For more than a year lucky BMW-owning Germans have been hitting Google Maps, and more recently the rest of the Internets, at blazing (cough) EDGE speeds from their sport-seats. Now, Bimmer-owning Americans are getting a piece of the action with a little help from AT&T's GSM-friendly network. However, while there's no mention in the release, BMW Blog thinks US cars will be limited to GPRS, not EDGE. All 2009 American BMW models, except for the lowly X3 mini-'Ute (which BMW doesn't even bother to manufacture itself), will get Google Maps integration, enabling the driver or passenger to search for businesses from the dash. Directions can be piped to the car's nav system and calls placed via in-car Bluetooth. At $199 per-year it's not exactly a steal, but that does include standard BMW Assist functionality like locating your car if it's stolen or dispatching an ambulance if you're in a horrible accident. Yeah, we only care about the searching too.

In all honesty, USBfever almost nailed this one. The $22.99 in-car charger plugs right into your cigarette socket and gives motorists their cigarette outlet back along with 4 charging USB ports. The one (admittedly massive) tweak we wish it would've made? Replace that cig adapter with a traditional AC outlet. Yeah, yeah -- that would make the whole thing a lot bigger, but you can't deny that it would be way more useful. Version 2, anyone?

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

We genuinely hope you don't value your dash very much, because a great deal of it will vanish if you opt to install KNGT's icom MK1.The full-fledged car computer wows passengers and drivers alike with its 6.95-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, on-screen QWERTY keyboard, wireless connectivity and mobile TV (T-DMB) tuner. Furthermore, you'll find a 40GB / 80GB hard drive, upwards of 2GB of RAM, a few USB 2.0 ports, a 1.6GHz Intel CPU and Windows XP running the show. You know all those threats you made when you were younger about heading out and just living in your '79 Riviera? Following through just got a whole lot easier.

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

Your retinas have been treated to plenty of external shots of Tesla's Roadster, but have you ever stopped to wonder what kind of excitement sat just southwest of the steering wheel? CNET's UK branch managed to get their camcorder within a Roadster parked on display over in Britain, and what they found was a rather robust interface that enables owners to get all sorts of involved with how and when the car charges. The representative did note that typical navigation functions were controlled via the JVC head unit, but the small panel just under the gauges enables motorists to control a number of aspects in relation to charging. There's even a guide that explains which choices are cheaper and more beneficial for the long-term life of the battery. Have a look at the video in the read link.

[Via Digg]

For the acronym-challenged, Audi is getting serious about its Multi Media Interface. The automaker's present system is widely regarded as the best of the best already, but it's staying one step ahead of itself with the revamped version prepped for the A8 luxury sedan. Within the whip, you'll find a 7-inch LCD with an 800 x 480 resolution alongside a DVD drive, 40GB internal hard drive, Dolby Digital 5.1 support, optional analog / digital TV tuner, Bluetooth, twin CPUs (800MHz and 500MHz), NVIDIA graphics for "genuine 3D maps" and an optional (but necessary, really) Audi Music Interface for connecting your favorite PMP. For those uninterested in the A8 (but suddenly obsessed with this new MMI), hang tight -- it will be hitting other Audi vehicles here soon.

Just over a month after the internet got all fired up about the problematic AVIC F-Series navigators, Pioneer has come to the rescue (we hope, anyway) with a free firmware update. Aimed specifically at the US-based AVIC-F90BT, AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT, the update will reportedly "improve overall system performance and resolve certain software issues." The outfit also notes that the AVIC-F500BT doesn't need the upgrade, and even if your unit has been a-okay thus far, it still recommends applying the software. Take ten minutes or so and see what the latest firmware has to offer, and be sure to let us know if all (or some) of the kinks have indeed been ironed out.

[Thanks, Steven]

We'll go ahead and state the obvious here: Audiovox claims this thing is made for DIY installations, but we'd highly recommend hiring a professional if you're totally green at this stuff. You know, considering the immense importance of alignment and the like when it comes to a rear-view back-up camera system. Anyways, the wireless ACA250 kit provides drivers with a color camera (110-degree viewing angle), infrared LEDs for night vision and a monitor that can be plugged into an AC adapter or hard-wired. Not too shabby for $129 -- assuming you're up to the task of putting it all together, that is. Full release after the jump.

If you've ran smack into any flavor of foreign object while waiting impatiently for your navigator to "recalculate," you'll likely be salivating for Sanyo's latest duo. The NVA-MS1280DT and NVA-MS1180DT each feature a 4GB SSD drive (though the former adds a 4GB SD card and DVD support), a 7-inch QVGA display, 43-watt x 4 internal amplifier, MP3 / WMA / AAC playback, a 1-seg TV tuner, 3D maps, FM tuner and iPod support. In all seriousness, the SSD is bundled in not so much for its speed, but for its reliability -- either way, we can't help but be enamored. Both units are slated to land in June for ¥181,650 ($1,761) and ¥155,400 ($1,506), respectively, so it's fairly easy to see those solid state discs aren't being thrown in gratis.

