May 15 - 6:35pm EDT   iPhone enthusiast Bernat Alsina decided to construct an iPhone Car Mounting Bracket using a couple household items, giving him the ability to mount his iPhone or iPod Touch right on the dashboard of the car for easy access while driving. In seven somewhat simple steps Bernat takes a hodgepodge of plastic, velcro, and glue and turns it into something useful. This is not an idea that has never been seen before but the simplicity of the creator's Spanish/broken English step-by-step walkthrough and the low cost factor (recyclable materials) helps his mounting kit to stand out. [full story]

January 8 - 5:45pm EST   Griffin yesterday unveiled several new products at CES, with the releases centered on home, personal, and automotive audio products, with a few power-related items as well. Griffin’s popular iTrip saw another revision, dubbed the iTrip AutoPilot with SmartScan. The updated iTrip FM transceiver displays RDS information on any capable car stereo, while the new SmartScan technology automatically seeks out the three best FM frequencies to broadcast over. The new AutoPilot charger puts music controls within easy reach of the driver; the controls sit on the back of the charging unit. iTrip AutoPilot with SmartScan will ship during the second quarter for $100. [full story]