FmTransmitter
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Zune gets a "Car Pack" for FM transmitting
Zune boys and Zune girls, it's time to get your collective underwear in a bunch over some hot new accessory action -- namely, the Zune Car Pack. The automotive add-on features an FM transmitter, plus a grip-pad and charger, so you can crank your lossless WMAs of Countdown to Extinction without having to take your eyes off the road... or suffer the embarrassment and danger of driving with earphones in. The transmitter stores your two favorite (read: least static-filled) stations, so you won't have to remember any complicated digits, and can be all yours on November 13th for $79.99.[Via PMPToday]
Kensington rolls out accessories aplenty
In addition to those hyperbole-laden mice and keyboards Kensington introduced the other day, the company also busted out a whole range of other accessories, including everything from FM transmitters to power adapters to notebook cases. On that first front, the company has introduced no less than four of its LiquidFM Transmitters, including two designed specifically for iPods and two that'll work with any old MP3 player. All four boast features like QuickSeek to automatically find the clearest frequency and RDS functionality to display song information on compatible car stereos. In other forms of accessorizing, Kensington's introduced a slew of "Connect it" and "Power it" devices, the former of which includes a variety of laptop docks and stands replete with USB ports, while the later consists of adapters of various sorts to let you use and charge your USB-powered devices in your car, on a plane, or at home using a regular power outlet. As if that wasn't enough, the company also has a pair of new laptop cases, which will neither charge your devices nor transmit audio, but which should keep both your laptop and your wrists safe, thanks to Kensington's trademark Contour ergonomic support panel. According to Kensington, the whole lot should be available in time for the holiday season, with everything available for pre-order now.
Macally busts out cup holder-compatible BTCUP iPod FM transmitter
It's far from the first cup holder-compatible iPod dock, but Macally's new BTCUP boasts a few more tricks than the usual fare, including not only an FM transmitter, but Bluetooth hands-free functionality as well. To make the former task a tad easier, the device includes up and down buttons and a backlit LCD display to let you tune in to any FM frequency between 88.1 and 107.9, with the hands-free calling option also accessible at the touch of a button. For some added privacy, the BTCUP comes equipped with an earphone, and it'll of course charge your iPod as it pumps out the tunes (the device itself is powered by the cigarette lighter outlet). Look for this one to set you back $120, with a BTCUP specially designed for the iPhone set to follow sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.[Via PC World]
Venzero announces FM transmitter-equipped FREQ PMP
Venzero has already amassed a fairly sizable stable of portable media players, but it's apparently not ready to rest on its laurels just yet, with the company now announcing its new FREQ PMP. The big selling point here is the player's integrated FM transmitter, which leaves you with one less dongle to tote around (and lose). Unfortunately, doesn't appear to be much word on other specs, although Venzero has announced that it'll sport a 2.4-inch display and, like other Venzero players, it'll come equipped with the MusicMarker music recognition system. With a $99 list price, however, we're guessing that it won't come with a great deal of storage. We should know for sure soon enough though, as it's apparently set to be released at the end of September.
