Car Accessories
Pimp My Ride: MacFamilies Can Stay On The Road
A couple of years ago I was converted to the other side. The world of Apple. My iMac is my best friend for all of my crazy and varying projects, and I am about to purchase a MacBook to make my craziness more portable.
The problem:
Due to Apple's extreme licensing policies, there is often a lack of third-party accessories on the market, which means if an Apple accessory is lacking in any way, you are just up the creek.
Until recently, the only way to charge your MacBook in the car was to use a product put out by Mike Lee, a.k.a Mikegyver. Using a stick of gum, a cotton ball, a strand of hair, and a cigarette lighter, he came up with a third party power adapter for the MacBook that could work in the car. Okay, so he didn't really use some random items that found while imprisoned in some '80s adventure, but he managed to legitimately use Apple technology to piece something together. Since then, iGo has come up with a new solution, iGo everywhere130 notebook power adapter. Mikegyver.com even mentions it as "better" compared to their own "good" product. iGo picks up where other companies have left off by including the correct connection tip for your notebook. It will even power your mobile device or MP3 player at the same time as the notebook!
On the iGo website, the adapter is sold with the necessary tips for $149.99. My fellow MacGeek families out there will agree that it's well worth it for your preschooler to be happily playing Dora the Explorer: Animal Adventures while you are driving down to the beach!
June 23, 2008 in Car Accessories, Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
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MadBags: A Toy Box For Your Car
Accessible, organized toy storage in your car is an essential for families on the go. Etsy Seller's MadBags Portable Toy Box not only holds your kids toys, it also serves as a cupholder.
The two handles on the toy box make it easy to carry your stash in and out of the house. It also has two straps on the back meant to loop a seatbelt through. This way the toy chest stays anchored in place on the seat. The two pockets on the outside front serve as the perfect sippy cup holder.
This organizational dream is 10"x7" and made from heaviweight cotton canvas. It comes in many different patterns, and is super lightweight. All MadBags products are handmade in the USA. I own many of her products, and the workmanship is top notch.
I have two Britax Marathon car seats for my sons and the Portable Toy Box fits perfectly between them.The best part is that my boys have learned that when exiting the car, all toys must go back in the toy box.
If you are looking for a beautiful, functional portable toy box, look no further then MadBags. If she doesn't have any listed that you like when you visit her shop, contact her and she'll even make custom orders.
June 20, 2008 in Car Accessories, Clutter Control | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Pimp My Ride: Look Ma, No Hands (off the wheel)!
With all of the things we do while we are driving, wouldn't it be nice if we could cut one out... like having to dig around for the phone when it rings? ModooTronix has come out with a bluetooth rear-view mirror hands free car kit that has caller ID. The ModooFree BT wirelessly connects to your mobile phone so that you can see who's calling you and how many calls you have missed. It voice activated, so you can answer your phone with a single word! With voice recognition, a microphone, and a speaker built in, you have one less excuse to take your hands off of the steering wheel.
You can find the ModooFree BT at pricegrabber.com for $129.99!
Now, if someone can come up with an automatic sippy cup finder!
June 18, 2008 in Car Accessories, Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Medela Freestyle: Everyone, please give a hand for hands-free pumping!
As I write this review, I am actually pumping with Medela's newest and only hands-free double electric breastpump, the Freestyle. You can actually kick back and relax as you pump - or strap it on and walk around (but it would be more effective to do this at home in private). Or take it on the road with you. It comes with a cute tote and the parts are so small. We are going to Montreal this summer on a road trip, so the Freestyle will be coming along with me. The vehicle adapter (use Medela 12V Vehicle Lighter Adapter (#67153) is extra, but the motor is so strong, even when it runs on its rechargeable battery power. It is the easiest breastpump I've ever used (I've tried my fair share) and the set up time is so much quicker (I mean with attaching the parts to the unit before your pump). As always, I love their "Two Phase" Expression technology.
