Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[VIDEO: BMW announces SYNC-like voice recognition technology for nav, audio]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/08/video-bmw-announces-sync-like-voice-recognition-technology-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/08/video-bmw-announces-sync-like-voice-recognition-technology-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/08/video-bmw-announces-sync-like-voice-recognition-technology-for/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click above to view two videos of BMW's new voice recognition system after the jump

Issuing voice commands to your vehicle's infotainment system used to be an arduous task that rarely, if ever, produced the desired effect. New systems, like Ford's SYNC, have cured many of those ills and BMW is on track to bring voice recognition to the next level later this year.

Beginning in September, BMW will roll out its new voice control system, allowing users to issue direct spoken commands to manipulate both the navigation and audio controls.

The most revolutionary - if obvious - implementation of the system will be with navigation, letting the driver to speak the destination by specifying the place, street and number. With audio, the user can select an artist, album, title or even the genre of music, but at launch it will only be accessible through the vehicle's built-in media library, with external media player support coming 2010.

For all the details, make the jump for BMW's press release, along with two videos showing the new system in action.

Continue reading VIDEO: BMW announces SYNC-like voice recognition technology for nav, audio

VIDEO: BMW announces SYNC-like voice recognition technology for nav, audio originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiobmwbmw voice commandbmw voice controlBmwVoiceCommandBmwVoiceControlnavigationvoice commandvoice controlVoiceCommandVoiceControlMon, 08 Jun 2009 13:57:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Honda to invest in Pioneer electronics]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/30/report-honda-to-invest-in-pioneer-electronics/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/30/report-honda-to-invest-in-pioneer-electronics/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/30/report-honda-to-invest-in-pioneer-electronics/#commentsFiled under: , ,



In spite of Honda's $2.91 billion Q1 loss, the Japanese marque knows the investment show must go on, and it's reported to be finalizing a stake in Pioneer. The Japanese electronics maker is shutting down its home electronics division, which has been losing money for years, in order to focus on in-car electronics. After approaching Honda to inquire about a tie-up, Honda is looking to put several billion yen into the company for around a 5% stake (a billion yen is about $10 million U.S.). With in-car electronics a key component in the current automobile revolution, it could be very handy for Honda to have the inside track on developing proprietary systems with an electronics expert, especially if it can use that to maintain an advantage over other Pioneer-equipped OEMs.

[Source: Reuters]

REPORT: Honda to invest in Pioneer electronics originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioelectronicsHondain car audioInCarAudiojapanPioneertechtechnologyThu, 30 Apr 2009 17:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Scion picks a partner for HD Radio]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/18/scion-picks-a-partner-for-hd-radio/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/18/scion-picks-a-partner-for-hd-radio/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/18/scion-picks-a-partner-for-hd-radio/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Scion has selected iBiquity Digital to provide HD Radio technology in some of its audio systems. Scion hasn't said how it plans to integrate iBiquity into Scions, or which cars will get the systems first, but the partnership marks another incursion of HD Radio into the mass market -- BMW, Ford and Jaguar already offer it, with Volvo opening the HD spigot next year. HD Radio offers stations the ability to transmit multiple programs over a single FM frequency with crystal clear reception -- and there are more than 1,600 stations across the nation, available to 83-percent of the country. In the future, HD plans to introduce features that will match or better those offered by satellite radio. But unlike satellite radio, HD is free.

[Source: Toyota]

Scion picks a partner for HD Radio originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocar audioCarAudiohd radioHdRadioibiquityscionFri, 18 Apr 2008 18:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Bentley's new 1100-watt sound system, courtesy of Naim]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/20/bentleys-new-1100-watt-sound-system-courtesy-of-naim/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/20/bentleys-new-1100-watt-sound-system-courtesy-of-naim/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/20/bentleys-new-1100-watt-sound-system-courtesy-of-naim/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high-res photo gallery of the Naim Audio System

Dropping us yet another hint that ultra-luxury automobile buyers really do listen to Kanye West when their windows are rolled up, Bentley Motors has announced an exclusive partnership with British high-end audio manufacturer Naim to fit the world's most powerful in-car production amplifier to their full model lineup.

