Introducing Bluetooth Car Kits – A Safer way to communicate on the move

There has been a lot of press recently about the use of mobile phones when we drive and the danger associated with them is obvious. However many of the general public still fail to heed warnings by the police, politicians and safety groups about the severity of offence caused and the possible outcomes that may occur. Its fair to say the media attention has highlighted the issue of phone driving and increased the public's general awareness. However is this enough? And what else can be done to help prevent deaths on our roads by phone drivers?

The obvious answer is to not use the phone while driving, sounds easy when suggested on paper, but many campaigns from government and local authorities seem to fail. The message is probably heard loud and clear at the time, but when deciding whether or not to take the call it seems to be forgotten quickly. Does this show the awareness campaign if failing or is there a deeper rooted problem within society?

The saturation of mobile phones in the UK is increasing year upon year, this trend has lead us to believing we need our phones to feel in “contact” with our social group or families, and often we feel lost without it. I know I do. Its perhaps this feeling of urgency that encourages us to answer even when we know we shouldn't!!! The problem stretches far and wide, Its likely that you'll see up to or more than 30% of road users making a call, if you were to sit and count vehicles passing by on any major local road.

One way to negate the problem of phone driving isn't to stop drivers using the phone, but to make the experience safer and more convenient for them. Its fairly obvious to me that if the campaigns aren't working perhaps we should try a new strategy!

Bluetooth car kits may provide the answer? Bluetooth car kits pair with your mobile phone to provide a wireless connection which allows you to answer the phone if and when your driving. The bluetooth kit is safer than physically answering and holding the mobile device, allowing you to drive with both hands available.

There's a counter argument that the act of engaging in conversation distracts the mind from that task at hand. However this is somewhat of a null point as any number of factors may cause distractions. Like talking to passengers, listening to a radio station, checking on the kids etc. Is talking on the phone via bluetooth more hazardous than talking to a friend in the passenger seat?

Ultimately the responsibility lies with the driver, its down to him/her to gauge whether they are capable of performing both acts, however its fair to say the use of bluetooth certainly increases the safety of all road users at least.

Bluetooth car kits improve driver & passenger safety

Research into the use of hand held devices while driving is we documented. Whether the item be an iPod, stereo, mobile phone or applying make-up you are found to be much more likely to be involved in an accident if you are using or doing one of them while at the wheel of a vehicle. You would think is common sense not to mess around with something for a period of time while in control of a machine with potential of killing or injuring people, however the vast majority of us do it, and do it regularly. Its surprising what people actually think is safe to do while driving, Not long back I passed an older gentleman reading a book while driving down the motorway!!

Unfortunately there isn't a solution for improving the stupidity of other road users like the old gentleman, however there will more than likely be a solution for improving your safety if you wanted to use a mobile device's functions. There are numerous gadgets to allow the connection of your mobile phone to your vehicle, each type offering different functions and features. Generally speaking the more you spend the better system you get.

Handsfree Bluetooth car kits come in two forms. An integrated kit that connects into the vehicles stereo system, auto muting the music and offering numerous other features. Or a universal kits that either connect to the sun visor, dashboard or directly into your ear.

The hard wired kits offer better quality functions than the universal kits. The auto-mute function is very handy, Its surprisingly inconvenient to reduce the volume on the stereo every time you answer a call. Other features can include text navigation to save you manually routing through menu structures, iPod or MP3 connectivity, steering wheel controls, Text to speech TEXT message service reading incoming Text messages when required and Voice Dial.

Universal Kits usually offer a basic handsfree service, Answer and hang up calls and sometimes phone book compatibility. However the main advantage of having a universal kit in your car is that it is removal allowing you add to any vehicle you may drive. This is especially useful if you have a family of drivers.

Weighing up the advantages and disadvantages for each type is something you must do before purchasing. There will be a kit to suit your specific needs, whichever handsfree car kit you choose will make your phone call a safer experience for you and other road users.

A Bluetooth Car Kit is a device that provides a safe and convenient way to communicate whilst driving. Your Phone can connect to the Car Bluetooth and ensure you and other road users remain safe.

The Power Of Fusion.

Fusion Electronics' unofficial motto is more power, more quality & more Bass. This couldn't be closer to the truth when discussing the new Fusion Encounter, Reactor or Power Plant car audio range. Fusion wanted to produce a range that could conquer the UK car audio scene and provide the value for money that everybody craves.

Engineered to be tough and powerful, the Fusion Reactor subwoofers stand out from the crowd. They provide tight bass due to the upgraded cone which is now made from high quality close-tolerance polypropylene and a specifically designed magnet which powers the copper wrapped voice coil perfectly, especially when installed in smaller enclosures.

Fusion Subwoofers produce an even sounding tight bass tone by managing the movement and excursion of the cone. The shorter excursion from its natural sitting position allows the cone to respond quicker than previous Subwoofers which in turn produces and even and high quality musical tone range complementing a variety of different music genres. However when Turned up Fusion Subwoofers don't disappoint, The 200W RMS power handling capabilities provide some bang for your buck and will add the extra volume to your car audio system without compromising quality.

Fusion Subwoofers also cater for the Volume enthusiast. The Xmax from the power plant subwoofer hits around 21mm, which basically means that the Linear Excursion of the cone can move 21mm in one direction, Perfect air flow movement. Generally speaking the more air moved, the louder or more powerful the audio is heard.

In summary, Fusion's attempts to improve the range of subwoofers has certainly worked. Although not world record beating products, they certainly do provide Quality, Power and Bass. What more can you ask for?

Fusion Car Audio are leaders in the car audio and entertainment market, Fusion Subwoofers are regarded as the best budget subs around. Price and performance are just two of the key ingredients when you go fusion

Installing the Dension Gateway Lite iPod Car Kit

Once you've decided to purchase an iPod car kit, inevitably you've chosen the Gateway Lite produced by Dension. You only have one further obstacle to hurdle, the installation. There are two options available to you for installing the kit. The first option, Pay a professional engineer to install the kit, either travelling to them or they can travel to you. The second option, is to install the iPod car kit yourself. Which is by far the more cost effective option and probably most convenient too. See below an installation guide to judge whether your capable of the installation, should you choose to go ahead.

The installation of the Gateway lite is fairly simple and pain free. Although this is a generic installation guide, it will suit 99% of vehicles.

Before you begin the installation, please remove the keys from the ignition and check that any radio codes are recorded for future reference.

Step one is to remove your car stereo, this will usually involve radio removal tools which will vary depending on what vehicle you have. Radio removal keys are readily available and the majority of online shops or traditional vehicle based retail outlets stock them. Radio removal tools are extremely convenient and can save you a lot of time and energy. This should take between 1-5 minutes

Step two is to remove the harnesses from the back of the stereo, Most vehicles have a Quadlock connection, this is a fairly large connection block that houses the wires to and from the stereo. If the Harness is a Quadlock connection the Dension harness will usually replicate the original harness exactly. The Dension Lite harness simply fits into the vehicle harness and then back to the stereo, basically a link between the vehicle and the stereo.

If the vehicle doesn't have a Quadlock connection, the gateway lite harness fits into the CD changer port on the the back of the stereo. Usually located in the top right of the stereo as your looking at the back of it. Most of the time the harness simply connects straight into place, however occasionally the harness may have to be connected into the original harness then re-connected. This stage should take 2 minutes.

Step three is to connect the Gateway Lite PCB (the little black box) to the dension harness, its the most straight forward step of the installation. This will take 30 seconds.

Step Four is to connect the iPod dock and USB extension cable to the PCB, again very straight forward. Once this stage is done its usually a good idea to turn ignition on to check the system works. (Follow the user manual to perform the operations for iPod/USB track selection) Again this will take 1-2 minutes.

Step five, Route the cables through into position within the vehicle, this is usually the most time consuming part of the installation. Depending on the vehicle this can be a complex job and may require the removal of some of the fascia / Dashboard. This part of the installation may take up to 30 minutes depending on difficulty, especially if you want a professionally installed look.

Step Six, replace the stereo into its fittings. Read the operational instructions from Dension and enjoy the use of your iPod and all of your music while your driving.

Get a fully integrated iPod car kit in your vehicle, the installation is simple pain free, There's no need for cheap Fm Transmitters when fully integrated iPod car adapter are available. View the Dension Gateway Lite for your vehicle.

Dension Gateway Lite – The Best iPod Car Adapter To Date

The Gateway Lite is the latest in a long line of Dension iPod Car Adapters. With each predecessor showing an increase in usability and functionality. Dension Gateway Lites predecessor the Gateway 100 was the most successful iPod kit in history. Offering a more advance track browsing system than any other kit on the market. However the complex nature of the 100 was ultimately its own downfall.

