Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
With pricing now confirmed for the TomTom iPhone Car Kit at £99.99 without the Sat Nav Application, it makes the whole package a little expensive at just under £160 – especially when you consider that you can buy a fully functional stand alone TomTom GPS unit for less than £120.
Now, don’t get me wrong, TomTom do make great Sat Nav systems, but I’m really not convinced that their iPhone offering is really worth the £160 that they’re asking for it. The car cradle is a clever bit of kit, but there are other devices out there that will do the same thing. The main features of the TomTom Car Cradle are:
- Charges your iPhone
- Ability to play your music through your car stereo
- Built in speaker for handsfree calling
- GPS Enhancer
- Volume controls
I’ve spent a bit of time this week searching out the best alternatives to the pricey TomTom set up and here’s what I found:
Option 1 – Jabra SP700
It’s not all in one like the TomTom, but this set up is less than half the price! CoPilot Live is a great alternative to TomTom. The software has been around for years on Windows Mobile devices and is the pre-installed mapping application on most T-Mobile and O2 smartphones. Feature wise it does everything that TomTom does, but for a lot less money. It’s currently rated as a 4 star app on the iTunes App store, compared to 3 stars for the TomTom app. The Sat Nav starter pack for iPhone includes a compact, rotating windscreen holder for your iPhone and a car charger. If you’ve already tried using GPS on the iPhone in your car, you’ll know necessary a car charger is. Having the screen on permanently and locking on to a GPS signal drains the battery quite quickly. The Jabra SP700 is much more than just a standard Bluetooth speaker phone. It has a built in FM transmitter that can stream music, calls and directions from your iPhone through to your car stereo using Bluetooth.
Use the Sat Nav Starter Pack and Jabra SP700 to get the most out of CoPilot Live
Option 2 – Venturi Mini
Navigon was the first Sat Nav app for the iPhone, and its relatively low price made it incredibly popular. On iTunes it’s currently rated as a 3 and a half star app, so better than TomTom, but not quite as high as CoPilot Live. The iPhone Car Pack includes a robust, adjustable holder that can hold your iPhone in almost any position as well as a car charger to keep your phone fully charged. The Venturi Mini is a Bluetooth car kit that is designed to fit in your cigarette lighter permanently. To charge your iPhone, you just need to connect your existing iPhone USB cable to the USB port on the side of the Venturi. The Venturi works in a similar way to the Jabra SP700. It connects to your phone using Bluetooth and will then stream your music, calls and sat nav directions through to your car stereo using its built in FM transmitter. If your car stereo has a line in/aux in connection, you can connect the Venturi to it using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable (the same as the TomTom Cradle).
Venturi Mini & iPhone Car Pack
Option 3 – Parrot MKi9000 Fully Fitted Kit
This set up isn’t so much about saving money compared to the TomTom kit, more a case of showing you how much more you could get for the same sort of price. Without doubt, you’ll always get better audio quality using a fully fitted car kit than you would with a portable one. The Parrot MKi range of car kits have been designed with iPods and iPhones in mind and they work almost seamlessly. The MKi9000 kit is fitted behind your dashboard and is completely out of sight. There is a multi connector cable that has a USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack and an Apple Dock connector. This cable connects your iPhone to the car kit and will route call audio, music and directions through your car stereo at the same time as charging it. The Brodit holder that I’ve suggested here has a dock connector on the bottom too, so you can connect this cable to it, then whenever you slide your phone into the holder it will connect to the car kit without having to mess around with cables. If you’d rather not use cables, then you can use the kit over a bluetooth connection and get the same functionality from it. A small remote can be attached to your dashboard or steering wheel and can be used to answer/end calls as well as play/ pause music and activate voice dialling (Voice dialling is feature of the MKi9000 and will work with all models of iPhone). The prices shown here don’t include installation and vehicles without an ISO stereo may need additional cables.
Co-Pilot works well with the Parrot Mki9000
All three of these solutions work great with the iPhone and any of the available Sat Nav applications available for the iPhone, including the TomTom App. You’ll find more information on each of the Sat Nav Apps on the App Store within iTunes or on your iPhone. To give you a clear idea on the differences between the TomTom Kit and the other options mentioned here, I’ve put a chart together to show the main differences.
