BluetoothTransmitter
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TuneLink Auto Bluetooth-to-FM transmitter for iOS 4 devices
Up until just a few months ago, I had always used an FM transmitter like this Belkin one to play my iPhone through my car stereo. It was unwieldy and it made my Apple Lossless-encoded music sound like garbage, but at least it (kinda) worked for those long trips. If you are still using transmitters but are looking for a wireless solution in your car, Engadget has the scoop on the new TuneLink Auto from New Potato Technologies. It plugs directly into your cigarette lighter and provides a Bluetooth audio link between your iOS 4.0 or higher iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and then transmits it to your radio via the FM station of your choosing. This way, once you pick your music or start the iPhone NPR stream during your morning commute you can put it anywhere in the car and not have wires dangling all over the place. The front of the device even has a USB port that can charge any electronics you may have taken with you. The TuneLink Auto is controlled by a free app you have to download from the App Store. According to New Potato, using the device is as easy as "PLUG IT, PAIR IT, PLAY IT, SHARE IT!" and is available now for US $99.99. If it works better than the FM transmitters I used for all those years, it may be worth the money. But if you have the option I would definitely go with a wired connection of some sort, as the purpose of having your music in the car is to enjoy it -- not to constantly be changing stations and adjusting wires just to hear it at all. [via Engadget]
Scosche MotorMouth II brings handsfree calling to any aux input-equipped vehicle
Nah, it's not the second coming of the Jupiter Jack. In fact, it's not a lackluster FM transmitter at all. Instead of pumping yet another one of those, Scosche has decided to take the high road here with the MotorMouth II, a Bluetooth streaming device that's designed for use in any vehicle with a 3.5mm auxiliary input. The idea here is to pair your Bluetooth handset with the adapter, then plug the adapter into your head unit; once you start a handsfree conversation on your mobile, the caller's voice can be heard loud and clear over your car's stereo. Of course, you may want to avoid this critter if you're planning on taking to your part-time lover while your full-time partner in life is riding shotgun, but for the faithful ones out there, it's available now for $79.99.
