How to Choose a Blind Spot & Backup Warning System

Know how the device mounts on your vehicle.

Camera and sensor systems that are mounted on the vehicle’s bumper or bodywork may necessitate drilling. They may not be the best choice if you lease your vehicle.

If you have a hitch, you can consider a model that mounts in the trailer-hitch receiver. But you would have to remove the system to use your hitch.

Other camera and sensor models mount on the license-plate frame. But some states prohibit frames because they can obscure the plate.

Within types, features vary. This is especially true with the sensor models we tested. The ultrasonic systems were generally the most sensitive, but their performance was adversely affected by rain, snow, or other inclement weather.

The microwave-based sensor systems we tested were not affected by weather but are less sensitive as a group. They also don’t warn the driver unless the vehicle or object behind it is moving.

The display quality of the camera-based models is very good, although it doesn’t match that of the larger screens on some carmakers’ systems. Most of the system displays turn on when the vehicle shifts into reverse, but one, the Audiovox, must be turned off and on manually.

Compare Backup Sensors & Cameras to ParkFX for the Most Reliable Backup Warning Technology

Not all reversing aids are equal. The sensing technology and the indicating method are critical to your driving safety.

How A Park Assist System Alerts You

One option is video, which at first seems like a great choice. But one major flaw with having a video camera affixed to the back of your car with a monitor on your dashboard is that it also forces you to look forward while backing up. That can disturb your perception, your reaction time, and feel very unnatural. They are also extremely expensive, and you'll pay thousands of dollars to have a video system attached to your car, whether from the dealer or an aftermarket supplier.

Compare that to other bargain basement devices which actually have LED displays (little red lights) on your dashboard. These are cumbersome -- almost useless -- for much the same reason as video: when you drive in reverse, you naturally look behind you, and you'll never see the little red lights. They are also hard to read in bright sunlight.

Some other bargain technologies use a tone which beeps more rapidly as you get closer to an obstacle. You can at least hear the relative distance just by listening to the beeps, but you have to practice a bit to really understand how far you are from danger.

That's why an audible voice sensor is best. It tells you in a spoken voice exactly how far away you are. Not only do you not have to awkwardly look forward at your dashboard, you'll know without guessing how much further you can safely back up.

How A Reversing Aid Detects Objects

If you've never seen or used a reversing aid, you might be surprised at how technically advanced they actually can be.

Reversing aids use a variety of technologies to sense an object behind the car. Some units use Doppler radar, and others use infrared sensors, but by far the most accurate method of detection is the one the U.S. Navy uses on its submarines: sonar.

Sonar can operate in any weather, including direct sunlight or rain. And it doesn't require that the car be moving in order to sense an obstruction.

Track Your Buddies on the Highway With New Gadget

TomTom's portable car navigator systems have a new feature called TomTom Buddies. Stuff magazine reports that the new friend tracking system allows people to not only send messages back and forth but keep track of where their friends are located.

Called TomTom Buddies, the feature lets you track your mates wherever you go – and in return, they get to track you too.

All you do is invite other TomTom users -- you'll have to shun your Garmin and Navman chums - to be your authorized 'buddy'. The idea is that the Buddies service will be like an exclusive club through which you can send each other text messages and locations you think are interesting.

If you feel like being a loner for a bit you can select the privacy option which lets you hide your location. Plus, if any of your Buddies keep sending you many Points of Interest -- dodgy McDonald drive-ins, for example -- you can delete them.

Top Fun Gifts for Tech Lovers Under $40

Gift Ideas for Car Lovers

Did you know that some folks use cars for reasons other than getting from one place to the other? Of course you did! For many owning a car, suv, or truck is an extension of their personality. It's about driving a vehicle and making a statement with it. Budget permitting some will choose the latest in suvs or trucks, while others will choose a more reasonable set of wheels.  Everyone loves their Freedom Machine and does their best to enhance and personalize it so a gift of automotive accessories is a great way to warm their heart.

So what exactly do you buy?