The bragging rights center around an 1100-watt amplifier driving up to 15 speakers (depending on the model). Cutting-edge technology on each system includes Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Dynamic Equalization to offer passengers an 'as-live' in-car audio experience. To adapt the system to each particular Bentley model, Naim analyzed each car and then designed a unique speaker drive unit for it. According to Bentley, the painstaking measures taken to match the acoustics to the particular vehicle are so effective that even with rapper Kanye West belting out tunes at full system power, only a low level of sound can be heard from outside the car. Too bad the same thing can't be said for the Honda Civic that my teenage neighbor drives...

Gallery: Bentley Naim Audio System


[Source: Bentley Motors]

Continue reading Bentley's new 1100-watt sound system, courtesy of Naim

Bentley's new 1100-watt sound system, courtesy of Naim originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmplifierAudioBentleybentley naimBentleyNaimDigital Signal ProcessorDigitalSignalProcessorDynamic EqualizationDynamicEqualizationNaimRadioStereoWed, 20 Feb 2008 14:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Prius targeted: Maryland lawmakers want "minimum" vehicle sound levels]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/19/prius-targeted-maryland-lawmakers-want-minimum-vehicle-sound/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/19/prius-targeted-maryland-lawmakers-want-minimum-vehicle-sound/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/19/prius-targeted-maryland-lawmakers-want-minimum-vehicle-sound/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above for a high-resolution gallery of the 2007 Toyota Prius Touring.

While the Toyota Prius and other hybrids may be the next best thing to riding a Vespa for the environment, one group has been concerned about their lack of noise they produce. Members of the National Federation of the Blind are voicing their concerns to a Maryland legislative committee today regarding the safety of hybrid vehicles while running in all-electric mode. It's been reported over the last couple of years that individuals who rely on sound to safely interpret and navigate their surroundings are at risk when navigating congested urban environments populated by hybrids. The legislative task force will study the effects of a vehicle's noise levels on pedestrian safety and make a recommendation by the end of the year. If this initiative gets traction, we don't think a Prius will start singing like the Ferrari F430 anytime soon... but maybe they could give it a nice growl like the Audi R8?

Gallery: Review: 2007 Toyota Prius Touring


[Source: Automotive News (subs. req'd)]

Prius targeted: Maryland lawmakers want "minimum" vehicle sound levels originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AudioBlindHybridLevelNoisePriusSilentToyotaTue, 19 Feb 2008 07:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Retro Sound radio brings modern music to your classic car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/15/retro-sound-radio-brings-modern-music-to-your-classic-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/15/retro-sound-radio-brings-modern-music-to-your-classic-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/15/retro-sound-radio-brings-modern-music-to-your-classic-car/#commentsFiled under: ,



The great thing about vintage cars is, well, they're vintage cars. One of their drawbacks is vintage sound from vintage speakers and vintage playback capabilities. For those times when neither 8-tracks nor some gaudy modern stereo system will do, the Retro Sound Model One keeps things looking smartly classic.

The Model One is essentially modern mechanicals in a classic face -- it's even got chromed knobs, and the mounting system is so flexible that it works with stereos that only use one knob. In addition to 24 presets and a host of outputs, it's also got a USB connection and an auxiliary port, so you can play from just about anything, and the display shows the track names. And if the Retro Sound is still too modern for you, you can get the remote and hide the radio entirely in the glovebox.

[Source: Retro Sound]

Retro Sound radio brings modern music to your classic car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocar audiocar stereosCarAudioCarStereosclassic car audioclassic car stereosClassicCarAudioClassicCarStereosmodel oneModelOneretro soundretro sound model oneretrosoundRetroSoundModelOnestereosFri, 15 Feb 2008 10:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Better sound in Volvos: HD radio standard in 2009]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/27/better-sound-in-volvos-hd-radio-standard-in-2009/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/27/better-sound-in-volvos-hd-radio-standard-in-2009/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/27/better-sound-in-volvos-hd-radio-standard-in-2009/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Since the debut of the original C70, and even before, Volvo's had a hi-fi fetish. That first C70 debuted the idea of in-car surround, running a Pro Logic head unit with available Dynaudio drivers arranged around the cabin. Volvo wants to continue offering its customers a euphonic experience, so they're equipping virtually all 2009 models with HD Radio receivers beginning in late 2008. HD Radio offers expanded programming, like the satellite services, but there's no fee. The selection may vary by geographic location, and variety may be spotty, but that's not as bad as it seems. Rather than blanket the country with the very same show from Atlantic to Pacific, HD offerings vary by locale, just like good old radio. Volvo's effort will give their vehicle fleet the largest base of standard-equipment HD receivers in the world, though the base S40 and V50 will not be available with the head units.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Better sound in Volvos: HD radio standard in 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009audiohdhd radioHdRadioradiostandardvolvoTue, 27 Nov 2007 19:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota gets in on the iPod integration game]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/31/toyota-gets-in-on-the-ipod-integration-game/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/31/toyota-gets-in-on-the-ipod-integration-game/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/31/toyota-gets-in-on-the-ipod-integration-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When a new car lists "iPod Jack" in its feature list, you never know just how much of a feature that really is. Sometimes it just means your iPod will play and charge while plugged in to the car stereo, but forget about changing artists or choosing a new playlist unless you fish it out of whatever oddly-shaped hole that's been left for it. And retrofitting for a lot of cars means an expensive stay at the electronics store, or wires that cross from here to there.

