Product Review: Bluetooth-Enabled Handsfree Cellphone Devices

If you live in California or Washington, you know that as of next week you must go handsfree when using your cellphone while driving your car. On July 1, 2008, these two states become the fourth and fifth states to enact laws that ban the use of any hand-held mobile device while driving.

When it goes into effect, the California law will also prohibit ALL cell-phone use -- including hands-free devices and texting -- by drivers under the age of 18. Violators will face a possible $20 fine for a first offense, and $50 for subsequent offenses.

The law does allow non-minor drivers to use a wireless telephone for emergency purposes, drivers of commercial vehicles to use push-to-talk phones until July 1, 2011, and drivers of emergency response vehicles to use a cell phone without a hands-free device.

For technophobes, the solution is as simple as stopping off at your favorite wireless store, nearby Radio Shack, or local Target or Walmart to buy an inexpensive wired headset to allow you to make those important calls without the distraction of having to hold your phone. However, if you're a technofan like me, then you know a wireless Bluetooth device is the only way to go.

Shift Dad's Gift into High Gear This Father's Day

Many of us have fond memories of automotive advice our Dads offered while we were growing up. My own Dad taught me to drive his giant Ford F-250 pickup truck by taking me to a parking lot and making me perform three-point turns, reverse through poles, and negotiate over cinderblocks, saying "If you can do it in this truck, you can do it in  "My Dad taught me everything about cars before I could step foot behind the wheel," said Beth McGlynn from Boston. "I learned how to change the oil, fill the wiper fluid, and also how to change a tire! The advice he gave me still comes in handy 15 years later." Whitney Foote from Vermont had a similar experience. "Dad faithfully changed my oil every 3,000 miles and I can still remember the first time he showed me how," Foote said. "He emerged from underneath the car with oil all over his face! I'll never forget that and never forget to get my oil changed."

Jiffy Lube has suggested an easy way to repay your father for his great automotive tutelage:  Why not give him a car maintenance gift card? He can take a break from doing his own preventive maintenance and let the professionals at Jiffy Lube handle that for him this year!

Fun Father's Day Activity

Are you looking for something cool that your daughter and daddy can do together this Father’s Day? Our friends at RIDEMAKERZ are offering $10 off a $30 purchase if you order before June 15. Dad and daughter can assemble and customize a “model” car. Better yet, there’s no glue to worry about or paint to spill!

If you’re lucky enough to live near a RIDEMAKERZ shop, take dad and the kids in so they can build a car together — right there! A new store just opened up in Branson, Missouri and you can bet we’ll be visiting at Christmas! (I have family near there.)

The newest RIDE includes the 2008 Dodge Viper, which is just flying off the shelves. With accessories including tires, wheels, side pipes, spoilers, hood scoops, and stickers, you can make a one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Three Key Tips to Fuel Savings at the Pump

With gas prices approaching than $4.50 per gallon in most states, it is more important than ever for motorists to maintain their vehicles. To get the most out of a tank of gas, experts at Honeywell Consumer Products Group suggest that in addition to properly inflating tires and altering driving habits, motorists should be diligent about changing their worn and dirty spark plugs, replacing clogged air filters, and maintaining a clean fuel system.

"These three easy, low-cost routines can help motorists save quite a bit of money at the pump," said Jay Buckley, Honeywell's technical training manager. "The last thing we want is for our vehicles to work harder than they have to . . . it's just throwing money down the drain."

Father's Day Gift Ideas from the Busted Knuckle Garage

Looking for some fun ideas to give your car guy on his special day? Check out the Busted Knuckle Garage for some unique gifts for "wrench-twisting car guys, bikers, and wannabe's." Best known for their line of herbal skin care products, close to 65% of their web customers are ladies buying for their father, hubby, boyfriend, son, or brother.

