INA-W910 - Alpine 7" Touchscreen Multimedia with In-Dash GPS Navigation Review

INA-W910 – Alpine 7″ Touchscreen Multimedia with In-Dash GPS Navigation

• DVD/navigation receiver with 7″ touchscreen and AM/FM tuner
• Internal amp (18 watts RMS CEA-2006/50 peak x 4 channels)
• Built-in Bluetooth®
• Built-in HD RadioTM
• Plays DVD Video, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, and CD-R/RW

Illumination Buttons – Blue Illuminated Buttons Playback – MP3/WMA/AAC PreOut – 1 PreOuts (2 V) Auxiliary Input – Front AUX Input (3.5mm mini jack) /Full Speed AUX + (Required KCE-237B) Bass & Treble – Bass & Treble Controls Fader & Balance – Fader & Balance Controls Clock – Clock Built-In Clock DIN Trim Plate – DIN Trim Plate Detachable Trim Plate Detachable Face Plate – Detachable Face Plate Power Antenna Lead – Power Antenna Lead Output Remote Turn-On – Remote Turn-On Output Remote Control – Remote Control Ready

List Price: $ 1,299.99

Price: $ 985.98

Tags: B0058A4O36

 

This review is from: INA-W910 – Alpine 7″ Touchscreen Multimedia with In-Dash GPS Navigation (Electronics)

I did a lot of research before selecting the W910 to replace my original stereo in a 2003 Suburban. I selected this unit because of its quick start-up time and clean, simple interface, and Alpine quality. About the boot-up time: Alpine advertises 6 seconds… and while this may be true for the start-up screen, the actual time to view an image from a backup camera is 12 seconds. Not the end of the world, and better than some other units, but it was not quite as advertised – otherwise it would have received 5 stars.

Navigation is simple and easy to use. Built-in free traffic is great. For security’s sake, it would be nice to require a PIN code to use the “home” and address book function, but I just use my neighbor’s address

Built-in HD Radio sounds awesome. Between the Pandora functionality, my iPhone music, and HD radio, I have no real need for satellite radio.

I added an HCE-200R rear camera and am very happy with the sharp image an multiple views. I plan on adding the 200F front camera soon which will really help my wife be more comfortable when she needs to drive this very large vehicle. NOTE – If you plan on using the 200 series cameras, note that the camera module connects to the head unit via an RCA plug. Alpine says you can select different camera angles directly from the INA-W910, but this is only for the directly-connected 300 series cameras. In my case, I needed to mount the controller pad that came with the 200R camera. Not a huge deal, just not as “clean” an installation as I would have liked.

My iPhone connects perfectly via bluetooth and the voice recognition is fantastic. When plugged into the cable, music on the iPhone can be navigated very quickly.

I used a video bypass module (do an internet search) so my 3-year old (she sits in the middle, center row) can enjoy her Sesame Street videos can watch her stuff while we are on the move – I have no plans to watch video while driving… that is just plain stupid.

I also used module that allows my steering wheel buttons to work. This was the only way I would be happy with a radio without a simple rotary volume knob. For me, a simple twist will always beat a tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap every time. Doesn’t anyone else find these type of controls annoying?

As for cons, and I will nitpick here because the unit is generally awesome: 1)the navigation display resolution could be a bit better (videos are great, however), 2) The overall system font is a bit strange as it seems like it was made for the visually impaired, 3) the clock font is so tiny – it is almost like reading the fine-print from a pharmaceutical company ad. Also, the clock is not visible when the unit is off. I thought it would be an issue, but there really is no need to turn it off, and 4) there should really be a hard button to turn off/turn down the display for night visibility.

Bose Lifestyle V25 Home Entertainment System (10% OFF)

Bose® Lifestyle® V25 home entertainment system–Black

• 5-speaker surround sound system designed for use with your home entertainment components
• Guided setup and simplified use with easy-to-follow onscreen messages
• Full 3D compatibility with a simple software download, available from the Bose Product Support site.
• Includes AM/FM tuner, dock for iPod® or iPhone®, remote with LCD display
• Includes compact Direct/Reflecting® speakers

The Bose Lifestyle V25 home entertainment system delivers vivid surround sound that brings movies and music to life. And now, it’s designed to let you enjoy the experience more easily than ever before. Engineered with exclusive Bose Unify technology, this system uses easy-to-follow onscreen messages to guide you through the setup process. It even verifies when you’ve made the correct connections. Enjoy up to 6 HD video and audio sources-such as your Blu-ray Disc player, cable box and gaming system. The system also includes an iPod/iPhone-compatible dock and built-in AM/FM tuner.

