The 2011 Audi 8 option will provide a UMTS connection that can light up as many as eight devices with an Internet connection, announced the company. Users just insert a SIM card into the car’s Bluetooth “radio” or they may use their own Bluetooth phone for the connection at speeds up to 7.2Mbit/second. It also provides encryption for security. Looks like the A8 will be a pretty souped up car as the user interface may allow handwriting recognition too, says ZDNet.

Chrysler started the OEM WiFi ball rolling when it launched a UConnect hotspot program in August, 2008. Since then General Motors’ Cadillac and Volkswagen also offer optional WiFi hotspots—all supplied by Autonet Mobile. Ford is also launching this summer, a WiFi Internet car connection to its Sync radios.

A third of Americans want to check email and access the web in their cars, said Ford citing a Consumer Electronics Association study.

Source: Audi, ZDNet
Photo via Audi of A8 interior

B&N Launches iPad App, Kindle iPad App Goes International

With Apple selling more than 1.5 million eBooks in the first 28 of the iPad’s launch, it’s no wonder Barnes & Noble has been racing to offer an eBookstore app for the iPad. The B&N app officially launched today, while Amazon, which already has a Kindle app for the iPad, announced it’s expanding its app for International use.
The BN eReader app for iPad offers more than 1 million eBooks and is the only eReading app with a LendMe feature to loan your eBooks to friends. The feature lets users email an eBook to someone in your address book for 14 days (during which the owner does not have access to the eBook).
For its part, Amazon said its Kindle App for iPad is now available in all countries where the iPad is offered. It offers over 55,000 eBooks.
Source: Barnes & Noble and Amazon

Nokia Struggles in Smartphones

Nokia, the cellphone giant, is still struggling to win share in the smartphone arena in a post iPhone era. Nokia’s N900 ($549) smartphone introduced last November has sold only 100,000 units in its first five months on the market, said Gartner today, indicating Nokia has yet to compete effectively against the iPhone and Blackberry.
The N900—a chunky slider with a 3.5 inch touch screen—won favor among hard core enthusiasts, but couldn’t gain mass appeal. Cnet gave it a favorable initial review citing its powerful web browser, multitasking, fast processor and 5MP camera but noted that its user interface fell short. The phone was also seen as a breakthrough as it is the first to use Nokia’s Linux-based open source Maemo 5 OS, previously used on MIDs and tablets.
But 100,000 N900s over five months, doesn’t stand up to the 8.75 million iPhones sold in three month (Q1). Nokia sold 50,000 N900s in the last quarter of 2009 (when it first launched) but momentum trailed in Q1 2010, said Gartner.
Source: Gartner via Reuters

Sony Adds New CD-Less Decks

Sony is adding two new CD-less head units that forgo the CD player in favor of connecting an iPod/iPhone or other MP3 player to the radio to get your music.
Sony’s TuneTray system includes a slide out tray that houses the music player to keep it from dangling.

A new DSX-S300BT adds built-in Bluetooth for music streaming and hands free calling. It also has Sony’s SensMe technology that creates custom play lists automatically. The DSX-S200X is the non-Bluetooth version. Both are shipping in September at $280 and $200, respectively.

They join Sony’s first CD-less model, the DSX-S100, which remains in the line.

Source: Sony
Photo: DSC-S300BT

Amazon Ties with Walmart in Music

Amazon’s online music sales spiked enough to place it second behind Apple’s iTunes, where it is tied with Walmart as the number two player, said the NPD Group according to ars technica.
iTunes has a 28 percent share of all the music purchased online in the U.S. Amazon’s share jumped 3 points to match Walmart’s at 12 percent.
Source: the NPD Group via ars technica

Wave of iPad Car Kits Coming

New iPad kits are arriving from three suppliers, which leaves us wondering if an iPad-in-your-car rage is brewing.
Aamp of America is jumping in with three iSimple iPad car kits due in the next few months.
If you just want an iPad lock-in-place holder for your car (without the necessary cables) then you’re in luck as two companies have just begun shipping car-specific holders. Also Metra Electronics is examining the market. And we know Scosche is showing a full kit to its dealers (but has not declared it will ship the product).

Here’s the quick low down:
Aamp of America is updating the GateWay, TranzIt and WiFli iPod car kits for the iPad and these should be available in the next couple of months. It will also come out it with a slew of iPad accessories, including holders, cases, etc.

