Section: Audio/In-Car Entertainment
Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 29th, 2008 11:15 AM
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Online store Woot! Is dedicated to the idea that cool stuff can be sold for cheap, and practices just that by offering one item per day at a discount rate.
Today’s daily Woot! (two 80 Watt Philips Power Inverters for $17.99) offers more than just a good price on an electronic gizmo though, it also gives hope to all the low-budget ballers out there who want to have fancy electronics in their rides. The retailer provides a detailed map for creating your very own Cribs-worthy ride, complete with in-car television, for less than a grand per…including the cost of the car. Here’s the breakdown of the Wooter’s setup.
(Click through the jump to read on.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 27th, 2008 3:00 PM
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Any BMW enthusiasts that have ever found themselves really rocking out to their favorite track while at the wheel of a Z3 roadster; owe a debt of gratitude to audio designer Bob Carver, though they probably don’t know it. In a humorous interview with The Absolute Sound magazine, the audio maestro reveals his interesting, and illuminating first impression with the BMW sound team.
Carver was asked by the German automaker to come to Munich and lend a helping hand in the design of a subwoofer for the Z3. When he arrived at the BMW audio lab, Carver says that he instantly knew he was among like-minded audiophiles.
(Click through the jump to read on.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
January 4th, 2008 2:52 PM
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Starting in 2009, Ford’s GPS navigation systems will not only help a driver find their way around; they will help them get around cheaply too. Well, as cheaply as possible at any rate.
Beginning with the 2009 Flex and F-150, Ford will offer Sirius Travel Link as part of its navigation package. The Sirius software can provide drivers with useful up-to-date information like, traffic conditions, movie listings, or gas prices at competing stations.
The automaker has also planned to equip its F-150 and Flex with premium audio systems from Sony, with an eye to making the electronics company the exclusive supplier of in-car entertainment for Ford and Mercury.
Would upgraded audio components and trick sat nav add-ons steer you towards The Blue Oval? Let us know in comments.
+ Automotive News: Ford 2009 nav system finds cheaper gas (subscription may be required)
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Written By: Seyth Miersma
November 26th, 2007 12:45 PM
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Fond of the hands-free concept and easy connectivity that Sync offers to customers of the Ford brand, but want a device that you can take with you from one car to the next? Motorola may have a clever answer to your hands-free needs with its new MotoRokr T505 device.
(Click through the jump to read more about the T505.)
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Written By: Winding Road Administrator
November 2nd, 2007 10:20 AM
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And you thought adjusting your clocks for standard time, which arrives this weekend, was easy…
If you own a Mercedes-Benz, that’s not necessarily so.
Owners who are in the company’s online database received an e-mail earlier this week as the answer to a frequently asked question: “How do I set the time?” Note this information was transmitted BEFORE the expected flood of questions.
(Click through to find out how many steps it takes to change the clock in your Mercedes.)
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Written By: Steven J. Ewing
October 30th, 2007 4:37 PM
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What would the SEMA show be without a strong representation from Scion? After all, the trio of Toyotas are some of the most customized vehicles running around the streets of the United States.
One feature that caught our eye was the fully-functional crane game worked into the back of a 2008 xD. The rear quarters of the diminutive five-door had been molded into a bay filled with small Scion plush toys. The skilled hand-eye coordination of the WINDING ROAD team allowed us to walk away with a yellow plush xB which will surely find a welcome home amongst the other automobile paraphernalia in our Ann Arbor offices.
(Be sure to click the images below to open a high-resolution gallery from the Scion crane game.)
+ WINDING ROAD: 2008 Scion xD Road Test
Written By: Phil Floraday
October 18th, 2007 9:45 AM
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Ford’s headed to SEMA with a battery of Foci, a pair of Mustangs, and a set of the Fusion/MKS cousins. All will be customized with a range of aftermarket goodies including turbochargers, superchargers, big rims, bodykits, and of course loud stereos.
The Focus hasn’t been universally praised for its looks, and the aftermarket has certainly turned some beautiful cars into ugly ducklings in the past, so we’re looking forward to seeing these Foci in the flesh before we pass judgment. Hey, we’re just happy a few people have decided to add some power to their show cars instead of just coping out and running a 5000 watt stereo and ginormous rims.
Don’t forget the WINDING ROAD crew will be in Vegas for the SEMA show and we’ll have live updates for you in less than two weeks. Until then, enjoy this gallery of Ford’s SEMA vehicles.