List Price: $ 2,499.00
Price: $ 2,249.00
Tags: Bose Lifestyle V25

Bose® Lifestyle® V35 home entertainment system–Black

• 5-speaker surround sound system designed for use with your home entertainment components
• Guided setup and simplified use with easy-to-follow onscreen messages
• Full 3D compatibility with a simple software download, available from the Bose Product Support site.
• Includes AM/FM tuner, dock for iPod® or iPhone®, remote with LCD display
• Includes premium Jewel Cube® speakers

The Bose Lifestyle V35 home entertainment system delivers vivid surround sound that brings movies and music to life. And now, it’s designed to let you enjoy the experience more easily than ever before. Engineered with exclusive Bose Unify technology, this system uses easy-to-follow onscreen messages to guide you through the setup process. It even verifies when you’ve made the correct connections. Enjoy up to 6 HD video and audio sources-such as your Blu-ray Disc player, cable box and gaming system. The system also includes an iPod/iPhone-compatible dock and built-in AM/FM tuner.

List Price: $ 3,299.00
Price: $ 2,969.00
Tags: Bose Lifestyle V25

Bose Expansion Remote for Lifestyle V25/V35 System

• Controls any device connected to your Lifestyle V35 or V25 system
• Use with Bose link – compatible products to expand sound from your Lifestyle system to another room or outdoors
• Includes Party feature, which links all connected expansion products to the source playing on your Lifestyle system. Ideal when the same music is desired in multiple rooms.
• Works through most walls, floors and ceilings

Whether your system is in another room, somewhere inside or outside the house, the Bose RC-35S2 Expansion Remote delivers powerful managing performance that links applicable Lifestyle® V25 or V35 sound systems within the area. With its “Party” feature, it lets you listen to the same music throughout every room, allowing convenient setup changes without the need to move about your entire house.

List Price: $ 0.00
Price: $ 88.95
Tags: Bose Lifestyle V25

This review is from: Bose® Lifestyle® V25 home entertainment system–Black (Electronics)

I just bought the V25 system last week. Here’s a rather long review with points to consider…
The Good:
Setup is of the system is ridiculously simple – with guided instructions that show up on your TV and verify that you have everything connected correctly. Bose also includes a setup system called AdaptIQ that uses 2 microphones in place of speakers on a set of headphones (note: see “Bad” below). You wear them and sit in 5 different locations around your room while the system plays a series of test tones from each of the system speakers and the Acoutimass subwoofer. Then the system analyzes the readings and automatically sets up the system to match your particular room acoustics. It’s smart enough to know if you haven’t moved position between test tones, displaying on the screen “It doesn’t appear as though you have moved since the last test, please move to another position” (or a message to that effect).
The same intelligent design goes into their remote control unit. The system guides you through setting up the Bose remote control (very solid – almost seems like billet aluminum) to take over the functions of all your other remotes. Anyone can do this – Bose really has machine/human interface and usability down to a finely tuned science.
All speaker wires are color-coded and marked for polarity at both ends. They have RCA audio jacks on one end and solder-tinned bare wires on the other. Speaker connections are made without tools by pressing a button while inserting the wires into the clearly marked holes. The rear speaker wires are 50 feet long – easily long enough to allow drilling through the floor and running them across your basement ceiling to the exact location you need in your room (assuming you have a basement). I had the entire system setup in about 90 minutes – including running the wires as described.
It’s incredibly convenient to run every conceivable component, from Playstation, to iPod, to DVD, to Satellite or Cable TV, to Satellite radio, etc., all from the one Bose remote. When you press the “Source” button, a list appears on your TV that you can scroll through and the system switches to it. You have almost complete control of your iPod (I couldn’t get to the iPod setup menu via the remote). Song titles appear on your TV screen. If the source isn’t on or somehow got disconnected the system tells you how to fix it – right then and there. If your iPod is off, the system turns it on. It’s incredibly intuitive to use. Bose effectively re-wrote the book on designing for usability. The remote is a radio-frequency remote so it doesn’t need a line of sight to the unit and you can put the main unit in a cabinet or wherever. It works through walls. The remote also has a nice feature where you can temporarily turn on backlighting with the press of a button on the back, just above the battery cover (4 AA batteries, included). The only downside to the remote is that the buttons are a little too close together and the “Source” list disappears pretty quickly if you don’t select from it (about 2 seconds or so). That beats some systems where informational banners or messages stay on the screen so long that you miss whatever it is you’re watching (or worse, need to find the button in the dark to dismiss them).
The Ugly:
I lied. There is no ugly. The system is beautiful to look at, use and listen to. I gave it a 4 because of the contortions I had to go through to adjust it to my liking. I’ve since ordered the expansion kit and am going to try using the 901s in the living room (same room) only for my serious audio-only listening with the main 5.1 system turned off.
Updated: 12-Mar-2011
I’ve since bought the Bose expansion remote (RC-35S2) to use the 901s in the same room as a second set of speakers. This requires me to use a separate power amp for the 901s, but I had one anyway and am simply using it. Now when I want to crank up the music I simply turn on the 901s and can nearly shake the plaster from the walls. I can also use these with the V25 5.1 surround sound without any noticeable echo effect – so perhaps the Bose technical support guy has better ears than me – I simply can’t hear any echo. I’m all smiles these days and it’s like listening to all my old music for the first time. Good thing it’s winter and the windows are closed or I’d probably have the cops here.

