At last! The perfect use for CD slot
Something to stick in your CD slot
The problem with prognosticating in print is that the words are there for good. For example, given the rise of digital media and the inconvenience of toting around compact discs, we’ve been predicting for years that the car CD slot would soon be an extraneous unneeded appendage in a world fuelled by USB sticks and Bluetooth audio. We were wrong. Satechi’s Universal CD Slot Mount puts the CD player to good use as it fits into the CD slot and mounts a smartphone within reach of drivers and passengers. It can be tilted up or down, and rotated for landscape or portrait viewing while pointed at driver or passenger, and users needn’t choose between mount or music as CDs can still play with the mount installed in the slot, but you’ll have to remove it before ejecting the disc. Advantageous over a windshield mount because it puts the phone within close reach, this product alone may keep the CD player worthwhile a bit longer. $16; visit satechi.com Alpine targets smartphone users
If your smartphone is permanently lodged in your hand and or within reach, then Alpine’s new ICS-X7 Bluetooth multimedia receiver may be just for you. This seven-inch touchscreen, stereo unit is compatible with Android and iPhone mobile phones. It’s got MirrorLink technology which allows compatible Android phones to have their interface and apps show up on the display exactly the way they look on the phone. The unit’s interface has even been designed to mimic the user’s smartphone, with icons capable of being moved around the screen via drag and drop motions, and functions being controlled through swipe and slide gestures. The ICS-X7 has a dedicated button to call up the iPhone’s voice-enabled personal assistant, Siri, and iPhone apps such as Aha Radio can be operated directly from the unit. Still, for a car stereo that doesn’t contain a DVD slot or navigation capability, the ICS-X7 is pricey, but promising. $800; visit alpine.com