All Prices correct as of 30/09/09 and are subject to change.
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Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
The best way to keep your phone protected against knocks or scrapes is to keep it in a case, but this can cause a few problems if you plan on using your phone in a holder in the car. Most car holders are moulded specifically for your phone and don’t allow for any added bulk from cases. Having said that, there are still a number of ways that you can mount your phone in the car while it’s in a case.
There are a couple of things to remember though, the main one being that access to your phone will be slightly limited, so depending on the case you’re using, it may be safer to remove the case from the phone – especially if it covers the keypad. The other thing to bear in mind is that the car holders use side grips to support your phone, so some buttons might become unusable while it’s in one of these holders.
If you want a holder that will give you full access to your phone without covering any buttons or access ports, you’ll be better off with a Brodit Holder but you can’t use them at the same time as a case
I’ve been through our range of Car holders and listed below the best ones for holding phones in cases.
Case Specific Holders
Two of the biggest case manufacturers, Krusell & PDair have realised that people need a way to mount their phone in the car when they’re using a case and have produced holders that are specifically designed to work with their cases. Krusell offer 2 different holders for your phone, one for your windscreen, one for your dashboard.
Krusell Car Windscreen Holder
This holder fixes to your windscreen using a small suction pad and will hold any phone in a Krusell case securely. The mounting port of the holder can be rotated through 360° so you can use your phone in landscape mode for applications such as satellite navigation or music software. It has a quick release suction mount and a flexible arm that lets you position the arm exactly how you want it.
Krusell Car Windscreen Holder
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
HTC Touch Diamond2
The HTC Touch Diamond2 has changed considerably compared to the original HTC Touch Diamond, so if you’re upgrading to the Touch Diamond2 not all of your accessories are going to work with it. Although the handset has put on a bit of weight, it’s mostly for the better as the screen is now a much more user friendly 3.2″ compared to 2.8″ on the original Touch Diamond, the camera resolution has been increased, and it’s finally got support for memory cards.
The Touch Diamond 2 is one of a few handsets that will support Windows Mobile 6.5, the all new operating system from Microsoft that aims to be more ‘finger friendly’ and give the iPhone a run for it’s money.
If you’ve got the Touch Diamond2, you’re going to want to make the most of all of it’s features, and to do that you’ll need to invest in a few extra accessories, so to help you find the best ones, I’ve compiled my list of the top 10 accessories for the HTC Touch Diamond2.
1. FlexiShield Skin For The HTC Touch Diamond2
If you’re not one for leather cases, or you want a case that is a bit more practical then a FlexiShield Skin will probably suit you better. FlexiShield Skins for the HTC Touch Diamond2 are thicker and tougher than standard Silicone Cases and will certainly give your phone more bounce if you drop it! It has a non slip feel to it and covers all of the back of the handset, leaving the camera free for you to take your photos. The FlexiShield doesn’t cover the screen though, so you’ll need to buy a Touch Diamond2 screen protector to prevent your screen from getting scratched.
Touch Diamond2 Flexishield Skin
2. Martin Fields Screen Protector – HTC Touch Diamond2
The last thing you’re going to want to do the the screen of your new phone is scratch it. Martin Fields screen protectors are the best quality screen protectors you can get for your Touch Diamond2. They’re precision cut to size and can be removed easily and leave no residue behind. They’re re-usable too, so if it ever gets dirty, just take it off, run it under the tap and re-fit it.
Martin Fields Screen Protector for Touch Diamond2
3. Tuff-Luv Leather Case For HTC Touch Diamond2
Tuff Luv are new to Mobile Fun, but they make some great cases for phones, netbooks & laptops. The Tuff Luv case for the HTC Touch Diamond2 is a flip style leather case that holds your phone securely in place without needing a plastic cover over the screen or keyboard. The case is closed using a magnetic fastening and it has a removable belt clip on the back. Your camera can still be accessed by folding the front cover back on itself.