Toyota has just released an iPod integration retrofit kit that will make your new auxiliary input look like it came straight from the factory. And it will give you full control of all iPod functions from either the head unit or the steering wheel. Click Read to check out the full press release.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota gets in on the iPod integration game

Toyota gets in on the iPod integration game originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 02:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleaudioipodstereotoyotaFri, 31 Aug 2007 02:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Honk? How 'bout "Move it, Sucka!"?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/29/honk-how-bout-move-it-sucka/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/29/honk-how-bout-move-it-sucka/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/29/honk-how-bout-move-it-sucka/#commentsFiled under: , ,



It'll cost you about the same as an iPod, but it's so much cooler. Or obnoxious. Mike Kosco dreamed up a way to make his Hummer growl, as well as sing whatever nuggets that could be crammed into 256 megabytes, too. If you're driving around a Hummer with the Incredible Hulk on the hood, you should probably expect verbal abuse. That's just what happened to the San Clemente, California resident at a coffee shop when teenagers gave Kosco a good heckling over his airbrushed mural. Fast forward two years, and the Horntones system made its debut at CES in Las Vegas.

The system consists of a player, and amplifier and a speaker. It costs $250, and it's light years beyond the old musical horns of the late '70s that would play horrid renditions of songs without the gift of polyphony. The player has a control unit that can navigate through your themes and tones and the entire setup looks high quality and well-designed. There's a website where you can custom organize and configure your sounds and songs, and then load the file onto a thumb drive that you then use to transfer the goods to your FX-550 rig. If you've just got to have Rico Suave at the ready, units are available and shipping, and look for Horntones at SEMA.

check the press release after the jump

Continue reading Honk? How 'bout "Move it, Sucka!"?

Honk? How 'bout "Move it, Sucka!"? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aftermarketaudiocescustomelectronicshornhorntonesmodificationsmusicsemasoundWed, 29 Aug 2007 11:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Only the beginning: hard drives in cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/10/only-the-beginning-hard-drives-in-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/10/only-the-beginning-hard-drives-in-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/10/only-the-beginning-hard-drives-in-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



There's already been a silent technology explosion in automobiles over the last ten years. Command and control has become largely a computerized affair. With high and low speed data buses throughout the automobile, your car is basically a network. It used to be that you'd press the power window switch and current would flow to a motor, or it would trigger a relay. It was simple to execute in the design and manufacturing stages, and troubleshooting was a matter of time spent with a test light and a meter. Modern cars use protocols like CAN, or Controller Area Network, to facilitate the liberal smattering of increased functionality we all desire in our vehicles. Press that same window switch now, and a message is sent to the central processor that you desire a change in the window status. The central processor then alerts the window motor to energize in the proper direction, and then it's off to the races for the glass. Sounds overly complex at first blush, doesn't it?

The old way had some drawbacks that the new systems hopefully alleviate. Firstly, there were lots of potential failure points with analog control systems. Also, components had to be wired to each other for functionality, and that required lots of wire. Wire is expensive (checked the price of copper lately?), and it adds weight and takes up space. Networking protocols allow automakers to integrate functions as never before - check out the way the MazdaSpeed 3 dials down its power output depending on steering angle - while using less wire and having a system that's more reliable. These changes have gone on virtually unknown to most motorists, but the cool stuff is just around the bend.