The company's founder, Warren Tracy, says he established the Busted Knuckle Garage "for no other reason than to help us all celebrate the fun we have tinkering, puttering, and playing around with our favorite car, truck, or motorcycle." His motto is "Repair and despair under one roof" because -- as anybody who works on their own car knows -- a busted knuckle or two just comes along with the territory. It's a growing company, and Warren promises their products are all about quality and fun.

The company's signature herbal skincare products lists a variety of items, including Mechanic's Hand Salve, Mechanic's Muscle Easing Salve, Mechanic's Skin Moisturizer, Mechanic's Hand Salve/Lip Balm, Mechanic's Hand Cleaner, and Mechanic's Sun Block "Lube in a Tube" - all affordably priced from just a couple bucks for littlest containers of lip balm/salve to $11 for a jug of skin moisturizer. The Muscle Easing Salve ($6.95) promises to work fast and effectively on muscle aches, joints, and tension, and claims to help heal sprains, bruising, and swelling. Rubbed on temples and the back of the neck for headaches, this salve claims to stimulate circulation and healing.

Top Tips to Get Road Ready for Summer's Family Road Trips

Memorial Day is here, and that means it's officially opening weekend for summer travel. So, do you want to cruise the Florida Coast, meander the mountains of North Carolina, or check out the culture in cowboy land? Families planning their next road trip should look no further than getroadready.com. The all-inclusive online resource from Prestone Products, featuring content licensed from Rand McNally, includes handy destination information, useful trip planning tools, directions, gas savings tips, helpful car maintenance advice, and fun trip activities.

I recently helped getroadready.com create a fun video to guide moms in their preparations and ensure they keep their sanity while cooped up in the car. (Yay! I'm a star!)

On my way home, again.

I'm typing this on an airplane on my way home to Los Angeles, marveling over where my travels have taken me within the last week:

More than 8000 miles on three airlines (Northwest, American, Frontier), six different airports (Los Angeles 4x, Chicago Midway 2x, Las Vegas McCarren, Denver 2x, Chicago OHare, and Detroit 2x), and a total of eight separate planes (On Friday, I identified each animal emblazoned on the tails of my four Frontier flights; I've since forgotten their cute names, but the animals were a wolf, a rabbit, an elk, and a moose). Needless to say, I'm a little travel weary.

My job as an automotive journalist and blogger has provided many opportunities to travel; auto shows, vehicle product reveals, and educational conferences take me away from home about once a month. This week, I had two short trips bookended around Mother's Day: The first was the "Marketing 2 Women" conference in Chicago, and the second was an overnighter to Detroit to co-star in a short Prestone video in which I offer female friendly advice to help moms get their cars and families ready for summer road trips.

While the opportunities are exciting enough on their own, Monday's flight brought a whole new adventure to traveling.

Motoring Gear for Kids

If you are looking for a gift for your little aspiring auto aficionado, then check out  Mini's MotoringGear kids section. They have several car-oriented gifts that could be right up your alley.

Take a look at their Mini Baby Racer (II). It features unique details, like a ‘chrome’ front grille and light housings, alloy-look wheels, and realistic head- and tail-light lenses. The special plastic tires are reportedly quiet and leave floors unmarked. It’s tough enough for your 1 - 3 year old. Enjoy watching your little one push around in this car. Retails at $85.

And for the 3- to 5-year-old set, take a look at their Mini Convertible Pedal Car. It’ s single-seater reproduction of the MINI convertible. The seat is adjustable, too. Your future racer will enjoy pedaling around in this great car.

Ford Extends Warranty Coverage

Ford has improved its warranty coverage on both new and remanufactured gasoline engine and transmission assemblies, increasing the mileage by 25,000 miles from 3-years/75,000 miles to 3-years/100,000 miles, effective April 1, 2008.

According to their press release: "This warranty enhancement not only matches the terms of competitive automakers in the aftermarket industry, but it exceeds their coverage in a significant way," says Steve Lopez, Ford's transmission product marketing manager.  "Ford has no restrictions on the application of the vehicle, whether it is a private use, commercial application, or municipality."