[Via NaviGadget]

With the ability to surf the web in-car inevitably coming to more and more motorcars, ATX Group, the self-proclaimed "largest independent telematics services provider to the automotive industry," has announced an initiative with the Connected Vehicle Trade Association to "convene an international work group to address how to safely access internet content through embedded and nomadic devices in vehicles." Aside from that, it's also proposing a generic top-level domain -- .car -- that would presumably dumb down websites for use in the vehicle. Of course, you won't find us cheering on a movement to generate yet another worthless TLD, but we'd certainly be down with text-to-speech software that read the latest gadget headlines (just an example, is all) aloud as you cruised the freeway.

Just two days shy of their one-year birthday, Panasonic is introducing a couple of successors in the Strada F-Class line. Announced in Japan, the June-bound CN-HX1000D and CN-HW1000D are both destined for gaping holes in dashes and possess a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, built-in Bluetooth, iPod compatibility, AM / FM tuners, digital terrestrial TV tuner, DVD / CD player and an internal hard drive for storing map data and Sade jams. The only noticeable difference is the physical size; the former is a single-DIN unit while the latter touts a double-DIN frame. These two also allow for home control, so you can lock your doors, turn the heat down and flip off the porch light from the driver's seat. Sure sounds pleasant, if only they weren't ¥354,900 ($3,388) apiece.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Though it's hard to see where Clarion's NAX973HD fits in between in-dash units installed at the factory and portable navigators, we suppose folks already drawn to a dedicated display or totally infatuated with this thing's software may be in love. Marketed as a nav system that will churn out directions in Europe much quicker than those disc-based systems, this unit features a 30GB internal hard drive, 12-channel GPS receiver, built-in gyro sensor / RDS-TMC tuner for traffic information, pre-loaded NAVTEQ maps of 30 countries, voice recognition / text-to-speech capabilities, 2D / 3D map views and a VGA output to boot. Unfortunately, word on the street pegs this thing at £795 ($1,579) without a display, so we'd probably steer clear unless you're crazy about automotive installations.

[Via Tech Digest]

And you thought puttering around the intarwebz on your EDGE-capable iPhone was bad -- just think of trying to find anything on the 'net while accidentally moseying through a dodgy part of town. Nevertheless, BMW is gearing up to offer "unrestricted access" to the web as an option in any new 2008 vehicle, but alas, it's only for European clients at the moment. Of course, BMW's no stranger to letting bits and pieces of the web into its motorcars, but this creation will let you catch up on the latest gadget news and pre-order the latest Elmo doll from the comfort of your heated seat. Sadly, the service is only available to front seat passengers when the car is moving under 3mph (it's for the best, we know), but your kiddos can surf into all sorts of bizarre chatrooms while seated in the rear. Nothing like a predator tailing you on the autobahn!

We already heard that the 2009 Lincoln MKS would be the first vehicle from Ford Motor Company to feature Sirius' forthcoming Travel Link system, but now those of you scouting a new pickup can rejoice as well. Starting with the '09 year model, F-150 trucks will be available with SYNC and Travel Link, providing users with an in-dash USB port and auxiliary input, 911 Assist, Vehicle Health Report, voice-activated navigation / radio / climate control / etc. and a 10-speaker Sony sound system to boot. Just the tools you need to efficaciously tackle those mountains, right?

[Via CNET, image courtesy of Autoblog]

We've already seen a few of Alpine's latest products take advantage of its IMPRINT sound system architecture, but now we're finally getting a few more details on what the technology actually brings to the proverbial table. Put simply, it utilizes Audyssey's MultEQ acoustic correction technology to "measure and analyze the entire interior space," after which it combines results with a set of equalization filters to produce the best sound for each environment. As if that weren't impressive enough, the integrated RoadEQ is also there to "compensate for music distorted by vehicle / road noise." Granted, this all sounds fairly spectacular on paper, but whether or not it actually redefines your in-car listening experience remains to be seen heard.

Sure, Microsoft's Sync isn't a half bad addition to the motorcars equipped with it, but this inclusion really gets the saliva glands working. Debuting at CES, the Sirius Travel Link system will enable owners to obtain "up-to-the-minute information and entertainment content through the vehicle's navigation system." More specifically, motorists will be able to fetch current gas prices from a database of stations, local, real-time traffic information in 78 markets, coast-to-coast weather information, sports scores and even movie listings. The system will officially launch in the 2009 Lincoln MKS, and while specifics (like pricing) aren't mentioned, we do know that it'll be offered in "multiple" Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles by the year's end.

[Via AutoblogGreen]