The 100 iPod kit offered track selection from the steering wheel controls / Stereo or the iPod, in which either artist, album or playlist could be selected. However the complexity of the gateway 100 system was not well suited to the majority of vehicles stereos, which cannot provide text support. This meant users would have to remember which combination of functions would enable iPod or stereo mode, and allow selections of tracks depending on browsing type, something that frustrated a lot of users.

The problem isn't necessarily with the Dension unit, as the system works perfectly with text compatible radios. The problems occur when no text is available, and unfortunately most factory radios are not capable of displaying text rendering the gateway 100 kits difficult to use.

Dension have realised this problem and have improved the browsing system used in the new Gateway Lite. Dension designed the Gateway Lite specifically for none text compatible radios, and by doing so improved the browsing functionality by simplifying the track selection process.

Rather than the complex deep structured system in the Gateway 100, the lite is controlled via the iPod click wheel to browse through the iPod folders. Once the source is selected, tracks can be flicked through using the steering wheel controls for ease of use.

However the improved browsing functionality isn't the only addition to the gateway lite, Dension have added a USB input into the system as standard. Enabling an additional 8 to 16Gb of music to be browsed through. Browsing through the USB drive is as simple as the iPod, CD button 6 selects the USB and 1-5 select Playlist, albums or artists.

In short Dension have yet again improved upon previous kits. Increasing the usability, simplifying the operations and adding additional source selections, you might think all these benefits come at a cost. You'd be wrong. The gateway lite is actually cheaper that the Gateway 100 and Gateway 300. The only downfall is that it doesn't provide any text compatibility, however the this will never be available for those vehicles without CAN Bus systems.

The iPod Car Adapter Has Just Got Much Better

Dension have announced the latest product in a long line of iPod car kit adapters. The Dension Lite is the newest kit that will be replacing the Gateway 100 and Gateway 300 for vehicles with CAN systems.



Dension have simplified the Lite kit, which some people may find a bit odd? A new kit with fewer navigation options than its predecessor. However due to the majority of vehicles stereo’s unable to support text display the previous Dension kits were often difficult to navigate and use. Resulting in users becoming a little frustrated in the products. Due to the complex menu structure the gateway 100 and 300 were only really suitable when text display is present.



The Dension Gateway Lite Negates the need for Text to be displayed on the stereo by utilising a much simpler operating method. Once the device is connected press the CD button on your vehicles stereo and you will start to receive audio from the iPod. The iPods click wheel controls the music selection while the steering wheel controls allows the user to skip forward and backward through tracks, providing a far superior system over the gateway 100 and 300.



Updating the controls isn’t all that Dension have modified on the Gateway Lite, It comes as standard with USB integration. So you can connect up to 8Gb of additional music to browse through. The method of navigation for the USB is different as there is no click wheel to operate from. However the operations are still simple. Just press CD button 6 to select the USB, and buttons 1-5 to select which albums / Playlists are played.



The Dension Gateway Lite is great value for money, as its much cheaper than its real equivalent the Dension gateway 300. In fact its nearly half price if you only require USB connectivity.



Dension Will be discontinuing the non Text compatible Gateway 100 and 300 units soon and rolling out the Newer Lite Kits is already underway.



Visit iPod Car Kit Direct for more information on the Gateway Lite iPod car adapters functions and compatibility.

iPod Car Accessories - Extend your iPods Usefulness

There are a lot of different mp3 players on the market today, but Apple are the leaders of the market with the numerous variations of the iPod. Initially the iPod was successful due to its styling and functions, however the current rise of popularity is also down to other factors including additional accessories and add-ons to the ipod to make it more functional and or usable.

The iPod's primary use is for music play back, Although current iPod and iPhones are capable of so much more. Accessories that increase the functionality of the iPod are now seen as a business in there own right. A perfect example of an iPod accessory is the iPod car adaptor. Its primary function is to allow you to listen to your music while in your car. This has obvious advantages over other forms of entertainment systems in your vehicle, first and foremost you can listen to the music you love rather than what happens to be on the radio at the time, secondly the quality is far superior to the radio as they provide a digital connections into the cars entertainment systems. There are many other advantages depending on which kit you choose to purchase. However these advantages largely depend on your vehicle.

Other iPod car accessories can be found in a lot of local or online stores and include simple charging cables from the cigarette lighter, Ideal for when your iPod loses battery charge, FM transmitters, a more basic version of the Digital iPod car kit. The quality can be poor on Transmitters so its important to choose a good brand and if you live in a built up area its likely you wont receive a good reception. Ipod cases aren't specific to car accessories however they can and will stop your iPod from being damaged while left in your vehicle.

Ipod car accessories can provide a useful extension to your iPods functions, Its likely that you love to listen to music. Driving is the perfect opportunity to cycle through track's you haven't heard for a while. The iPod car adaptor is the perfect means of doing so.

Increase in iPod popularity leads to iPod Accessory Market Boom - 5 Must have iPod accessories.

Apple are doing well from the MP3 Market (which of course they pretty much generated), iPod's are more popular than ever, the iPhone is now open to several mobile phone networks and iTunes are still the number one music download site. Apple seem to have created a gold mine (I'm sure they worked hard for). However its not just Apple that are benefiting from the popularity of the iPod. There are now many large brands that have built their reputation on the back of the success of the iPod and iPhone. Usually revolving around iPod accessories.

The modern iPod is a thing of beauty, its stylish looks are appealing to the eye and its functions are second to none. Its natural that most people want to protect its stunning image and increase its functionality. Listed below are 5 must have iPod accessories that really improve the function / styling / quality of use of the iPod.

1) iPod Protective Skins and Cases - Were first introduced to protect the iPod and touch screen from scratches & damage while left pockets, handbags or vehicle gloveboxes or any other environment where damage can occur. However iPod case production has now moved into an additional areas offering bespoke and original design artwork, its easy to personalise your iPod and style it to how you desire. If you want your iPod to stand out from the crowd this is an excellent way of doing so.

2) Apps - There are far too many apps to mention here, and new and improved versions are being created every day. So what are Apps useful for? Well depending on what functions you're after, you can probably get an app for it. A good example of an app i love to use is wikipanion. Its basically a mobile version of the wikipedia website. If you need any information on anything, load the app and search for what you need and you have everything you need to know about it. Browse the apps store on your iPod, you will definitely find something you'll like.

3) iPod Car Kit - I particularly like this invention because it increases the useability of your iPod. Like its predecessors the iPod was designed to make your music mobile so you can listen to it where ever you go, One of the only exceptions of doing this is while your driving. The iPod car kit extends the useability of your iPod while driving, which most people over the age of 17 do a lot of. There are a lot different kits available, each offering different functions and features. Listening to the music, podcasts & audio books you love on a long drive makes the time go much quicker.

4) iPod Dock Station - Your iPod is basically a mobile Juke box. It carries around all of your favourite music all of the time, New iPods can hold some of your favourite videos or films too. Take advantage of your iPod's storage capacity load all of your music, and with the spare space upload music videos, films and favourite TV programs. Use a docking station at home and play your music and videos through the stereo or TV.

5) iPod sport Kits - A Great invention for the keep fit fanatic, most people who regularly run listen to music (usually via an iPod). Apple and Nike offer an iPod sports package that allows you to listen to your music & keep track of your training secessions. The Sports pack records the pace, time and distance you have covered during the work out and added to your nikeplus account, allowing you improve your performance each time you exercise.

ipod car accessories will improve your user experience, obviously they will not appeal to everybody. My personal favourite is the iPod car kit as i spend a lot of time on the road.

iPod Kit Offers Listening Options That Are Not Available on Radio

Some people who own iPods might not see the point in purchasing an iPod car kit. If they usually listen to CDs, or are satisfied with the radio in their car, there may be no perceptible reason to upgrade. However, the iPod car kit allows you to use all of your iPod’s capabilities on-the-go, so you are not limited to radio programming, or CDs.

Regardless of the channel, all radio programming is essentially the same: a mixture of music, news, DJ interjections, and of course, commercials. Listening to the radio can be fun, but all the interruptions can quickly become annoying. Not to mention that, no matter what channel you choose, sooner or later they will play a song that you don’t like, or that is overplayed, and you’ll be forced to switch. Also, most stations change their programming at certain times (such as Saturday evenings, etc.) and you can’t hear the music they would normally play.

With CDs, the commercials and DJs aren’t a problem, but you can only listen to a maximum of 10-20 songs before the disc starts over. Once the disc has played through once, most people will pull down their visor, or open their glove box, to go through the disc collection they’ve brought along and find a new one. Not only is this dangerous, but it’s inconvenient. Also, very few people actually bring their ENTIRE collection of CDs with them; usually they only bring their favorites, and if they want to hear something that they don’t have with them, that’s too bad.