The new warranty terms apply only to gas engines and transmission assemblies sold on or after April 1, 2008.  Warranty coverage on remanufactured Ford and Motorcraft transmissions and gas engines installed by the dealer or installer begins on the date of sale from the Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury dealership or a Ford factory-authorized powertrain distributor. 

Sunglasses to Save Squinty Eyes

I have a couple pair of beautiful Costa Del Mar sunglasses that I purchased more than 10 years ago, and I fear the day that I might have to replace them, so I'm always on the lookout for the "next pair" to protect my eyes.

I spend a fair amount of time driving, and my previous commute was into the sun both ways: into the sunrise on my way to work, and into the sunset on my way home. Because I am short, the sun visor never provided enough shade for me, so these two pairs of sunglasses were my constant companions.

Why two pairs, you ask? Because I have goofy eyeballs. I see near with one, and far with the other, and sometimes I wear prescription eyeglasses, and sometimes I wear a contact, in just one eye. So, depending on what's in my eye or on my face, somedays, I need sunglasses with prescription, and somedays I don't.

I've had two press releases for sunglasses cross my desk lately, and both of them were so interesting, I thought it might be useful to share them here.

Ford Syncs Up With California Laws

As California prepares to go "hands-free" this summer, Ford is ready to help the 29.7 million cell phone subscribers in California with its state-of-the-art Sync in-car communications and entertainment system, developed with Microsoft. California drivers don't have to buy a new bluetooth handsfree headset to comply with the law if they already own a Sync-equipped Ford vehicle.

Ford Sync provides consumers the convenience and flexibility to bring digital media players - Apple iPods, Microsoft Zunes, and other MP3 players - and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones into their vehicle and operate the devices via voice commands or with the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls.

"Americans, on average, commute 30 minutes each way every day, and in California, commute times are longer," said Hal Dewsnap, Los Angeles regional manager Ford, Lincoln Mercury. "Sync  helps people stay connected while minimizing distractions during their commute by keeping their hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road ahead."

Ridemakerz - Customized Cars for Your Kids

Do you have a car crazy kid in your household? Then you’ll want to check out Ridemakerz, the home of custom-made “ridez.” If you’re familiar with Build-a-Bear, then you’ll get the concept of Ridemakerz. Pick out a body, add some custom paint, wheels, and accessories and you’ve got a made-to-order ride.

If you live in the east near a Ridemakerz location, you can take your car lover to the shop and build a custom ride right there. You can even throw a party where all the kids can make their own. Not near one? Choose a car or truck online, add the features and paint you like, and have it shipped out! Basic models start at $12 and go up from there. Don't forget the pre-made "Cruize Ready Ridez." The Chip Foose limited edition model pictured goes for $35.

'Top Ten' Ways Ford Is Changing In-Car Communications With Sync Technology

Staying connected is a way of life now. Recent research from the Consumer Electronics Association shows there are more than 200 million mobile phones in the U.S. Ford Motor Company research also indicates customers want to stay connected to their digital media players: More than 70 percent of new car buyers are looking for the ability to use digital media players in their new vehicles.

Sync, developed in collaboration with Microsoft, is an easier and more affordable way to connect to digital media players and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. Available this very moment in the 2008 Ford Focus, but in a total of 12 vehicles from Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury by the end of this year, Sync will help accelerate this trend towards in-car connectivity. I've spent some time in the Sync Focus, and it was cool. It doesn't matter what device you bring into the car, the Sync system knows how to deal with it; you can wirelessly connect to your Bluetooth phone, or cable-connect your MP3 player. And then operate those devices completely with voice commands.

Convenient. Handily hands-free. Easy to use. It's a no-brainer. Sync, how do I love thee, let me count the ways:

Think Green for Valentine's Day - Green M&Ms, That Is

While most of us are inclined to decorate in red, pink, and white for Valentine's Day, M&M's offers a different perspective, saying that green is actually the color of love.

