Archive for the ‘in-car electronics’ Category

First, the good news: technologically speaking, the Aha Mobile traffic app is at the front of the pack. It pairs the iPhone's built-in geolocation capabilities with data from INRIX, Yelp, SitOrSquat, and PhotoEnforced, making Aha your one-stop-shop for data on traffic, food, bathrooms, and speed cameras -- without having to deal with itty-bitty maps. Other features allow you to communicate with nearby drivers and post to Twitter and Facebook. Also, it's totally free.

The bad news? Aha works better in some cities than others, its geolocation tools occasionally go off-track, it's a memory hog, and it's somewhat unstable. But as long as Aha is...

It's not surprising at all that the smallest, least expensive vehicles typically get short shrift on features. You won't find power windows or mirrors, central locking, air conditioning, or even sound systems on some of the most affordable versions of the cheapest models. But while most automakers also skimp on safety features for these most frugal rides—either making them optional or not available at all on base models or so-called value-leaders—there are a couple of gems for 2010 that don’t make those compromises.

One of them is the Toyota Yaris. For 2010, Toyota has decided to phase in its so-called Star Safety System, which includes...

There's nothing worse that buying the latest electronic gadget or service, only to find that seven hours later, an updated, more capable version is available and you can't upgrade. With their voice-activated infotainment system, SYNC, Ford Motor Company is working to keep customers from suffing this type of post purchase dissonance.

We reported earlier this month that SYNC users could install a 911 Assist application, and now there's more news.

Announced today, current owners of early-launched 2010 vehicles equipped with Ford SYNC now can visit www.syncmyride.com and download and install the latest application – Traffic, Directions and...