ProClip is selling a Swedish-manufactured iPad holder (without cables). It’s in two parts: the $49 holder and then the $29 vehicle specific swivel-mount. Do-it-yourselfers can install it because the mount slips into the dashboard seam. There’s also a one-piece $99 headrest mount that comes with a tilt-swivel, which fits most vehicles. Home wall mounts and desk stands are also available.

Panholder’s $99 kit is offered for almost any car. It’s another DIY kit that fits in the dash seam and it has a slot to plug in an iPad charger. “You will be able to remove our kit and not show any visible signs that there was ever a Padholdr in your car,” said the company.

Metra says it is looking into an iPad kit but is examining safety issues. An iPad is heavier than a smartphone and could become a projectile in the event of an accident. “We’re looking at alternative ways to use the iPad in the car, but not necessarily in the dash,” said Bill Lauer, VP new product development. He adds, “There’s no way to override things like checking email, sending text messages while you drive, reading a book…We realize the value and we’re looking at solutions.”

Apple sold a million iPads in its first 28 on the market after launching April 3 and is reportedly producing 1 to 1.5 million iPads a month—an amount which could double to more than 2.5 million units a month in global production in Q3, according to the AP quoting an analyst from Sterne, Agee & Leach.
–Amy Gilroy
Source: CEoutlook and the AP via CBS
Photo Panholder’s iPad car holder

ICE Launches Mystery Shopper Program

The In Car Experts (ICE) 12-volt buying group attracts 2,500 unique visitors a month who enter their zip code on the ICE website to find a local car stereo retailer. ICE wants its member’s stores to make the most of these leads so it launched a Mystery Shopper program. It calls its member stores and ranks the response from the salesmen. Prizes will be awarded starting June 1.
“The cost involved in order to get a consumer to call a retailer, can be quite high… It is extremely important to ensure that once the consumer does take this step, they receive the very best experience which ultimately leads to a sale,” said ICE executive director Rob Elliott.
Source: ICE
Photo: Current ICE ad

Apple Surpasses Microsoft on Wall Street

Apple officially whizzed past Microsoft yesterday, becoming the number one technology company in market value.
Microsoft still makes more money, has higher profits and cash, but on Wednesday, the stock market gave Apple a value of $222 billion to Microsoft’s $219. Quite a moment for Apple—a company once left for dead by many analysts a decade ago before Steve Jobs returned and put the company back on track by launching the iPod.
The only American company valued higher is Exxon Mobile with a market valuation of $279 said The New York Times, which eloquently summed up the situation as, “one of the most stunning turnarounds in business history for Apple.”
Even though Microsoft’s net income is $15 billion to Apple’s $6 billion and Microsoft’s cash and short term investments is $40 billion to Apple’s $23, and the software giant’s revenue is $58 to Apple’s $43, the stock market sees Apple as the more valuable (or it did on Wednesday), said the Times.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s reaction was to state only, “We are executing very well, that’s going to lead to great products and great success,” said The Wall Street Journal.
Apple has beaten Sony in digital music and digital music players, it’s giving Nintendo a run for its money, it’s helping to knock cellphone giants like Nokia off their game and is rocking the nascent eReader market, giving Amazon plenty to worry about. Apple recently re-invented the tablet PC with the iPad, causing competitors like Microsoft, to scrap or delay their own planned tablets.
But Apple still has Google to worry about. Google’s market value is $151 billion. The Times reports Google has a lead on Apple in Internet-connected TVs and Cloud computing. The newspaper quoted analyst Tim Bajarin as stating, “The battle has shifted from Microsoft against Apple to Apple against Google. Apple has a significant lead. But Google is going to be a powerful competitor.”
Sources: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal

Bernie’s May Not See Resurrection

Bernie’s, the bankrupt 15-store TV/appliance chain based in CT will not be resuming business with a single store June 1 as planned, says the Hartford Courant, quoting a single source. Bernie’s former owner Milton Rosenberg had announced plans to relaunch Bernie’s with a sole store in Manchester, CT and may have been thwarted by P.C. Richard & Son’s expansion into CT, speculated the newspaper. P.C. Richard recently opened stores in Norwalk, Milford and North Haven, CT with plans for a Danbury store and possibly stores in Newington and Manchester, said the Courant.
Shortly after Bernie’s declared bankruptcy in January, Rosenberg bought the name Bernie’s for $150,000 out of bankruptcy court from Citizens Bank. He announced he planned to hire about 20 former employees to run the store out of a former’s Bernie’ site in Manchester.
Rosenberg’s father founded the Bernie’s chain in Hartford in 1947.
Source: The Hartford Courant