The Freestyle comes with a kit to make it hands-free, a pump motor that is about the size of your hand, two SoftFit breast shields, a cooler bag, connection tubes and a tote bag to fit it all into. The hands-free kit works great (but looks a little odd). I liked it and once I figured out how to put it together... The motor fit in the palm of my hand and was powerful. My only wish that it was quieter. But since the pump motor was so portable, I can deal with a little noise. You can adjust your speed and suction quickly (and with one hand). It will even remember your settings. Click here to see a video about how the Freestyle works.
June 16, 2008 in Baby Gear, Car Accessories | by Nancy Horn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Cute Car Storage Bags Keep the Backseat Organized
The Car Bag from Gitta Bags is a colorful way to keep a baby or young child's things close at hand while on the road. It can hang on either the front or the back of the seat. Use it to stash diapers and wipes for a mobile changing station, or fill with books and crayons to keep kids busy for a long trip.
June 6, 2008 in Car Accessories | by Ciaran Blumenfeld | Permalink | Comments (1)
Tags: organizers
Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset
Honestly, how many things do you tend to do at once while driving your car? For me, it's often the only time I can make calls, which can get awkward when I'm also messing with the dashboard controls and passing a snack back to my little guy. I used to have a Bluetooth headset to go with my BlackBerry, but it was uncomfortable and I couldn't always hear clearly, so I gave it the boot. However, being handsfree is still tops on my list.
This month Aliph came out with a new Jawbone headset which has extremely clear sound and a design that is ultra-cool. The company has patented a technology called NoiseAssassin(TM), which separates speech from background noise. This coupled with a Voice Activity Sensor, which is able to detect when a person is talking and separate their voice out, makes for a very clear call.
This version of the AliphJawbone is 50% smaller than it's predecessor, and is designed with a love of aesthetics in mind. There are no visible buttons, but rather a touch surface on the shield of the headset, and the buttons can be felt underneath.
The new Jawbone will help you to hear over the din of your children's chatter and help you to look like the most with-it mom in the carpool line. It retails for $139.00 at Cell Hut.
June 1, 2008 in Car Accessories, Gear Reviews | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: bluetooth, headset
Keep Your Car from Looking Trashed - Fashionable Trash Bags
Anyone who has kids knows that you need somewhere to put their trash. Wrappers, crumblies, tissues - they all accumulate. Seven months ago I got a new car, and as soon as I got it, I knew I needed a trash bin of some sort. Allyson Hill’s car litter bags make car trash so pretty. Each bag is made of a heavy weight canvas on the inside and a beautiful designer fabric on the outside. They take regular pet waste bags as the liner.
May 22, 2008 in Car Accessories, Clutter Control | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: litter, trash bags
Avoiding the DVD Shuffle
You have your mommy-mobile tricked out for the family with surround sound, in-dash DVD with remote, wireless headphones, satellite radio, MP3 connections, the works. You feel like a pretty cool parent as you drive off with your carload... until you have to take a hard right turn and all of the DVDs, remotes, and other accessories go sliding and slashing across the dash, across the floor, into every cave and crook under the seats. Sound familiar? Try an entertainment organizer to contain the mess.
The High Road Entertainment Organizer ($12.99) from busywoman.com is currently on sale for 15% off. This organizer straps to the back of the seat and hold CDs or DVDs and a box of tissues (which we all know needs its own place in the car). These days, there are so many options when it comes to keeping our kids entertained on the road that it tends to create even more piles of "stuff". The High Road Entertainment Organizer helps to keep it all contained, so that when you open the door at your destination all of your DVDs and remotes don't come cascading out onto the pavement.
May 16, 2008 in Car Accessories, Clutter Control, Gear Reviews | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: cd, dvd
Run your Car on Water and Save Big at the Pump?
Are you looking for ways to save on gas, and help the environment? It may be more of an option than you realize. Check out this news report from Florida on the Hydro 4000. Cleaner, greener and cheaper sounds promising to us.
May 13, 2008 in Car Accessories, Car News | by Ciaran Blumenfeld | Permalink | Comments (0)
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collision.kit by Buttoned Up - A Savior in Time Of Need
If you were to get into a car accident, and in the midst of the shock forgot to get the phone number of the other party, you’d never forgive yourself. This is why ButtonedUp owners created the collision.kit.