The fabulous Ms. Green -- the first and only female M&M's spokescandy -- is bringing her colorful personality to the candy aisle this Valentine's season as M&M's where she proclaims green as the new color of love. In this video, the flirtatious, sassy, and alluring live-animated Ms. Green talks with Chris Harrison, host of "The Bachelor" about the myths, rumors, and innuendo surrounding green chocolate candies.

Research has proven that chocolate induces physiological changes - replicating the body's reaction to love. Legend has it, "The Green Ones" are an aphrodisiac; rumors of their special powers have been circulating since the '70s. And in honor of that, retail establishments across the country will display limited-edition all-green candies amidst the holiday's traditional sea of red and pink.

iHear - a 3-in-1 Audio Product for Your Car

Do you have a hard time talking to back seat passengers without turning around to look at them? And are you tired of gadget clutter, needing separate hands-free devices for your cell phone and mp3 player? The new iHear from Cool & Useful Products wants to change that.

The iHear, a patented 3-in-1 audio product, lets you:

• Broadcast your voice using the car’s speakers so your passengers can hear you in the back
• Talk hands-free on your cell phone
• Listen to your iPod or other music player through the car speakers

Don’t be one of this year’s two million car accidents caused by distracted drivers.

Tips To Help Remember Your Loved Ones On Valentine's Day

If you're like me, you know how hard it can be to keep track of birthdays and holidays... sometimes, even what day of the week it is. I have a network of people who help me remember important dates because I would otherwise forget to express many significant sentiments without their assistance. I just recently accepted the fact that my brain is a seive.

Which is why I love Jott.com so much.  I spend a good amount of time in my car and have become quite a fan of this free voice recognition software system  that listens to my messages and then sends email transcripts. Program the Jott number (877-568-8486) into your handsfree cellphone, and all you have to do is drive and talk to yourself. When you get home, all your reminders will be waiting for you in your email box.

So, as Valentine's Day approaches, and you're thinking about gifts you want to give to your special person, or just trying to make a mental note of the people you want to remember on that day, you can jott yourself a reminder!

Jott can help you to remember to buy chocolates and flowers, or call the people you love. When you call Jott (877-568-8486), just say "Reminder," choose a time and set the date to February 14th, then leave yourself a message to remember to call that special someone. Your reminder will be delivered as an email to your inbox and text message to your phone on Valentine's Day. It's that easy. If you have your jott.com contacts set up properly, you can even jott your message directly to the special someone you are thinking about.

Not Sure Which Car Seat to Use?

Are you looking for a new car seat for your infant, toddler or 4-8
year old child but overwhelmed by the choices and worried about how
to properly install your car seat?

Click the link below  to watch a video from the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration on how car seat features differ
among various models:

 

Click here to view video

Superbowl Car Commercials Wrapup

Each year advertisers capitalize on the Superbowl's enormous audience -- expected to reach as high as 90 million TV viewers for the 2008 event. At $2.7 million for each 30-second spot, that's some serious coin. The Giants pulled a surprise win out of their hat in the very last moments of the game, but which commercials do you feel were the real surprise winners? If you were out shopping during the big game (hey, the malls were deserted! I can't think of a better time to go shopping!) and weren't able to catch the commercials, tune in to www.myspace.com/superbowlads  for a quarter-by-quarter selection of paid promotional entertainment.

Among the complete collection of highly anticipated commercials online are the following automotive-themed advertisements:

• What do Richard Simmons, Alice Cooper and an albino snake, and an assortment of forest wildlife have in common? All of them appeared together in a collection of humorous Bridgestone tire commercials that might cause you to ask yourself:  "If you were driving down a dark deserted highway, which of these surprise roadside hazards would you be more likely to try to avoid?"

Sneak Peek: Suzuki Reveals the First Official Image of its Upcoming Midsize Pickup Truck

With the Chicago Auto Show just around the corner, American Suzuki Motors has let loose a sneak peek of the midsize pickup truck they intend to reveal on Wednesday. (Wanna see the rest of the truck? Be sure you click below to read the complete story.)