Garmin nuvi 265W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (25% OFF) by Garmin

Garmin nüvi 265W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (without Traffic)

• Bright 4.3″ widescreen display.
• Sleek, ultra-thin design fits easilty in pocket.
• Supports Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling when paired with Bluetooth-enabled phones.
• Preloaded with City Navigator NT for North America.

Get the big picture and big features for a small price with nüvi 265W. This widescreen navigator takes you there with preloaded maps and turn-by-turn directions that call out streets by name. It adds a crisp, widescreen display and comes with lifetime traffic and hands-free calling to simplify life on the go. Like the rest of the nüvi 205-series, this portable navigator is priced right and ultra-easy to use.
Its sunlight-readable, 4.3″  display is easy to read, from any direction.
See More
With nüvi 265W’s widescreen display, you’ll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3″ (10.92 cm) display is easy to read, from any direction.
Get Turn-by-Turn Directions
nüvi 265W sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse.
nüvi 265W’s intuitive interface greets you with two sim

List Price: $ 199.99
Price: $ 140.00
Tags: Garmin nuvi 265W GPS System

Garmin Portable Friction Mount – Frustration Free Packaging

• Ships in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging
• Four-arm shape conforms to your dashboard
• Attachment arm connects directly to your GPS
• Compatible with nüvi series GPS navigators and StreetPilot C5XX series
• One-year limited warranty

Ships in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging Four-arm shape conforms to your dashboard Attachment arm connects directly to your GPS Compatible with nvi series GPS navigators and StreetPilot C5XX series One-year limited warrantyGarmin and Amazon.com have teamed up to offer this item in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging, a recyclable, easy-to-open alternative to traditional packaging. Products in Frustration-Free Packaging are exactly the same–we’ve just streamlined the packaging. A Frustration-Free Package comes without wire ties, hard plastic “clamshell” casings, and plastic bindings. It’s designed to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging. This item ships in its own box, without the need for an additional shipping box. Learn more about Frustration-Free Packaging. Keep your nüvi in place with this portable friction mount. It’ll keep everything in plain sight when you need it and out of the way when you don

List Price: $ 39.99
Price: $ 25.99
Tags: Garmin nuvi 265W GPS System

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 265W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (without Traffic) (Electronics)

The last GPS I got I couldn’t even figure out how to turn on…they have really come a long way as far as ease-of-use. This one…opened the box, easily assembled it onto the base with no directions, plugged it in, turned it on (okay, I had to go to directions for that, but they are very clear), followed all the steps (very intuitive – it walks you through it) and there I was – it had me pinpointed to my exact position in the parking lot – wow. So I plugged in an address, and yes, I’m old-school – I was shocked with this relatively inexpensive machine started TAlKING to me, nice voice too – very clear directions, tells you exactly how far to go before turning. This is the new model, which is why I got it, but it seems to have all the best features discussed in reviews of older models (I read a lot of reviews). Again, I’m not proficient in technology (my 11 year old niece has to help me with my phone and forget an I-Pod) but from my point of view this has all that a typical driver would need – I even think my even less-technically proficient parents would like it and I plan to try it out on them.
Update after a week: The screen shows several things I hadn’t noticed, like your speed, the speed limit for the road you are on (some roads, not all roads), the expected time that you will get to the destination, the direction (North, South, East, West) and how far it is in miles. It’s not distracting, as these notations are on the perimeter. The voice directions are very good, a warning prior to coming to a turn and then a ‘turn left on ____ St.’ when you get there and how far it is, as in ‘turn left in point-three miles’. And it tells you which side of the street (left or right) your final destination is on, which is very helpful on a busy street.
Also nice is the ‘Map’ feature: It’s simply a map of where you are, showing an automobile icon that moves as you go along…it shows landmarks, street names along with the speed limit and your speed so you don’t have to look down at the speedometer and guess if you’re going the speed limit and what it is. This can be used even when you don’t have a destination plugged in. Plus, the machine saves addresses so you just have to tap on an address from a list of places you’ve been, instead of retyping it. It also saves the cities, so you can pull it down from a menu instead of typing it in…so I would consider it generally ‘user-friendly’.
I got the portable Garmin Friction Mount to hold it in place (it’s a beanbag type thing) which is really great, as you can easily stow it on the floor so no one decides to ‘borrow it’ if they see it on the dashboard. Overall, couldn’t be more pleased…this one doesn’t have ‘traffic alerts’, so if you want ‘traffic’ there is another Garmin model that would be more suitable.