Car Speakers Showcase

Watch out on February 23 for CEoutlook’s aftermarket car speaker showcase–a panoramic view of the speakers expected to be the best sellers in 2011.

We’ll also be showcasing aftermarket car amplifiers on March 23.

For advertising call Rich Rukavina at (424) 209-0279 or email richrukavina@gmail.com

JL Adds XD500/3 Amp

JL Audio expanded on its compact series of XD amplifiers, adding the XD500/3—a 3-channel, 500 watt amplifier.

The amp is designed to power simple systems such as in a pickup truck, or sports car.

The main channels of the XD500/3 deliver 150-200 watts total and the dedicated subwoofer channel can produce up to 300 watts. The amp ships in February at $459.95 suggested retail price.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Continuous Power Output @ 14.4V / 1% THD+N (RMS Method):
Main Channels: 75W x 2 @ 4 ohms / 100W x 2 @ 2 ohms
Subwoofer Channel: 180W @ 4 ohms / 240W @ 3 ohms / 300W @ 2 ohms

Dimensions: 8.52 in. x 7.09 in. x 2.05 in. (217 mm x 180 mm x 52 mm).
Net Weight: 4.8 lbs. (2.18 kg)

Source: JL Audio

Android Tablets Gain on iPad

Apple’s iPad slipped from its peak 95 percent share in Q3 of the tablet market it basically created, as Android tablets led by Samsung’s Galaxy Tab won favor.

Nearly a quarter of the tablets shipped in Q4 were Android-based models, said Strategy Analytics.

Apple’s market share slipped to about 75 percent as Android captured 22 percent share–a growth of 2000 percent.

And Android share should keep climbing, as tablets such as the Motorola Xoom hit stores this half, said Strategy Analytics.

Total tablet shipments for Q4 hit almost 10 million units worldwide in Q4, it said.

IDC expects 44.6 million tablets to ship this year and it tallies 2010 global shipments at 17 million units.

Source: Strategy Analytics, CNET

OnStar Mirror due at 1,600 Stores

GM’s OnStar identified Monday many of the car electronics stores to carry its $299 retail mirror, beyond Best Buy (which it named at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month).

The mirror finally brings OnStar to cars other than GM models and it gives 12 volt retailers a well-known brand and service to sell, which may boost store traffic.

Including Best Buy locations, more than 1,600 storefronts will carry OnStar’s retail mirror due this spring. These include online seller Crutchfield, who will offer installation through referrals to third parties.

Other retailers named by OnStar are:

• ABC Warehouse of Pontiac, Mich., 43 locations
• Al & Ed’s Autosound of Van Nuys, Cal., 18 locations
• Car Toys of Seattle, Wash.; 49 locations
• Columbus Car Audio of Columbus, Ohio; 3 locations
• Drive-In Autosound of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 6 locations
• P.C. Richard & Son of Carteret, N.J.; 65 locations
• Sound Of Tri-State of Wilmington, Del.; 3 locations

OnStar’s mirror has a built-in accelerometer to detect a crash. It then automatically notifies a live operator who can call emergency responders. Users can press a red button for advice in emergency situations. They also get turn-by-turn navigation, stolen vehicle assistance, roadside assistance and handsfree calling, including Bluetooth connectivity.

The mirror is currently certified to work on 99 percent of the top 20 best-selling non-GM vehicles, or about 55 million cars and trucks. OnStar will certify additional cars in coming months.

Retailers interested in selling OnStar should visit Ingram Micro which is distributing the product at www.ingrammicro.com/onstar, email OnStar@ingrammicro.com.

Source: OnStar

iCar Black Box Turns iPhone into DVR

Digital video recorders for the car can be helpful in determining who hit whom in a fender bender. Now, there’s an app for that.

The iCar Black Box app helps you use your iPhone as a DVR. Yes, you can just mount your iPhone on the windshield and start recording every time you drive, but with the 99 cent app you get a more workable device.

It only saves footage when you tell it to and it uses the phone’s GPS to keep a record of your speed, which can be useful in an accident dispute.

You can read more about it in gizmag.

Source: gizmag via Roger Lanctot on Twitter

MERA Seminars at SBN

Updated!
The Northeast is under 4 feet of snow so, so it warms our socks to hear that Spring Break Nationals at Daytona Beach, FL announced that pre-registration is now open online for the March 19-21 event.

Also MERA (the Mobile Electronics Retailers Association) will hold educational seminars at the spring fest at no charge to car electronics trade members. A list of seminars and the presenters will be available soon. Trade seminars will be held Sunday and Monday. On Monday, March 21, the show will be open to the trade only. (Note: The students have cleared out by Monday).

“We are reaching beyond the border of Florida, inviting car audio dealers east of the Mississippi and beyond for a worthwhile series of FREE seminars in a great and affordable destination like Daytona Beach in the spring,” said show organizer says organizer Paul Papadeas.