Eleksen intros FM Radio, iPod, and Bluetooth smart fabric modules
Eleksen's newest "Common Interface" technology doesn't do you much good without modules to interact with it, so the company has introduced a bevy of accessories that play nice with the next-generation embeddable ElekTex sensor. Up first is an FM radio add-on, which offers consumers access to FM broadcasts either from a commercial radio station or FM transmitter, and is fully controlled by an ElekTex fabric sensor integrated into any garment or knapsack. Next up, we've got "updated electronics modules for iPod and iPod+Bluetooth devices," and while details are certainly slimmer on this one, we do know that the sensor is "programmable and compatible with a range of electronics including iPods, smartphones and other personal digital devices." Now, let's see some end products with this stuff in it, capiche?Read - Eleksen's FM Radio moduleRead - Eleksen's iPod, Bluetooth modules
Greenhouse Kana GT DAP sports voice recorder, FM transmitter
We've watched Greenhouse's wee Kana grow up from its early Kana-SD stages and evolve into the entirely more mature Kana D, and now the next logical growth spurt is in order as the device makes the leap to include a voice recorder and FM transmitting capabilities. The Kana GT packs the same 1GB of internal memory that was seen in its predecessor, still lasts just seven hours on a full charge, handles MP3 and WMA files, and connects to your PC via USB 2.0. This iteration, however, also includes an OLED display, up to 140 hours of voice recording potential, a built-in FM tuner and FM transmitter, a dedicated antenna, and even a car cigarette USB charger to keep the music flowin' on lengthy road trips. The newest Kana will come in black, red, and silver motifs, and should land in mid-June for an estimated ¥7,980 ($66).[Via Impress]
DLO's TransDock Deluxe FM transmitter: now with RF remote
At this year's CES, DLO gave its TransDock device a much-needed refresh, and now that the year's nearly halfway over, it's getting yet another makeover. The TransDock Deluxe maintains the same (admittedly poor) FM transmission, AV output from your iPod to your vehicle's in-car displays, and built-in USB outlet for peripheral charging that we've seen in prior iterations, but the Deluxe setup adds an RF steering wheel remote (detailed after the jump) to handle the tunes without removing your hand. The remote purportedly "controls all TransDock functions such as changing your pre-set frequencies," the the unit itself provides a "choice of three LCD colors," comes with a six-foot AV cable, and sports the obligatory auxiliary input for times when your Pod isn't riding shotgun. Of course, for $129.99, we'd have to look into some other way besides finicky FM to get your iPod jams into your car stereo.
Griffin announces iTrip Pocket
Late last week, Griffin announced the availability of the iTrip Pocket, their smallest FM transmitter yet. Designed to match the overall look of the iPod nano, it's about the size of a matchbook and will work with the 1st and 2nd generation iPod nano, as well as the 4th and 5th generation iPod. Plus, their "Smart Display" feature lets you adjust settings on the iPod's screen.The tiny little transmitter fits right on your keychain and costs $49.99US.
EZNEX ENA7000: the cubed FM transmitter, handsfree liaison
EZNEX's latest device packs a fair amount of utility into a 28- x 29- x 30-millimeter block, as the wee ENA7000 allows users the luxury of having two ways to transport sound out of their handset or portable audio player. For mobiles without built-in Bluetooth, you can simply plug this unit in and tune your FM radio to match the output on the LCD screen in order to hear handsfree conversations through your car stereo; moreover, you can connect the cute little fellow to your favorite DAP and listen in whilst driving -- if you can manage to find an open FM channel, that is. The device also touts a built-in rechargeable Li-ion cell, promises eight hours of uninterrupted usage, and looks to come in a variety of colors. Unfortunately, we Americans aren't likely to see this thing in person anytime soon, but it will be available in "late May" to South Koreans for around ???30,000 ($32).[Via AVing]
Thanko's FMP3 Watch touts an FM transmitter
It's no secret that FM transmitters are dodgy at times, but if you were wading through the endless supply of MP3 watches on the market in an effort to find one a notch below hideous, having that feature built-in certainly wouldn't hurt. The king of all things USB has upped the collective ante once more, as its FMP3 Watch not only musters a bearable design scheme, but it also offers up a nice laundry list of specifications to boot. Aside from telling you the time and day of the week, it also boasts 512MB, 1GB, or 2GB of internal memory for MP3 / WMA playback, headphone out, an integrated voice recorder, USB connectivity, volume controls, eight-hours of battery life (three if beaming over FM), and the obligatory FM transmitter to stream your tunes to one of several FM options. If you're anxious to get your wrist into one of these suckas, all three flavors are available right now, and can be had for ¥12,800 ($108), ¥16,800 ($142), and ¥19,800 ($167) from least capacious to most.[Via EverythingUSB]
Hello Kitty -- now in iPod car charger / FM transmitter form
It looks like Hello Kitty's rampage through the gadget world isn't showing any signs of letting up, with an otherwise unremarkable iPod car charger / FM transmitter the latest device to get its irresistible stamp of approval. Compatible with 3G, 4G, 5G, Photo, Mini, and nano varieties of iPods, the device will plug into your car's cigarette lighter and pump tunes straight to your car's radio at the same time, promising a minimum amount of distortion in the process. We have to say we're a bit skeptical of the stated 3 mile operating range, however -- that seems a stretch even with the mighty Hello Kitty behind it.[Via Hello Kitty Hell]
Stream music from Zune to Zune wirelessly -- not how you think
Props to Zunerama for an anti-hack so painfully obvious we're kind of kicking ourselves for not having thought of it before. Want to live stream your music to your pals with Zunes (what do you mean your pals don't have Zunes?) or even FM radios? Just use the FM transmitter. It's relatively low-powered, of course (unless you performed that other hack), but at least anyone who happens to know you're broadcasting on that particular frequency can listen in. Of course, it would be nice if they actually added this feature via WiFi so you could get nearby Zune discovery, track information, and all the fun stuff that makes us pissed about having to resort to such a silly hack as this.
