CBR is nothing if not a stalwart supporter of law and order. So, naturally, we would never encourage you to play with your iPhone while driving. But there’s no reason why you can’t optimise your phone/driving experience (before setting off), and this is why we’ve put together a list that will help you to do so.
1. Belkin Car Holder
Car mobile holders have been fairly essential hardware since the heady early days of mobile phones – back when they were called "car-phones". Fast forward more than twenty years and there’s still a place in the market for them. Yes, it’s hardly the most glamorous accessory, but the number of different products available are staggering. CBR suggests not shelling out too much on a basic functional item that will probably not bring you any particular enjoyment. Something like the imaginatively titled Belkin Car Holder for just under £25 will do the job.
2. Incase High Speed Charger
Apple has always been about the minimalistic and intuitive, which is why the Incase High Speed Charger might appeal to existing Apple users. Small and aesthetically pleasing, this small USB charger plugs into a 12-volt port or cigarette lighter, while its 2.4 amp capacity will allow for speedy charging on a short journey.
3. Plantronics A170 Marque Bluetooth Headset
Another timeless classic from the 90s that remains as fresh and relevant today as it was back then. The tech has moved on a bit though. The Plantronics A170 Marque Bluetooth Headset captures your voice and limits background noise for high-quality audio capture. The set has five months of battery life due to its hibernation feature and allows you to answer or ignore calls via voice recognition.
4. Bluetooth Cassette Adaptor
Does anyone remember cassettes, those little plastic rectangles that carried music that were around alongside both LPs and CDs? Anyway, not that long ago cars came fitted with a cassette player as standard; so while the speaker system in these older cars may be fully intact there is no way of playing any music through them. To solve this conundrum, the ION Bluetooth cassette is available from John Lewis for around £30. It inserts into the tape slot and then connects wirelessly with your Bluetooth-enabled device.
5. Google Maps
The dedicated satnav unit will probably become increasingly obsolete as smartphones become more reliable. The only piece of software on the list, Google Maps comes with a satnav option, so you can consolidate all your technological endeavours into one piece of equipment. Google Maps for iOS is available for free from the iTunes store.