Retailers must register in advance for MERA seminars at http://register.stnmedia.com as seating is limited.

Correction: As now corrected, MERA seminars will be held Sunday and Monday during the Spring Break Nationals. We incorrectly reported originally that they would be held on Monday only.

Source: Spring Break Nationals and MERA

JBL Intro’s MS-2 Portable Car DSP

JBL is planning a portable sound processor for the spring that’s about the size of a cellphone, and quickly optimizes your car’s sound system.

Called the MS-2, it plugs in to the aux in jack of a car radio and then you can add your phone, iPod, MP3 player, or tablet—any device with a headphone output—into the MS-2.

Press a button on the MS-2 and it calibrates the ideal settings for your car and delivers digital signal processing to improve your car stereo.

The MS-2 itself plugs into the cigarette lighter and gives you some controls to tweak the bass, etc. It’s expected to sell for around $199. More details will follow, says JBL.

Source: JBL

OnStar Improves Voice Recognition

General Motors’ OnStar is improving its voice recognition by adding natural speech recognition in 2011 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models.

Users can now give conversational commands like, “I need to make a phone call,” instead of going through a prompt and using formal commands like, “dial” or “call.”

Users can also connect to an OnStar Virtual Advisor through natural phrases including, “get traffic info,” to receive text-to-speech directions.

Nuance Communications is providing the new speech software. It’s also collaborating with OnStar to develop uNav, a new self-service feature that allows subscribers to quickly receive directions to a destination using an automated voice system after pressing the blue OnStar button.

Source: General Motors

2 Million Windows Phone 7′s Sold

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is not setting any records, but at least the platform is showing signs of life.

The company said it sold more than 2 million units of Windows Phone 7 in its last quarter. And App development has been strong with more than 6,500 apps available in Microsoft’s market.

But Microsoft has a lot of catching up to do. Android and Apple iOS devices are each activated at a rate of 200,000-300,000 per day, said DigitalTrends.

Still, IDC analyst Al Hilwa said Windows Phone 7, launched last fall, is making headway. “The numbers show pretty good momentum on the sales of the platform…The apps numbers are excellent for this early stage of the lifecycle,” reported MSNBC.

Apple sold 16.2 million iPhones in its last quarter and RIM sold 14.2 million BlackBerries in its recent quarter.

Source: DigitalTrends, Reuters via MSNBC

Navigon Intro’s Designer Car Kit

Yes, car GPS kits can be an ugly intrusion on an otherwise sleek dash. So Navigon introduced a portable GPS holder kit which now uses a “German-tech” designed suction mount and promises a “barely there” look.

The kit for the iPhone also gives you an Apple-certified 5 foot cord and a car charger to power the phone.

“The iPhone is the most elegant smartphone available, therefore a mount should never get in the way of showcasing the design,” said Navigon’s Gerhard Mayr. (His words, not ours).

Introduced at Macworld, the kit is now available for the iPhone 3G/S and 4 at $49.99 with free shipping. There’s an introductory price of $44.99 until Feb 3, 2011 from bringmobi.com.

Navigon will also release a series of free iPhone apps throughout the year, the first of which is a help2park app that helps you find a parking spot nearby.

Source: Navigon

Sony Intro’s the NGP, Android Store

Sony finally revealed its next gen gaming handheld—codenamed “NGP” or Next Generation Portable—bearing 3G and WiFi connections, motion sensors, a 5-inch OLED screen and a rear touch panel.

It won’t hit stores until the end of the year and no pricing was announced last night at a press event in Tokyo, said Reuters.

But what some observers find even more interesting is Sony’s new PlayStation Suite, also announced last night, which is an app store for Android based games that is “device agnostic” and will bring PlayStation games to phones and tablets beyond Sony models.

There was no reveal last night of the PSP phone expected to be announced next month at Mobile World Congress.

Sony’s new gaming portable includes other kitchen sink features: front- and rear-facing cameras, a gyroscope, accelerometer, and an electronic compass. There’s also built in GPS and Bluetooth A2DP.

Games will have a “LiveArea,”where players can share and view each others’ progress on the game.

There’s also “Near,” which shows you what friends nearby are playing, and lets you “meet” them virtually, says DailyTech.

Games are stored on flash memory cards. And with PlayStation Suite, the NGP will support Android-based game content.

The NGP also uses an ARM Cortex A9 (4 core) processor. It will compete with Nintendo’s 3DS due in March at $249.

Source: Engadget, BusinessInsider, DailyTech, Reuters via Yahoo! News

Photo of Kaz Hirai, Sony president and group CEO of SCE with the NGP

Israeli PND w/Movies, Net Radio, BackupCam

How about a portable GPS that plays movies and delivers Internet Radio over a 3G connection….And it has a back-up camera?