[Source: Automotive Design Line]

Continue reading Only the beginning: hard drives in cars

Only the beginning: hard drives in cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiobackseat tvBackseatTvelectronicsentertainmenthard driveHardDriveipodmygignavigationsiriustechvideoTue, 10 Jul 2007 18:28:00 EST<![CDATA[The mobile audio equivalent of a Howitzer: Subwoofer Truck]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/28/the-mobile-audio-equivalent-of-a-howitzer-subwoofer-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/28/the-mobile-audio-equivalent-of-a-howitzer-subwoofer-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/28/the-mobile-audio-equivalent-of-a-howitzer-subwoofer-truck/#commentsFiled under: ,



Subwoofer TruckThe naming is appropriate for a low-frequency addicted BAMF - Sub Mofo. If you're looking to jiggle the teacups in Aunt Millie's breakfast nook over in the next county, this is the vehicle for you! It appears to be some sort of promotional vehicle for mobile audio manufacturer Power Acoustik. In fact, Mofo is a particular model line of extremely beefy subwoofers from the California-based electronics manufacturer. The Mofo-10s appear to be part of what this truck's equipped with. From the specs, these woofers require serious current, so we hope that's a generator truck underneath all the line arrays, crossovers and electro-shock graphics. With a motor structure that weighs 270 ounces, a couple of these babies in the trunk of an RWD car, with the supporting cast of amps, active crossovers, stiffening capacitors, and a battery for good measure, you'd have plenty of snow traction. Subtle it's not, but it is an impressive way to go deaf. What?

[Source: techeblog]

Continue reading The mobile audio equivalent of a Howitzer: Subwoofer Truck

The mobile audio equivalent of a Howitzer: Subwoofer Truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocar stereoCarStereoelectronicsetcstereosubwooferThu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/08/good-riddance-the-demise-of-the-in-dash-cd-player-is-nigh/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/08/good-riddance-the-demise-of-the-in-dash-cd-player-is-nigh/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/08/good-riddance-the-demise-of-the-in-dash-cd-player-is-nigh/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



A few short years ago, getting a CD player or better yet, a multidisc changer in your car was an upgrade. Now, the little silver disc has taken up residence with cassettes as cast-off technology. Even with the cheap digital to analog converters that are in car stereos, CDs have a sound advantage over lossy data codecs like MPEG, but only us geeks seem to care that hi-hats sound like someone whisking an egg. Besides, portability and flexibility easily trumps esoteric sound quality. Truth be told, even though the original CDs sound better, my mp3 player is so much more convenient that I'll be adding an auxiliary input to my factory stereo - no small feat on some cars.

Ward's Automotive Interior show, currently underway at the Cobo center, is allowing automakers to show their wares to the masses over the next few days, with the realization that future vehicles are bound to dispatch that awkward center control unit for something more intuitive and user-programmable. Several automakers have already realized that people have all sorts of portable devices, and as such, new car interiors bristle with input jacks and 12-volt power sockets.

[Source: Detroit News]

Continue reading Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh

Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocdcompact discCompactDiscelectronicsentertainmenticein dashInDashmusicstereosystemFri, 08 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST<![CDATA[VW + LG = MP3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/24/vw-lg-mp3/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/24/vw-lg-mp3/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/24/vw-lg-mp3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You might say that, in terms of broad market appeal, the iPod is the VW of personal electronics. If that's the case, then what happens when Volkswagen comes out with a digital media player of its own?

The German automaker has teamed up with LG to produce a special MP3 player designed and branded as the Beetle of personal music devices. Rather than simply slapping a Vee-Dub logo on any old contraption, LG designed a fresh product for Volkswagen. Although the shape is the same rounded-corner block as any other on the market, it has a user interface said to be inspired by the New Beetle and is offered in Volkswagen colors including Salsa Red, Shadow Blue and Sunflower Yellow. Of course, it also comes emblazoned with Volkswagen logos, but it seems the designers couldn't fit a bud vase anywhere on the unit.

[Source: Computer World via Motorpasion]

VW + LG = MP3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiobeetledigitalipodmediamp3musicnewplayervolkswagenvwTue, 24 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The M3's V8 put through its paces, and your speakers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/24/the-m3s-v8-put-through-its-paces-and-your-speakers/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/24/the-m3s-v8-put-through-its-paces-and-your-speakers/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/24/the-m3s-v8-put-through-its-paces-and-your-speakers/#commentsFiled under: ,



Our friends abroad were able to procure a duo of audio samples that give the full aural range of the new V8 powering BMW's upcoming M3. The two tracks, which are available here through the PistonHeads website, include one sample of all eight cylinders working their way to crescendo and on to a theoretical road speed of 200 KM/H (124 MPH). The other track is a nine-minute run of the Nurburgring, which with the right imagination and good set of headphones will give you the perfect respite from you Saturday monotony. Enjoy.

