PCR’s guide to in-car technology

The market for factory-installed vehicle technologies will rise by almost 20 per cent this year, but there’s still plenty of in-car tech accessories available to stock. We round up the hottest new gadgets and gizmos for the car…

Docking Charger FM Transmitter (pictured, above right)

Distributor: Entatech

Passengers can place the speaker to the windscreen or dashboard using its suction pad, then pair it with a mobile phone or tablet to play the radio, music or film audio. It can also be used for voice calls.

Specs: Input 12-24 vDC input, 5v 1A max USB output, 88.1-107.9 MHz (0.1 MHz increments) frequency range, includes 3.5mm AUX cable

SRP: TBC

DVR Sport Gold camera

Distributor: Exertis MSE

The new action and in-car cam from GoClever attaches to the windscreen. It lets drivers record footage in a bid to eliminate the ‘who done it’ process with car insurance companies in the event of an accident.

Specs: Full HD 1080p (1920×1080) at 30fps, HD 720P (1280×720) at 60fps or 30fps, VGA (640×480) pixels at 120fps, 4x digital zoom, auto start/stop, loop recording

SRP: £99.99

TomTom Go 400 Europe
Distributors: Ingram Micro, Maxim, Widget

This satnav connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth to receive live TomTom Traffice updates. Users can also access the TomTom Speed Cameras service, use interactive 3D maps and more.
Specs: 4.3-inch, 5-inch or 6-inch screen, 218g weight

SRP: £159.99

PARROT MINIKIT NEO
Contact: Parrot
The Parrot Minikit Neo lets drivers make and receive calls and send texts without touching any buttons. The device integrates a vibration sensor to automatically switch on when the driver gets in their car.
Specs: Up to ten hours in conversation, six months of standby, ultra low power mode, digital signal processing, multipoint connection, Bluetooth, NFC synchronisation

SRP: £69.99

Liquid Image EGO Action Camera

Distributor: Hama

Operated remotely via WiFi connection or using the device’s two buttons and LCD screen, this allows users to record driving footage hands-free in HD. It can connect to tablets and smartphones wirelessly to instantly upload images and videos.
Specs: 1080P 30fps or 720P 60fps video, 12.0MP still image quality

SRP: £150

Sandberg In Car iPhone 5 Holder
Distributor: Entatech

This fixes an iPhone 5 to the car, allowing passengers to use the phone’s GPS or watch a movie. It’s easy to fix to the windshield with the built-in suction disc and can be adjusted to a preferred angle.

Specs: Mounting kit compatible with Apple iPhone 5, is available in black.

SRP: TBC

TP-LINK M5350 3G Modem

Distributors: Exertis Micro-P, Tech Data, Spire Technology, Entatech, CMS Distribution

Establish your own Wi-Fi hotspot by inserting a 3G SIM card at the back of the device. TP-LINK says its pocket-sized design and powerful 2000mAh internal battery make it an ideal travel companion.
Specs: Up to 21.6Mbps download and 5.76Mbps upload speeds, sharing for up to 10 users simultaneously, OLED display, 2G/3G network type, battery metre

SRP £44.99

BeeWi Bluetooth Car Radio Adapter
Distributor: Entatech

This wireless audio gateway connects a mobile phone to any car radio equipped with USB port and audio auxiliary input. It lets passengers listen to music from a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone and communicate hands-free using the car radio speakers.

Specs: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR compliant, Black

SRP: TBC

R1 Car Camera

Distributor: Avanquest

This sticks to the car windscreen and records driving footage in HD resolution. It automatically records when driving and saves memory by looping back over old footage. A ‘lock’ feature lets the driver save valuable footage. You can record two hours of HD video on a single charge.

Specs: 2-inch TFT LCD display, 6,140×240 RGB resolution/aspect ratio, micro SD card up to 32GB, 120-degree wide angle lens, 548×480, 1280×720, 1440×1080 video resolutions, 70g weight, 108x56x135mm dimensions, 30fps

SRP: £89.99

4WORLD Universal Car Mount

Distributor: Meroncourt

A universal holder compatible with most portable devices including PDA, GPS, iPhone and other smartphones. It has a suction cup mount with a lock that attaches to windscreen.
Specs: Shoulder width of 37-103mm, 180-degree rotation, 100 per cent ABS,

SRP: £11.49

TomTom Go 6000 Europe
Distributors: Ingram Micro, Maxim, Widget

As an always-connected GPS device, the 6000 has connectivity built-in and no additional costs for roaming. The high-end satnav includes TomTom Traffic, TomTom Speed Cameras and other services, as well as its interactive 3D maps.
Specs: 16.9x2x10.5cm dimensions, 290g weight, 6-inch screen

