It's a market that can't be ignored: Some retailers sold out of Apple Computer's iPod during the holiday shopping blitz. Analysts estimated Apple sold more than 4 million iPods during the holiday rush; that could push the number of iPod users to 10 million.

Yet Phil Leigh of Inside Digital Media says 60% of music listening takes place in cars.

Not only can iPod music sound better through expensive speakers, but safety is an issue, too. With adapters, drivers can use their car stereo controls to run their iPod instead of fiddling with the unit itself.

Coming to market:

• Pioneer Electronics plans to introduce a $140 adapter in March that will be compatible with 3 million of its newer and older car stereo units.

• Clarion says it will unveil an adapter at an industry trade show this month that will work in conjunction with a 7-inch monitor. When it's available in February, listeners will be able to pick the tunes they want by touching the screen.

• Alpine Electronics announced in September that it had developed a $100 adapter that keeps the iPod out of sight with a plug in the glove box, behind a seat or under a dashboard. Other high-end stereo makers such as Blaupunkt say their units are usually equipped with a plug-in that can accommodate an iPod, although the iPod can't be controlled from the stereo.

Apple's Web site sells a couple of setups for playing iPods in cars, though stereo makers say they are inferior to adapters. One is a wireless device that transmits iPod signals to the FM radio. Another plugs into cassette players.

Automakers are clamoring for iPod hookups, too. BMW and Apple announced a $149 adapter earlier this year for "seamless integration" between iPods and the car stereo. The adapter, which works on BMW's smaller models and the Mini Cooper, was sold out until two months ago, says BMW spokesman Oleg Satanovsky.

In Europe, a limited edition of DaimlerChrysler's Smart two-seater has a built-in cradle for an iPod.

Others are watching. "It's certainly something we're looking at," says Subaru's Mike Whelan.

And for good reason: "If you can motivate some people to buy a car because it's iPod friendly, it's an important advantage," Leigh says.

I've been an avid Mac devotee for 18 years. I think Apple is great. This is only said to put the next sentence in perspective.

If you can motivate some people to buy a car because it's iPod friendly, that's because they're stupid beyond belief.

Has Steve Jobs taken over a host of satellites and started some kind of weird microwave hynoptic beam making buy Ipods uncontrollably?

I still don't get it.

It's a overly priced MP3 player. That's it. It just plays music at a substandard format which is also hugely overpriced, unless you fill it up illegally with ripped CDs ( The RIAA probably will begin suing you for ripping your own CDs, no doubt).

Sure, I'd like to get one, but I have to pay the phone bill, the car payment and the mortage first. Y'know responsiblities. This thing is just a toy, why are some people salivating all over themselves to get one?

I guess the Ipod hypno beam doesn't shoot this far south.

oops ----making PEOPLE buy Ipods uncontrollably----

You are not the only one, pinemikey. While iPod may be great for some, responcibilities come first and iPod isn't in that picture.

For the automakers and car stereo makers looks like they hit a goldmine for some. Before every extra button was around 50 bucks, guess inflation has hit the stereo market also. Buy a car because it is iPod capable? Yeah right! When that little bit of plastic holder gets broke and they want 75 bucks to have it replaced, wonder how important it will be to some?

Guess there is one born every minute though....

Oh great! Just what we need, more buttons and gadgets to fiddle with so that drivers will be even MORE distracted and thus, more likely to run me over while riding my bicycle to the grocery store.



"It's a overly priced MP3 player. That's it. It just plays music at a substandard format which is also hugely overpriced, unless you fill it up illegally with ripped CDs ( The RIAA probably will begin suing you for ripping your own CDs, no doubt)."

Just fill it up with tunes from dmusic.com and other independent music.

Shmoo, of Electric Gypsy
Support Local and Independent Music!

What about car stereo's that work with iRivers or Creative Zen's etc?

The iPod has coolness. That is not an aspect of a good product - it marks a product people want because people want it. Its a status-symbol - 'I can afford this', thus the (mugger-magnet) headphones.

$140 for a car adaptor?

At that price, I would start warming the soldering iron. There are cheaper ways.

How about the Neuros, with a car stereo adapter built in? That's right, not only does the Neuros have an FM receiver to listen to FM radio, but it will transmit so that you can play your Neuros MP3 player in your car on an FM station.

Check it out www.neurosaudio.com

Salesman: Yesirree Bob, this is the latest and greatest SUV we've got. Has full armor plating, 24" clearance, gets 7 miles to the gallon, goes forward AND reverse. Only $250,000, unless you're the government in which case I'd have to charge you five times as much but since I can see that you're in no way fit for military service, I'm going to drop the price to $249,999.99.

Customer: Gee... I don't know...

Salesman: And you can plug an iPod into it!

I agree with you all, especially DeadMan2003. Manufacturers need to make stereo's that control all players. I run my (little) Nomad with a 1/8" to rca adaptor, but my stereo doesn't control it. If Alpine, Clarion, Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood, etc. really wanted to cool about it they'd give us a USB port so we could control any player.

IPOd is innovative but like chart music, it's fashion that counts rather than ability, my "informed choice" was a 60GB Creative Zen, slighty bigger but if I drop it I'll know it's gone, damned good sound quality - but it's for earphones, I use use a real system at home! - and I have a spare battery in my back pocket which I can swap myself.

Player aside, making vehicle cradles for the ipod? only one they could do it for, it's the only player that has fashion status therefore the only one where people would be foolish enough to pay a lot of cash for a fashion adaptor.

I've used the casette adaptors in the past but cassette players are a dying breed nowadays, I use an FM "gadget" nowadays, yes, it's only "radio quality" but when your mind's on the road and the wind's in your hair (and the bad road surface is giving you sub-bass like you'd never believe) so you really need anything more? If I want to seriously enjoy music I sit quietly and give it my undivided attention, if it's only musak, I can enjoy it as it is, I don't need to spend a fortune just to impress my friends!