Tuff-Luv Leather Case For HTC Touch Diamond2
4. HTC C100 Car Charger
Battery life is never great on a touch screen smartphone so a car charger is a worthwhile investment. The genuine HTC Touch Diamond2 Car charger will work in both 12v and 24v vehicles (Cars, Lorries and Trucks). It has a Mini USB connection so will work with all Mini USB devices. Find out more about HTC Chargers.
HTC C100 Car Charger
5. SanDisk Micro SDHC Card – 16GB
Using a SanDisk 16GB Memory Card will allow you to store even more music, games, photos and videos on your Touch Diamond2. Images taken using the 5MP Camera will take up more space, so more memory is a must. A 16GB memory card will let you store over 6000 high quality photos, 3000 songs or 80 hours of video. A 16GB card is the largest memory card that is currently available.
SanDisk MicroSDHC Card - 16GB
6. HTC Touch Diamond2 Sync & Charge Cradle
Charge or synchronise your HTC Touch Diamond2 simply by placing it on the HTC CR G300 stand. You can plug the desktop cradle into a home stereo system with a line in or AUX connector via the cradle’s 3.5mm line out connection to enjoy high quality music playback.
HTC Touch Diamond2 Sync & Charge Cradle
7. Jawbone Prime Bluetooth Headset
One of the best Windows Smartphones deserves one of the best Bluetooth Headsets and that’s exactly what the Jawbone Prime is. It uses a ‘voice activity sensor’ to help make your voice stand out. This sensor sits on your cheek and picks up vibrations as you speak. It then uses this information with the sounds picked up from the two microphones to eliminate almost all background noise. The Jawbone Prime adds multipoint and it doesn’t rely on the voice sensor making contact with your face like previous models do. The Prime has been improved so that you still get excellent results even when the headset isn’t touching you. When it is making contact it gives the noise reduction a boost, improving the audio quality further. Jawbone Prime are available in a wider range of colours too. Named ‘Ear Candy’ the Jawbone Prime is available in Black, White, Yellow, Brown, Red, Green & Purple.
Jawbone PRIME Bluetooth Headset
8. Jabra Halo Stereo Bluetooth Headset
The Jabra Halo Stereo Bluetooth Headset is the latest stereo headset to be released, and to be honest its probably the best one yet. It has incredibly simple controls – a touch sensitive slider on the right ear lets you adjust the volume by sliding your finger up or down, where as a double tap will skip the track. One multi use button lets you play/pause your music as well as answer/end calls and activate voice dialling. When they’re not in use, the headphones fold away so as not to take up too much space and to reduce the chance of them getting damaged. If you want to know more take a look at my Jabra Halo hands on review.
Jabra Halo Bluetooth Headphones
9. Brodit Passive Holder with Tilt Swivel
Brodit Holders are phone-specific cradles that will hold your HTC Touch Diamond2 securely in the car and have cut outs that allow you to charge your phone while it’s in the holder. They are made from a strong ABS plastic and are designed to be screwed onto your dashboard, although if you don’t fancy doing this you can use a Brodit ProClip. These are secure mounting pads that clip on to your dashboard and can be removed without causing any damage to your vehicle. ProClips provide an ideal base for fixing a Brodit holder on to.
Brodit Passive Holder with Tilt Swivel
10. Parrot MKi9000 Bluetooth Car Kit
Parrot have always made fantastic car kits and the Mki range are no exception. There are three options available, the MKi9000, Mki9100 and the Mki9200. The main differences between them being the display screen that comes with them. I’ve chosen the MKi9000 as the best one for the HTC Touch Diamond2 as you don’t need an external screen as well as the 3.2″ screen on the phone. You can play music from your phone through the MKi9000 using Bluetooth. The Mki9000 will synchronise with your phone book, and supports voice dialling. There is also a small remote that you can attach to your dash or steering wheel to control your music. Regular software updates that improve compatibility with your phone are available free of charge from the Parrot website.
Parrot MKi9000 Bluetooth Car Kit
So that’s my top ten for the HTC Touch Diamond2 – It’s not all of the accessories available, just our most popular ones. If you haven’t seen an accessory here that does what you want, then take a look at our full range of HTC Touch Diamond2 accessories. If you’ve seen something that you think should be in our top 10, let us know by leaving a comment below.