An iPod car kit solves all of these problems. There is no disc-switching, just a button click if you finish an album. There are no commercials, DJs, or any other interruptions. You will never have to change a channel; just skip to the next song. Also, you’ll never have to worry about wanting to hear songs that are on a disc you haven’t brought along; you’ll have your entire library with you at all times. Pick and choose, set to random or select a track and let the music play, after all you did load the music you love on it!

Dension products are available from the number one Online iPod Car Kit Store

FM Transmitters – A Good option for iPod integration but are there better?

If you want to take your music on the road with you, your iPod is the best and most convenient option. But how do you connect it to your vehicle? Which method is best? And what options do you have?

You have many options depending on your car and stereo equipment you have installed, there are a variety of ways of connecting your iPod to your Vehicle. The Kits range from fully integrated connections that emulate your CD changer providing CD quality or better audio through your stereo, through to FM Transmitters that connect to your iPod and transmit radio signals to your aerial. The truth is there are thousands of options and a variety of different brands that offer slightly different functions.

The more basic of the options start with FM Transmitters; they are a simple kit but can provide good results. FM Transmitters plug into the bottom of the iPod / iPhone and translate your music being played on your iPod to a radio signal, The radio signal is then broadcast to the local area (Anybody using the same frequency can listen to your music / podcast etc). The FM Transmitters are usually the more cost effective option when purchasing an iPod car kit, however bear in mind the area you live in or commute to before you purchase. If the area is heavy with radio signals you can often receive a poor signal, usually resulting interference or a duplicate signal played over the top of the original frequency so you have two sources of audio being played.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to the fm transmitter kits, these can be broken down simply see below;

Advantages;
They are Easy to install
More cost effective
Move from vehicle to vehicle

Disadvantages;
Occasionally has poor signal
Can’t control the iPod from vehicles controls or radio
Drains the iPod / iPhone battery

The next best option is the FM Modulator; the modulator works on a similar principle to the transmitter however FM Modulation kit provides a better performance over all. The modulator is a hard wired connection to the back of the aerial replacing your previous aerial which connects further in the loop. This system reduces the interference from outside broadcasts meaning you receive a signal quality similar to that of DAB (Digital radio). FM Modulator kits are also provided with power clips that allow you to crimp onto the stereos power cable to provide kit with battery power from the ignition switch. This powers the kit and the iPod when the ignition is turned on so you’ll never lose battery charge while connected and your iPod is good to go again. Although the Modulator provides better performance than the transmitter it still doesn’t offer the ability to control the iPod through the stereo of steering wheel controls, which is a major factor for a lot of people when purchasing an iPod car kit.

The most advanced option is hard wired option. The Dension Gateway 100 is a good example of this. The hardwired kit connects into the CD changer port on the back of the stereo and emulates the factory changer. These kits are a little more expensive however in many people’s opinion they are worth the extra investment. The majority of hardwired kits allow the user control the iPod from steering wheel or stereo, charge the ipod, offer text display on the vehicle display or cluster screen and provide perfect CD quality audio through the factory speakers.

When ordering an ipod car kit it’s important to consider what functions you want from it. If you only want a simple kit that provides decent quality audio, and you’re prepared to put up with a little interference every now and then, the FM Transmitter is probably the better option for you. However if you love your music and want an all singing & Dancing kit you should be prepared to spend a little extra money.

An iPod transmitter is a good option for an ipod car kit connection. However if your looking for a more advanced ipod car kit solution you should look for an integrated ipod kit. Check out the number 1 iPod Car Kit Store

5 reasons why you need an iPod Car Kit

In todays environment where gadgets are considered so important, the easiest question to ask is can you live without an iPod kit, NOT if you can live with one!

iPod kits started out in 1999, Dension were the first to produce one and are still the market leaders. Back then, the kits were very basic – only allowing a simple audio connection. Dension developed them further, adding features as they went along. Before long, the kits charged all iPods on the market and then moved onto starting to look at being able to control the iPods from the radio.

Control of the iPod from the radio or steering controls was a tough one, Dension found that the easiest way of doing this was to let you use playlists and select them using the radio preset buttons (1-5). This evolved further, bit by bit, until we have what we consider to be a fully functioning kit now with the iPod being able to be FULLY controlled from the stereo. Gone are the days of playlists controls (although if you really want to browse your iPods playlists from the car you still can). The days of iPods being controlled via artists, albums, podcasts and pretty much every way possible, are now here.

Here are the reasons why you shouldn’t be without an iPod kit:

· Have your entire music collection at your fingertips while driving.

· No need to keep messing about flicking through CD’s while your eyes should be on the road!

· Entertain passengers with their choice of music without bringing a bag full of CD’s.

· Keep yourself relaxed on your long journeys listening to the music that you want to listen to.

· Make use of “add-ons” like Bluetooth adapters so you can connect your phone to your car stereo and make and received hands free calls, Video Output adapters which will allow videos on the iPod to be played through the car stereo and cradles and new cables to allow for a personalised installation.

The Dension Gateway 100 is the little brother of the Dension Gateway 300.

Play iPod Video's in Your Car - are the kits worth the investment?

Everyone knows that iPod car adapters allow users to listen to the music on their iPod while they drive. Some iPod car integration kits, however, even allow drivers to play iPod videos and DVDs on their dashboard-mounted user interface or in the head-rests for rear passengers. This may seem like an unnecessary accessory – why would the person who is driving need to be able to watch videos while doing so? Well, they wouldn’t, but there are many situations in which such a device might come in handy.

Imagine that you have a flat tire and you’re waiting for roadside assistance. Or you went to pick your son or daughter up from practice, and it’s running late. Maybe you’re stuck in traffic, or going to a restaurant, and there’s a wait before you can be seated. In pretty much any situation that involves you having to wait in, or near, your car, there is a potential for severe boredom, which is where the iPod video car kit comes in handy. It’s especially useful if you happen to be in a situation where waiting is involved, and you have bored children in your car.

Some say that the dashboard-mounted video unit isn’t safe, because drivers can be distracted by it, or attempt to watch it while driving. However, this isn’t a problem that is inherent with the unit itself – it’s a problem with some people who might use it incorrectly. Just like everything else on the market, most people use it properly, but there will always be those who don’t. The people who are likely to misuse the iPod car kit add-on would most likely partake in illegal activates while they drive such as using their mobile phone or applying make-up, which would be equally if not more unsafe.

The iPod is the ideal platform for storing additional music and videos, the Gigabytes of space can be difficult to fill. Take advantage of this and add films, TV programs or music videos to your iPod so they are there to watch when you or your kids have a spare 30 minutes to an hour to enjoy them.

See below our top 10 scenarios of when an iPod Video Kit for vehicles is useful in combating boredom.

1) Stuck in traffic on the motorway.
2) To keep your Kids entertained and stop them arguing and fighting in the back of your car.
3) Keep passengers entertained on long journeys.
4) if your waiting for a booking or appointment.
5) If your Vehicle has Broken Down and you’re waiting for assistance.
6) Keep up to date with news and local current affairs via pod casts when you’re out of your county or state.
7) Watch your favorite TV Series if you pull over for a fast lunch break.
8) If you’re waiting to pick somebody up whose train or plane is delayed by an hour or two.
9) If you’ve been kicked out of your house (Oops you shouldn’t be so naughty).
10) If you’re on a camping trip and stuck for something to do at night.

We've thought of a few instances when an iPod car kit with video integration could come in handy, i'm sure you can think of a few more!

I Have an HD Radio – Why do I need an iPod car kit?

More and more people are getting HD radio installed in their cars. The reception is better, the sound is clearer, and there is a wider variety of shows and stations to listen to. So, if you have already purchased an HD radio for your car – or if you bought a car with a HD radio already installed – why get an iPod car kit?

For one thing, with HD radio, the sound quality is improved over a normal radio but the sound will be poorer than an iPod kit; there are also commercials in between tracks. Sometimes the commercials are as often as every few songs, depending on the station. There is less static with HD radio compared to the standard FM or AM radio, but you can still have problems listening to stations; the station won’t fade out as quickly, but if you are too far from where the station is being broadcast, you won’t be able to hear it. This is especially a problem for people who often make long drives – searching for a new station every hour, because you’ve traveled outside of the previous station’s broadcast radius, can get pretty annoying. Obviously, neither the commercials, nor the geographical location, are a problem for someone who is listening to an iPod.

