05 Dec 06
Griffin iTrip
It's inescapable: we live in an iPod world.
Over the last three years or so, the little MP3 player from Apple in all its forms has truly taken off, becoming ubiquitous. Frankly, you have to be pretty contrary to buy another digital music player.
However, the car industry has been very slow to keep up when it comes to the iPod. This hasn't been entirely down to lack of vision: the development leadtimes involved in the car industry are so long that it makes it next to impossible to respond to phenomena like the iPod as quickly as the culture.
So thank heavens for Griffin, which has been manufacturing its iTrip FM transmitter for a few years now. The bad news is that it's been illegal to use one in the UK, due to our strict Wireless Telegraphy Regulations; the good news is that this is about to change, as they become legal on 8 December 2006.
The iTrip works by transmitting a FM signal from your iPod to your car radio from 76.0 to 108.0 MHz. This can become difficult in London, with its multitude of pirate stations, as it is often difficult to find an unused frequency. However, when it works, it means that even if you have a car stereo without an Aux socket, you can now get in on the fun of 'Podding your ride.