The M3's V8 put through its paces, and your speakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Mar 2007 11:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiom3nurburgringringsoundv8Sat, 24 Mar 2007 11:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Siemens VDO system hears crash, deploys airbag]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/23/siemens-vdo-system-hears-crash-deploys-airbag/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/23/siemens-vdo-system-hears-crash-deploys-airbag/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/23/siemens-vdo-system-hears-crash-deploys-airbag/#commentsFiled under:



The safety-obsessed people over at Siemens VDO have developed a new system that, depending on the noise produced by a crash, will figure out the best way to deploy the airbags.

The Crash Impact Sound Sensor (CISS) is quicker on the draw than other systems (up to 15 milliseconds), and depending on the information it receives from the audio sensors, it can determine where the collision took place and the level of severity. In turn, the only airbags deployed would be the ones necessary to protect the affected passengers.

The system is particularly important to the vertically challenged, who have sustained serious injury when an airbag was deployed unnecessarily.

[Source: Siemens VDO via Autopia]

Siemens VDO system hears crash, deploys airbag originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airbagsaudibleaudiohearingnoisesiemensVDOFri, 23 Mar 2007 10:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Slacker brings internet radio into your car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/slacker-brings-internet-radio-into-your-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/slacker-brings-internet-radio-into-your-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/slacker-brings-internet-radio-into-your-car/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's like Pandora for your car! Slacker, a new web-based radio website has just launched this week. The channel selection is very similar to what's available on XM or Sirius, and we liken it to Pandora because the number of songs you can skip is limited, but the selection is large and the experience is flexible and customizeable. The website alone is a nice little diversion anywhere you've got a browser and bandwidth, but the exciting news is that there will soon be an iPod-like device so you can take your Slacker with you. That means never having to listen to the angry guy talk channel while stuck in a traffic jam again. It's also better than the four-song playlists each FM genre now spins, too. The portable device will store songs, and later this year Slacker will be unveiling a car dock that will be able to receive music from satellite signals.

Pulling down music from the birds is the same trick that Sirius and XM manage, but they cost money. Slacker is free once you purchase the hardware. How is that possible? Why, the very same way broadcast television and radio are free: advertising. If you're willing to sit through some ads, you get free music. In fact, the music is merely there to keep you interested enough that you'll continue to listen through the spots - of course, many of us are obsessive channel flippers (or worse yet, NPR junkies). You can have your Slacking and no commercials, too. For about half the price of Sirius, your $7.50 per month will keep the music rolling in and offer you unlimited skips and no ads. The price is so much lower because Slacker doesn't have big loans for satellites to pay off. The quality is in the MP3 realm, and sounds decent, which is encouraging. Some of us with finely tuned ears have a hard time listening to SatRad because of the digital compression artifacts. We'll see what happens if Slacker is able to popularize it's offerings, and deliver on the promise they're dangling tantalizingly in front of our noses.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Slacker brings internet radio into your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioentertainmenticein car electronicsin car entertainmentInCarElectronicsInCarEntertainmentinternetmusicradiosatellitesatellite radioSatelliteRadiosiriusxmFri, 16 Mar 2007 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[New small Rover packs big audio punch: Dolby Pro Logic II 7.1 debuts on LR2]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/24/new-small-rover-packs-big-audio-punch-dolby-pro-logic-ii-7-1-de/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/24/new-small-rover-packs-big-audio-punch-dolby-pro-logic-ii-7-1-de/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/24/new-small-rover-packs-big-audio-punch-dolby-pro-logic-ii-7-1-de/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Land Rover, Land Rover, send surround sound over! Land Rover's all-new Freelander, to be dubbed LR2 Stateside, will be the first-ever vehicle to use Dolby(R) Pro Logic II(R) 7.1 surround sound. Sure, almost all vehicles have a rudimentary version of surround sound with speakers taking residence in dashboards, rear decks and door panels, but this is the real deal. With 14 speakers including a center channel, rear surrounds and a subwoofer, it promises home theater-like audio presentations.

