Pimp My Ride
Chrysler to offer unconnect wireless hotspot as $449 option
Chrysler announced pricing last week for its new unconnect web Wireless Internet Service, according to AutoWeek online.
Internet Service that will be provided by Autonet Mobile, costs $29 a month, with a $35 activation fee. One-, two- and three-year plans are available. The technology arrives in August as a Chrysler Mopar accessory.
No details as to what band and transfer rate the router utilizes or what connection speeds are offered by Autonet have been provided. Chrysler says the hot-spot connection has a radius of about 100 feet around the vehicle. It works wherever cell-phone service is available, and all passengers in the car can connect wi-fi-enabled devices, including laptops, PDAs and video-game consoles.
In a day and age when an industry-leading LinkSys WRT54G can be had at your local big-box retailer for under $50, this seems like another horribly overpriced Detroit option. Time will tell if wireless internet in the car will become de rigeur technology on down the road.
July 4, 2008 in Car News, In Car Entertainment, Pimp My Ride | by Kyle Pike | Permalink |
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Pimp My Ride: Sony Portable DVD Player
On our last road trip from Columbia, SC to Cincinnati, OH, we used my husband's laptop computer to play Baby Einstein movies for our son. Since my SUV does not have factory-installed DVD screens, we jimmy rigged a whole system using an A/C adapter, some rubber bands and wiring running all the way to the trunk, where the largest voltage connectors were located. It worked, but it wasn't pretty. So, what's a road tripping family to do? Go get a Sony DVP-FX820 portable DVD player from Dell, where it is being sold for $169.99 and free shipping!
With it's vibrant 800x480 resolution screen and long battery life (though not quite the 6 hours that Sony claims), this device is sure to keep everyone entertained on the road. The swivel screen and 2 headphone jacks make back seat sharing a little easier, and there is a car adapter for when the battery begins to run low.
This portable DVD player is sure to make a six hour trip feel shorter for you and your back seat wigglers!
June 30, 2008 in Gear Reviews, In Car Entertainment, Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
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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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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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iLuv Portable MP3 and DVD Player
I love my iPod, but I don't necessarily love feeling like I have to squint at the screen to watch a movie when we are on a trip. I don't even bother letting my toddler watch The Backyardagains on it because I can just imagine him pressing the screen right against his eyes in his frequent attempts to be as close as possible to his favorite characters. iLuv has solved this problem with their impressive portable MP3 and DVD player. While it doesn't work with the iPod Touch, you can place your 30, 60, or 80G iPod Classic or Nano in the dock inside the device and play your videos on the 8.4" wide screen TFT-LCD. If you haven't uploaded what you want to see, there is also a turntable which plays DVD, VCD, audio CD, and JPEG CD. This device will even carry you over for the rainy moments at your destination, as it comes with composite or S-video output to connect to television. Now that's the kind of portable entertainment that equals true convenience!
Currently, the iLuv Portable MP3 and DVD player can be found on the company's website for $269.99
June 11, 2008 in Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Pimp My Ride: Release Yourself from Charger Cord Bondage
Has your center console turned into a jungle of vines? Recently I was sitting in traffic when I noticed that my mobile phone battery was in the red. I reached into my console to pull out the charger and emerged with a tangled knot of iPod charger wires, BlackBerry wires, and even a laptop charger adapter. What a mess!
So I went out and got an iGo Auto Power Adapter. One handy device can charge anything from your smart phone to your digital camera. This charger actually powers devices faster than a USB port on your PC or your typical mobile phone charger, and can still be used when you upgrade your gadgets. What makes it universal is IGo's patented tip technology, which uses interchangeable tips to ensure that each device gets the precise amount of power it needs.
One of the best parts is the price... it's only $19.99! I wonder what my hubby's going to find under his pillow for Father's Day?
May 23, 2008 in Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: car charger
Pimp My Ride: Eyes in the back of your head... er... car
Because my SUV is a 2003 model, I did not have the option for a backup camera. Now that I have a child and often end up with a wheeled toy or two in my driveway, the risk of hearing the crunching and crackling of breaking plastic (not to mention the idea of a little one showing up behind my bumper) often tenses me up as I slip the car into reverse.
Roadmaster has come out with an aftermarket backup camera that is easy to install and mounts to your dashboard or visor. There are two distinct features of this product that make it gleefully easy: the camera mounts using the already existing screws in your license tag, and it is wireless, so it simply sends a signal to the 2.5" LCD monitor inside your car. The license plate installation makes the camera resistant to vibration, and the wireless signal brings the family-mobile one step closer to the Batmobile!
Currently, the Roadmaster VRBCS300W is on sale at Amazon.com for $87.75, where it normally sells for $119. Check it out before you run over all of the beach toys the kids have hauled out from the garage!
May 19, 2008 in Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Pimp My Ride: Backseat TV has Arrived
Imagine your child's saucer-eyes as she realizes that she can watch her favorite Nick Jr. shows as you truck it to over the river and through the woods to grandma's. It's true! And if you have headphones in the back you don't even have to get a headache in the process!
Sirius has debuted Sirius Backseat TV in 2008 Chrysler Group vehicles including Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge. The service features live programming from Nickelodeon, The Disney Channel, and The Cartoon Network. This is so much better than watching fuzzy VHS tapes on the tv in the Chevy G20 Conversion Van back in 1988! Live tv is fed to the car via an in-vehicle video satellite receiver and two small roof mounted antennas. And here is where those headphones come in handy: front seat passengers can listen to Sirius Satellite Radio while the tv is in use!
This service is available for $470, which includes the first year of service. After the first year, it is available for an additional $7 per month when packaged with Sirius Satellite Radio, which is $12.95 per month.
Keep Sirius Backseat TV in mind when you are shopping for you next Chrysler product. It's just one more way to keep the kids entertained and your road trip more peaceful!
Now... when are they going to add ESPN and Lifetime to the lineup?
May 7, 2008 in In Car Entertainment, Pimp My Ride | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: Chrysler, sirius, tv
