First Ever iPad Installed in Car Dashboard (GREAT IDEA)

I assumed someone would eventually find a way to install an iPad in their car dashboard but I never thought it would literally be the weekend the iPad was released. Some people have no damn patience!  This has been done before with Mac Mini's but the iPad installation might be the simplest way to get a "computer" in your vehicle.

I thought this was a little ridiculous at first but once I actually saw it installed in the dash with access to everything at your fingertips, I realized that this is actually a perfect usage of the iPad. It brings music and video to your vehicle at a very affordable price. Most in-dash flip screen receivers with DVD players usually cost about $1-$2K and they don't even show video unless you are parked. A Mac Mini is around the same price as an iPad but you need a separate screen which is probably going to be another $500.  Having a touch screen in your dash for $500 (plus a custom installation if you can't do it yourself) is just unreal!

As everyone probably knows by now since the iPad has been in the news non-stop for the past week, you can listen to Pandora, use iTunes, watch YouTube, search the internet or use any of the thousands of Apps.  Being able to do that right from the driver's seat of your car makes the iPad that much cooler.  It's like you are stretching your iPhone and sticking it in the dash of your car instead of keeping it on the seat or a window mount where you can barely see the screen. How can you not love this idea?

The two issues I see (other than the obvious distraction of keeping your eyes off the road) are the glare on the super reflective screen and the lack of 3G internet (on this particular unit at least). The iPad in this video has to be WiFi only since the 3G iPad doesn't come out for a few more weeks. That means that you can only use a fraction of it's functionality unless you are within range of a free WiFi signal.

I'm not sure why the dude who is getting this installed in his vehicle didn't wait for the 3G model but maybe they have some other internet options or just have no patience. There are some mobile internet options for your vehicle but they are a little cost prohibitive for most people.  I guess you could technically set up a signal from your laptop with a 3G card but that seems like a pain in the ass and it's just one more thing you have in your car that can be stolen.  The internet options on the 3G iPad are really affordable ($14.99 per month for 250 MB data and $29.99 for unlimited data plan) so that is probably the best way to go with an in-dash installation like this, as long as it can still catch a strong signal in the dash of the car.  We won't know if that's possible for at least a few more weeks. 

I also hope this guy has an easy way of docking the iPad so the owner can take it in and out of the dash to take it out of the car because otherwise, he is just asking for someone to break in and steal it.  I'm sure I will be posting Part 2 once the installation is complete because I am really curious how this will all work out.  I need to do this!  So sick! 




DjRyB.com - Addicted to Sneakers, Sports, Hip Hop and Gadgets

TuneUp Contest - Win A Copy of TuneUp To Clean Up Your iTunes Library

If you've been to DjRyB.com in the past month or so you've probably noticed the ad I'm running in the right hand column for TuneUp Media.  TuneUp is an iTunes application that allows you to clean up your library of music "automagically".  If you've ever downloaded a song from a sketchy file sharing site, then you are probably missing a lot of song and album information (aka metadata) or it might just be labeled incorrectly all together.  You might also be missing album art and although you can add that manually, if you have thousands of songs like I do, it would be very time consuming and frustrating to do it that way.

TuneUp loads on the right hand side of iTunes and can be minimized if needed.  In order to fix songs or album art, all you need to do is highlight them and drag them to the right hand column or you can have TuneUp search for them automatically.   

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50 Cent And Vitamin Water Launch ''50's Sound Lab'' iPhone App - Remix "Baby By Me" (COOL)

50 Cent and Vitamin Water just realeased a new iPhone App which allows you to remix his new hit single "Baby By Me".  50's Sound Lab allows you to remix and rearrange all elements of "Baby By Me" and then upload and share your creation on Facebook, email or www.50SoundLab.com. Fiddy is also adding a contest component to the app and is offering the winner of the best remix a chance to fly to NY and hang out with him in the studio and show off their production skills. The app will be available for as long as it takes for 50 Cent to pick a winner. I sound like 50 has until February 16th, 2010 to pick a winner.

This app was created using Moderati's Romplr remix platform which was also used in Soulja Boy's Re-Mix app.  Reviews have been positive so far since the app is fairly easy to use but has a lot of the versatility you would find in a real audio remixing program. I am downloading this app as I type and I'm sure I will be messing around with it all night. 

To download 50's Sound Lab, click here



DjRyB.com - Addicted to Sneakers, Sports, Hip Hop and Gadgets

Apple Releases iTunes 8.1 and iTunes DJ Feature (COOL)

Apple released iTunes 8.1 last night with some much needed performance updates and a few extra features.  It used to take iTunes forever to load, especially if you had a large library of songs.  I have about 80 GB of music and movies on my MacBook and it probably took a good 30-45 seconds to get going.  That doesn't seem like a lot but it is an eternity when you just want to start playing some music.  It was painful.  I haven't downloaded the new version yet but based on comments I've seen in other articles, people are seeing a shift from 30-40 seconds to as little as 7 seconds to load now with iTunes 8.1.  That is a HUGE improvement.

The other interesting update was the addition of the iTunes DJ feature which was formerly named Party Shuffle (which SUCKED).  iTunes DJ allows guests to request songs with the Remote app using their iPhone or iPod Touch.  The Remote app allows them to find your iTunes library through WiFi.  Once they are connected, they can search your library of songs and pick which song to play next or add to the queue.  If there are enough people with either device, they can also vote a song up or down in the queue.  This will keep wack song selections to a minimum if the rest of your party has a clue about good music. 

