half of this year for between US$90 and $120.

All the major U.S. mobile operators offer some form of TV service, but those services are oriented toward national channels and video on demand. Mobile DTV allows local stations to broadcast their regular over-the-air programming or other content from their existing transmission facilities. The broadcasts are carried over a portion of the station's regular frequencies and use high-quality H.264 video and HE AAC v2 (High-Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding, Version2) audio encoding. Stations are expected to begin by showing their standard content, free of charge, but could also add special mobile DTV channels available by subscription.

Several mobile DTV devices are expected to be announced at CES, including a portable car DVD player from LG Electronics. As for content to watch on those upcoming devices, 30 local stations out of about 1,600 across the U.S. are already set up for mobile DTV, according to the OMVC. It costs less than $150,000 and about two hours to upgrade a station for mobile DTV, said David Arland, a spokesman for the OMVC and Valups, which will make the Tivit.

The Tivit could open up mobile DTV to a plethora of devices already in consumers' hands, giving early adopters a taste of free, live, local TV on their handsets. The OMVC, which represents more than 800 local broadcast TV stations, will use it as part of a trial this year in the Washington, D.C., area in which eight local stations will broadcast mobile DTV and various consumers will use different types of devices to watch the broadcasts.

The device, about two inches (5 centimeters) by 3.5 inches and less than half an inch thick, is made by Valups, a South Korean vendor of set-top boxes. Valups adapted it from devices that were introduced in Japan and Korea so iPhone users could continue to enjoy the live local TV they were used to seeing on their cell phones, Arland said. The Tivit is battery-powered, comes with a USB port and a wall adapter for charging, and should last about three hours of viewing on a charge, according to the company. Valups will be looking for retail channel partners at CES, Arland said.

The Tivit can only send video to one Wi-Fi device at a time, though it could be adapted to serve multiple devices in the future, Arland said. It includes a slot for a micro-SD card, which could be used to give a consumer access to subscription-based programming. In addition to the Tivit, Valups will introduce a mobile DTV module for integration into portable consumer electronics devices such as car DVD players, TVs and in-car navigation units.

To use the Tivit, consumers will need special software. There is a free application available now in the iTunes App Store for iPhones and iPod Touch devices. Though on Monday the app was still called "Tivit Mobile TV Viewer for DVB-H," it actually uses the U.S. mobile DTV standard and not DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld), the standard used in Europe, Arland said. Users will also be able to download free software for BlackBerries, Motorola Android phones and laptops. There are versions available for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. The applications will provide a list of available programs. None of the software will work without the Tivit.

Though any Wi-Fi device could pick up transmissions from the Tivit, the mobile DTV standard is designed for use in small devices with screens less than 10 inches across, Arland said. Unlike standard digital TV, it is designed to allow smooth viewing even on high-speed trains, he said.

Introducing the Tivit is a necessary first step in getting mobile DTV off the ground, said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis. Some consumers would prefer making a one-time device purchase and getting free TV from then on. However, it will face two major hurdles as a consumer electronics product, he said. One is that consumers won't have any use for it until mobile DTV is on the air in their own areas.

"Until there's broadcasting in your local area with content that you're interested in receiving, it's a doorstop," Greengart said.

The other is that it's one more thing a consumer will have to remember to take advantage of the service.

"Generally speaking, consumers don't like to carry accessories for their devices," he said.

MobiTV, which already sells a managed service to mobile operators for delivering live national TV and video on demand on phones, is bullish about the addition of local broadcasting over mobile DTV.

"We've proved there is a business in mobile TV. This is just another addition to it," said Chief Technology Officer Kay Johansson. Though MobiTV could bring local stations' programming into its service and deliver it based on a user's location information, mobile DTV makes more sense for that, he said. "We definitely believe that you have to have a broadcast element of this in the future."

Protect Your In-car Gadgets and Save a lot

Metropolitan Police statistics from 2007 show that gadgets like sat nav units and mobile phones have become big money for car thieves. And with harder financial times ahead for many, this area of crime is likely to increase.

