Cars have become bastions of electronic gadgets – but that doesn’t mean we can’t add a few of our own. Some of us are just not happy with what comes with our vehicles, some of us want to have emergency equipment just in case, and some of us have older cars that need help to be able to fit modern electronics.
Here are some of the gadgets that The Verge employees have used to upgrade their various vehicles.
I’m one of those boring people who doesn’t care much about cars except as a way to get from point A to point B. As a result, I tend to keep a vehicle until it costs more to keep it running, than to buy something new. My current car is a 2007 Honda Civic, which, despite all the bumps and dents it has acquired over the years (mostly from parking on the streets of New York), still works well. The problem is that all the features that current cars offer are missing: electronic locks, built-in touch screens – you know, everything digital.
So, if I want to listen to Google Maps instructions or my podcasts or music, I need to attach my smartphone to the dashboard using a car holder and connect it to the audio system via the car’s audio jack. However, since my recently purchased Pixel 6 doesn’t have a headphone jack (thanks, Google) and my car doesn’t have Bluetooth, I had to find another way to make the connection.
So I bought this receiver, which plugs into the audio jack in my car and then connects to my phone via Bluetooth. This is a simple gadget from an unknown brand, but after pressing the button to start the Bluetooth signal, it makes the connection immediately and allows me to hear all the audio from my phone through the car speakers. It also holds a charge for a long time; I have not scientifically estimated how long the charge lasts, but some time has passed since the last power supply of the receiver and it has not yet expired. – Barbara Krasnov, editor of reviews
Bluetooth Aux receiver
Aux receiver that can plug into any 3.5mm audio port and connect to your phone or other device via Bluetooth.
I spent years trying to find the perfect USB cable that could support both an iPhone and an Android phone to charge in the car. (Anyone whose partner or spouse uses a different phone operating system can probably connect.) Although there are many cables with adapters that turn a Micro USB connection into Lightning or USB-C, they invariably fail after a few months. regular use.
But reader, I found the solution and it’s this retractable USB cable that has all three connections (Lightning, USB-C and Micro USB) at the end of its plug – no adapters needed. It’s sturdy and stably clicks into whatever phone I need, so I don’t have to deal with annoying adapters that are sure to fail. It also supports data connections for both CarPlay and Android Auto.
In addition, the retractable design keeps the cable neat – I no longer have to deal with an awkward, too long USB cable, awkwardly tossed through the center console. I can just unplug the cable, turn on my phone, put the cord away, and plug my phone into the booth near the USB port. If I take a short trip and do not turn on my phone, the cable stays away from the road. You’d think this feature would require a thin, fragile cable that would break after just a few uses, but that’s not the case – the cable here is thick and flat and unlikely to break soon. I have been using one of these retractable cables in both cars we own for almost a year and they work just as well as the day I took them. “Dan Seifert, deputy editor.”
Asicen 3-in-1 charging cable
Retractable Lightning port / Micro USB / USB-C ports for charging a 3.3-foot cable. (This is a two-part package.)
Switch bar
After my car broke down in college and a stranger appeared in the dark with a rifle and a statement that he would protect me until the tug arrived, my mother bought me a switch that was like a wrench, but much longer. The idea was to have something like a bat in my car in case I ever got into a situation like this, but even better, it gave me a lot more torque to remove the nuts on my tires. Too often, when you turn or change your tires, they will use a ratchet gun to loosen and tighten the nuts and can often overtighten them, making changing the side of the tire absolutely miserable. The switch absolutely helps. And according to at least one parent, it can be used in case of other strange emergencies. “Alex Kranz, editor-in-chief.”
The biggest upgrade I’ve made to my car is the addition of a radio that supports CarPlay, which allows me to see directions and control music from a screen built into my dashboard (and ignoring any awful user interface my car uses). was offered). My specific device is the Sony XAV-AX100, which seems to have stopped production. However, there are many other options at Crutchfield, the site I use to shop for car audio, due to its incredibly handy compatibility check.
It took me a few days to install Sony in my Outback (thanks in large part to the stupid way Subaru hooked up the AC controls, which will make me die furious), although there are many stores that could do it for relatively cheap. If you decide to install a new head unit in your car, I would recommend looking for a guide to see if this is something you want to do on your own – but I would say that if you’re a technician at all, it’s definitely worth taking CarPlay or Android Auto in your car, no matter how you do it. The fact that I don’t have to deal with installation or charger is worth the investment for me – so much so that when we got a new car, I immediately started looking for a replacement on its radio. “Mitchell Clark, newswriter.”
Fast car charger
Whether you usually travel short or long trips by car, it’s really nice to have a charger that can quickly recharge your gadgets. And for that you will need a car charger that has a USB-C PD port like this Samsung model (although there is no shortage of other options on sites like Amazon).
It has a USB-C PD port that can quickly recharge a device with up to an impressive 45W of power if needed. The one I used in our car can quickly recharge my Pixel 6 while providing navigation via Google Maps, or keep my Nintendo Switch charged. The device can even recharge my MacBook Pro while it’s asleep (or prevent the battery from falling freely during use). It also has a USB-A port with support for an additional recharge of 15W, a total of 60W of this particular model. “Cameron Faulkner, reviewer.”
Super fast dual car charger Samsung
The USB Type-C port provides up to 45 W for recharging your device with Super Fast Charging 2.0. The USB Type-A port reaches a maximum power of 15 W for a total of up to 60 W.
IOttie wireless car charger
Maybe one day Apple will realize that it wasn’t the brightest idea to artificially limit the range of its MagSafe charging ecosystem, and you’ll be able to place your phone on a magical minimalist drive that charges it at high speeds. Meanwhile, the standard Qi charger is the best you’ll get – and the bulky but practical iOttie Easy One Touch Qi does it with a satisfactory spring click. When you press your phone into its waiting jaws, it presses a button that causes those jaws to close firmly on both sides of your device. When you want to remove it, press a pair of levers with your finger and thumb to release it while grasping your plate. It is wide enough to hold virtually everything on the market except the open Samsung Z Fold. I’ve used this for years with both Android and Apple phones, including the newer MagSafe phones. “Sean Hollister, senior news editor.”
IOttie wireless car charger
Qi wireless car charger with one-touch mechanism and adjustable foot that adjusts to fit large and extremely large smartphones up to 3.7 inches.
Due to higher emission standards, turbochargers are very common on almost all new vehicles (at least those that still have internal combustion engines). Of course, there is no substitute for displacement, but the good thing about the turbo is how easy you can modify them to increase engine power and even improve fuel economy. Turbochargers operate by reusing exhaust gases to compress the air entering the engine, which allows more power. (It’s a little trickier than that, but I’ll save you the details.)
But what does this have to do with car gadgets? My favorite gadget is the Raspberry Pi, custom software from Pro Tuning Freaks, which allows me to adjust the ECU of my car (engine control unit) from my iPhone – everything from the amount of boost pressure that the turbo creates to adjust the engine time when I can. t find fuel with octane number 93. Raspberry Pi, paired with a special OBD-II-to-ethernet cable …
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