Dell Streak Due End of Summer

The Dell Streak is officially due at the end of summer in the U.S., while Britain will get first dibs on the device in early June, Dell announced this week. With its 5-inch screen, the 3G Streak poses a bit of a problem when it comes to classification. Dell calls it a tablet PC, in the same class as the iPad, but you can actually bring the device to your ear to use it as a phone, and PC Magazine has declared it a phone.
No price has been set for the Streak which is Android-based, has a capacitive, multi-touch screen and offers built-in WiFi and Bluetooth on top of 3G capability. You basically get the all the browsing capabilities of a laptop and the smartphone attributes of voice calls, text, and quick access to apps and social networking sites. And there’s email and IM. You also get free turn-by-turn navigation on Google Maps, 5MP front facing camera, and 2GB of storage. The Streak runs on a 1GB Snapdragon processor and will support Adobe Flash 10.1 later this year.
Source: Dell and PC Magazine

DICE Adds BMW Version of MediaBridge

DICE Electronics added BMW to the list of vehicles its MediaBridge iPod/iPhone/USB/Sirius/Bluetooth adapter will accommodate. MediaBridge lets users get their music from numerous sources through stereo Bluetooth streaming, a direct iPod, iPhone or USB connection and a link to a Sirius SC-C1 tuner. It can also deliver Bluetooth hands free calling. There are two versions for BMWs: the MB1500 –with Bluetooth and HF microphone at $299.99 shipping in June and the MB1000 – BMW without Bluetooth at $249.99 shipping now. A third $79 DSP accessory is required for BMW vehicles equipped with DSP audio systems.
MediaBridge is also available for Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Honda and Acura vehicles and will be offered for Nissan, Infinity, VW and Audi vehicles in the future, said DICE.

Source: DICE

Shake up at Microsoft’s Entertainment Div.

Microsoft is changing the guard at the helm of its entertainment division which oversees such items as the XBOX, Windows Phone 7 and the Zune.
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division is retiring and it looks like he will not be immediately replaced. Instead the division VPs will report directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Bach, a 22 year veteran of Microsoft, will leave this fall, just as Windows Phone 7 and Project Natal (Microsoft’s full body gaming controller) are about to launch. His departure follows reports of Microsoft’s Chief Experience Officer and CTO for its Entertainment and Devices division, J Allard leaving after Microsoft failed to bring its Courier tablet PC to market.
Bach said, “At Microsoft, I’ve been so fortunate to spend more than two decades of my life working with incredible people and doing amazing things like launching Office, Xbox and Xbox Live, the ‘Halo’ franchise, Windows Phones, Zune and more. I’m at the time in my life where I want to dedicate more time to my family and my nonprofit work, including my work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.” Senior VP Don Mattrick will continue to lead the software giant’s Interactive Entertainment Business and senior VP Andy Lees will continue to head the Mobile Communications Business.
Sources: Microsoft, Engadget

Photo via AFP: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer

Magellan Adds Lifetime Traffic to Full Line

GPS maker Magellan is adding free lifetime traffic to its full 2010 line up plus a new GPS “wake up” feature.
The standout model in the line, RoadMate 3065, includes “traffic wake-up” and “periodic reporting.” The wake up feature lets you set a time of day for your commute and the GPS device will automatically wake up 30 minutes prior to gather traffic information.
Since GPS devices must prioritize which traffic data to show the user, the calculations can take a bit of time, which means when you first turn on the device, the traffic picture may not be complete. The problem is that many commuters decide which route to take when they first turn on the device. Magellan senior director product marketing Mike Wagner said, “Magellan recognized the challenge this posed to commuters and developed the only GPS navigator with the Traffic Wake-up feature. Two times a day the Magellan RoadMate 3065 Commuter will wake itself up 30 minutes before your pre-determined commute starts and begin gathering traffic information.”
An additional periodic reporting tracks your mileage and can issue a year-end report for tax purposes.
The RoadMate 3065 also has a 4.7-inch screen, free map updates as well as free traffic, Bluetooth and voice dialing.
All the new Magellan models—about 8—include spoken street names and range in screen sizes from 4.3 to 5-inches. Other features include a find-your-car alert, lane assistance and AAA Tourbook at prices from $169.99 to $299.99.
Source: Magellan
Photo via Amazon of RoadMate 3065