We've been looking forward to seeing the production version of this midsize truck ever since we first heard whispers about it during the recent holiday season.

It doesn't yet have an official name or suggested pricing, but Suzuki will display several lightly modified versions of the new pickup that promise to showcase both the company's diverse brand spirit and illustrate the new truck's capability and flexibility when it makes its World Debut next week.

Kids’ Boutique Items for Your Car

Are you a mom who likes to look for unique, stylish car accessories? Do you want something that looks good coming and going? If you’re in need of car seat covers, cart covers or even travel blankets, then take a look at Little Butterfly Kiss.

Infant  and toddler  car seat covers are available at Little Butterfly Kiss. And these aren’t your mother’s covers. They are high-quality, custom made seat covers with a wide variety of patterns. The seat manufacturer selection is limited, so you’ll need to check each cover to see which seats they’ll fit. If you want to be able to clean your seat cover easily, check them out. But these are not for the budget conscious. Prices run from $120 - $225.

It’s cold season and we all know what means: nobody wants to touch the shopping cart handle, or put our small children in the cart seat. You can find some adorable cart covers. They are well-padded and come in some great patterns. Not only are they good for shopping carts, but work on high chairs and park safety swings. The covers come with a safety belt strap and are machine washable. Prices start at $66.

So if you’re looking for some high-quality, boutique kid items for yourself or as a gift, go check out Little Butterfly Kiss. Your little one will be the most stylish kid on the block.

2007 Honda Element Wins First-Ever DogCar of the Year Award

2007 Honda Element Wins First-Ever DogCar of the Year Award

With market research showing that more households have pets than have children, the folks who designed DogCar.com know they're not alone in considering the needs of their dogs when shopping for a car. Created by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and his writing partner, the syndicated columnist, book author, and PetConnection.com blogger Gina Spadafori, the pair decided to start reviewing dog-friendly vehicles and pet products designed for traveling.

You can find any number of Web sites that review cars for all the usual reasons, which is why this one doesn't spend a lot of time dwelling on horsepower, handling, and other things that get the usual car fanatics all excited.  This site's reviews are focused on dog-friendly info like:  How well does a car hold dogs and their gear? How easy it is to get crates into the back or otherwise restrain a dog for safety? Can you get air in the back? Do the seats fold flat? And how economic is the vehicle? Vehicles are given "paw ratings" to measure how well they rank across these categories. Very cute -- and especially useful for animal lovers.

So far their database includes more than 40 dog-friendly vehicles, but the site's piece de resistance was the recent pronouncement of the 2007 Honda Element as the winner of the first-ever "DogCar of the Year" Award. Ranking it best overall among the vehicles they reviewed, the review says, "The Element is as good a DogCar as could possibly be imagined. From its versatile interior to its anti-noseprint windows, everything about the Honda Element has dog-lovers howling with happiness. The easy-to-clean Element is a near-perfect DogCar with just the right canine chemistry." DogCars.com also gave high honors to the Suzuki Forenza wagon as the Best DogCarsValue among 2007 models, saying "The Forenza (immediately nicknamed the "Fur-enza at DogCars.com) offers a comfortable, spacious interior, European styling and a posse of premium features, making it perfect for budget-conscious consumers."

Explorer America Concept Presents Ford's Sustainable Strategy

To help explain its vehicle sustainability strategy, Ford has created the Explorer America concept for the 2008 North American International Auto Show.

The Ford Explorer America concept showcases a new kind of utility for the vehicle customers have known and loved for years: even better fuel efficiency.

"Customers are smart. They value vehicles - the more efficient, the better," said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president of Marketing and Communications. "Ford gets it."

"Innovative technologies can transform people's favorite vehicles. Look at SYNC, the Ford system that connects people and their favorite portable devices, including media players and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, while in their vehicles."