Even though HD radio has a greater variety of programming than regular radio, it can’t beat the variety of programming that can be found on podcasts, and played through your iPod. With an iPod, you can always choose what you want to hear; if a song comes on that you don’t want to hear, you simply fast-forward. No more flipping through stations hoping to find something you’ll enjoy; you have control over what you want to hear, anytime you listen.

The iPod is now more universal with the iPod Car Kit

Parrot Bluetooth Car Kits - Still Leading the Game

With all the Bluetooth car kits on the market today, the Parrot Bluetooth kits are some of the most versatile. The Minikit Slim is a discreet model that clips to your visor, which, when paired with your mobile phone, automatically synchronizes its phonebook with the list of contacts in your mobile phone. This kit is for anyone who wants all the perks of having a Bluetooth car kit, but doesn’t like the large dashboard display of some of the other kits, such as the Bury.

The Parrot PMK 5800 gives you all the benefits of a wired or wireless Bluetooth car kit, without the inconvenient (and sometimes costly) process of installation. This model plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter power supply, and once paired, the device automatically connects to your mobile phone whenever you get in the car, without your phone ever leaving your pocket or purse.

The Parrot MK 6100 is a Bluetooth kit specifically designed for mobile phone users who use their phones to play music. This kit is capable of playing the MP3 files stored on your phone through your car’s stereo. The device is also capable of voice dialing.

Even if you have a moped or motorcycle, there is a Parrot for you. The SK4000 comes with a helmet-mounted earpiece and microphone, allowing users to use their mobile phones while riding. With all of the various models of Parrot Bluetooth kits available, it is quite possibly one of the most versatile and customizable line of Bluetooth kits on the market.

Bluetooth Car Kits: Who’s listening to my calls?

Many people have had the experience of talking on a cordless or cell phone, and hearing snippets of another person’s conversation, a police radio, etcetera. Therefore, the concern over having someone eavesdrop on your conversation, or even steal data from your mobile phone, because you are using a Bluetooth device, is a legitimate one. However, these kits are designed so that doing so is extremely difficult for hackers.

Bluetooth kits utilize a common frequency for signal; the same frequency used by many mobile phones, cordless phones. However, even though it would seem as though Bluetooth devices would cause, or receive, a lot of interference because of this, the manner in which two Bluetooth devices are paired (or set up to discover and recognize each other) results in no interference. Bluetooth devices must be connected to one another, and once they are they establish a closed network of signal, which is very difficult to hack.

It is possible to take extra steps to protect yourself; if you set your phone and kit so that they are not “discoverable” by other Bluetooth Adapters, it is much more difficult for anyone who might want to steal your information to do so. Also, because Bluetooth devices operate on an extremely low-powered signal, which only has a diameter of about 30 feet, the likelihood that there is someone within 30 feet of you who is trying to steal the use of your phone is very low. So, despite the concerns of the ease of hacking wireless devices, the manufacturers of Bluetooth devices have safeguarded the technology against most opportunities to do so.

Bluetooth Kits: Are they really the safer alternative?

Many studies have been completed, in an attempt to ascertain the safety of using a Mobile phone while driving. The outcome of most, if not all, of these investigations has proven that Mobile phone use is a significant contributor to the likelihood of being involved in a collision. For many, Bluetooth kits are the answer to that problem; the kits allow drivers to keep their hands on the wheel, and their eyes on the road, while having a conversation. But just how safe are these kits?

Bluetooth car kits allow drivers to keep their hands and eyes focused on the task of driving while using their cell phone. However, the fact remains that while a driver’s senses may be focused on the road, a driver’s mind will most likely be focused on the phone conversation. Then by extension the driver is not fully concentrating. Therefore, while many Counties and towns are prohibiting the use of Mobile phones while driving, some are also considering banning the use of Bluetooth kits.

How much of a distraction is a Bluetooth kit, really? For those who need to use their phones while on the road for business purposes, a Bluetooth kit is a necessity, not a superfluous distraction. As many if not all drivers know distractions can come in many forms. Anyone who has driven with the radio on, or with passengers – especially children – knows that there are other aspects of driving which can be just as distracting, if not more so, than a phone call. A perfect example of this is the Satellite navigation systems on the market today. Many of which are now more detailed than ever before, offering more detailed maps and accurate positioning (Even to the point of the angle of your vehicle on the road). Drivers often rely on these products to navigate around specific areas and motorways. In doing so, often the driver’s concentration is on the navigation unit and not the road. So, while the desire to eliminate any unnecessary distractions behind the wheel is a legitimate one, it is unrealistic to think that it is possible to rid drivers of ALL distractions. It is also unrealistic to think that those who use their Mobile phones for business purposes will be willing to give up the ability to talk and drive, equally as with the need to navigate around the counties or country, Despite the potential consequences. As such, a Bluetooth kit is clearly and not only a safer option but a necessary option rather than using a handset while driving.

The Bury Bluetooth technology is one of the most complex in Bluetooth in-car kits on the market today. The three main kits – the CV9040, the CC9050, and the CC9060 – feature touch-screens that allow the user to easily utilize the device’s various functions at a touch. The large display makes these kits easy to use on-the-go, and allows users to access various functions of their mobile phone – contacts, text messages, etcetera – without having to locate their handset, or take their eyes off the road to locate small buttons. Touch screens not your thing? That’s okay, the steering wheel-mounted remote controls for these models vary from a simple, 3-button version, to a full keypad, allowing you access to all of the kit’s functions, all while keeping both hands on the wheel. Various other functions of these models, such as text-to-speech software which allows the device to read text messages aloud in up to four languages, and the ability to automatically mute your car’s stereo when a call comes in, make these devices even more desirable for the savvy Bluetooth user.

While some may worry about positioning their Bluetooth device’s display, that’s not really an issue with these kits. The CV9040, for example, has the LCD screen built into a convenient and small flip-style device; the kit automatically rotates the display, so it can be positioned anywhere inside the car. With the other kits, the versatile and easy-to-use mounting bracket makes positioning the kit a breeze. It can be mounted on the car visor, the dashboard, windshield, et cetera.

Bluetooth Headset vs. Bluetooth Car Kit: A few things to Consider

Most people are aware of the advantages of having a Bluetooth headset – no more searching for the phone when it rings, you never miss a call, and using a Bluetooth while driving is far safer than using a handset. However, what are the differences between using a Bluetooth earpiece, and having an installed car kit? How would you decide which one to purchase?

The Bluetooth earpiece is inexpensive, and its functions are simple; for most earpieces, one button will dial the last number and answer calls, and then there are volume buttons. That’s it. Also, if you get out of the car for some reason – to pump gas, go into a store, etcetera – the earpiece goes with you, making it slightly more versatile than a car kit.

Bluetooth kits, on the other hand, have far more functionality. Many have voice-recognition software that allows you to dial a number or contact verbally; some will automatically mute your car radio when you have an incoming call; there are even models with touch-screens, or steering-wheel mounted remotes, which allow you to perform multiple functions without touching your mobile phone. Some models have text-to-speech functions that allow the driver to hear a received text message. You also don’t have to wear an earpiece.

Essentially, Bluetooth earpieces are a good choice, if you want simplicity, if money is an important factor, or if you want to be able to leave your car and continue using a hands-free device. However, Bluetooth kits are usually the better option, if what you’re looking for is functionality and style, along with convenience.

Bluetooth for the Business Man / Woman

For anyone who is self-employed, or travels a lot for his or her job, a cell phone is a necessity. Missing calls while on the road is simply not an option for those who own their own business, or need to be contacted by employers or customers on a regular basis. With the creation of bylaws in many States / countys and towns prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving, a Bluetooth device is a necessity for those who use their cell phones on the road. Everyone has missed a call at some point while driving – whether because they can’t hear the phone ring, or because the phone falls under a seat or in another inaccessible location. Missing a call while driving can be a much bigger problem for self-employed people, or those who travel for work, than for the average person, who uses their mobile phone only for personal purposes.

With a Bluetooth headset, the problems inherent with using a cell phone while driving are ameliorated, or eliminated. Missed calls are a thing of the past, because the Bluetooth device is always accessible, and audible. Users won’t have to worry about being pulled over and cited for using a phone while driving, because in most of the places where using a mobile phone is prohibited, Bluetooth devices are still allowed, because the driver can still keep his or her hands on the wheel while talking. Also, the chances of getting involved in a collision are lessened, because drivers’ reaction time is unimpeded with a hands-free device. And for those who spend a large portion of their time driving company vehicles, or their own commercial vehicles, anything that lessens the chances of a collision is certainly a benefit.