Mobile DTV Delayed Til Holidays

The in-store launch for Mobile DTV—free digital DTV to portables and car TVs—has been delayed until the pre-Christmas season, we learned Tuesday night at the official press kick-off of a Mobile DTV test trial in Washington DC.
Pioneering suppliers including LG Electronics, Dell and Valups have delayed their launches with LG citing two main reasons. First, suppliers must clear up a point of law before they can sell the devices. The All-Channel Receiver Act (1962) says all digital TVs must also have analog tuners, but the new Mobile DTV tuners are all-digital (as analog TV got the kill switch on June 12). The law came up in discussions between suppliers and the FCC a few months ago. So the FCC has put resolving this issue on the fast track and LG hopes it will be solved by summer. As a result the Tivizen—a tiny tuner that adds Mobile DTV to a smartphone or portable– won’t be shipping as planned in May.
Second, national retailers are waiting to take on the product until enough TV broadcasters have converted to the new format, said LG. Currently about 45 out of 1600 broadcasters have adopted Mobile DTV, and the level is expected to climb to over 100 by year’s end. At that point there should be sufficient broadcaster support for a retail launch. LG VP public affairs and communications John Taylor told us, “When you get to the holiday season, we’re confident there will be a sufficient number of broadcasters to entice retailers to pick up the product.”
Leading broadcasters appear bullish on the Mobile DTV format and they were out in force Tuesday at the press event along with industry leaders. “Mobile DTV is here, it’s real and it’s getting ready for prime time,” said former Senator Gordon Smith now president and CEO of the National Assn. of Broadcasters. Head of the Consumer Electronics Assn., Gary Shapiro added, “This isn’t just about a TV in the back of a car, it’s about TV wherever you go.”
The CEO of Fox TV Stations, Jack Abernathy spoke up about another issue that’s been dogging Mobile DTV. In March, the FCC suggested broadcasters give up some spectrum to make more room for broadband. The FCC has said it specifically supports Mobile DTV, but now no one is 100 percent sure how much spectrum TV stations will eventually be left with, and if there will be enough spectrum for Mobile DTV. But Abernathy and others last night said this isn’t stopping Mobile DTV progress.
“The FCC’s plan could take 8 to 10 years. We are going to get Mobile DTV up and running 4 times faster,” said Abernathy. By then the hope is we’ll all be watching free Lost reruns on our cloud phones and heaven help the Feds if they try to take it away.
As for now, the Washington test trial will run another three months. It includes a Mobile DTV version of the Samsung Moment phone that is now in the hands of hundreds of test-trialers and a Mobile DTV Dell netbook (based on the Inspiron Mini 10) that will reach 300 people over the next couple of weeks. Other users are getting an LG portable Mobile DTV player or the Tivizen tuner for smartphones, netbooks, etc. made by Valups. The users are receiving programming from 9 TV networks.
For the rest of us, Dell said a Mobile DTV Inspiron should be available to consumers by the end of the year or early 2011. The netbook includes a dual HDTV and Mobile DTV tuner. Also a Dell Mobile DTV USB dongle may be released at the end of the year.
LG is looking at a pre-holiday launch for its $249 portable Mobile DTV/DVD player (DP570MH) and Samsung is hoping to see Mobile DTV cellphones in 2011 said Samsung VP govt. and public affairs, John Godfrey. In other countries where Mobile DTV has launched, the feature has been widely adopted in mobile phones, with about a 50 percent penetration within a couple of years, he said.
–Amy Gilroy
Source: CEoutlook
Photo captions: LG’s 7-inch portable DP570MH Mobile DTV/DVD player is due later this year at an expected $249. CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro speaking at the Mobile DTV press event Tuesday.

