Lack self control? Consider cellControlThere are a lot of gadgets that help facilitate the usage of one’s mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle. So we applaud Scosche for its cellControl safe driving system, which is designed to completely disable the use of unsafe cellphone applications during the commute.
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Scosche's cellControl helps you keep self control.
Installation is simple enough, with users activating the device online, downloading an app on to the designated mobile device and then installing the unit to the car’s OBD-II interface. The result is that all phone functionality that could distract a driver is disabled when the car is in motion. It can even be configured to disable the usage of phone service unless it detects a hands-free headset.
The device is perfect for keeping teen minds on the road rather than on Twitter. As for adults who lack self control and need to purchase this product for themselves, they should be very ashamed. Unfortunately, the product is presently only available for Blackberry and Android devices, meaning kids with iPhones can continue on their self-destructive path for just a while longer. $130; visit scosche.com.
Refreshing but not revolutionary Sony’s been at it for quite some time with the Xplod MEX Bluetooth stereo series. This means consumers can rely upon the latest iteration, the MEX-BT3900U, to be a good car stereo. The downside, though, is that the series has reached the release-by-rote stage, so the new model does not represent much of an upgrade over its predecessors. It’s a refresh, good for new buyers, but not necessarily good for existing owners.
The MEX-BT3900U features the series-defining Bluetooth capability, a detachable faceplate and advanced sound software that utilizes an EQ7 equalizer. It also comes with Sony’s Quick-BrowZer and ZAPPIN features, which sort music by artist, album or genre and can play short clips of songs before moving on to the next one, in order to find that elusive song buried on a hundred MP3 USB drives. Speaking of USB, the MEX was among the first to standardize front-loading USB, and it still has it.
On the whole — and at the price — it’s a good product. But most of its features were present in the preceding MEX-BT3800U, marking this puppy as evolutionary, not revolutionary. $200; visit sony.ca.
