Oh! Gizmo

By Chris Scott Barr

There are some people in this world that need to be connected to the internet at all times. Sure, I’m an internet junkie, but I don’t think I’d ever go so far as to install a permanent WiFi hotspot in my car. GM announced that they will soon start offering Autonet, an always-on wireless internet solution for your car.

The device can be installed in your new van, SUV, truck or crossover starting later this month. Installation will set you back $499, while service is going to cost $29 a month with a 1GB cap. There is also a 5GB package, though no price was listed. The WiFi signal will reach up to 150 feet away, so you won’t be limited to using it just in your car. Great, now kids can check their Facebook and watch YouTube on long car rides. All my brother and I had was one GameBoy to fight over.

[ GM ] VI A [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Keys are one of those objects that seems almost archaic when you think about them. We have so many technologies at our disposal, you have to wonder why we rely on these so heavily. If you don’t have a car with a fancy keyless setup, you can now add a Viper StartSmart system that will let you control your car from your iPhone.

The new StartSmart System won’t have you driving your car from an iPhone, but you can do a host of other functions:

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By Chris Scott Barr

Long car trips aren’t much fun, especially if you’re a kid. That was true enough at least when I was young, as we only had books, Walkmans and maybe a Gameboy to keep us occupied. Nowadays kids get in-car DVD players, laptops, iPods and DS/PSP’s. Well now they can even get a PS2 installed in their parents minivan.

Sure, many in-car DVD players give you the option to hook a gaming console to them, but then you have to mess with running the cables, and powering the stupid thing. Audiovox has crafted an overhead console which sports a 10.2-inch LCD screen and  a PS2. The PS2 is in a custom housing, so they didn’t just cram a Slim into a fancy compartment. The system comes with a pair of controllers, along with two games (Rachet & Clank: Going Commando and Hot Shots Golf 3). The real kicker here is the $950 price tag. If it were a PS3 or Xbox 360, I’d still say that was too much money. However, since we’re talking about a 9-year-old console it’s just ludicrous.

[ Audiovox ] VIA [ UberGizmo ]

By Chris Scott Barr

I haven’t jumped on the satellite radio bandwagon, mostly because I’m happy with just hooking up my iPhone and listening to my collection of tunes. However, for those that aren’t content to listen to their iTunes collection in the car, you might be interested in this XM SkyDock, which turns your iPhone into a Sirius XM Radio tuner.

This, combined with the corresponding app, gives you full access to all of Sirius XM’s lineup (unlike the regular Sirius XM app, which omits several key stations) from your iPhone. The SkyDock plugs into your car’s cigarette adapter to not only provide power to your phone, but it also allows it to transmit audio to your stereo through the car’s electrical system. This will work when playing music through iTunes, as well as Sirius XM. Another cool feature is iTunes tagging, which allows you to tag a song you hear so that it can be purchased through iTunes later.

The kit will be available sometime in the fall for $120, plus the cost of a Sirius XM subscription. Any iPhone or iPod Touch running 3.0 software will work.

[ Sirius ] VIA [ Cnet ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Having a hands-free kit in your car can make a huge difference when talking on the phone and driving. Not only does it free up both hands for steering (and shifting), but I’ve noticed that I pay more attention to the road when using one. Unfortunately such a device doesn’t do you much good if it dies. That’s why the SolCHAT was created.
This particular hands-free kit gets it juice from the sun’s rays. Since you situate it on the windshield of your car, you’re very likely to get a pretty good charge throughout the day. Of course if your car sits in a garage or covered parking space, it might not do as well. Otherwise, you should be good. The SolCHAT features an audio Caller ID function as well as DSP echo cancellation. You can pick one of these up for right around $100.

[ SkyMall ] VIA [ UberGizmo ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Radar detectors are nothing new. Sure, they’ve gotten their fair share of upgrades to keep up with the latest police equipment, but how effective are they against speed and red-light cameras? I don’t know of any that are able to warn you of either device, which might land you a ticket in the mail. Thankfully, Cobra has a trick up their sleeve.

The new Cobra SL3 has built-in GPS functionality so that it can tell you when you are approaching an area that has either red-light cameras or speed cameras. It has a series of LEDs and warning tones that will let you know when you are getting close. It updates itself every 12 hours so that it has the latest information on new cameras that have been installed. For $100, it will pay for itself by preventing just one ticket.

[ Cobra ] VIA [ Dvice ]

Update: I’ve removed the link to Cobra’s site, as it appears to currently be infected.

By Chris Scott Barr

Way back in 2007 David and I had the chance to go up to Michigan and drive some of GM’s current line of vehicles, which was a blast. The ‘08 Corvette was definitely my favorite, and one of the features that I thought was really cool (other than the horsepower, smooth transmission, etc.) was the HUD-style speedometer. It was nice not having to take your eyes off the road to check your speed (which was probably best when I was hitting 120mph on the test track). Well now you can add this feature to any car with the HG400 Heads Up Display.

This gadget uses GPS technology to measure your speed, which is likely to be more reliable than the speedometer in older cars. Besides just projecting your speed and heading onto your windshield, it can also be set to inform you when you go over a certain speed, hopefully saving you from getting a speeding ticket. It gets its power from your car’s cigarette lighter, and can interact with your other gadgets via Bluetooth, though I’m not really sure why my phone wants to know how fast I’m going. The HG400 seems like it might be cool, but unless you’re really worried about your car’s speedometer, I’m not sure it’s worth the $125 price tag.

[ InternationalAuto ] VIA [ RGS ]

By Luke Anderson

I’m a pretty tall person,which has its upsides and downsides. For instance, I don’t need any help getting things off of a high shelf. This also means that people will bug me to get their crap down from high places. When it comes to riding in a car, most of the time the shorter people are kind enough to sit in the back, knowing that I’d have no legroom back there. On the flip side, when I do get stuck in the back seat, it really sucks. Well if you’re the type that gets stuck in the back often, here’s something that might make your trip a little more bearable.

This Portable Car Seat Laptop Tray reminds me a lot of the tray on a child’s highchair. Heck, it even has someplace to set your drink. But the main purpose is to give you someplace nice to set your laptop, portable DVD player, or anything else. It mounts to the back of the seat in front of you, or if you’re extremely daring, the steering wheel. Seriously? A tray that can be mounted to your steering wheel. No, I see nothing bad about that. Nothing at all. Well wherever you’re wanting to mount it, it can be done relatively cheaply, as one of these will only set you back around $14.

[ Sourcing Map ] VIA [ Coolest Gadgets ]

By Luke Anderson

The Back to the Future movies gave us many tech goodies to wish for. You’ve got hoverboards, self-tying shoes, flux capacitors and even a Mr. Fusion. Sure, I’d probably kill myself on a hoverboard, I’m perfectly capable of tying my own shoes and I know that with even just a quick trip to the past I’d manage to blink us all out of existence somehow. Now that Mr. Fusion would come in handy. Just think if you could dump some trash in it and power your car for a good while (yes, I know that the DeLorean’s engine wasn’t powered by Mr. Fusion, but work with me here). Well apparently such a contraption is real.

It’s not called the Mr. Fusion, probably because of trademarks rights, plus the fact that it isn’t actually performing fusion. The Gasifier uses heat to transform solid biomass into a synthetic “gas-like” fuel. They claim that through this process the device can transform almost any dry organic material into clean burning fuel. So how does one acquire such an interesting device? You build it yourself. Don’t worry, a full set of instructions is provided.

[ Instructables ] VIA [ Dvice ]