Top 5 Geek Gadgets for Your Car

Posted in Car Links, Car Tech, Tips, auto industry · Published on September 20, 2008

So you’re a geek and you want some geek gadgets for your car? I’m with you mang. Too long I’ve hidden my science and electronic loving ways. It’s time I wore my geek-itude on my sleeve, like some kind of sleeve based pocket protector for a pocket that’s on my sleeve. Right?

Whatever, here are the top five awesome whiz-bangs 4 your car:

1. 400 Watt Power Dome Mini Generator

Every car should have a jumpbox - a battery box that lets you jumpstart your car even if no one is around. That’s what this is, a 600 cranking amp jumpbox, in addition to a bunch of other things.

It has 2 AC outlets and 2 DC outlets, a 400 watt inverter, with a level indicator, AND, the best part… a built-in 275 psi air compressor.

2. Digital Wi-Fi Detector

Autonet mobile is supposedly coming out with always on wi-fi for your car. If so, I can wait for that to come out, shell out $399 up-front and 50 bucks a month for their untested service. Or I can pay 50 bucks once for the ability to find free wi-fi as I drive. Easy choice.

Your typical WiFi detector will only show you if the signal is there, and it’s relative strength. Not that helpful. This Digital WiFi Detector has a backlit LCD screen that provides information on signal availability and strength as well as network information, like SSID, security status and channel. When multiple networks are present, the LCD will allow you to scroll through information for each network.

3. Mini Fridge/Warmer - For Your Car

It’s a fridge AND warmer for your car, you shouldn’t need convincing.
It has a 20 liter capacity and a digital LCD display with the current inside temperature. It goes down to 44 degrees Fahrenheit and warms up to 140 degrees. Come on. Awesome

4. Automotive ECM Scanner

Getting your car’s brain scanned and reset at an automotive shop usually costs a few hundered dollars. Now you can do it yourself. Most people don’t realize, theres a plug on your car’s ECM/ECU computer (called the “brain”) that’ll let you access that computer.

You can read engine trouble codes and can reset the “check engine” light, read all sorts of tracked data (fuel economy, battery voltage, coolant temp., etc.). You can even start to get involved in the whole engine ECM turner subculture.

Pretty cool stuff that used to be only available to diagnostic and repair shops.

5. Smart AC 120 USB Power Inverter

I’m always in need of converters in my car. With this gadget, I can just plug it into the cigarette lighter… then plug in any standard AC powered device. Screw all those old adapters.

300 Watt peak output, 120 Watt standard use, so that’s plenty of power for anything I’m using.

You know of any cool car gadgets I miseed? Let me know in the comments.

 

Written by Vito Rispo · Did you like it? Subscribe! or Submit!
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There are 4 comments battling for the truth! Have your say!

  1. I like to build my geekery myself. For less than forty bucks I’ve purchased all the parts I’ll need to build an infrared nightvision camera for my car. To save money and to create a spiffy retro look, for a display I’m using a five-inch green monochrome picture tube from an old portable computer, which will run on twelve volts. I’ll be able to see twice as far with it at night.

    Words by Sofar on September 21, 2008 at 12:43 pm | #


  2. FYI. The Autonet Mobile service is actually $29.00 a month and it uses cellular networks for the backhaul and converts it to WiFi for use in the car. The WiFi detectors are cool, but WiFi backhaul is hardly equivalent since it only works when parked in front of that WiFi hotspot. Autonet Mobile works while in motion and on 95% of the roadways in the U.S. You can get one for yourself and test it. Lot’s of other folks have.

    P.S. I’m the the CTO at Autonet Mobile

    Words by Doug Moeller on September 22, 2008 at 1:02 am | #


  3. [...] -Top 5 Geek Gadgets for Your Car A bunch of cool and useful gadgets for geek car lovers. [...]

    Pingback by Monday Morning Links Serving: The September 22nd Edition on September 22, 2008 at 4:12 am | #


  4. [...] has put together a pretty cool list of the top 5 gadgets for your car. By far, the coolest car gadget on the list is the combo Fridge/Warmer. Think about it a [...]

    Pingback by   Cool Gadgets For Your Car by Gadzooki on September 23, 2008 at 6:38 am | #



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