Parrot's new RK8200 car stereo plays nice with everything

Looking for a car stereo that does it all? Maybe the boys and girls at Parrot can help you out with its latest and greatest -- the RK8200. In a rare case of ultimate convergence, the electronics-maker is bringing you a head-unit for your vehicle which boasts a USB port, SD card reader, line-in jack, iPod connector, and A2DP Bluetooth support. Let's be honest -- that's a lot of options for your system. In addition to the Swiss-Army-like connectivity choices, the stereo has 2GB of onboard storage, and the faceplate drops down to reveal an area where you can store a device (or anything else). The RK8200 can also be coupled with a mobile phone for hands-free talking / dialing, can hold up to 8000 of your precious contacts, and touts voice recognition and intelligent microphone switching. Here's the kicker: you don't even have to rob a bank to get one of these puppies -- the stereo will be out by the end of the year for the very affordable price of £149.99 (or around $302).

[Sam H. @ Sep 26th 2007 10:32PM]

Crap...I have 8001 contacts!

[mailings @ Sep 27th 2007 9:13AM]

I highly doubt you actually have 8001 contacts. First off, that would be an incredible coincidence. Secondly, I have around 150 contacts, and consider that alot of contacts. Most people I know have around the 100-150.

[Paul @ Sep 27th 2007 12:22PM]

@mailings

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHH

[Johan S @ Sep 26th 2007 10:34PM]

Touchscreen? No?
OLED buttons? No?

Will I use it? No.

[Zach @ Sep 26th 2007 11:24PM]

ugh touchscreen in a car just spells disaster for me. I love the feel of a tactile interface. Knobs and shit is what I crave.

[Josh @ Sep 26th 2007 11:42PM]

No joke - who want to freaking piss around with a touchscreen while driving? That why i like my 4g iPod over all of these new touch ones - i can look at the road and switch songs because i know where the BUTTONS are.






In general, things are cheaper than similar competition because they lack something - could that something be sound quality?

[Sandeep @ Sep 26th 2007 10:34PM]

Seems inconvenient for listening to the radio (no tuning knob) but hell, with so many options I can't resist.

Please bring it to the US! And please have a decent output!

[Pedro @ Sep 27th 2007 7:38AM]

I don't know how you get by in the US, but here in the UK we haven't used tuning knobs in like 10 years.

Digital auto-tuning is the future, guys.

[Roger Zhang @ Sep 26th 2007 10:38PM]

Nice! Now i just need a car.

[Buffalo @ Sep 26th 2007 10:39PM]

Could use GPS and satellite radio

[Mike @ Sep 26th 2007 11:05PM]

I want one!

[kyle Garchar @ Sep 26th 2007 11:12PM]

what about friendliness with the iPhone?

that's the kicker

[robert @ Sep 27th 2007 1:23AM]

Where the hell did the iPhone reference come from?

I love apple, yet I see no reason to mention the iPhone...

[spam_free @ Sep 27th 2007 9:52AM]

If you spend a few moments to READ you would find that it has an iPod connector and plays nice with bluetooth phones. Both of which are features on the iPhone. In other words, you would've answered your own question with a little secret hack we call "reading comprehension". ;-)

[GameFreak @ Sep 26th 2007 11:18PM]

Am I the only one thinking of all the different things I could hide in that spot? :D

[Zach @ Sep 26th 2007 11:25PM]

If you're thinking weed, plainly that'd be an idiot decision! Too obvious of a search spot.

Second, I'm looking at this definitely. If the sound quality is there alongside and the iPod interface doesn't blow, that $302 is as good as spent. My Kenwood has just started to go to shit already.

[t-bone @ Sep 27th 2007 1:04AM]

Behind the stereo faceplate is obvious? I must not know the right people because I've never seen a storage space behind a faceplate before.

[palehorse @ Sep 28th 2007 3:45PM]

actually, what they should have done is make the compartment only accessible by entering a code on the keypad... now THAT would have been cool!

Ummm, does this thing have an AM/FM radio?

[Gerald Tan @ Sep 26th 2007 11:44PM]

Does it play doom I wonder?

[Chris @ Sep 27th 2007 12:00AM]

This type of device seems so obvious, both Alipine and Blaupunkt have similar concepts, but where they all lose me is with the pricing. It doesn't have a disc drive, so theorectically it should be cheaper, not more expensive at $300+. I think one of the iPod accessary companies (Belkin, Kensington, Griffin) should come out with device similar to this, expect simplify it further. Ipod connectivity, AM/FM Tuners and 25watts x 4 amp. Who need's satellite radio, when you've got an iPod? SatNav, too expensive. Leave they out and there has got to be a way to get this to market for $100-150.

[Kal-El @ Sep 27th 2007 12:03AM]

What are these "CD's" that you speak of?

[Ted Brown @ Sep 27th 2007 12:11AM]

No XM, no sale.

[Jesse S @ Sep 27th 2007 12:17AM]

What formats does it support?

