Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
On Sept. 17, 2018, Apple launched iOS12 – its latest update to the operating system behind its venerable iPhone and iPad devices. Aside from security updates, performance enhancements and battery life improvements, Apple has added support for third-party applications to CarPlay. Users of factory-installed and aftermarket multimedia receivers that support CarPlay will now be Read more
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration systems are extremely popular features found in aftermarket source units from all the key brands. The technology behind CarPlay and Android Auto continue to evolve, and in the summer of 2017, the aftermarket industry saw the introduction of wireless CarPlay connectivity. Android followed suit in 2018 with a comparable Read more
Sony has been steadily increasing its share of the head unit market with the introduction of feature-packed solutions that continue to give consumers the connectivity and source options they want. The latest addition to Sony’s source unit offerings is the XAV-AX5000, a 6.95-inch multimedia receiver with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth. The XAV-AX5000 is the first Read more
If you are like most people, you may think that your local car stereo shop specializes in custom audio systems, speaker replacements and, if they have marketed themselves well, remote car starter installations. The reality is, many mobile enhancement retailers offer a variety of automotive enhancement services that extend well beyond audio system sales and service. Let’s have a Read more
Enthusiasts have been trying to find ways to bring their music into their cars for more than 100 years. What started with a phonograph in the back seat or strapped to the fender of a horseless carriage has evolved to Internet-connected computers with voice recognition systems that allow us to communicate with friends and play source music from the ever-miraculous cloud. In Read more
So, you need a pickup truck for work, play and going out on the town. There are choices from all the major manufacturers, but Ford makes a really good case with the F-150 for why they should get your hard-earned dollars. And dollars you will spend on the luxury pickup segment. All manufacturers will allow you to crest $60K with their fully-loaded half-ton pickup trucks. What Read more
A long time ago, a friend of mine told me always to ask a salesperson what I would get if I spent 10 percent to 15 percent more on an item I wanted to purchase. At the time, the discussion was related to a large tube-style television. Let’s say the TV I was looking at sold for $800. If stepping up to a $900 model resulted in a better picture, or the addition of a feature that I Read more
The transition from cars to SUVs being cool has been slowly happening over the past 25 years. But now we have reached the tipping point where SUVs and trucks totally obliterate passenger car sales. We have a whole new generation of kids who grew up being taken to soccer practice in SUVs. And to them, SUVs were the cool cars. It was the minivans that remained “uncool.” As such, Read more
While a lot of Americans aren’t quite ready for full-electric vehicles because of range anxiety, hybrid vehicles have proven their effectiveness. The Toyota Prius and Honda Insight led the charge (so to speak), and now we are getting hybrid offerings from manufacturers we did not expect. For example, Volvo is looking to hybrid-ize its entire fleet by 2019. Moreover, standard Read more