A Bluetooth Car Kit is a device that provides a safe and convenient way to communicate whilst driving. Your Phone can connect to the Car Bluetooth and ensure you and other road users remain safe.

A Bluetooth Kit Could Save You A Ticket

More and more people are utilizing cell phones, both for business and personal reasons. With this rise in ownership, comes a rise in the number of people using their cell phones as they drive. All of us have heard the studies regarding cell phone use and driver safety, and the general consensus appears to be that using a cell phone while driving creates a hazardous environment for the driver, his or her passengers, and the other drivers on the road. Many insurance companies now ask if you were on your cell phone at the time an accident occurred.

That being said, many states and towns are enacting bylaws which make using a cell phone while driving illegal. Some are even creating a rule that drivers must have both hands visibly on the wheel at all times, eliminating the possibility of performing any other activities behind the wheel, such as eating, drinking, applying makeup, et cetera.

Many people say that they haven’t gotten a Bluetooth car kit yet, because it’s too expensive; with the economy being what it is, no one wants to spend more than they have to. But, when one weighs the risks and the benefits, it seems pretty obvious that anyone who uses their cell phone on a regular basis would benefit from having a Bluetooth kit. Drivers are typically not cited for using a Bluetooth kit while driving, unlike if they are using a cell phone. The fines for using a cell phone while driving vary, but all are above the price of an average Bluetooth kit – not to mention the deductible, and increase in insurance premium, if one causes an accident because of cell phone usage. Considering the potential fines, and the financial and safety risks of potential collisions, can anyone really afford NOT to have a Bluetooth?

A Bluetooth Car Kit is a device that provides a safe and convenient way to communicate whilst driving. Your Phone can connect to the Car Bluetooth and ensure you and other road users remain safe.

Do Parrot Bluetooth Kits Improve Driver Safety?

The Roads in the UK are very dangerous, more and more vehicles are released on to them every year, as well as the millions of older vehicles already motoring. More people are learning to drive and people are staying on the roads for longer durations, whether it is through profession, leisure or convenience.

The problem that we face now is a craze that started at the time of the mass production of mobile phones. People have become dependent on phones ever since they were made mobile, especially when an incoming call is made. Obviously when driving it’s much more dangerous to be involved in a manual phone call, not only endangering the life of the driver but the lives of other road users.

The Danger comes two fold, firstly the act of physically removing your hands from the steering wheel, reducing the ability to react to any situation that may occur in front. Although many people think they are capable driving with effectively one arm studies show that driving performance is reduced significantly

The Second and more important problem occurs with braking eye contact from the road while looking for the mobile phone. Obviously while you aren’t looking what’s happening in front when driving you can’t react to anything that may happen. Significantly reducing the time in which the driver has to react. This is in most cases the more dangerous factor.

Several organisations and charities studying the effects of phone driving also suggest that people becoming too “involved” in the conversation may cause an accident, however there will be many occasions that the driver may become involved in an aspect or activity other than driving that may cause an accident.

The solution to this problem is the use of a Bluetooth Car Kit, Parrot are the market leaders in the field however other products are available. Bluetooth car kits enable you to connect your mobile phone through the car audio system wirelessly so you can make and receive calls, text messages and now more modern kits allow music streaming, iPod connections and voice recognition.

Using a Bluetooth kit reduces the two most significant dangers while phone driving, the easy answer / hang up functions means you don’t have to remove your hands from the wheel, and your eyes can remain on the road while you use the phone.The invention of the Bluetooth kits definitely improves driver safety when using the phone, and parrot continues to lead the way!

A Bluetooth Car Kit is a device that provides a safe and convenient way to communicate whilst driving. Your Phone can connect to the Car Bluetooth and ensure you and other road users remain safe.

iPod Car Kit Direct Blog | New Audi CAN iPod Car Kit

Dension is in the process of releasing CAN kits for several different vehicle manufacturers. The New CAN Kits offer the same functionality and features as the non CAN kits with one exception. The gateway 100 and gateway 300 CAN kits provide text information from the iPod on the cluster screen in the vehicle. This is something that has never been available before.

The Dension Gateway Can System utilises the Cluster screen on the Vehicle to show text and track information sent from the iPod through the gateway system. Vehicles will show the information in different forms depending on the cluster present on the vehicle.

The Cluster screen is located near the speedometer on the dashboard in Audi vehicles and is usually available in 2 forms, Red and White. The Red screen is much more common as it’s the factory standard where as the White screens are usually found as part of an optional upgrade.

The gateway CAN kits are still compatible with non cluster Audi vehicles; however the text display will only work with the Cluster system.

For more information regarding iPod Compatibility, Cluster displays, the CAN system and other iPod car kits for Audi vehicles please visit Audi Gateway 100 CAN

New Gateway 100/300 CAN for VW vehicles

Dension has released the latest Gateway CAN kits for Volkswagen vehicles. The New 100/300 kits released provide text information on certain radios in newer VW’s. The Gateway system offers the same excellent sound quality and the ability to control your music through the iPod, stereo or steering wheel controls as well as charging the iPod. However the CAN system allows text to be played across the Cluster screen on the information panel. This can be found in different areas depending on which stereo was installed in the vehicle during production. However it’s usually located on the dashboard near the speedometer.
The CAN System operates and can be controlled in the same way and the previous Gateway 100/300 which are still available for the none CAN car systems, and allow different amount of text to be shown depending on the stereo system used.

Have you got CAN?

The Hi line cluster display usually is found in newer VW vehicles with steering wheel controls shows the text, If you have the Hi line and one of the stereos listed below its likely that you will be able to receive text information.

Compatible Stereos.
Radio Single CD RCD 210 (MP3 also) - MY09 Jetta, Passat, Touran, Fox, Polo, Golf, Tiguan & Sharan
Radio Single CD RCD 310 - MY09 Jetta, Passat, Touran, Fox, Polo, Golf, Tiguan, Sharan & Eos
Radio Single CD RCD 300 (Visteon) - MY05 Jetta, Passat, Touran, Fox, Eos, Polo, Golf, Tiguan & Sharan
Radio Single CD RCD 300 (Grundig) - MY05 Jetta, Passat, Touran, Eos, Fox, Polo, Golf, Tiguan & Sharan
Radio 6 CD RCD 500 MP3 (Panasonic)(5 keys along the bottom 4 on RCD 300) - MY07 Jetta, Passat, Touran, Eos, Polo, Golf, Tiguan & Sharan

Follow the link for More information on the new VW Gateway 100 CAN

Car Technology Blog Site

Are Bluetooth Car Kits - The Answer to Phone Driving?

There are obvious complications involved with manually answering or dialling out numbers while driving, all of which may cause the loss of control of the vehicle at any point. The logical solution to this problem is a Bluetooth car kit.

The Sales of Bluetooth and Handsfree Car Kits have certainly risen. This can be attributed to a variety of different reasons including a change in the law, the increase of mobile phone sales, the improvement in mobile phones & the improvement of Bluetooth kits. The increased Sales of the devices has lead to a growth in the market which in turn has allowed manufacturers to improve the next generation of kits making them more user friendly and safer to use.

The Devices on the market today are fully functional with minimum contact. The use of various voice commands operate the devices and allow you to navigate your way through menu systems to find contact’s, incoming text messages and voice mail. This allows the users to concentrate on driving instead of trying to find your phone if it’s ringing, or if you want to dial out.

Although bluetooth kits offer massive improvements driving with them rather than without them, Bluetooth car kits may not be a good solution for you. There is a counter argument that the devices can also cause accidents indirectly as some people lose concentration and become too involved in the conversation.

Its the drivers responsibility to remain in control of the vehicle at all times and if the use of Bluetooth kits restrict you from doing this they should not be used.

Integrated iPod Car Kits For Audi Vehicles

Integrated iPod Car Kit for Audi vehicles

iPods are one of the most successful inventions if not the most successful inventions in the last 10 years, Its one of a very few inventions that transcends generations. In my family I have one, my parents have two and even my grandparents have one (Admittedly they struggle to use it sometimes). However this demonstrates the desirability, use-ability and functionality of them. Due to this invention It’s likely within 10 years most of the worlds music collection will be digital, with very few singles & albums released on CD or any other physical media. With this in mind it’s important to realise now what impact this will have in the present and more so in the future.

There’s a growing trend within the car audio and entertainment market to connect the iPod into the entertainment system, through the car stereo. This allows access of all of your favourite music and videos (where compatible) at the touch of a button. With the use of these devices you are in control of what you listen to, when you want to listen to it, without having to change 100’s of CDs to switch from artist to artist.