(Follow the jump to read more about each of the Ford vehicles that will be at SEMA this year.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
October 1st, 2007 2:12 PM
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Even die hard fans of the A-Team might not be aware, but the ‘T’ in Mr. T actually stands for “we gonna git there on time!” and “we gonna git there without any traffic violations!” At least that’s what the folks at TomTom would have us believe.
Not content to help lost drivers find there way in the world, Navtones.com allows the owner of a TomTom nav system to download any number of voices with which directions will be read. For thirteen bucks owners can choose from the voices of Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, or the aforementioned B.A. Baracus to guide them around town.
Stranger options still are Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Shilling (no bloody sock references) and the always good for an F-bomb, Gary Busey.
Click on the link below to listen to a few short, but hilarious, samples of navigation by the stars, and tell us who you’d like to tell you your lefts from your rights in ‘comments’.
+ Navtones.com
Written By: Evan McCausland
September 28th, 2007 9:10 AM
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Although finding an original 1948 Tucker Torpedo is a difficult task, sourcing parts – particularly new-old stock parts – must be close to impossible. We once stumbled upon a steerable center headlamp at a local swap meet, but its rusted condition labeled it as anything but new.
Thus our interest was piqued when we stumbled upon this original Tucker radio on eBay, which the seller purports to be “NOS”. There’s no way to be entirely certain, but given its clean appearance in photos and the inclusion of the original “Tucker Motors” shipping box, this may very well be true - helping justify the $700+ pricetag.
(Follow the jump to read more about this unique radio.)
+ eBay: Tucker Automobile Radio (N.O.S.)
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Written By: Phil Floraday
September 24th, 2007 11:25 AM
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The compact disc player has been a staple of automotive interiors for years, but when was the last time you actually listened to a CD in your car? The growing popularity of MP3 players and satellite radio certainly threatened the presence of CD players, but we’re still a little surprised by Blaupunkt’s latest stereo.
The Melbourne SD27 radio completely eliminates the traditional CD slot and offers an SD/MMC slot instead. iPod lovers need not worry, there’s still a standard 3.5mm input for your favorite personal audio device. AM/FM radio functionality lives on inside this new unit, so you won’t have to give up local traffic reports to enjoy digital audio in your car.
This new stereo looks like a decent choice and should retail for $159.95. Are you ready to ditch the in-dash CD player for more options in digital media playback? Have your say in ‘comments.’
(Click through to read Blaupunkt’s full release.)
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Written By: Reilly
August 9th, 2007 11:20 AM
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Ford announced this morning that they will sell their Sync in-car communication system for $395 starting next month. The system, which allows for management of multiple electronic devices such as smart phones, MP3 players, and other gadgets, was developed by Microsoft and debuted at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year.
The first car to offer the Sync option will be the redesigned 2008 Ford Focus, a car that has not exactly been praised for its handsome looks. However, it is the company’s volume seller to the digitally-connected generation and if any vehicle in Ford’s lineup would be in a better position to deploy this technology, we can’t think of it. Soon after the Focus launch, Sync will be available in the Ford Edge and standard in the Lincoln MKX. Eventually it will be standard on all Lincoln models.
The price, while expensive in the world of consumer electronics (the most expensive Apple iPod costs $50 less), is quite low compared to most items sold on new vehicles. At $395, Ford has likely priced the technology in a sweet spot that should see a high consumer response for it.
+ The Detroit News: Ford hopes low Sync cost will boost sales
Written By: Chris Paukert
July 5th, 2007 2:02 PM
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Our friends at SEMA put the ‘urban-lifestyle’ segment under the microscope, to see what’s hot in the aftermarket, both in terms of accessories and the vehicles that consumers put them on.
SEMA notes that the market reminds somewhat of the rather stagnant sport-compact scene, devotees of which historically tended to spend as much (or more) money on appearance items than they did performance parts.
The organization’s Top 5 vehicles owned by segment enthusiasts are interesting in that they focus not on a specific iteration of a model, but rather multiple generations of the same product. To wit:
On the accessories front, custom wheels lead the way, with fully 77-percent of consumers opting for new rollers, with the number two accessory being an alarm system, which is probably just as well considering how much money urban lifestyle enthusiasts tend to spend on their rides to boost their visibility.
(Click through to the jump for SEMA’s breakdown of accessory spending)
+ SEMA: TOP MODS OF THE URBAN-LIFESTYLE MARKET
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