I'm not sure how much I like the idea of this feature since I am a DJ myself and would prefer to control the music and mix at my own parties but of course I do have the option to just shut it off. It's a control thing but also a trust factor since most people have TERRIBLE tastes in music but a lot of non-DJ's will probably like this addition.  It will help lazy people and/or nerds with no clue about music step their party up a bit and it will also bring a fun factor that might have been lacking at their lame wine and cheese party.  

You will need to allow guests to access to your WiFi so you may need to remove your password for a night.  It should be worth it though since it will be a really cool addition to the party and can get everyone talking about music which can be fun and scary all at the same time.  Just pray that you don't have any Phish or Dead Head Freaks in the crowd or they will go on and on about some 40 minute jam session bootleg they downloaded from some dude in Germany.  Freakin' hippies!  

For parties/BBQ's where it's just a chill atmosphere and I don't feel like putting together a huge playlist or have time to pre-mix tracks, this will be perfect.  A lot of my friends are lame and still don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch so it may not always work but it still could be cool if I just allowed people to select songs by using my iPhone.  That way I can relax and drink some beers and not worry about the music so much.  That always stresses me out, even when I'm not at my own house.  I can't stand crappy music at a party.  This could defintiely be a way for me to fix that problem at wack parties now!  FINALLY!  Let's just hope they have a few decent songs in their iTunes library.  Wack music libraries cannot be fixed by this update, unfortunately.  

Sling Player App for iPhone To Drop in Q1? (Crossing Fingers)

Please let this be true!  Gizmodo is reporting that the Sling Player App for the iPhone is almost complete and should be sent to Apple for approval for the App Store at some point in Q1.  Although there have been rumors of this for months and even a demo video floating around since June (see above), I still won't believe it until it's featured in the iTunes App Store.  There has just been too much hype and too many delays for me to get excited about this again but any time I hear some news, I just flip out.  Believe me, this thing is F'n cool and worth the excitement.  I don't care if the App ends up being $30 like many people are guessing, I will still be buying it immediately after it's released. 

If you are unfamiliar with the SlingBox, it's a freakin' awesome gadget that connects to any video device such as your cable box or DVD player and then "slings" the video signal through an ethernet connection across the internet to your Sling Player software located on a computer or phone.  Basically, you are watching and controlling your TV at home from anywhere that has an internet connection.  It's pretty much the coolest gadget I have ever purchased.  I have been showing it off and amazing people for a good 2 years now.  It never gets old because so few people even realize this technology is possible.

I currently have the Sling Player software on my laptop at home and computer at work.  Although I don't use it often at work, it's great for nights I need to stay late, mornings I want to catch SportsCenter, early games of the NCAA tournament or Red Sox opening day.  I use it home as a portable TV to take outside on the back deck during the summer to catch a game or even bring it in to the bathroom while I take a shower or whatever I might be doing in there for a long period of time.  It's pretty much the best thing ever.  And it's all FREE!!!  No monthly subscription.

I used to have SlingPlayer Mobile on my Motorola Q before I got the iPhone, so I was able to watch TV anywhere I was located, even if I didn't have a wifi signal.  If I was being dragged to some awful store or party by my girlfriend, I could always sneak away and catch a few minutes of the Celtics or Sox.  It came in handy many times for important games, such as the 2007 World Series.  I was in Cali for a wedding and didn't have access to a TV and missed almost every game but I was able to watch Game 3 along with some other Boston folks over in the corner so that the ladies and bride didn't see us and get pissed.  That kind of shit is priceless.  If you are a big sports fan like myself, I highly recommend you get the SlingBox and SlingPlayer Mobile for your smartphone ASAP.

As I mentioned, I've been missing the mobile aspect of the Sling Player since I got the iPhone and I would LOVE IT if I could get it back again.  I have zero issues with the iPhone except for this one missing killer app.  Make it happen soon, fellas!  I promise to both Apple and Sling Media that this will increase sales for both of your products immensely.  There are thousands of people out there that own either the SlingBox or iPhone and are waiting to make a purchase of the other one as soon as this App is available.  Sounds like a no brainer to me...

World's First In-Unit iPod Dock for the Car Stereo

"Drivin down the block like what else should a brother do,
It's Saturday, it's Saturday, the heat might smother you,
Rollin down my windows yeah I have a air-conditioner,
But I got the sound I want the whole world to listen ta,
Waitin at a red light, Kentucky Fried Chicken in,
Low End Theory tape in, bass crazy kickin in"
- "Born To Roll" by Masta Ace

Remember back in the day when you had to fumble with tapes in your ride, always fast forwarding or flipping to the B Side? And if you were using cassette singles, you'd have to keep changing it out for a new one or just listen to the same song over and over again. Maybe that repetition is why I know the lyrics to almost every rap song from '88-'96!!! Actually, you probably don't remember if you are under age 28 or so. Damn, I am getting old.

No, that's not a tape deck above. It's the FUSION CA-1P500. It's the first car stereo deck with a iPod Dock in the dash unit. Now I know there are other iPod docking options available already but none are so easily accessible as this one. I have one of the newer Alpine decks in which the iPod docking cable is located in the glove compartment. It's cool because it's stored away out of sight but sometimes it's easier to access it directly because it takes to long to scroll through songs on the dash unit. It's definitely a bit slower than just spinning the jog wheel and I have around 10,000 songs on my iPod, so that would take me all day. This unit seems like a nice alternative and gives back my glove compartment storage space (not that I really need it).

If you would have told me back in 1995 when I first got my license that one day I would be driving a nice car with a 10,000 song library in the dash, I would have thought you were out of your mind. Man, technology has really changed rapidly over the past 20 or so years, hasn't it? I can't wait to see where we are headed in the next 5-10! Can I get some hoverboards and flying cars already? Come on now!

BONUS:
Masta Ace - Born to Roll Video


Masta Ace - Sittin' On Chrome Video