Well your final selection depends to some extent on your budget, but if you are short for vehicle accessory gift ideas, here are a few – a non-magnetic cell phone pad makes a great little car accessory for that dashboard – maybe an ashtray with some zing, for those who smoke and refuse to quit?, then there are the slightly more expensive accessories like seat covers, luggage carriers and removable steps for those hard to reach areas like the top of a truck. Ask yourself what kind of person you are planning to gift – you would be the best judge of that – remember when you are buying an accessories gift, or any kind of gift, try and get something that you know the person in question would love to receive, not something that you would like to get on your birthday! The dashboard cellmate in particular is a must have for every sports utility vehicle owner, who often go cross country across rough terrain. Nothing like a CellMate cell phone padto keep that mobile phone, ipod and maybe the ray ban glasses from being knocked all over the place! The custom made seat covers are a great way to personalize a vehicle. Going custom is the only way for hobbyists even if it means waiting an extra week.

Skis are one of the hardest things to fit in or on a sports vehicle. Maybe you could get your friend a ski rack if he or she is going on a ski trip with the vehicle. The ski rack goes conveniently on top of the car where they hold the skis parallel and over the vehicle, leaving ample room for other luggage. So you can see there’s something literally for everyone in terms of car accessories as personal gifts. Such a gift would no doubt be well appreciated from the receiver, and isn’t that what we want at the end of the day.

Gadget Gifts: The Must-Have Gadgets of 2006 Holida Season

Looking for great tech gear? Check out these magnificent seven.

Santa isn't the only one who's been making a list and checking it twice. Over the last year hundreds of gizmos have passed through Chez Freak, but only a handful inspire sincere gadget lust.

These devices all share certain traits: They serve a real need (read: not yet another iPod accessory). They're innovative. Most important, they're simple to use. Plug them in, turn them on, and they work. The way it should be.

iRobot Dirt Dog
Meet man's new best friend. iRobot's Dirt Dog is a sweeper designed for use in basements and garages. Just push the "Clean" button and stand back. It scuttles about picking up wood shavings, loose screws, and other weekend workshop detritus. The $130 price is worth howling about, too.

MusicGremlin
With the Wi-Fi-enabled MusicGremlin, you can download songs from any hotspot and then legally swap them with your buddies online. Sure, navigating through songs could be easier, and $300 (plus $15 a month for the music service) is pricey for a device with only 8GB of storage. But being able to download virtually any song, anytime, anywhere, is wicked cool.

Pure Digital Point and Shoot Camcorder
This pocket-size digital videocam lets you capture 30 minutes of decent-looking video in its 512MB of flash memory and then transfer the clips to your PC via a clever USB "arm" that swings out from the base of the unit. The camera's built-in software allows you to manage videos, e-mail downsized clips to friends, or share your masterpieces on Google Video with just a few clicks. The features are bare-bones--only 2X zoom, 640-by-480 clips, and minimal playback options on a 1.5-inch LCD--but then again, so is the $130 price.

PowerSquid Surge3000 Calimari
Even I find it odd how excited I am about this $80 power strip. Yes, it really looks like a squid: Six tentaclelike plugs extend to handle power bricks without blocking other sockets, and its surge protection (up to 3240 joules) keeps your pricey gear from getting fried. Two plugs even light up so you can find them in the dark. It's ideal for geeks with too many gadgets and nowhere to plug them.

Sony Reader
This device redefines the electronic book. Sony's glare-free screen and E Ink technology are amazing, the unit is push-button easy to use, and its 7-by-5-inch size strikes the perfect compromise between a PDA and a laptop. The $350 Reader can hold around 80 books in its 64MB of memory, and more when you add a Sony Memory Stick or an SD Card. Sony launched with about 10,000 titles in its proprietary e-book format (the unit also reads text, Acrobat, and Word files). Pricing and availability of titles will vary, but the gizmo itself is terrific. (For details, see our review.)

Zvox 325
One wire--that's all the Zvox 325 ($349) needs to produce booming audio from your TV, MP3 player, or DVD machine. Just plug in this VCR-size speaker unit and connect it to the device's headphone jack. Two knobs let you control volume and switch from stereo to surprisingly good surround sound. It's simplicity itself.

PicoCricket
I got this robotics kit for my 7-year-old daughter, but soon I was fighting her for it. PicoCricket ($250) combines Lego pieces and fuzzy pipe cleaners with sophisticated light, motion, and sound sensors. Kids build their own toys and then program them to respond to stimuli by dragging and dropping "PicoBlocks"--brightly colored shapes that represent different chunks of object-oriented code. So, for example, you can build a flower that plays music when the sun rises, or a birthday cake that lights up when you touch it. You'll need about 30 minutes with Pico's quick-start guide to master the basics, but far longer before you're willing to let your kids have at it.

A Merry Geekmas to all, and to all a good night.

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