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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Apple CarPlay Causing More Buzz Than Google Android Auto [Poll Results]


Recently, we conducted a poll for two weeks asking "which in-car technology are you more excited about?" The poll results were lopsided in favor of Apple CarPlay over Google Android Auto. Here are the detailed results.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Kenwood Says Their Smartphone Integration Is Better Than CarPlay


The excitement surrounding Apple CarPlay is almost palpable. Apple made potential customers even happier when it recently announced that CarPlay will come to the aftermarket providing a much affordable solution. Included in Apple's aftermarket plans were Pioneer and Alpine.

The other big player in the aftermarket, Kenwood, isn't holding back in taking a jab at the situation. See what Kenwood senior marketing manager, Scott Caswell, had to say about CarPlay-like technology and how Kenwood's existing technology stacks up against it...

GM Will Bring Wireless Phone Charging To Some Cadillac Vehicles [Video]


General Motors has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent times. The latest announcement from them is a bit of good news though. The automaker has announced plans of bringing wireless phone charging to few of their vehicles this year.

Launching this Fall, the 2015 Cadillac ATS sport sedan and coupe will feature wireless charging of smartphones. Powermat technology, which uses a rubberized pad to charge compatible smartphones, will be used. Watch the video below the break.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Apple Adds MLB.com At Bat To List Of CarPlay Supported Apps


About a month ago, Apple quietly added a couple of apps to its list of CarPlay supported apps. When CarPlay was announced there were four third-party apps that were announced to be compatible to be used within the CarPlay interface. Now the list stands at six.

The four apps initially announced were Beats Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Stitcher. Beats Music and Spotify are music streaming apps while iHeartRadio is a radio station streaming app. Stitcher streams talk shows and podcasts.

What To Expect From Alpine's Upcoming CarPlay Head Unit [Opinion]


Back in April this year, Apple made the announcement that its CarPlay software will come to the aftermarket via Pioneer Electronics and Alpine Electronics. While we all know that Pioneer will include CarPlay via a firmware update to its five NEX receivers, very little is known about what Alpine's plans are.

Here's what you can expect from an Alpine CarPlay head unit both from what we know for sure and a few speculations...

Currently, Only 13 Countries Will Get CarPlay According To Apple


If you're wondering whether CarPlay will become available in the country you live in, Apple has the answer. CarPlay is an iOS feature available in iOS 7 and later. To enjoy the software you need to have a compatible car or one of the aftermarket solutions available at the moment (Pioneer NEX and Alpine's upcoming head unit).

According to Apple, currently, only the following 13 countries will get CarPlay one way or the other...

Friday, July 25, 2014

[BREAKING] Pioneer UK Says CarPlay Update Likely On...


Thanks to a heads up from one of our Twitter followers, Paul Peeters, we have found out that Pioneer Electronics UK has tweeted out a possible release date for the pending CarPlay firmware update for its NEX receivers.

Twitter user @TheArkiPlan popped the following question to Pioneer UK: "I know everyone is probably asking but can I expect the CarPlay update anytime soon?" And Pioneer UK's reply...

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Purchase A New Car Stereo & SiriusXM Tuner And Save Up To $120


SiriusXM is running a promotion for new customers who purchase an eligible car head unit and a satellite radio tuner. A whole spectrum of head units from different manufacturers are eligible. There are up to $120 in savings to be availed of including a $50 mail-in rebate.

Full details are below along with a comprehensive list of eligible head units...

First Generation Pioneer AppRadio Cable Available For Under $25 [Deals]


The first generation Pioneer AppRadio (SPH-DA01/SPH-DA02) may be a few years old but a lot of people still use the device. A common problem with the head unit is damage to the iPhone cable.

Whether it is fraying or damage to the 30-pin connector, a taped up cable can be a sight for sore eyes. Getting a replacement through Pioneer is quite expensive (sometimes almost $100).

Finding a cable on sites like eBay is not always possible. But here's where you can get the cable for a limited time...

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Dashboard Spotlight: 2015 Mazda 6 [Pictures]


Another week, another dashboard. This week's Dashboard Spotlight edition features the 2015 Mazda 6 sports sedan.

SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY takes efficiency of the 2.5L engine to an estimated 40 MPG. The dashboard features simplistic yet robust and functional features like navigation, Bluetooth streaming, Pandora and a lot more.

Check out these pictures below...

Monday, July 21, 2014

Pioneer NEX Users Still Awaiting CarPlay Firmware Update


We are into the second month of summer and there's still no sign of the promised CarPlay firmware update from Pioneer Electronics for its NEX receivers. What was initially supposed to be an "early summer" release is now a "summer" release and the wait goes on.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Will CarPlay Work Wirelessly In iOS 8? [Rumor]


Apple's CarPlay isn't even available yet but the rumor mill concerning future versions of the software is already churning. When available, you will have to plug in your iPhone running iOS 7 or later, in your car to use CarPlay.

Wired connections are reliable in many ways but with wireless standards like Bluetooth, AirPlay etc. advancing, is it plausible to think that CarPlay will someday work wirelessly?