[Nizam Rahman @ Sep 27th 2007 12:18AM]

Nice! I want one. If it means I don't have to rip out my CD changer from the dashboard, I'm in. There's no overlap of technologies either, between my factory installed MP3/CD changer, AM/FM, and this puppy, I'll have all the bases covered.

And people, if it doesn't fit your needs, don't knock it.

[EEaudio08 @ Sep 27th 2007 12:21AM]

That is a lot of connectivity; I wonder how the sound quality is...

[Michael @ Sep 27th 2007 12:50AM]

I'd just go with the Alpine IDA-X001. Much cleaner looking, and includes a 24 bit burr brown DAC. They can be had for under $300. It doesn't include the 2gb internal storage, but honestly with 160gb iPods nowadays, what's 2gigs good for?

[Jugomugo @ Sep 27th 2007 8:35AM]

The last Alpine I owned had horrific sound quality. I replaced it with a JVC and it sounded much better. I will say the Alpine look much nicer, but this Parrot unit does have an improved feature set, and I imagine will actually be had cheaper than $300 when it drops.

The real question though: quality (physical and audio).

[Nick @ Sep 27th 2007 11:10AM]

2 gigs....huh...yeah....what is it good for...absolutely nothing...

good god

[t-bone @ Sep 27th 2007 1:04AM]

I couldn't find this unit on their website but I'm sure it will include all kinds of information. I was just looking at the 7" picture frame and they even go so far as to tell you what kind of processor it has(Samsung 2412 Microprocessor BTW).

[Shibathedog @ Sep 27th 2007 1:38AM]

Now theres a place a cop would never think to search for...

I mean damn, nice radio! If the specs are nice I think i'll pick one up, my stock radio is not cutting it anymore (starting to die very slowly)

[Shibathedog @ Sep 27th 2007 1:41AM]

hah, someone beat me to the weed comment.

Thats not an obvious place to search because radios don't usually open like that, no one would ever look there they would figure if it folds down its only to reveal a CD slot. This is the first time ive ever heard of something like this. (although there are probably a few random ones that have it)

[B166Er @ Sep 27th 2007 2:45AM]

Exactly, unless you have a tech savvy cop (which typically don't exist, thats why they're cops!), he aint gonna look in the spot where the "cd goes inta". This feature is new and unlike any other. Now I can drive and stow my crack pipe! Nice!

[Rajiv @ Sep 27th 2007 5:00AM]

wtf...no cd player..the basics!!!!

[jman315 @ Sep 27th 2007 5:22AM]

no Cd player and just looks like a FUGLY version of alpines mp3 head unit.

[ilh @ Sep 27th 2007 6:13AM]

No AVRCP?

[savagemike @ Sep 27th 2007 7:48AM]

It's about freakin' time for the big main stream boys of the incar audio market to wake up and smell the new century isn't it?
While you can score some interesting units like this on ebay or elsewhere from noname chinese conglomerates and the like, the feature set on most every alpine, jvc, blaupunkt, kenwood, panasonic, sony, etc... out there is frustratingly behind the times.
I don't know why engadget thinks a few basic connection options are a lot... honestly every stereo out there should have those.
I mean, am, fm, and cd might have once been a lot too. But now it is hardly enough.
With every new model year I half expect to see 8 track players in some of their units.
If they aren't careful they will find themselves sitting behind the eight ball snoozing while the likes of some big pocket company like samsung or apple or god forbid microsoft dives in and starts eating their breakfast for them.

- savagemike

[Jashue @ Sep 27th 2007 9:09AM]

Yeah, but will it work with my Zune?

That's the real litmus test!

[sambront @ Sep 27th 2007 9:12AM]

I highly doubt you actually have 8001 contacts. First off, that would be an incredible coincidence. Secondly, I have around 150 contacts, and consider that alot of contacts. Most people I know have around the 100-150.

[narthron @ Sep 30th 2007 8:17PM]

ya, but most ipod accessories don't work with the iphone, and you can't play music over the iphone yet either. you should drop the arrogance man. its not very becoming of you.

[popeye cahn @ Sep 27th 2007 11:44AM]

Ummm Alpine iDA-X001?

http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/products/product.php?model=iDA-X001

[Paul @ Sep 27th 2007 12:28PM]

Um... I just read the specifications on it, and it doesnt do SD cards or have a line-in jack. However, it does have a CD player.

[jman315 @ Sep 27th 2007 12:39PM]

no it doesnt have a cd player

[Matthew @ Sep 27th 2007 12:31PM]

lol the center button is bigger then the screen!

[Bassnote @ Sep 27th 2007 3:51PM]

WANT.

[Bassnote @ Sep 27th 2007 4:27PM]

WANT.

[Sirocco @ Sep 28th 2007 1:41PM]

An SD slot and 2 gig internal memory are definitely on the plus side, but, as others have mentioned, a single device that also includes satellite and a CD player would be a must-have.