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TMCNet: Automakers are packing cars with latest gadgets

[October 05, 2008]

Automakers are packing cars with latest gadgets

(Omaha World-Herald (NE) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 5--When brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin created the first car radio in 1930, they probably couldn't have foreseen the technology of the 21st century.

The brothers from Harvard, Ill., called their first radio "Motorola," and it sold for around $120. FM radio came to cars in 1952 from the German company Blaupunkt. Four years later, Motorola and Chrysler introduced a turntable system to play 45 rpm records.

But until Philips unveiled the compact cassette tape in 1964, radio was the only viable option for most consumers. The eight-track tape soon followed, and magnetic tape systems remained the norm for more than 30 years.

During the last 10 years, however, car audio has completely changed. Cassette tapes were phased out in favor of compact discs, making the tape player obsolete -- and not even available from most automakers. Satellite radio soon followed, though with subscription fees.

And with the MP3 boom, manufacturers are now adding auxiliary jacks to allow buyers to plug in iPods and other media players.

The next advance in car audio may eliminate the need to plug in an iPod altogether.

Despite lagging behind in the fuel efficiency scramble, the Ford and Chrysler families of cars and trucks are at the front of the pack in factory-installed audio.

Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles offer the MyGIG Infotainment System, which turns the simple concept of music in the car into a full multimedia package.

The system, which is standard on high-end models and a package option on many others, includes a hard drive ranging from 20 to 40 gigabytes -- or enough room for between 3,500 and 8,000 songs or thousands of pictures.

"A lot of people say, 'That's neat, but I'll never use it,'" said Ryan Greenwood of Woodhouse Dodge in Blair. "But when you tell them the kids can watch a DVD and listen to it on headphones, and they can go to the hard drive and listen to music, they seem to open up to it."

MyGIG is Bluetooth ready, creating a hands-free phone network but also allowing MP3 files stored on mobile phones to be sent wirelessly to the car's hard drive.

"Bluetooth is turning into a big benefit," Greenwood said. "I like to pair their phone with the car and make a call -- it comes straight through the car. People are coming in looking for it."

Satellite radio capabilities and DVD-based navigation are also part of the package.

Ford's system is called Sync and was developed with Microsoft. While it doesn't include a large hard drive like MyGIG, it has similar features.

Voice commands play a heavy role in the system's operation. Media players connected through the auxiliary jack can be controlled by voice, as can mobile phone functions. Both use Bluetooth technology and standard commands, such as "Call Joe," or "Play Bruce Springsteen."

"Customers have been impressed by it," said Tristan White, head salesman at Omaha's Anderson Ford. "It handles everything you do in a car, just hands-free."

Sync allows a call started away from the car to be picked up and continued inside the car. Sync recognizes the call and transfers it.

"And once you stop the car and get out, it goes directly back to the phone -- with no interruption," White said.

For an additional $7 per month, owners can subscribe to Sirius Travel Link, which provides real-time traffic and weather updates. The service also recognizes when the car is low on fuel, then provides a list of gas stations nearby, complete with prices. Sports scores can be monitored, and if a broadcast is available, one touch tunes it in on the radio.

One of the key features of Sync is its ability to be updated through software downloads, which will keep the technology relevant far longer than a hardware-only approach.

Using a portable USB drive, owners can download applications and updates to their computer, then connect the drive to their car stereo for installation.

Sync has received solid press reviews and will be updated to 2.0-level software in November. The new package will include 911 assist -- which automatically connects to emergency services in the event of an airbag deployment -- and vehicle health status reports sent to a cell phone.

In that aspect, Sync is similar to the OnStar system offered by General Motors, but without the monthly subscription fee.

Ford and Chrysler aren't the only automakers offering Bluetooth support, but they have managed to stand apart from their competitors -- namely General Motors, Toyota and Honda.

General Motors cars start with a CD player, then add more speakers on the premium end. Navigation, Bluetooth and DVD entertainment systems are available, but none match the integration of the Chrysler model.

Owners would still need to bring CDs and DVDs along for the ride, or an iPod at the very least.

Similarly, the Bluetooth systems of Toyota and Honda lag Sync. Both can handle the calling duties, but neither will control music. And Honda's Bluetooth system is available only on its upper-tier models.

Sync is available on all Ford models as a $395 option, and standard on most. Regardless of features, the key to the popularity of both the Ford and Chrysler systems is ease of use.

"There are step-by-step instructions on the screen," Greenwood said. "It's really user-friendly."

--Contact the writer: 444-1387, bryan.redemske@owh.com

To see more of the Omaha World-Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.omaha.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Omaha World-Herald, Neb.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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