Friday, July 18, 2014

Volkswagen Wants To Bring CarPlay To Their 2016 Models


Of the 30 odd car companies that have been announced by Apple to be integrating CarPlay at some point, Volkswagen isn't one of them. But according to a post on 9to5Mac a couple of days ago, the German automaker is said to be in talks with Apple to bring CarPlay to their 2016 line of VW vehicles.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Survey Says... No Brake Pedals, Steering Wheels, Rearview Mirrors In Cars By 2035


The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) released results of a survey they conducted in which about 200 people were polled to find out where driverless car technology is headed. Among the people polled were researchers, academicians, practitioners, government agency officials, university students and society members.

The survey reveals interesting information about cars of the future. Check out some of the details from the release below...

BMW Recalls 1.6 Million 3 Series Cars For Airbag Problem


BMW is recalling 1.6 million 3 Series vehicles from model years 2000 to 2006 across the world for an airbag issue. This makes the German automaker the latest to issue a recall in a year where many other companies have done so.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Apple Now Updates Map Data Every Day Based On User-Submitted Corrections


Apple Maps has had its issues ever since it was introduced in iOS 6. Google Maps was dropped by Apple in favor of its own application which they claimed was built from the ground up. But initial reviews huffed and puffed about missing Google Maps and it didn't stop there.

Research Estimates 24 Million Vehicles To Have Apple CarPlay By 2019


According to a research report from ABI Research, Apple CarPlay is headed towards becoming the most popular in-car entertainment system within the next five years. The estimated popularity comes even before the software is available for use by consumers.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

AppRadioLIVE Now Available In Europe And The United Kingdom


AppRadioLIVE is Pioneer's latest AppRadio Mode compatible app which brings together connected features for use in the car. The app was available in many countries and regions around the world at launch but not in Europe or the United Kingdom.

Dashboard Spotlight: 2015 Kia K900 [Pictures]


It's time for another edition of Dashboard Spotlight. In our third volume we feature the 2015 Kia K900. This luxury sedan sports a 5.0 liter V8 engine and has a dashboard that can be souped up to feature LCD screens all over.

Take a look at these dashboard pictures below...

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

CNET Explains Why Car Thefts Are On The Decline [Video]


Car security technology is rapidly advancing and proving to be a useful advancement. As a result of technology, car thefts have been on a steady decline over the last few years. CNET explains why and how this is happening.

Watch the top 5 anti-theft technologies explained in the video below...

Ford Becomes The Latest Automaker To Issue A Recall; 100,000 Vehicles Recalled


Ford Motor has recalled about 100,000 vehicles today citing a couple of issues. With this recall Ford's total for this year has reached 3 million vehicles which looks rather small when compared to General Motors' 25.7 million.

Today's recall is for the following issues...

Monday, July 7, 2014

Pioneer Releases AppRadioLIVE Availability List By Region; Europe Missing!


If you head over to Pioneer's dedicated website for AppRadioLIVE, you will find a link to check which regions and countries are lucky enough to get the app. And a glance over the list reveals one glaring piece of information. The whole continent of Europe is missing!

Take a look at the list below...

First AppRadioLIVE Update Fixes Audio Issue [App Update]


Pioneer has updated its new AppRadioLIVE app today to version 1.0.1. This is the first update since the app was launched a couple of weeks ago. The app is available for iOS only.

The update fixes an audio issue which is described below. I have also included a link to download the latest update.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Here's Our AppRadioLIVE Review: Connected Features In A Sleek Interface [Pictures]


Pioneer Electronics made a "big" announcement at the Connected Car Conference (C3) last week but it wasn't what most people were expecting. The announcement was the launch of AppRadioLIVE, an AppRadio Mode app that puts commonly used connected features together.

Disappointment for not seeing the long awaited CarPlay update aside, AppRadioLIVE is an app that will pleasantly surprise you. Especially if you use your AppRadio on your way to work, for example. It is all you need to get traffic information, play your music, see what's on your calendar and what's happening around you with one glance.

I have been using AppRadioLIVE for a few days now on my AppRadio 3 (SPH-DA210) & iPhone 5, and here is my initial review.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

It's July! Where's The CarPlay Firmware Update For Pioneer NEX Head Units?


We are almost two weeks into the summer and although some can argue that it is still "early summer" the fact remains that Pioneer's CarPlay update for their NEX head units is still not here. At this point, is it safe to assume that Apple has delayed the release of CarPlay for whatever reason?

Audi Will Bring Apple CarPlay To Europe Before North America [Report]


Audi has announced that its 2015 line of cars in Europe will land Apple CarPlay. North American customers can expect CarPlay from Audi in their 2016 line. The announcement was made in a press release with details on how the technology would be integrated.

Here is an excerpt from that press release...

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Another GM Recall Sets A New Record, 10% Of All Cars On The Road Affected


According to IHS Automotive, there were 253 million cars on the road at the beginning of this year. General Motor's latest recall of another 8.4 million vehicles means its single-year total is up to 27 million. In other words, more than 10% of all cars on the road this year have been recalled.

Yesterday's recall is mainly for faulty ignition switches. The record-breaking recall means the bad news for GM continues. The company is already fighting wrongful death lawsuits with a number of families for the faulty ignition switch.

Here are the vehicle's that have been recalled yesterday for the ignition switch issue...

Nine More Automakers Sign Up For CarPlay


Apple has managed to sign up nine additional carmakers to integrate CarPlay in their upcoming vehicles. Today's list-lengthening announcement comes on the back of Google's Android Auto announcement a few days back.

Here are the automakers that were added today...