May 23

iTrip AutoPilot

Griffin is one of those companies leading the way when it comes to iPod and iPhone accessories, so it's not a surprise to see they did it again. According to them, the iTrip AutoPilot is the first solution which allows you to play and control your iPod as it charges...in your car, but this is not something unique. The chapter where the AutoPilot managed to come in first is the iPhone compatibility, being the first iPhone-ready iTrip!

iTrip AutoPilot

Since I am sure you want to know what's this car kit capable of, let me give you the features, as quoted on the Griffin iTrip AutoPilot product page:

- AutoPilot controls iPod playback from your dash or console's cigarette lighter with the touch of a finger. - Industry-leading SmartScan does all the work -- scans the radio dial for the three best frequencies then saves them automatically to 3 programmable presets for easy recall at the touch of a button.
- New SmartSound™ Plus technology delivers clear sound under real-world conditions.
- New high-contrast display is easy to read.
- Three-stage light ring changes color to indicate the charging status of your iPod battery.
- RDS technology shows song information on your RDS-enabled car radio display.

When it comes to the compatibility part, it's enough to say that most iPods are compatible with the iTrip AutoPilot, including the older iPod nano or the iPod mini.

Unfortunately, there's one more (painful) thing to add: the price. As you can see on the page I quoted above, the product is expected to arrive soon, but pricing has been already announced - no less than $99! Well, that's it...not all good things in life come cheap, or even for free.