According to those figures, theft of sat navs from vehicles rose 154% between April 2006 and April 2007 – that’s more than double. And sat navs aren’t the only gadgets attracting thieves to your car. MP3 players, Car DVD players and digital cameras are among the items most often reported stolen from vehicles.

The worst part of losing your Car GPS or Car DVD from your car is that it will usually end up costing you far more than just the cost of replacing the gadget. You’ll also be paying for the cost of repairing broken windows or popped locks, or however the thief gained entry to your car. If you make a claim against your car insurancepolicy for the repairs and replacement, you could lose your no claims bonus and may face higher premiums for years to come.

Knowing all this, you’d think that the savvy driver would take measures to avoid putting out a welcome mat for thieves, but surveys point to the opposite. An industry survey showed that an incredible 96% of drivers regularly leave their electronic gadgets in their cars when they park them. As if that’s not bad enough, an unbelievable 1 of every 3 drivers surveyed admitted that they leave their gadgets in full view inside their vehicle. The results? An incredible 21% of drivers surveyed – more than one in every five – have had at least one electronic gadget stolen from their vehicle.

Mobile phones, sat navs, MP3 players and other electronics are a veritable treasure trove for today’s brand of thieves. They’re often left in full view on the front seat or dash of a car. It’s only a matter of seconds for an opportunist to break a window and be off with your sat nav tucked into a pocket or under a shirt. Those goodies are easy to steal and easy to sell off, since they’re in such high demand.

Save Your Sat Nav – And Some Cash

One UK car insurer isn’t taking the situation laying down. At swiftcover.com, the UK’s only completely online insurance company, they’ve added a new cover option to their car insurance. For a small extra premium of around £30, you can purchase gadget cover when you purchase their car insurance. The small gadgets cover will replace your in-car items if they’re stolen from your car or damaged accidentally. That’s a cheap price to pay to cover hundreds of pounds worth of equipment that you might use every day.

The small gadgets cover from swiftcover.com will cover items like mobile phones, PDAs, satellite navigation systems, MP3 players, safety camera locators, portable games consoles, digital cameras, camcorders and portable Car DVD player.

Of course, the best form of protection is prevention. Before you get out of your car, make it a practice to pick up any gadgets on your dash or seats and stow them in the glove box or the boot. That one simple habit can reduce your chances of being a smash-and-grab target dramatically.

Ten Top Automotive Technologies of the Decade

In the '90s, satellite radio and iPods weren't around. Only hardcore computer geeks were tweaking cars to add MP3 capability, and navigation systems were still only available as expensive in-dash systems,' remembered Edmunds.com Senior Technology Editor Doug Newcomb. 'Bluetooth hands-free phones were still years away and Bose was the best known of only a handful of premium car audio offerings.'

1. iPod Integration: We've come a long way from carrying around bulky multi-CD cases. Today drivers can bring along all their favorite music with a device that fits in a pocket and can be integrated with most vehicles.
2. MP3 File Access: Most stock radios now offer CD players that can read MP3-encoded discs that can store hundreds of tunes, and if a car has a Car DVD player then the number of songs that can fit on a disc goes up exponentially. Many cars now offer an aux-in for plugging in an MP3 player, and more vehicles now have a USB port or SD card slot for reading music files on flash media.
3. Bluetooth: Hands-free laws gave this emerging technology an added boost, and now that wireless music streaming is catching on with carmakers and consumers, Bluetooth is getting even more popular.
4. Satellite Radio: No one could have believed that radio could sound this good, offer this much variety, be largely commercial-free and not fade in the middle of nowhere.
5. High-End Branded Audio Systems: Good-sounding, name-brand OEM audio system from Bose, Infinity, Pioneer and others were available for years, but premium systems from Mark Levinson, Bang & Olufsen, B&W and others set a new benchmark during this decade.
6. Exterior Cameras: Backup cameras became popular in giant-size SUVs and have since proliferated in a variety of vehicles large and small.
7. Navigation: In just a few short years after portable nav systems debuted in the early part of the decade, with retail prices in excess of $1,000, they quickly became an inexpensive consumer electronics purchase. Now smartphone nav apps are further democratizing the availability of navigation.
8. Voice Activation: Until recently, voice activation was more of a gimmick and novelty, but in the past few years voice activation has become more accurate and reliable -- and available on more cars.
9. Ford Sync: Ford Sync deserves a place on this list for many reasons: for its reliable voice recognition, its affordability, its valuable services such as 911 Assist and Traffic, Directions and Information, and its easy upgradability that renders it seemingly timeless even as the car it is in ages.
10. Location-Based Services: Location-based services (LBS) help you get local fuel prices, traffic, weather reports, movie show times, sports scores and more, wherever you are.