Alpine developed the system with 440 watts of power, fiber optic connectors and an iPod jack to keep everyone happy. The new LR2, built on the global Ford EUCD platform, with its new transverse straight-six, better off-road capabilities, and this killer sound system should make the all-new baby Rover a pretty attractive package starting around $33,000 when it goes on sale in the Spring.

(Full press release with additional component pics after the jump.)

[Source: Land Rover]

Continue reading New small Rover packs big audio punch: Dolby Pro Logic II 7.1 debuts on LR2

New small Rover packs big audio punch: Dolby Pro Logic II 7.1 debuts on LR2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Aug 2006 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlpineaudiodolbyLR2RoversurroundThu, 24 Aug 2006 20:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Pimp My Heart]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/23/pimp-my-heart/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/23/pimp-my-heart/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/23/pimp-my-heart/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Here it is, folks, this is what you get for the tuner who has everything. Introducing the "Pimp My Heart," a system that uses sensors in the steering wheel to gauge your heart beat as you drive and subsequently pump said heart beat through your car's audio system for the ultimate beats. Using his Heart Beat Bass Booster, inventor Takehito Etani offers up "Pimp My Heart" for the "ultimate unity between car and driver."

The concept takes a look at bass thumping, its role as a marker of territory and "psychological armor," and asks some questions. What if the bass sounds are the driver's real-time heart beat instead of beats of music? Does our relationship with the vehicle/driver and the pedestrian change?

Sounds very academic, eh? While we wonder if dear Takehito has too much time on his hands over there at Carnegie Mellon, it's kind of a cool trick for the car that has everything -- it takes bass thumpin' to a whole new level.

[Source: Works by Takehito Etani via Fresh Creation]

Pimp My Heart originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aftermarketaudiopimp my heartpimp my ridePimpMyHeartPimpMyRidetakehito etaniTakehitoEtanitunersWed, 23 Aug 2006 18:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Forget the car - crooks want what's inside]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/23/forget-the-car-crooks-want-whats-inside(2)/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/23/forget-the-car-crooks-want-whats-inside(2)/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/23/forget-the-car-crooks-want-whats-inside(2)/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As the interiors of our cars start to resemble the sales floor at Circuit City, and as auto manufacturers get increasingly better at discouraging at least casual thieves (the pros will just roll your ride onto a flatbed), what's inside your vehicle may now be more attractive than the vehicle itself.

According to the FBI, theft of portable electronics from vehicles has increased 30% from 2000 to 2004, with 1.74 million occurrences now taking place each year. One of the most attractive targets is said to be portable GPS navigation units, which are obvious targets for the same reason that radar detectors have been - they're expensive, easy to move on the black market, and only a few suction cups hold them in place.

The best way to avoid such theft, of course, is to not leave such objects in your vehicle, or at least stash them out of sight. Tinted windows (where legal) may also help, and if you think that an alarm system may help, by all means invest in one (and install it correctly!). Given the number of alarms we've heard going off with nary a glance from passers-by, we're not sure they're of much good, but maybe thieves think otherwise.

[Source: UPI]

Forget the car - crooks want what's inside originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jun 2006 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioelectronicslarcenyradiossafetystereostheftFri, 23 Jun 2006 19:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Ferrari's $20,000 Art.Engine tower speaker]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/23/ferrari-s-20-000-art-engine-tower-speaker/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/23/ferrari-s-20-000-art-engine-tower-speaker/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/23/ferrari-s-20-000-art-engine-tower-speaker/#commentsFiled under:

The most credible threat to Apple's dominance in the consumer electronics marketplace may turn out to be Ferrari, which has added a $20,000 tower speaker called the Art.Engine to its lineup of branded electronics that also includes laptops, MP3 players and cell phones. Designed by David Wiener Ventures, the Art.Engine is available in most Ferrari colors and features WiFi connectivity to receive wirelessly streamed music from your computer and a low-tech minijack to plug in your iPod. Your 20 Gs won't buy you standard RCA or digital inputs, however. Exclusivity will be guaranteed by the limited run of only 1,000 copies.

Now, we know less about the art of high-end audio than we do about... nearly anything else, so we'll take SonicFlare's word for it that while the Art.Engine may sound great and certainly sell out, Ferrari's too smart to submit its speaker tower to any publications for a serious review.

[Source: David Wiener Ventures]

Ferrari's $20,000 Art.Engine tower speaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 May 2006 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>art.engineaudioaudiophileferrarispeakerTue, 23 May 2006 12:52:00 EST