An Israeli start up company Iway Mobile has teamed with a cellphone carrier to offer the portable GPS device in Israel and possibly other countries.

There’s no word on a U.S. launch, but the product is interesting in that it offers movies (provided that the car is not in motion) and it gives you Internet Radio as you drive.

It’s called the Comodo Console and it will go on sale in February.

The device has a 4.3-inch touch screen and comes with a rear camera, speakerphone, GPS antenna and cellular modem with an always-on connection.

The Comodo is offered on a carrier plan through Israel’s Cellcom. It costs about $23 a month on a 3 year contract plus about $10 a month for service plus music.

What do U.S. portable navigation device (PND) makers have to say about the innovative device?

A Garmin spokesman noted, “Garmin is working closely with a number of different auto manufacturers around the world on different navigation and infotainment systems, but we’re not at liberty to discuss anything we haven’t already announced.”

Source: Reuters via Yahoo! News
Photo via Reuters

Ford Prototype Car Talks to Other Cars

Ford is building a prototype car that “talks” to other cars through WiFi to warn if the cars ahead slow down too quickly, and of other hazards.

Ford announced Wednesday, it is aggressively pursuing this technology which could be in cars in 5 to 10 years. The Ford prototype will begin touring the country this spring.

No it won’t let you send other drivers messages like “Slow down you idiot.” But cars will send each other automated signals using an advanced form of WiFi (See video below). If a vehicle is running a red light or if it enters your blind spot, you get a warning.

Ford said it is already partnering with other car makers and the federal government to create a common language for inter-vehicle communications.

The special WiFi system for “talking cars” could be included in smartphones or GPS products that could connect to the car radio as in the Sync.

“Ford has pioneered connectivity in modern vehicles with SYNC. We believe advanced Wi-Fi for intelligent vehicles could be added to smartphones or GPS systems and simply connect to SYNC like today’s phones,” said Mike Shulman, Ford technical leader.

Car-to-car communication could help in over 4 million crashes annually, or 81 percent of light vehicle crashes according to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Traffic would also improve from the system, as fewer accidents would mean less tie ups.

“The day is not far off when our vehicles will operate like mobile devices with four wheels, constantly exchanging information and communicating with our environment to do things like shorten commute times, improve fuel economy and generally help us more easily navigate life on the road,” said chief technology officer Paul Mascarenas.

Ford’s system relies on WiFi using a form of dedicated short-range communications on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission, said Ford. The technology is called Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC).

Ford is doubling its investment in the technology and is planning a new task force of 20 scientists and engineers to explore more possibilities for the technology.

Source: Ford

OEM Car Internet Summary

Confused by all the factory Internet Radio announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show? Radio and Internet Newsletter has taken the trouble to summarize the car Internet capability expected in various autos this year.

Car makers offering Internet capability now or soon are listed for Ford, Toyota, BMW, MINI, SMART, Hyundai, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, and Volkswagen.

See the full story

Source: Radio and Internet Newsletter

B&N May Discontinue Nook 3G

Barnes & Noble will phase out its black and white 3G Nook, leaving it with only 2 eBook choices: the NOOKcolor and Nook WiFi.

If the report in Engadget proves true, the bookseller would put all its eReader eggs in the WiFi basket, without a 3G model.

B&N is reportedly already winding down stock of the Nook 3G.

Barnes & Noble announced Monday that its NOOKcolor has contributed to a triple digit percent lift in sales of eMagazines and eNewspapers at its NOOKnewsstand.com store. Sales of the digital periodicals rose by 150 percent in December compared to a year ago.

The NOOKcolor, introduced in November has a 7-inch color touch screen and can access some apps at $249.

The Nook 3G sells at $199 and the Nook WiFi is available at $149.

Source: Engadget

Sirius XM Seeks OK to Raise Fees

Sirius XM is seeking the right to raise subscription fees.

It filed a petition January 20 with the FCC asking the Commission no longer ban the satellite radio company from raising its fees, as of July.

The FCC originally blocked Sirius XM from hiking its rates for 3 years following the merger of Sirius and XM in 2008. It soon must determine whether to continue the ban beyond July of this year and that decision may rest on the level of competition seen in the radio market.

So last week, Sirius XM argued that competition is becoming intense. It said in its petition, Internet Radio services such as Pandora, Rhapsody, Slacker, Lastfm and iheartradio have grown in usage.

“This competition for audio entertainment is especially acute in vehicles, with several automakers introducing features integrating Internet-based services, further reducing any remaining arguable hurdles to the seamless use of smartphones, iPods and other portable audio devices in vehicles,” said the satellite radio company.