SnoopTunes NoeStringAttached attachment gives iPod Zune-like abilities?
Although the Zune didn't offer too much innovation in comparison to the bevy of other digital audio players out there, the wireless streaming (however effective) did have a leg up over the non-sharing competition. A California-based teenager, however, has supposedly changed all of that with her (well, her dad's) engineering efforts, as the SnoopTunes NoeStringAttached transmitter purportedly opens up the shared lines to iPod users. While you can certainly color us skeptical, the bullet-shaped device managed to grab some airtime on an MSNBC broadcast (shown after the jump), and reportedly transmits your music to other NoeStringAttached users "withing a 15 foot radius," touts five separate channels for non-chaotic field trip usage, and only runs you about $60 for an entire kit. While the slapped-together eBay sales page doesn't elaborate on what type of transmitting protocol is being utilized, we're here to inform you that this thing most certainly won't allow you to beam your song to another iPod -- not even for a measly 72 hours. Truth be told, we're not even sure this thing actually functions as advertised, but even if it does, we really hope you don't mind following your new best friend around fairly close if you're interested in tuning in to what they have to listen to.[Via Wired]
TomTom DUO to hit CeBIT, tout handsfree calling
Fresh deets on TomTom's forthcoming GPS are starting to flow in, and hopefully we'll know about all there is to know by the time this unit shows off on the CeBIT floor. While we'd been led on by the FCC leaks seen just hours ago, it looks like TomTom's marketing department took the easy route with regard to titling, as they've purportedly settled for TomTom DUO. Quite literally one-upping the ONE, this squared-off handheld GPS will reportedly play nice with TomTom's PLUS services, support handsfree calling over Bluetooth, and of course, offer up an elusive (albeit enticing) interaction with a docking station. The dock is suggested to include an FM transmitter for piping navigation audio throughout your vehicle's sound system, as well as allowing external DAPs to be heard through more than just a built-in tweeter, but we're still waiting to see if TomTom plans on this being a standalone unit or if it fits better integrated into one's dash. Per usual, keep it here for (more) emerging information.