Video by Samsung

Pandigital Offers “Poor Man’s iPad”/eReader At $199

Pandigital is entering the eReader market with two color LCD eReaders that might be likened to a poor man’s iPad. And analysts seem to give Pandigital, a digital photo frame maker, a standing chance at winning some share in the crowded eReader market because of the company’s solid relationships with 37,000 retail outlets including those of Kohls, Macy’s, Costco and Bed, Beth & Beyond, reports the The San Francisco Chronicle.
The first of Pandigital’s “Novel” eReaders is available today. Both devices have 7-inch color LCD screens, a WiFi connection and can Android apps–giving them a bit of tablet-like appeal. The devices, at $199 each, link to the Barnes & Noble eBookstore with 1.2 million books. The 1GB version in a white case is available today while a black 2GB version will be offered in June.
The NPD Group’s Ross Rubin notes there are similarities in the digital picture frame and eReader markets and says that Pandigital reputation for good quality at aggressive prices may help it break into a market that has been difficult for many eReader newcomers, said the Chronicle.
Pandigital, a 12-year old company based in Dublin expects to sell 1.6 million “Novels” by the end of the year. 3G versions running AT&T service and models with smaller, 6-inch screens may be forthcoming from the company later in the year.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Car AV Sales Rise in April by 1%

UPDATE! The good folks at the NPD Group revised the total car audio numbers given us to uniformly exclude portable navigation and satellite radio accessories. So here’s the new year-to-date tally for car electronics (minus portable navi and satellite radio accessories): for April, car audio sales were up 1 percent and for Q1, they were down 10 percent in dollar sales to consumers. Car audio sales in this case include: car amplifiers, CD changers, cassette players, speakers, CD controllers, in-dash players, all multi-media (car video), in-dash navigation and satellite radio boxes. All the other numbers below are correct.

Original story:
The car AV/navigation market finally showed it has a pulse as April sales to consumers rose 1 [previously reported as 4] percent over April 2009 (in dollars). Car amplifiers and speakers were each up by 1 percent and in-dash navigation rose 2 percent. Car CD players (single) had a small drop of 3 percent.
This is welcome news as total car AV/navigation sales for the first quarter were down 10 [previously reported as 14] percent in dollars, according to the NPD Group.
The big drag on Q1 sales were car amplifiers and speakers, which fell 20 percent each in dollars. Head units saw minor Q1 declines: in-dash navigation fell 1 percent and in-dash single CD players dropped 5 percent in dollar sales to consumers.
Our take: sales year-to-date are not so bad for an industry that has been trending down for years, but somewhat disappointing considering it shouldn’t be too hard to beat last year’s sales by a wide margin given the recession in 2009.
Note: NPD’s total car AV/navigation sales to consumers exclude [previously reported as include] portable GPS and satellite radio “box accessories.”
–Amy Gilroy
Source: The NPD Group
Photo via braunhaus.org

FlipSYNC Key Fob is an iPhone Charging Cable

Scosche is shipping a flipSYNC key fob that doubles as a charging or sync cable for an iPod/iPhone or Blackberry.
The flipSYNC is about the size of a car alarm remote transmitter but it houses a cable in one of two versions: a charging/sync cable for the iPhone/iPod or a Mini/Micro USB cable for Blackberries, digital cameras, etc.
The units are available at Best Buy and Scosche.com for $19.99.
Source: Scosche

Android 2.2 Due in Phones in June

Google took the wraps of its new Android 2.2 (Froyo–short for Frozen Yogurt) smartphone OS which will convert phones into portable hotspots and support Adobe Flash. The Motorola Droid and Google’s Nexus One should get the new OS in June, while HTC may offer an upgrade for certain 2010 phones, said Computerworld.
Google says 100,000 new people begin using an Android-based phone every day. “The growth of the Android ecosystem continues to exceed our expectations….There are now more than 180,000 active Android developers who have contributed over 50,000 apps to the Android Market,” said VP engineering Andy Rubin, VP in a Google statement.
The new Android OS improves processing speed by 2-5X over Android 2.1 and claims a faster, more powerful browser. It’s new hotspot feature turns certain phones into WiFi hotspots that can be shared with up to 8 devices. It also allows tethering: you can also use the Android phone as a 3G modem for a laptop via a USB cable.
Sources: Google, Computerworld