“In early January 2011, Toyota announced it would introduce ‘Entune’ in its vehicles, an integrated multimedia system designed to compete with Ford’s SYNC system and the products introduced by BMW and Mini,” it added.

The FCC is now reviewing the petition, reports Bloomberg.

Source: FCC via Bloomberg

Directed Reveals 100% Pure Viper, Shopatron

Directed Electronics is launching a new program called “100% Pure Viper” on February 1 to crack down on Internet discounting of its Viper remote starters.

The company also aligned with Shopatron to help its authorized retailers get a bigger share of Internet sales.

In a memo to retailers last week, Viper introduced both programs.

Under 100% Pure Viper, the company launched a “whistle blower hotline,”—which is really an email address (viperhotline@directed.com) dealers may contact to report an illegal online auction or a transshipper.

Directed is also now tracking serial numbers of Viper products. It will not warranty any products sold uninstalled or stocked by an unauthorized dealer.

In the past few months, the company took legal action against multiple retailers in violation of transshipping policies, and it is shutting down thousands of illegal online product auctions a month, it said.

But since the Internet is where much of the business now takes place, the company also instituted a new program with Shopatron that starts mid-February.

“The Internet is not going away, and over 80 % of consumers first shop at the manufacturer’s site before searching for the product online. We want to capture these consumers…” it told retailers. So using Shopatron software it will let consumers buy from its Web site but the product must be shipped to a local Viper dealer where it may be picked up by the consumer. (Product will NOT be shipped directly to the consumer. And Directed won’t warranty it unless the dealer installs it).

Directed said in the memo, “We have set up extensive criteria for Viper dealers to become part of this program, and we are only allowing retailers to join that meet these criteria…”

President of Directed Electronics Kevin Duffy confirmed the memo and said that visits to Viper’s Web site have increased 158% over the last 2 years. “We have been trying to find ways to convert the increased consumer traffic to our Web site into increased floor traffic for our specialist retailers. Shopatron will help make that handoff seamless.”

Duffy said to expect additional retail programs this year.

Earlier this month Shopatron announced that consumer electronics stores using its service saw same store online sales grow 83 percent year over year in Q4, including a 109% increase in December.

More than 15 CE brands including JL Audio use Shopatron.

One more note: Viper offers up to a $2,500 refund on your insurance deductible if your car is stolen in the first year after you buy a security system. Directed told retailers it will increase that guarantee to $5,000 if the consumer buys both a Viper security system and Viper Window Film in a combo package.

Source: CEoutlook

Bullet Offers Aftermarket Sound Deadening

Bullet Liner will start selling roll out sound deadening material for the aftermarket and has hired Kevin Kraack, formerly marketing director of Vizualogic as its western regional manager.

Bullet Liner already produces spray-on sound deadening and protective coating used on truck beds but will soon add roll out material that can be used in aftermarket auto sound installations to stop speaker rattling and engine noise. The company will also release a do-it-yourself kit for consumers.

Bullet, owned by Burtin Polymer Laboratories of Georgia, is now setting up a rep and dealer network.

The company plans a national print campaign with tie-ins to Xtreme sports celebrities. It has hired “Gunny,” whom you may recognize from Geico commercials, as a promotional spokesman.

More info on the Bullet aftermarket roll out material and pricing has yet to be announced.

Source: Bullet Liner

Leak Shows Xoom at Best Buy Feb. 17

A credible iPad tablet competitor–Motorola’s Xoom—may find its way to Best Buy in a few weeks at a price of $700 to $800, depending which leak you believe.

The tablet is shown appearing at Best Buy on February 17, according to an internal store memo, reports Engadget. Then, in another leaked document, the price is shown at $800, said a second Engadget report.

The 10.1-inch tablet may be the first to sport Google’s new Honeycomb OS—the first Android OS optimized for tablets. It will also bear a dual-core processor, dual cameras, high res display and will launch on Verizon’s 3G and later 4G network. Onboard storage is 32GB.

Apple is also expected to launch an iPad 2 in the near term, possibly with cameras, a USB drive and brighter screen.

Source: Engadget

Nook Newsstand Sales Soar

Barnes & Noble’s latest statistics look promising for the expansion of eReaders and tablets. People not only want to read eBooks on eReaders, but they are willing to subscribe to an eMagazine or eNewspaper.

The bookseller announced that sales of digital periodicals on its NOOKnewsstand.com soared past expectations with more than 650,000 total subscriptions and single copy sales.

Since Christmas Day, customers ordered 150 percent more subscriptions than the total number sold over the previous 12 months. The NOOKcolor, introduced in November with a 7-inch color touch screen, is largely responsible for the jump, said B&N.

Best-selling magazines include Us Weekly, Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Maxim, Star, O, the Oprah Magazine, Food Network Magazine, Women’s Health and Shape.

The top newspapers include USA TODAY, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Source: Barnes & Noble

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