Mobile Electronics Australia

Consumer Electronics companies have had the opportunity to have their products judged by an esteemed panel of Industrial Designers, Engineers and trade press. Awards are given for the best products at the CES every January and has become a tradition since 1976. The prestigious “Innovations Awards” are on display in the main foyer at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

I have compiled a list of some of the major awards given in the In-Vehicle categories. Some great new features and trends are starting to emerge in our industry as you can see, and most seem to involve OEM Integration:

Audio / Video

AAMP of America has released the Phoenix Gold branded i-Series “Plug and Play” systems. The model featured here is for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. It comprises a complete system upgrade in one bolt in package, including a down firing 10” subwoofer and a six channel amplifier that neatly fits within the rear quarter panel. Obviously this is not applicable for Australia at this stage, but it does show a further growing trend with OEM Integration.  www.aampofamerica.com

For something different, Sound Magus have made available a 4 channel (4 x 85w RMS) amplifier with a built in DSP processor that features 24 bit high quality DA conversion. The package comes with an easy to operate control panel. The question is, are these available in Australia? www.soundmagus.com

Kicker will release a new range of compact powered subwoofer systems called “Hideaway”. The range features their usual square style woofer design in a compact powered enclosure. Kicker claims “surprising low frequency output from a remarkably small enclosure”. This range could set new standards in performance and convenience. www.kicker.com

 
Control / OEM Integration

Isn’t this a sign of the times? Well known aftermarket accessories company, Scosche Industries have produced a Universal AC Controller. It comprises a DIN size touchscreen AC Control Panel that is to be used when the factory radio unit with integrated AC controls has been removed. www.scosche.com

Another offering from AAMP of America is the TranzIt Blu. The model, ISFM21 is a Bluetooth enabled, Application controlled FM Transmitter from Android based Smartphones. It will wirelessly connect with your car audio system. www.aampofamerica.com

Navigation and Telematics

A well know brand in the world of Navigation is Tom Tom. They have released the new GO2505TM. It features the new Capacitive Touchscreen technology and a new style magnetic mount system. It also promises a richer screen and faster routing. www.tomtom.com

Accessories   

Yes, let's not forget the add-ons. Some of the ones I found most interesting ...

A long time leader in the world of Radar Detectors, Cobra Electronics have released an iPhone version of the device. The iRadar connects to a black box detector via Bluetooth and has a visual component for viewing from your iPhone App. It shows the obvious Radar and Laser detection, and also alerts for Red Light Camera’s.  I want one. www.cobra.com

Bracketron has a new style of smartphone holder bracket. The Mobiledock has a new dash top mount suction technology that allows you to mount your device in more convenient locations. Simple but great. www.bracketron.com

Blueant have been producing aftermarket simple clip-on Bluetooth devices for years and they have now moved into the realm of fully handsfree operation. The S4 Speakerphone is completely controlled by voice, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road at all times. www.blueantwireless.com

A new company, Firstech has released the Drone Mobile App. It allows for GPS tracking and control of factory features such as lock / unlock / boot open and remote start, all from your Smartphone device. www.dronemobile.com

I hope this has whetted your appetite for new product information. Stay tuned for daily updates from the CES as it is now underway. Viva Las Vegas!