The collision.kit contains preprinted semi instructional information cards for you to gather and store all of the vital information you would need to give and get in a car accident. There is an extra pad of paper, pen, and envelope for your insurance card and a disposable camera. It all zips up and fits in your glove compartment, taking up little more space than a paperback novel.
The question now is: why doesn’t everyone have one in their car?
Car & Caboodle readers: buy the collision.kit at Precious Personalities and you will get 10% off by using code MWS10.
May 8, 2008 in Car Accessories, Giveaways,Coupons & Deals, Quick Picks | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Snack Attack : Earth Friendly Snack Sacks Store your Treats
Here's one of my new favorite products: The Snack Sack. It is reusable, and easy to carry.
The Snack Sack is a cloth bag with a stainless steel bowl inside. It cinches closed, and has a carabineer clip for attaching to just about anything. It can hold any kind of snack. You can take the bowl out to use it for fruits and veggies, or leave it in for dry items like cereal. The bowl can be washed in your sink or in your dishwasher and the sack is machine washable. It is 4” in diameter and approximately 7” tall. It easily fits in any bag or attaches to any strap or stroller. This product is made by two enterprising stay-at-home parents just looking for another way to help do their part to save our planet.
Last weekend we took our boys to a wedding. It was a late afternoon wedding, and I knew that snacks were not going to be readily available. I filled two Snack Sacks with pretzels and put them in my diaper bag. I was so glad I did because both my boys had a snack attack before the ceremony even started.
The sack and bowl are sold separately, so be sure to purchase both when you place your order. In addition they have an organic version made of 100% organic cotton. The choices of fabrics are super cute and come in a variety of colors and designs to match each person’s personality. By the way, for those of you wondering, yes I have my own Snack Sack as well.
Car & Caboodle readers special: e-mail snacksack@gmail.com your order, mention you read this review, and you will get $1 off each bag you order. This offer is good only for e-mailed orders.
April 24, 2008 in Baby Gear, Car Accessories, In Car Entertainment | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Zooziis - A Place For All The Little Things
One day, my friend showed me Zooziis Car Catch-All. I took one look at it and knew I had found exactly what I needed!
I recently got a new car that has a jack for a connection to an MP3 player. The first time I used my iPod plugged into the car, I excitedly placed the iPod in my cupholder between the seats. But it annoyed me that there was this long cord in the middle of my car. Then I went to a drive thru and had nowhere to put my drink.
Zooziis Car Catch-All is a little sack that stays open with what looks like a loop. The genius part is that it clips to a slat in the air conditioning vent of the car.
With this great product I can keep the MP3 player’s cord with the Shuffle that holds my kid’s music, and I can easily switch out the Shuffle with my iPod when I need to. Most importantly when the music device of choice is playing, I have a place to put it. I no longer need to have the cords in the arm rest storage where they would get tangled with everything else. The cord and the device have their own handy place, out of the way. These handy catch-alls are just the thing to control all the little bits and pieces that float around in the front seat. Use them to hold anything your heart desires and restore harmony to your drivespace.
Zooziis come in a range of delightful, fun fabrics and there is something for everyone. There are florals as well as corduroy and more masculine fabrics.
For Car & Caboodle Readers: Go to Zooziis’ shop and get $2 off each Car Catch-All by mentioning Car & Caboodle. Before paying for your order through PayPal be sure to send a message to Amy that you need a revised invoice. She’ll send one to you with the new discounted amount. These are addictive! I’ve bought one for my mom, and am thinking about who to buy one for next.
April 14, 2008 in Car Accessories | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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MrBNYC's Bags for the Booty in your Boot
Got a plethora of kid gear floating around in the trunk of your car? Contain all your "stuff" enthusiasm with one of these excellent Mega Totes from MrBnyc. They are perfect for coralling everything from baby gear to soccer equipment, to groceries. The bags themselves are super huge, super lightweight and keep your booty super organized to boot. These hold up to 150 lbs of family gear. Now that's some serious tote bag capacity.