Many aftermarket manufacturers already offer this function with their newer stereo ranges. However the vast majority vehicle owners do not want to remove the original stereo equipment and replace with an aftermarket equivalent. This is more evident in the case of the more luxurious and executive vehicles owners such as Audi, as it’s more difficult to integrate aftermarket systems into the more expensive and desirable interior. If this is the case for you there are more options available than you may have thought.

iPod Car kits are available for factory fitted radios, among the best are Dension and the US equivalent Dice. These devices connect into the CD changer usually found on the back of the stereo. When connected they emulate the CD changer but allow you to connect you iPod into the system. From here you can control your music selections from the vehicle steering wheel controls or from the stereo & navigate back and forward through albums while it keeps you iPod charged and ready for when you exit the car.

Kits are available for the following Audi Radios,

Chorus, Chorus II, Chorus Gen2, Concert, Concert II, Concert Gen2, Symphony, Symphony II, Symphony Gen2, Navigation Plus RNS-D, Navigation RNS-E, Navigation RNS-Low

Separate kits are required for the MMI, MMI Basic fibre optic systems.

Fully Integrated Audi iPod kits allow you to connect your iPod into your factory fitted stereo. Cycle through your favourite tracks using the steering wheel controls and keep your iPod cahrged and ready. Visit for more iPod Car Kits

Is iPod The Future of Car Audio & Entertainment?

iPod’s popularity certainly has a major say in the Car audio industry today, not directly from apple but from the millions of iPod users. Due to the massive amounts of people who regularly use iPod’s on a daily if not hourly basis Car Audio Brands and Vehicle Manufacturers have had to redefine how car audio and entertainment works and what is expected from each component within the system.

Vehicle manufacturers are more aware of the demands of the public and use additional add-ons as a selling point in an aid to promote new ranges and vehicles. However the majority of factory iPod car kits are simply an AUX input into the audio system. This allows music to be played through the speaker system, which for some users is enough. However this option does not offer any of the more advanced features that aftermarket kits do.

So the big question is do vehicle manufacturers see a future with iPod car kits or are they waiting for the next big invention?

The investments from Car Audio Brands suggest that the iPod is going to be here for a minimum of several years. The larger brands such as Dension, Alpine & Kenwood have taken iPod integration to the next level, although in separate directions. Alpine & Kenwood have built fully iPod compatible aftermarket stereos, with new features such as imprint technology & HD screens that allow users to configure the components depending music quality and type. Combined with Made for iPod & iPhone you can get the most out of your iPod by finding and playing music and videos much easier than ever before.

Dension however has made larger strides by combining iPod technology with factory fitted equipment. The Dension Gateway range provides an iPod connection into your factory fitted stereo, ensuring that the original look is maintained. The Dension Kits also provide Steering wheel control for the iPod and music, Text display on a lot of vehicles including the new CAN cluster display vehicles within the VW & Audi Group and the retention of your CD Changer via a CD Retention Kit at additional cost.

However it’s the new components that Dension are developing that offer the greater indication of where iPod integration may be heading?

The soon to be released AVR is designed to work with the gateway 500 fibre optic kit allows different sources of entertainment to be played simultaneously, So for example the adults might want to listen to their favourite music in the front of the vehicle while the kids enjoy their favourite DVD in the back. This step is a major advance in the car entertainment world and will open up several avenues for further development in the future.

Another one of Dension’s products nearing completion is the Wi-Drive, this device when complete will allow you to integrate your vehicle into the wireless home network, and this has many advantages at first glance. Such as instant file transfer from computer to vehicle and vice versa. However this device holds many more possibilities than first anticipated. A wireless internet network connection can be made with the use of mobile USB dongle currently available from various mobile networks providing internet access to all of the users in your vehicle.

The possibilities of car audio and entertainment & iPod integration in the future are endless, devices such as the AVR and the Wi-Drive will open up many avenues for the next stage of development. For example;

Security devices could be invented that provide live streaming from the vehicle to your own computer monitoring your vehicles safety combined with “web cams” installed in your vehicle you could see exactly what happening to your car live. Live streaming or the download of music and videos from iTunes could be played on TV screens installed in the vehicle through the use of the Wi-drive and AVR while you’re on your journey, simply select and go through your iPod to choose all the latest Apple iTunes has to offer.

Television channels broadcasting live online could be watch instantly allowing new entertainment channels to be integrated into future vehicles, controllable at various points in the car. Maybe the kids want to watch different TV channels? No Problem now.

One thing is clear, the Car audio and entertainment business is moving on. New and improved technology being created continually and the iPod certainly can be at the centre of it all.

What are Bluetooth Headsets, What are they for & how do they Work?

Since 2003 it has become illegal do use a hand held phone while driving and now carries a £60 fine and 3 penalty points in the UK. Society in general has now realised how dangerous this act is, although it still doesn't seem to concern the majority. Hopefully this will soon change with more and more variations of bluetooth kits becoming available. One of which is the Bluetooth Headset which is also known as Bluetooth Ear Piece.

Bluetooth Headsets have become more popular in recent years. This is for several reasons but mainly due to the awareness of phone driving and the consequences of doing so. There are more bluetooth headsets on the market now than ever before. This growing popularity has had many effects on the current crop of headsets. The design of the ear pieces is more stylish and trendy than ever before, mainly down to the importance of the style and fashion in an image conscious generation. For this reason manufacturers have increased the budget for development of newer products.

As these products are designed to be worn on the ear and on display constantly, small, sleek, smooth and simple kits are seen to be more desirable. The size of these types of kit have reduced over the past few years and a lot are now around the size of a 20p piece and due to this the functionality of them is fairly basic.

So what are Bluetooth Headsets?

Actually more like an ear piece than a headset. The device fits into your ear with most having an arm that loops over your ear to hold in place. The device connects pairs with your phone via bluetooth and allows you to answer and hang up conversations via your mobile phone, but without having to touch the phone. The majority of these devices utilise a one button function method for ease of use, in which one tap will answer the incoming call and the next tap will hang up the conversation. The microphone is usually built in to the ear piece to improve the design and functionality.

This has its obvious advantages, one of which is these devices allow you be contactable while you drive. Just a simple tap of the device button while you’re driving connects the conversation through the bluetooth headset. Meaning you can hear and talk to the contact perfectly while you concentrate on driving. Obviously this reduces the chances of an accident significantly assuming you would have previously been fumbling around for the phone, then driving one handed for the duration of the call.

Usually Bluetooth Headsets are easy to use and set up. Almost all units pair to your phone in the same way, you switch the device on, press the button and select the device in the phones bluetooth menu. Once Paired you are good to go, just insert the device in your ear & you can accept all calls coming through your mobile.

The quality of the audio produced by these most of these devices is excellent, because the device fits directly into your ear there's minimal interference outside of the ear piece. Most kits come with a 2 watt speaker which produce a good audio range, so they're neither to tinny or too much bass’ when people are speaking on the other end.

The majority of these kits are used by professional drivers, who are on the road more often than not. However Bluetooth headsets are very cost effective and are definitely useful for all drivers as your device may save your life without you being aware of it.

The Use of an ISO2CAR adapter when installing ISO harness products

A lot of aftermarket products are produced and designed to connect via a ISO harness, certainly the majority of Bluetooth car kits are provided with ISO connections as standard. These kits are designed by their manufacturers specifically because ISO is a standard connection used in a lot of older (and some more recent) vehicles. This system is used for several reasons, but mainly for reducing costs & to keep the products standard without too many SKU's (Stock Keeping Units) e.g. to remove the need for one kit for each type of vehicle or radio per manufacturer. You can see these will soon add up to a lot of different versions of the same products (SKU's).

ISO is a universal system that was used by a lot of vehicle manufacturers up to several years ago. The ISO connection is made up of a group of wires, which all have a standard and specific position within the harness. Each wire within the harness represents a specific connection to a device within the vehicle. For example the front right, back right, front left and back left speakers always hold the same position within the ISO harness no matter which vehicle it is located in. This allows the manufacturers of the products to produce a kit that operates in exactly the same way no matter what the device is connected too. By using ISO harness's you negate the need to piggy back and/or solder connections when fitting the product.

However more and more manufacturers are starting to use their own wiring systems within their vehicles, this creates a small problem when installing the kits as connections will have to be made manually if the harness is different. So connecting specific speaker wires to the correct equivalent within the harness (each case will be different for the majority of vehicles) there is an easy alternative to this problem, the ISO2CAR adapter.

ISO2CAR wiring harnesses are made specifically to avoid this problem. There are around 20 to 30 different types of harness' available covering the vast majority of vehicles. The ISO2CAR harness is a connection device that will connect into the products ISO harness, then into the vehicle harness making the installation much more simple and pain free. The vast majority of vehicles now use their own wiring systems so ISO2CAR adapters are more important when installing aftermarket devices into your vehicle.

