iRock done better
I've written before about how crappy the iRock has been for me. (The
iRock is an FM broadcaster that allows you to send music to your car
radio. I use it with an iPod.) In brief, it is underpowered, eats
batteries, and barely works at all if the radio frequencies it supports
are taken by a real station in your area.
The Arkon SoundFeeder is a better implementation of the same idea. It's
main advantage is that it will broadcast to any frequency. It also
seems to be more powerful than the iRock, resulting in clearer sound
and less noise. This is probably the result of its power source -- it
plugs into your car's power adapter. (They used to be used for lighting
cigarettes, remember?) This means that you'll need an adapter to also
plug in your iPod, although I just run it off battery so that's no
problem. The price is better than the iRock, Fry's sells it for $19.99.
It's probably best to describe the SoundFeeder as "it sucks less".
There are still problems -- a tangle of cords, the frequency tends to
drift and needs adjustment, and it is far from hassle-free. The latter
problem being endemic to all of these solutions -- they're a kludge --
and if you think you can set it up and drive on without interruption
you'll be disappointed. Bring a friend who can muck around with it and
try to get reception.
5:10:04 PM 
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