The new car stereo system

Network World - A few months ago I ditched my satellite radio service, which I turned to when I decided to ditch regular radio a few years before (2004, to be exact). My current choice of entertainment for my 25-minute-or-so commute to and from work is my iPhone, along with streaming music service applications such as Pandora, Slacker and AOL Radio (for some reason, I love listening to NYC radio station 1010 WINS even while driving on the Mass Pike). Sometimes I will just listen to one of my iPod playlists.

To accomplish this, I use an FM radio transceiver device that broadcasts the music from the iPod into my car stereo's speakers. These devices have been around for years, ever since someone decided they wanted to listen to their iPod in their car.

The additional wrinkle these days is keeping the iPhone's battery charged while streaming the music services to the device, which on the commute relies on the iPhone's 3G wireless network, a known battery life killer. FM transmitter device makers (including Belkin and Griffin Technologies) started including recharging capabilities via the car's cigarette / power adapter, keeping the device charged while you listen to the music. My device of choice was the RoadTrip with Smart Scan device from Griffin.

The only thing missing was the ability to answer a phone call and have the conversation come out of the car stereo speakers, which is why I was excited to receive the TuneBase FM with Hands-Free device ($89.99) from Belkin. Like other TuneBase systems, the device includes an iPod/iPhone recharger and FM transmitter, but it also includes a button that can answer an incoming call and play the caller's voice through the car stereo speakers. This seems to complete the trifecta of features that can let you create "the new car stereo system" by utilizing your iPhone, a couple of streaming music apps, and the FM transmitter/charger/speaker phone (someone needs a better term for this type of gadget).

But like all first-generation concepts, the speaker-phone component needs some work. Adjusting the volume takes some practice, and I was generally yelling into the phone like I was on a speaker phone (especially with outside noise while driving). Turning up the volume on the car speakers in order to hear the caller only increased the chance of hearing static from the FM radio – despite a very good ClearScan feature that scans the airwaves to get the "clearest FM station" to allow you to transmit. In the end, I preferred just answering the call via a noise-canceling Bluetooth headset, rather than use the feature.

But here's a fringe benefit from this device – the updated software on the iPhone 3G (and the newer 3GS model) allows for turn-by-turn directions, and with some navigation applications you can use the FM transmitter to hear the directions through the car stereo speakers. So not only will you have a new car stereo system, but a GPS system as well.

Grade: 4 stars (out of five)

Shaw can be reached at kshaw@nww.com. Follow him on Twitter.