March 6, 2008 in Car Accessories, Gear Reviews, Luggage & Travel Accessories | by Ciaran Blumenfeld | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: bags
Ali's Picks: Clek Booster Seats - Think Small
Small backseats, reluctant toddlers, riding in cabs--these are just a few of the reasons you'll love the Clek Olli Booster Seat.
Sure, it looks cool, but its low-profile, backless design is about more than just looks. It's worlds smaller than your average booster, which matters for three important reasons.
One, if you have a small backseat or are trying to fit more than one car seat, the Olli won't take up as much room. Two, it has a more grown-up feel, making it a much easier sell to the toddler who is ready to be done with car seats. And three, it's super portable, making it really the only practical option for cabs and mass transit. (Really, can you picture hailing a cab with a fussy toddler and a full-size booster in tow?)
Booster seats are the law--but that doesn't mean they have to be a nuisance. The Clek Olli is the perfect blend of safety, simplicity, and style!
Clek Booster Seat | $95 at giggle.com
Ali's Picks is contributed by Ali Wing, founder of modern baby retailer, giggle, where she and her staff help new parents "navigate the glut of choices and find only what they need, when they need it." We look forward to Ali's recommendations where her selections are not just eye candy but also practical and functional in design.
February 5, 2008 in Car Accessories, Gear Reviews | by Robert | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: ali's picks, booster seat, car seats, clek, giggle
Get back on the road with Simple Start
There was a time when I only called AAA maybe once or twice a year for a flat or a dead battery. And then I had kids. Kids who like to press buttons and turn on lights. Kids who always seem to leave doors ajar. Which has made dead batteries an all too commonplace occurance in my driveway. Let's just say the local AAA guys all know my name and address by heart.
Much as I hate to make them miss our frequent get-togethers, I think it's time invest in one of these Simple Start devices from Black and Decker. This nifty gadget gives you the juice to start your car's battery without all that electrical cable nastiness. You don't even have to get out of the car. It simply plugs into your vehicle's power outlet, and gets you going again. It's small enough to store in your glove compartment and even has a 12v DC plug that allows you to use it to charge your cellphone in an emergency.
The Black and Decker Simple Start is currently on sale
December 17, 2007 in Car Accessories | by Ciaran Blumenfeld | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Maxi Cosi Mico infant seats raise the bar on carseat safety and comfort
It's lighter, cushier and has a smaller footprint than most of the infant carseats on the US market. So it is easy to see why the Maxi Cosi Mico ($169) has long been beloved by Europeans. Note: the same carseat was sold under the model name "Cabrio" in Europe.
The Mico is currently getting a warm welcome stateside. The Mico meets or exceeds US safety standards and this is not surprising, considering that Europe has stricter guidelines than the USA. Saferty features include EPS foam lining and superior side impact protection for the tiniest passenger.
This carseat is easy to take in and out of the car, thanks to the lighter weight and narrower profile. It latches very quickly and securely onto their base or can be secured using a seatbelt. There are indicators on the seat that let you know when you have attached it properly. Adjustments to the child harness are easy and can be done from the front of the seat via a one-pull mechanism. The handle is ergonomically designed for maximum carrying comfort and the hood is generously sized and extra sturdy. Babies love all the comfy padding and siblings love that there is still room for them in the backseat.
As if all this was not enough, the Maxi Cosi comes in a bunch of hot colors combos. The fabrics are removeable, washable and genuinely fashionable. Rest assured - no overly cutesy bears to avoid here.
December 5, 2007 in Car Accessories | by Ciaran Blumenfeld | Permalink | Comments (2)
Tags: car seats, maxi cosi, review
"Fries with Mat" may be the perfect family car accessory
You know they're down there somewhere, lurking under the passenger seat or wedged between a matchbox car and an I-Spy book. French Fries on the floor are to family cars what candles are to a romantic dinner. So why not embrace your car's Frenchification while protecting the floor from more tragic spills and refuse.
Check out these French Fry Car Mats for $29. Sense of humor included free of charge.
November 15, 2007 in Car Accessories | by Ciaran Blumenfeld | Permalink | Comments (0)
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