ISO2CAR harnesses can be used when the vehicle doesn't have an amplified or upgraded audio system, if this is the case a Drive and Mute cable will be needed where available.

Why Use a Bluetooth Car Kit?

Over the past ten years Bluetooth 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 travelling 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.

Our attitudes have changed in recent times and certainly in the past five to ten years, we now feel the need to be contactable 24/7, and often feel naked without our mobiles or some form of technology to hand. This is in-part due the internet boom in the late 90’s where information was made easily and readily available, and more recently trends such as facebook, twitter & myspace that allow us be “in contact” with all of our friends and family and have up to the minute news & info at the touch of a button. On the whole this new technology is a movement in the right direction however it has caused an “impatient” attitude with most people of the current generation, who tend to want everything instantly. This feel instant gratification can lead to misjudgements in decision making. Probably one of the major factors why more people are using their mobile phones while they drive, and certainly one of the major causes for road accidents on our roads today!

What are Bluetooth 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 £60 fine and a 3 Point penalty to anybody caught in the act.

The Aid of a Bluetooth 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 Bluetooth 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 Bluetooth kit if you are driving erratically or dangerously.

Leading manufacturers in Bluetooth

Bluetooth 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 bluetooth 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.

The Bottom line is that these Kits are much safer to use than your mobile phone, if fact any Bluetooth car kit is. Even the basic ones which only provide simple functions allow you to concentrate on driving, reducing road accidents & deaths. Either Use a Bluetooth Car Kit or don’t use your phone at all.

Taking wireless technology to the next level, Dension Audio systems have developed the next step in connectivity for you vehicle to bring it into the 21st century. Using 3G and wireless technology, WiDrive plugs into a USB port inside your car, any USB port is fine, and if your vehicle does not have one the installation of a Gateway 300/500 will provide one.

Once connected, the WiDrive provides a wireless connection for all wireless devices in the vehicle. It allows you to connect to your wireless network at home, when your car is parked outside, meaning you can synchronise your vehicle with any information from your home computer, or wireless applications.

The system will allow you to keep your vehicles storage device up to date, by automatically updating itself when in range of the houses Wifi Network. You can be sat at your Pc one night, updating your music or film collection, and the information can be sent automatically to your vehicles storage device without touching a single button.

Another key feature of the WiDrive is its ability to provide a Wifi access point within the car, when used in conjunction with a 3G dongle. Plugging the 3G dongle into the device, the WiDrive then broadcasts the signal within the vehicle; in the same way your broadband router does at home. This means that one 3g dongle can provide internet for several devices. Laptops, PSPs, PDAs and other wireless applications will be supported.

In all the WiDrive provides a fully mobile solution for all of your electronic needs as well as a iPod Car Kit whilst in your car. Stay tuned for the next update, and when we have had a play with a beta model to put it through its paces

Your iPod can open your eyes to a whole new world of inventions

The Apple iPod has changed the way we listen to music forever. We can have our entire music collection on one small device that comfortably fits into your pocket, handbag or anywhere else you choose to keep it. The battery life is ever improving and you can now listen to music for longer and leave the device on standby for longer than ever before.

Apple have generated a new business boom for digital media, so many inventions have been made on the back of the iPod and iPhone. New app's are being invented daily that allow the users to customise their iPod as suits making the iPod device and application truly unique and individual to the user.

The new Genius system creates playlists and suggests music that you may like on the back of your favourite choices in your collection, so you can discover new bands and music you may never have heard before, opening your mind to new ideas and creative influences along the way.

The New iPhone 3G and iPod Touch are more of a multimedia system that a simple MP3/MP4 player, both come with WIFI (wireless) connect-ability, Internet browsing access & 1000's of new app's that range from checking on the weather reports for where you live to accessing payment & delivery networks for Business operations, but it doesn't end there.

Apple systems have been incorporated into a lot of home technology too. New docking stations into TV's provide a new form of digital TV & Digital video reproduction. Wireless media stations can be set up from as part of the home network transferring all of your audio & video files in iTunes to your TV and or Music systems around the house, giving you access to you entire collection.

However one of the more useful inventions that has been developed specifically for the iPod is the iPod Car Kit, this allows the ipod to be connected through the vehicles stereo to play your favourite music and videos (where compatible) while you drive. These kits take your iPod to the next level of music integration and allow you to listen to what ever you want, when ever you want, where ever your going, basically exactly what the iPod was invented for.

iPod car kits car extend the iPod usability further by providing a range of features from steering wheel controls & iPod charging through to text & artwork display and video integration, all from the comfort of your vehicle, you can create your own mini multimedia system at the touch of a button.


Dension products are available from the number one Online iPod Car Kit Store

Parrot RKI8400 bluetooth headunit due for release Aug 2009

Parrot RKI8400 bluetooth headunit

Expected release date Aug 2009

The Release of the Newest Bluetooth headunit developed by parrot is imminent. The Parrot RKI8400 is set to dominate the car stereo market for the remainder of 2009 and beyond. Parrot have always released stereos (headunits) which are feature rich and functional, and the RKI8400 is no different. Based on Parrot's new flagship bluetooth car kit (the MKI9200) the RKI8400 adopts a lot of the features and functions and has adapted them to work in an aftermarket headunit.

The Parrot RKI8400 has a number of functions that will appeal to a wider target audience, Its licensed "Made for iPod" and "Works With iPhone" so the RKi8400 has been specifically developed to work with full iPod and iPhone compatibility & meets Apple's strict Performance standards, The dock connector of the RKi8400 provides communication and standard charge which allows you to control and interact with your iPod or iphone through the stereo.

Parrot have also incorporated many other features into the RKi8400, such as Automatic phonebook synchronisation, Voice Recognition (without training) Voice Commands Answer & Reject & a very large phone compatibility as you would expect from the worlds leading bluetooth specialists. You would expect the bluetooth features and functions in this headunit to be top quality and they don't disappoint.

The "Headunit" its self holds it's stylish design well, with a good mixture of functional buttons on display, a central control stick and a screen to the right of the unit the RKi8400 would look good in virtually every car you could put it in. This headunit also compares well with other headunits for audio input, the parrot will accept music and video from iPod/iPhone, USB, 3.5mm Jack (located on the front of the faceplate) SD Card & via bluetooth straight from your phone, Combined with the 4x50 MOSFET amplifier you know your getting a high quality stereo perfect for multitasking.

Parrot have developed first class bluetooth headunit with the RKi8400, the bluetooth functions surpass any other stereo on the current market, it's digital and analogue music input means you don't have to carry 1000's of CD around with you and the style matches all but the very best stereos on the market.

Image Rating: 7/10 (Nice Looking, but not the best)
Bluetooth Rating: 10/10 (comfortably the best on the market)
Audio in Rating: 8/10 (has a lot of audio in options, but no CD)


What Parrot Say;

Exceptional sound quality in your car


Equipped with a 200 W MOFSET amplifier, the Parrot RKi8400 can offer you a new musical experience. Totally integrated into the vehicle’s audio system, conversations and music are transmitted via the speakers for maximum listening quality. To make the experience even more enjoyable, the RKi8400 has a built-in equaliser and includes sound effects that can be adapted to any style of music.


Hands-free phone book access and conversations

The very first time you connect the Parrot RKi8400 to your mobile-phone, it automatically copies the contacts in your mobile’s phonebook. To make a call, use the voice-recognition function (by pressing the green button) and say the name of the person you want to call. Alternatively, access the phonebook and
listen to the RKi8400 read out the names. Confirm the person you want and dialling begins. To pick up an incoming call, just press the green button.


Elegant design and wide colour screen

The RKi8400 has a removable front panel which combines matt black with chrome features. The main functions are all accessible via an elegant rotary button, making browsing through the menus more intuitive. The high-definition 2.4” colour screen displays in an instant all your information, phonebook, menus, music, playlist, album covers, etc.


Instant access to all your digital music

The Parrot RKi8400 also provides instant access to your music. Thanks to its special cables, it can support any musical source you want: iPod, iPhone, USB flash drive, and even SD cards, Bluetooth stereo (A2DP) peripherals or any other analogue player. You can easily browse through your music library and view the playlist and album covers on the colour screen.


A storage compartment for your devices

A highly practical storage compartment is located behind the RKi8400’s removable front panel, ideal for hiding your phone, MP3 player or USB flash
drive. A special cover provides your devices with excellent protection, whatever the circumstances. To access your devices more quickly, use the auto-
insert mechanism on the front panel. The insertion process is quick and you only need one hand to do it.

