Autoblog

When Apple's low-cost Mac Mini computer debuted, it wasn't long before industrious hackers took advantage of its small form factor to create some incredible in-car installs. There have always been some major limitations, however, to installing a Mac Mini in your dash, the most significant being how to interact with it. Driving around with a keyboard and mouse in your lap isn't very ergonomic. Enter the new AppleTV, a device that despite having only been on the market for a week or so has become the most hacked Apple device ever. It has not, however, been installed in a car yet. Here's why it should be.

The AppleTV is a device that's designed to be used in conjunction with a Mac or PC running iTunes, which, let's face it, most computers do. It connects to your desktop via an 802.11 wireless connection and syncs video and music purchased from the iTunes Store onto its own 40GB hard drive. In essence, it acts much like a screenless Video iPod that syncs wirelessly with your computer. Instead of connecting it to an HDTV as it was designed, one could easily envision hacking the video input of a car's in-dash screen to accept the video output of an AppleTV. If successful, you could theoretically pull into your garage and wirelessly sync the video and music on your desktop computer to your car (assuming the range of your wireless network reaches the garage). Once on the road, all of the AppleTV's functions are controlled via a tiny Apple Remote, so there's no need for a keyboard, mouse or other exotic input device.

The Autoblog Podcast has arrived at a big milestone – the 50th episode. We've updated the podcast with a professional production process and a polished sound, as well as a new logo and it's now easier to locate in the Podcast Directory of iTunes (Hint: Games and Hobbies > Automotive).

On this momentous occassion we want to thank the listeners who have come back for every episode as well as encourage new listeners to subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes. To do so we've launched the Autoblog Podcast Relaunch Sweepstakes and will give away an iPod a week for the next four episodes. To enter, subscribe to the podcast, listen for the special keyword we reveal somewhere in the episode and email the keyword along with your name, age and address to abresearch at gmail dot com. Please read the complete rules here before you enter.

On the 50th episode we actually get to talk about some cars rather than wax poetic on industry trends. The guys and I go over our thoughts on the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, the Saturn Astra, the production version of the Dodge Avenger, Acura getting a V8, and finally we tackle the EPA's new fuel economy rating system. Good times, good times.

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An entirely new Autoblog Podcast will debut later today when we post the 50th episode, and to celebrate we're giving stuff away! We'll be giving away iPods of various sizes over the next four episodes of the podcast, and we're starting with an iPod shuffle. After all, what better prize could we give away than a new iPod on which you can listen to the new Autoblog Podcast?

Entering the Autoblog Podcast Relaunch Sweepstakes will be simple. Just listen to the podcast and sometime during the episode we'll tell you a keyword. Take that keyword and send it back to us in an email addressed to abresearch at gmail dot com along with your name, age and address. We'll accept entries for the first Sweepstakes up until 12 AM on Wednesday, December 20th. At that time we'll randomly select an entry from the group and award that lucky listenter with an iPod Shuffle. We'll repeat the sweepstakes for the following three episodes and the iPods will get bigger and better as we go.

The 50th episode of the Autoblog Podcast will debut later today, so we suggest clicking here and subscribing to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes so you don't miss it. The Autoblog Podcast can be found in the Games and Hobby category under Automotive in iTunes' Podcast Directory. We'll also have the episode available for you to listen to directly on the site.

More rules:

• open to residents of the U.S. who are 18 and older
  
• you can enter each of the four giveaways once
• you can only win one of the four giveaways
• only submissions with the correct keyword and the entrant's name, age and address will be considered

You can read all the nitty gritty official sweepstakes rules after the jump, as well. If you're a long-time time listener of the Autoblog Podcast, thank you! If not, subscribe to the podcast, check us out and maybe win an iPod!