SRP: £299.99

Spark Car MP3 FM Transmitter
Distributor: Meroncourt

Plug this into a car or truck lighter to play MP3s through an FM radio. It supports 204 channels between frequencies 87.5 and 107.9 MHz, USB, SD/MMC and Aux In for iPhone, iPod, MP3 and MP4 connections. It transmits the song information to the radio display.
Specs: Shoulder width of 37-103mm, 180-degree rotation, 100 per cent ABS, works with 12 or 24v batteries

SRP: £19.99

4WORLD Universal Car Holder
Distributor: Meroncourt

This consists of a non-slip base and a suction cup holder (which can be mounted on a stand or on the windscreen) and can hold most portable devices including PDA, iPhone and mobiles.
Specs: 85-175mm shoulder width, up to 97mm in height, 36-degree rotation, 165mm stand

SRP: £19.99

BoomBottle Bluetooth speaker
Distributor: Entatech

With a built-in microphone, this speaker is also an enhanced speakerphone for a smartphone. It wirelessly streams audio to a device such as the iPhone, iPad, tablets, latptops and more, and has a built-in aux input for connecting non-Bluetooth enabled devices.

Specs: 2.85-inch diameter, 8.125-inch length, 10 hours continuous playback, Bluetooth 4.0; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP BT Profiles, 33ft wireless range, two 3W 40mm speakers

SRP: TBC

Tablet In-Car Mounting Kit

Distributor: Target Components

This tablet car mount attaches a headrest to the car seat so the occupants in the rear can watch a video or play a game. It’s suitable for the iPad and other tablets.
Specs: 360-degree rotation and flexible adjustment

SRP: £15.99

MobiNote Mini Bluetooth wireless speaker

Distributor: Entatech

Passengers can place the speaker to the windscreen or dashboard using its suction pad, then pair it with a mobile phone or tablet to play the radio, music or film audio. It can also be used for voice calls.

Specs: black, white/blue/red/purple/pink.

SRP: TBC

Dual Piccolino USB Vehicle Charger
Distributor: Hama

This USB-powered in-car MP3 charger from Hama lets passengers charge their MP3 players and listen to their music on the go.
Specs: 54g weight

SRP: £18.99

BeeWi Headphones with iPad 2 Headrest Car Holder
Distributors: Entatech

The stereo headphones can be used both as a hands-free headset and a stereo music headphone. It’s compatible with all Bluetooth compliant devices using HFP and A2DP profiles such as mobile phones and music players.

Specs: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR compliant, supports Dual Air streaming.

SRP: TBC

PARROT ASTEROID MINI
Contact: Parrot
This fits onto a vehicle’s dashboard and comes with a GPS antenna and a wireless remote control which can be attached to the steering wheel. It’s compatible with all brands of Bluetooth mobile phones to make hands-free calls.
Specs: 3.2-inch colour screen, connect to internet via 3G, 4G or Bluetooth and USB tethering

SRP: £249.99

Sandberg PowerBar

Distributor: Entatech

Sandberg PowerBar is a portable battery which is charged via a USB port and can transfer the power to a smartphone or other mobile device. It means motorists don’t have to worry about finding a power socket while on the road.

Specs: 2200mAh capacity, 5v input and output voltage, one micro USB female, one USB A female, 2-3 hour AC adapter charge time, 5-7 hour PC charge time black/blue/pink

SRP: TBC

Wonder Holder for Mobiles and SatNavs

Distributor: Target Components

Attach the magnetised strip to your device and the holder to the surface you want to use, and you can attach your satnav, tablet or other device to an in-car surface.

SRP £6.99

Brother PJ-673 mobile printer
Contact: Brother

Print from Apple iOS devices through a wireless connection using the PJ-673 mobile printer from Brother. It can print documents up to A4 in size and is powered by a rechargeable battery, AC adapter or vehicle power supplies.
Specs: 480g weight, 300dpi, prints six pages per minute, USB, Bluetooth

SRP: £499

Wireless-N Travel Router
Distributors: Exertis Micro-P, Entatech, Ingram Micro

Users can create a WiFi hotspot from a wired network connection using this travel router, which connects to mobile devices such as iPads or smartphones and accesses their internet connection.
Specs: Supports multiple device connections, USB-powered

SRP: £54.99

Sandberg Cover wallet S4 Mini Black

Distributors: Entatech

The Sandberg Design Cover protects your smartphone against marks and scratches, keeping it safe from any bumps or falls in the car.

Specs: 60g weight

SRP: TBC

Contacts:

Avanquest: 01480 496666
Brother: 08444 999444
CMS Distribution: 020 8960 6000
Entatech: 0333 101 1000
Exertis Micro-P: 01256 707070
Hama: 0845 230 4262
Ingram Micro: 0871 973 3000
Maxim: 0871 900 0200
Meroncourt: 01462 680060
Parrot: 0844 472 2360
Spire Technology: 01202 828444
Target Components: 01977 739300
Tech Data: 0871 880 3000
Widget: 01438 842350