One easy upgrade will make it safer for you to take calls and stream music in the car
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AmazonJust because you have an older car doesn’t mean you have to settle for older tech.
With a Bluetooth car kit, you can make almost any vehicle play nicer with your smartphone. These things effectively add Bluetooth functionality to your ride, allowing you to make hands-free calls, wirelessly stream music, or access virtual assistants like Siri or Cortana over your stereo. You won’t have to pay the premium to replace your stereo system entirely, and you’ll be a bit more responsible on the road, since you won’t have to look down and fiddle with your phone while driving.
If you’re interested, and your car has an aux-in port, try the iClever Himbox HB01. The $30 adapter sounds solid, costs little, and is altogether convenient to use. You just plug it into a hooked-up car charger — the device comes with one by default, but thankfully it allows you to swap that out for one of your own — mount its control module to your dashboard (via an included adhesive), and connect over Bluetooth 4.0.
With a few short or long presses, that module lets you quickly accept calls, dial your last caller, bring up Siri, Cortana, or Google Search (or Google Now, if your Android device’s screen is on) depending on your OS, or adjust the volume and playback of your music. It’s all pretty easy to pick up. Beyond that, the Himbox remembers and automatically reconnects to any past paired devices, and let you connect to a couple of devices at once, just in case someone else in the car wants to play some songs.
The device’s received positive reviews from the likes of The Wirecutter and Digital Trends, and it currently holds a 4.3 rating on Amazon after 1,260 user reviews. Many of those suggest that its audio quality is good for both music and talking on the phone, though you may have to speak up a bit for the latter, depending on where you place it.
And again, this is an aux-in kit; if you don’t have that port, you’ll be better off with an FM transmitter like the GoGroove FlexSmart X2 (the most popular of its kind on Amazon), though that generally won't sound as nice. Either way, if you’re holding on to an older car for a little while longer, the Himbox gives you useful tech, at an affordable price, in a straightforward, comparatively flexible package. Everyone else on the road will probably be relieved you have it, too.
iClever Himbox HB01 Bluetooth 4.0 Car Kit, $29.99, available at Amazon.