Product Review - Contour Designs Surface Sound Compact

Product Review

The Contour Designs surface sounds compact bluetooth car kit

Contour Designs released the Surface sounds compact kit into the bluetooth market with the hope mastering the art of bluetooth integration, and to be fair they have done quite a good job.

Its slim body attaches to your vehicles sun visor using its large durable clip. It features a "wand" that flips down with an inbuilt mic, that also doubles as the devices power switch. Pulling down the wand turns the unit on. It then actively seeks out paired devices within its 10 metre range. Once a device is found, the kit automatically connects to it.

The kit comprises of 4 Buttons, Call, End Call, Volume Up, Volume Down. You will only ever need to touch one button to make, receive, end or refuse calls. Its simple, safe and effective, basically does what it says on the tin.

Contour built the kit with two things in mind, integrating ease of use with stylish looks and achieving a consistency that very few other kits have met. Combining these is a rare achievement that not many other manufacturers have achieved, but have contour managed to?

Bluetooth Car Kit Direct have thoroughly tested the surface sound bluetooth kit and can report the following;

Ease of use: 8/10

The buttons are in a convenient location and simple to use, pairing the kit was easy when we read the instructions (Being typical men we decided not to at first.) time taken to pair the mobile for the first time and start using around 2 minutes

Quality: 7/10

The speaker volume can turned up and down, we nearly always had very good audio sound quality. No audio feedback or echos was experienced during any calls made or received.

Visuals/ appearance: 7/10 (our opinion)

The Kit connects to the sun visor easily and is not instantly noticeable, the kits appearance blends well into all the vehicles we tried and we had good feedback from the public when questioned.

(avg score out of ten from 10 customers questioned = 6.5)

Conclusion

The slim design and stylish looks go hand in hand with the slightly above average price tag, you are paying for a good bluetooth kit with decent functions and very good looks and audio quality.

The Iqua "Vizor Sun" Handsfree Car Kit

Iqua one of europe's fastest growing electronics companies have introduced the latest in they're line of solar powered bluetooth products. The latest developments in solar technology has been pivotal in incorporating & producing products with improved solar powered functionality and advanced bluetooth handsfree capabilities. The Iqua Vizor Sun is the current show piece in Iqua's range, this is reinforced by Apple's belief in the product by naming it as one of their favourite products for the iPhone & iPhone 3G.

The small and sleek design of the Vizor Sun gives a professional & very pleasing visual effect when installed into the vehicle, The Bluetooth handsfree functionality allows you to pair you mobile phone through the Iqua system and enjoy total freedom to talk safely in the comfort of your own vehicle which ever direction your heading. It only takes a few seconds to attach the Iqua Vizor Sun to the visor of your vehicle and your ready to go, just a simple push of the button and you can answer & hang up safely and conveniently. You never have to take your eyes off the road again.

The combination of solar charging and low level battery usage allows this bluetooth kit to stay active for longer. The Iqua Vizor Sun provides 20 Hours of talk time and a massive 500 hours of standby time before charging, thats over 20 days of standby charge & the Vizor sun uniquely recharges it's self through the windshield of your vehicle.

Iqua's Vizor Sun is not only stylish but also functional and convenient, by providing excellent audio reproduction for communications in both directions you will always receive quality conversation with minimal interference, ensuring you can always hear your contact and vice versa. In Short the Iqua Vizor Sun will prove a very useful aid for all of your road trips, keeping you and other road users safe.

Dension thinking of the future.

The future is bright, the future is well..... Dension.

Among the all of the latest product improvements and developments Dension are preparing for forth coming months is a little gem of a product. The Wi-Drive as its going to be called is a device that allows a network connection through your car. The Wi-Drive connects into the USB connection in your car via the gateway 300 or gateway 500, once connected the device turns into a discoverable device when in range of your home or office wireless network.

The connection of the device allows users to wirelessly transfer music, podcasts and any other data from you home/office PC or laptop to a storage device connected in your vehicle. You can now use your car as a mobile server. By connecting a 3G USB Dongle (available on various mobile phone contracts) you car can become a wireless hot spot providing Internet access to any wireless device in the vehicle. Your Passengers can check their Email, Perhaps you kids can surf the net or play on-line games while travelling. The Would is literally at you finger tips.

This new development in technology by dension allows users of the gateway system to connect to their vehicle like they have never been able to do in the past, making everything much simpler and less time consuming. whether it's just music transfer to a USB device ready for the journey home or transfer of important documents to a colleagues vehicle before they set off to a meeting, the Wi-drive makes an additional point of contact accessible to everybody. You no longer have to add POI's to your sat nav for local Wireless hot spots when your on your travels, The new Wi-Drive does it all for you.

Your Gateway system is no longer only a iPod car connection, its now your mobile Internet access point!!

Although this technology is not on sale at this time Dension are looking for people to test out a Beta version of the device.

The Difference Between Universal and Integrated Bluetooth Handsfree Kits - Which are better?

There are a lot of different types of bluetooth handsfree kits available on the market, many different brands, styles and designs offering different functions. However each kit performs what is essentially the same task, offering Handsfree call functionality while driving. Although there are many types of kit they all fall into two categories, Universal Sun Visor Kits or Fully Integrated Kits.

Universal Sun Visor Kits also referred to as Plug and Play kits are a portable speaker and microphone combination packaged into one working unit. They hold a small but strong storage battery that allow for long standby life so you can attach the kit to your sun visor and leave it dormant until you need it. Many are provided with a car charger and more often than not a USB charger for connection to your computer for re-charging, firmware updates and bluetooth connectivity while at work (or play). Most recent universal bluetooth kits provide excellent sound reproduction due to a break through in DSP (digital sound processing) & Echo reduction software & Hardware. The microphone on universal bluetooth kits are more often than not built into the units, and pick up far less background noise than older models. Due to this your contact on the other end gets a loud and strong connection via your phone. There are many different styles, designs, shapes and sizes of sun visor kits ranging from large function rich kits like the Bury CV9040 to the Small and pretty kits like the Pama Alpha or the Parrot Minikit Slim.

As you would expect with all universal kits the features and functions vary tremendously. State of the art kits usually come from Bury and Parrot and the rest tend to follow behind. A lot of universal kits now have features like TTS (Text to speech) and voice to text technology that allows the dictation of text messages and more advanced kits can be controlled voice commands. The Bury CV9060 is a particular market leader in this field with menu system that can be fully navigated by speech, apart from several functions, such as to hang up while in conversation (obviously you don't want the conversation to end abruptly depending on whats said either end!)

The Majority of Universal kits purchased are to be used socially either for a group of people (family or friends) to share when out and about, or for individuals or couples who have more than one vehicle and want to change frequently. These device can be removed in seconds and charged while driving making them a great hansdfree solution that are cheap, reliable and totally portable.

Integrated Bluetooth Car Kits are fully hardwired into the vehicles speaker system, just about all Integrated kits are provided as standard with ISO connections, if your vehicle has an ISO wiring loom the bluetooth kits will fit straight into it making installation very easy. If not there are various wiring adaptors available that will convert your vehicle wiring to ISO, these are know as SOT leads and are available for just about every vehicle. As the Kit is hardwired into the vehicle, several problems are instantly eliminated. The kits retain charge via the power cable in the ISO harness so you never have to charge the bluetooth kit, there is also a Auto-Mute cable with the ISO that will kill any audio coming from the radio, cd, iPod etc automatically. So all you hear is the conversation.

Most integrated kits are provided with separate control units to answer, hang up or dial contacts. These can usually be connected anywhere in the vehicle that is both comfortable and convenient for the driver. New bluetooth kits such as the Parrot MKI range and the Bury CC9060 are provided the additional functions that improve compatibility & usability. For instance the MKI range are compatible with iPods so you have music integration via parrot kit. The iPods are fully controllable via the parrot control unit so functions like track browsing, song forwarding, Volume increase etc can all be performed at the touch of a button. The Bury CC9060 is provided with an excellent touch screen monitor and equipped with the very latest voice recognition software. This allows you to use your phone via the bury unit via voice commands. You don't even have to train the kit, just install and start.

The Integrated kits provide a much better all round performance. The quality of audio reproduction is far greater then the Universal kits. Integrated Kits also have many additional features over the universal kits. Making & answering calls is usually easier too so if your looking for a good all round performance Integrated is the way forward. However the universal kits are portable and can be easily transferred from vehicle to vehicle. The sound reproduction is still good however you may have to fight with the radio for volume control.

In summary, if you want an all singing & dancing bluetooth car kit you should go down the integrated route, however if you want some thing more simple and portable the universal kit is the one for you. However both are excellent options and are much better than manually talking on your mobile phone while driving.