Hack your Zune FM transmitter, boost output range
Whether it's for lack of interest or, we doubt, difficulty in completion, we just don't see a lot of Zune hacking going on around here. So even though we wish this one helped extend the range of our lonely, virginal Zune's WiFi to promiscuous new distances, we'll still take on a hack that at least boosts the range of our FM transmissions. Just be careful about the FCC and the RIAA, from what we understand neither are particularly keen on this whole wireless music transmission thing.[Via hack a day]
Mainnav MG-920 Bluetooth GPS receiver touts FM transmitter
Cramming superfluous (or useful) extras into GPS receivers definitely isn't new, but Mainnav's trying to go out a bit further on that limb by adding an interesting feature that could actually be put to good use in the right situation. While most of you probably carry an all-in-one NAV with a built-in GPS receiver, the MG-920 is designed to connect to Bluetooth navigation systems that need a little help syncing with satellites, and although the SiRF Star III LP chip and rechargeable Li-ion cell are entirely average, the bottom-mounted FM transmitter allows a turn-by-turn instructor to be channeled to one's FM radio. Once the device syncs with a navigation unit, the audio is then piped to the Mainnav via a 3.5-millimeter audio cable, and if you're actually in one of those remote areas where an FM transmitter can broadcast something other than fuzz, you're good to go. Per usual, there's no word on pricing or availability just yet, but judging by the surface, it seems like this thing requires a few too many connections to make the consolidation freaks happy anyway.[Via NaviGadget]
XM kicks out CommanderMT for your ride, supports Mini-Tuner
If you're going to have a little Mini-Tuner love going on in your crib, you can't just leave your vehicle hung out to dry, and now XM's dishing out the CommanderMT to bring the tunes with you while you travel. The sleek, black unit is purportedly designed to be integrated into your dash, and the Mini-Tuner design removes the need to actually carry your Commander with you when you exit the vehicle. It's also universal in nature, so it delivers the XM channels to your car stereo via FM, for better or (likely) worse. Possibly designed for folks looking to keep their existing head unit but add XM capabilities, the unit can be flush-mounted permanently if you're down with keeping the same tuner for the life of your vehicle. Regardless, the new CommanderMT should be hitting stores not too long after CES concludes, so be sure to click on through for a few more pics.[Via Orbitcast]
Hey good buddy, UK lifts ban on FM Transmitters and CBs
Knowing that you risk legal trouble in the UK just for plugging your phone into a wall socket, you shouldn't be too surprised to learn that low-power FM transmitters -- like those that allow your iPod to play music through your car stereo -- are illegal too. Until December 8th that is. See, the UK's Office of Communications (Ofcom) heard your cries of freedom and are all set to lift the ban set by WWII-era legislation. Be careful though, not all FM transmitters will be legal, only those carrying the CE mark of approval. Oh, and let's all welcome back the 70s while we're at it 'cause you no longer need a license to use CB radios in The Kingdom either. Breaker one-nine this here's Rubber Duck, we say let them truckers roll!
Sharp's MP-E300/E200: the slimmer, prettier AAC sisters
Well, Sharp did improve the looks of their MP-B300 a bit with this, their new MP-E300 digital audio player. That color-matched display and clean, grayscale GUI works hard to keep the look tidy. But damn Sharp, quit slacking and clean up those busy controls, eh? Looks aside, this player delivers a pretty fat feature starting with a miniSD slot for expanding capacity beyond the onboard 512MB or 1GB flash, depending upon model. Sharp's updated DAP slims down from 8.9-mm to 7.9-mm while still packing both an on-board FM tuner and transmitter with AAC support now included on top of WMA/MP3 and DRM'd WMA. The player also touts up to 24-hours of MP3 playback or 14-hours of DRM'd WMA off its lithium polymer battery. Line-in recording direct to MP3 remains as does the hefty price tag: ¥21,000 / ¥16,000 (about $178 / $106) for the 1GB MP-E300 / 512MB MP-E200 players, respectively, when these start rolling out in Japan on November 24th. Now, if we could just move those squares around all n-puzzle like, well, we might have to bite. Ok, probably not.[Via Impress]
Logitec's in-car FM transmitter: charge your MP3 player while pumping the jams
While it doesn't feature a fully integrated DAP like its LAT-FM300U cuz, Logitec's new LAT-FM110U does provide a low cost means to both charge and play your MP3 player while scooting about with four on the floor. The unit plugs into your vehicle's lighter socket for power and hosts both stereo-mini and USB jacks to pull the tunes while juicin' the the battery of your favorite portable audio player. Better yet, this new transmitter is said to decrease noise while improving sound over previous Logitec transmitters. Cable hell on the console? You betcha. Kicking out of Japan starting early December for about ¥4,980 or right around $42.[Via Impress]