Hyundai OnStar Device May Launch at CES

The next car maker to take on OnStar may be Hyundai Motor America, whose cars have been selling like hot cakes in the U.S. While many of us are roaming the aisles at the Consumer Electronics Show this coming January, wondering where all the car stereo booths went, Hyundai is expected to simultaneously launch a telematics system, reports Roger Lanctot of Strategy Analytics. Least anyone underestimate the “drive” of this company—think Toyota back in the 70s. “Hyundai’s goal is nothing less than to become the most loved, most trusted and highest satisfaction mass market automotive brand,” says Lanctot.
Hyundai is also planning to deliver its new Equus luxury sedan with an iPad pre-loaded with the car’s owner’s manual and service scheduling application, says the analyst.
Lanctot expects that Hyundai may even launch its On-Star rivaling system during CES, trying to muscle in on Ford’s strategy of positioning its Sync as a consumer electronics product. “The 2011 CES is shaping up as a significant automotive technology launch pad as rumors of Apple- and Google-branded cars are swirling in the industry seven months in advance of the event.” Whoa. What?! We’ll investigate and let you know if anything turns up.
Meanwhile, more on Hyundai as the car company to watch.
Hyundai sales are up 51% year-to-date over 2009
It’s the 7th largest brand in the U.S and it expects to surpass Dodge for 6th place by the close of this year
It’s the 4th largest OEM globally
It ranks 4th behind Lexus, Porsche and Cadillac in quality according to J.D. Power
It’s Genesis won 2009 Car of the Year.
If it’s savvy enough to give out iPads, let’s see what kind of On-Star-like system Hyundai will come up with.
–Amy Gilroy
Source: Strategy Analytics

Pandora Car Radio Sell Through: 1st Look

As best we can tell, Pandora radios, the head units from Alpine and Pioneer, that let users listen to Pandora from their phone through the car radio (and control Pandora from the car radio)—are selling just fine but not setting any records.
Pioneer says its AVIC-X920BT and AVIC-Z120BT are selling above expectations although its PandoraLink app required for the devices to work with Pandora is still awaiting approval by Apple. At that point the two units will be able to access Pandora from an iPhone and control it from the radio.
Alpine says its iDA-X305S is selling to plan “and it was an aggressive plan,” according to assistant VP Sales Mike Anderson. The company is now talking to other phone manufacturers beyond Apple and to other Internet Radio providers beyond Pandora. “We do believe that if people have Internet Radio, they want to use it in their car. I think it’s going to be [big] because more and more people are enjoying Internet radio. They want to take that every place they go. “
The radios, still new in the market at some retailers, are getting mixed reviews on dealer sell-through. A half dozen retailers (not exactly a big sample) are split down the middle between those saying customers are coming in and asking for Pandora car radios and those who say customers don’t know about it. Al & Ed’s Autosound in Los Angeles has already sold “quite a few” of the Pioneer Z120s in its first ten days on the shelves and claims that it acts as a good sales tool. “Any time a manufacturer ties into a cultural hit [Pandora] it’s a good thing…you can talk about it on the sales floor,” said product manager John Haynes.
Sound of Tristate, De. says customers are coming in and asking for the Pandora radios. It sold a dozen of the Pioneer 920s in 30 days and ran out. It’s reordered 24 more.
But World Wide Stereo of Hatfield, PA says it’s not getting any request from its customers. Dave Keenan, manager of the mobile dept. for the PRO Group retailer, says he’s getting more interest in installing an iPad. “At least a dozen have come in asking for iPads. People want what that offers in their dash. And manufacturers can’t offer it because they say it costs too much…I‘ve told manufacturers you can give us a $3,000 in dash [unit] and if it works like the iPad we can sell it. These people have an iPhone in their pocket; they’re accustomed to it and that’s where they hold their standard.” Keenan expects to see two or three installs of the device (but hasn’t scheduled one yet). The store sells close to a million in car AV/navigation sales a year.
Autosound of Lexington, Lexington KY said it just started stocking the $399 Alpine iDA-X305S but customers are not yet asking for it.
Jo-Di’s Sound Center of West Hartford, CT also said consumers don’t know about the Alpine radio but they are receptive to it once the store educates them.
We now know the OEMs are working on full fledged “app radios” of their own. See what Nokia, GM, and Harman are up to. And Ford will begin offering Pandora/Stitcher/Twitter-Feed voice control with the 2011 Ford Fiesta this summer.
The Alpine iDA-X305S and Pioneer AVIC-X920BT and AVIC-Z120BT work with an iPhone that connects to the radio via cable. Users then can control and listen to Pandora stations they’ve created already. The car radios let users input a thumbs up or thumbs down rating for each song (one of Pandora’s methods of tailoring music to your taste). Alpine’s unit is a CD-less radio with a built-in 2.2 inch display that shows Pandora album. The single DIN unit also controls Pandora from an iPod touch when the car is parked near a Wi-Fi hot spot. Pioneer’s models are both double DIN in-dash AV/navigation units. See story on the AVIC-Z120BT.
–Amy Gilroy
Source: CEoutlook

Next Page »