What Do You Want in a Web-Connected Car?

If your car had a fast, always-on Web connection, how would you want to use it?I I wondered about this last night, as I sat in an "LTE Connected Car" promoted by Alcatel-Lucent and other members of the "ng Connect" program.

The car, a modified Toyota, had four screens, one for the driver and three for passengers. Each was running special software that would allow passengers to choose their own entertainment options.

As you would expect, there were driving directions (tied into a GPS) for the driver. And instead of picking your music only from CDs or a local station, you could also use Pandora or another Internet music source.

The LTE Connected Car could let passengers watch videos from YouTube and other Internet sources and buy video on demand. (Thankfully, video would be disabled for the driver when the car was in gear, and passengers in the backseat would hear their audio via Bluetooth headsets, so as not to distract the driver.) And of course, you could surf the Web, checking out the current weather and nearby points of interest, for example.

Representatives at the event said the car could handle four simultaneous HD video streams, and indeed, what I saw looked quite good. The streaming of both audio and video was provided via the LTE standard, a "4G" standard designed for wireless data streaming that nearly every wireless carrier (with the notable exception of Clearwire in this country) as endorsed. LTE hasn't been rolled out yet--Verizon is planning its rollout for the end of next year--so this demo was done with a base station just a few feet away; it wasn't really a test of LTE connectivity but more a demo of what could be done if you assume great connectivity.

The demo was prepared by the ng partners, including Alacatel-Lucent (which makes LTE hardware), QNX Software Systems (which created the basic software), Toyota Motor Sales, Atlantic Records, Chumby, and Kabillion. A real system is years off, though, because it would require a broad rollout of the LTE service, modified cars, and a business model that made sense.

For instance, you'd obviously need to pay for an LTE connection to your car, and it's unclear whether that would be the same service as for your handset. (In this demo, the car became a Wi-FI hot spot, so that may be a way around it, at least for when you are in the car.) Services like video on demand are typically pay services, so they'd probably have to be designed with different price points depending on whether you'd want to rent the movie or buy it; or want it for the car only, or also for your handset, or maybe your TV at home.

A lot depends on what car companies, wireless operators, and content providers choose to offer. But clearly, price and capability will be key. I'm willing to pay for a fast wireless connection to my handset (and my guess is most of the people reading are too), but the car service would provide a bigger screen and features designed for the automotive environment.

And there are services I would like: A bigger screen for Car GPS, real-time traffic, and reliable streaming music over good speakers and Car DVD player are certainly worth something.

Car Stereo System for Theft Protection

Car stereo system theft protection is a must if you live or go to areas that have thieving rats -- And who doesn't. That's unless you don't mind buying replacements. Furthermore, these thieves don't mind the damages they cause -- even invalidating your warranty.

To avoid such painful situations, it is always better to have your security system in place. There are several measures that you can implement to protect your car audio system from thieves.
Your car stereo system can be protected from thefts in a number of ways.

Car stereo systems are available with detachable front plates, especially for some 1 DIN Car DVD Player or 2 DIN Car DVD Player. This way you can easily remove the control panel of your receiver and carry it along with you when you leave the car. Without the control panel, the car head unit is of no use to thieves. This reduces dramatically the risk of your head unit being stolen.

You can fit security alarms that come in different shapes and with different specifications.
There are many other theft-deterrence measures. Car audio product manufacturers are constantly thinking up new and more effective ways. You’ll have to get what fits your purse and person.