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Tags: htc touch diamond 2 bluetooth car kit, htc touch diamond 2 bluetooth headset, htc touch diamond 2 car charger, htc touch diamond 2 car holder, htc touch diamond 2 car kit, htc touch diamond 2 case, htc touch diamond 2 desk stand, htc touch diamond 2 screen protector, htc touch diamond 2 stereo bluetooth headphones, HTC Touch Diamond2, htc touch diamond2 bluetooth car kit, htc touch diamond2 bluetooth headset, htc touch diamond2 car charger, htc touch diamond2 car holder, htc touch diamond2 car kit, htc touch diamond2 case, htc touch diamond2 charger, htc touch diamond2 desk stand, htc touch diamond2 screen protector, htc touch diamond2 stereo bluetooth headphones,
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Friday, September 25th, 2009
The Nokia 6600i Slide is a great little phone that is perfect for those that want a simple, compact, no frills handset. To keep your handset looking its best and to really make the most of all of its features there are a number of accessories you can treat yourself to, but with such a wide range of accessories such as Cases, Chargers and Car Kits available, choosing the right ones for you can be a bit of a minefield.
To help you decide on the accessories that you need, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 Nokia 6600i Slide Accessories.
1. PDair Case for Nokia 6600i Slide
PDair cases are a range of elegant, hand stitched leather cases designed to protect and enhance your Nokia 6600i Slide. Each case is hand made from premium leather cuts and is individually designed to give a perfect fit to your phone. PDair cases are available in a range of styles to suit all tastes, but this is by far the most popular for the 6600i as the sliding mechanism makes it very difficult for other styles of case to fit the phone well. Due to high demand for PDair cases availability is often limited, so if we’re showing as having these in stock you’ll need to order one quickly as they can sometimes take weeks to come back into stock!
PDair Leather Pouch Case - Nokia 6600i Slide
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Tags: nokia 6600 accessories, nokia 6600 bluetooth headset, nokia 6600 car charger, nokia 6600 car kit, nokia 6600 case, nokia 6600 cover, nokia 6600 data cable, nokia 6600 gps, nokia 6600 handsfree, nokia 6600 memory card, nokia 6600 nokia maps, nokia 6600 screen protector, nokia 6600 skin, nokia 6600i accessories, nokia 6600i bluetooth headset, nokia 6600i car charger, nokia 6600i car kit, nokia 6600i case, nokia 6600i cover, nokia 6600i data cable, nokia 6600i gps, nokia 6600i handsfree, nokia 6600i memory card, nokia 6600i nokia maps, nokia 6600i screen protector, nokia 6600i skin,
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Friday, September 25th, 2009
The Samsung Tocco Lite is proving to be an incredibly popular phone. It’s easy to use touch screen, music player and 3 megapixel camera make it a great all round phone. To keep your handset looking its best and to really make the most of all of its features there are a number of accessories you can treat yourself to, but with such a wide range of accessories such as Cases, Chargers, Bluetooth Headphones and Car Kits available, choosing the right ones for you can be a bit of a minefield.
To help you decide on the accessories that you need, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 Samsung Tocco Lite Accessories.
1. Samsung Tocco Lite Premium Flip Case
The Premium Flip Case is different to most cases for the Tocco Lite as it actually attaches on to your phone. The back of the case replaces your existing battery cover and provides a secure fit. The front flip protects your screen and can be easily folded away when not in use.
Genuine Samsung Tocco lite Premium Flip Case
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Tags: samsung tocco lite accessories, samsung tocco lite bluetooth headset, samsung tocco lite car charger, samsung tocco lite car kit, samsung tocco lite case, samsung tocco lite cover, samsung tocco lite data cable, samsung tocco lite handsfree, samsung tocco lite memory card, samsung tocco lite screen protector, samsung tocco lite skin, tocco lite accessories, tocco lite bluetooth headset, tocco lite car charger, tocco lite car kit, tocco lite case, tocco lite cover, tocco lite data cable, tocco lite gps, tocco lite handsfree, tocco lite memory card, tocco lite nokia maps, tocco lite screen protector, tocco lite skin,
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