The Explorer America concept delivers an approximately 20-to 30-percent fuel-economy improvement - depending on engine selection - while providing room for six and their gear, along with moderate towing and off-roading capabilities.

Safety Solutions for The Blind-Sided Driver

Everybody knows there are blind spots around the vehicle where the driver can not see; unfortunately, many people don't realize how big the blind spot behind their vehicle actually is. Did you know that rear blind spots can stretch as far as 75 feet behind some larger vehicles, or that as many as 20 young children could be standing behind the average SUV and still be invisible to a driver's rearview mirrors? 

Kids and Cars (www.KidsAndCars.org) is a non-profit consumer organization that works tirelessly to make it safer for children to be in and around cars.  Their research notes that more than 742 children were involved in accidents in and around cars in 2006; 219 resulted in fatalities. There were already 84 deaths as of May 18, 2007, and a significant percentage of these fatalities involved children who were killed when a driver -- unable to see them in the driver's blind spot -- backed over them. Unfortunately, very often that driver was a family member.

Too many children are falling needless victim to a tragedy that could easily be averted.  On May 24, 2007, The Today Show aired a very informative segment entitled "Kids and the Risks of Reversing,"  which shares several tragic backover stories, demonstrates how large these rear blindspots can be,  and identifies several aftermarket products currently on the market that can help improve rearward visibility on any vehicle.

Washing Your Car the Green Way

Have you ever thought about how much water you use when you wash your car? If you could find an environmentally-friendly way to wash your car and save water, would you try it?

Enter the Green Earth Waterless Car Wash. According to their web site, a typical car wash uses 20 - 45 gallons of water per car. If you wash your car at home, you can use up to 140 gallons! For areas with a limited water supply, that’s a lot of water. But Green Earth Waterless Car Wash hopes to change that.

Holiday Travel Car Barf Protection

Planning a long holiday drive? Car sickness a worry? Some of us get car sick at the thought of a long drive some get car sick more often than others, and for many different reasons. Some people get motion sickness every time they take a car ride, kids often get car sick due to all the holiday treats they are not used to eating on that long drive home, others get the dreaded stomach flu, pregnant women suffer with morning sickness, and some get queasy from various medications including chemotherapy treatments.

No matter why you get car sick, you will be served well by having a stack of Sick Saver bags handy. No one likes to get car sick, and no one likes to clean it up either! Durable Sick Saver bags eliminate the mess that normally comes when someone vomits in your car!

Andrew and Billie Moody launched Sick Saver in early 2002 to offer sick bags to the general public. Their eldest daughter Eliana suffered frequently with car sickness. After searching in vain for several months to buy car sickness bags, they decided they should make their own. They were sure that they weren't the only ones in this situation and wanted to provide relief to others in the same situation.

 

Planning a long holiday drive? Car sickness a worry? Some of us get car sick at the thought of a long drive some get car sick more often than others, and for many different reasons. Some people get motion sickness every time they take a car ride, kids often get car sick due to all the holiday treats they are not used to eating on that long drive home, others get the dreaded stomach flu, pregnant women suffer with morning sickness, and some get queasy from various medications including chemotherapy treatments.

No matter why you get car sick, you will be served well by having a stack of Sick Saver bags handy. No one likes to get car sick, and no one likes to clean it up either! Durable Sick Saver bags eliminate the mess that normally comes when someone vomits in your car!

Andrew and Billie Moody launched Sick Saver in early 2002 to offer sick bags to the general public. Their eldest daughter Eliana suffered frequently with car sickness. After searching in vain for several months to buy car sickness bags, they decided they should make their own. They were sure that they weren't the only ones in this situation and wanted to provide relief to others in the same situation.

Hurry for Your Chance to Win a One-of-a-Kind Galpinized "Warriors in Pink" Mustang

Galpin Auto Sports Joins Ford and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to Take The Fight Against Breast Cancer To The Streets

To raise awareness of the fight against breast cancer Galpin Auto Sports (GAS), home of MTV's Pimp My Ride, has created a one-of-