XtremeMac InCharge Auto BT Review

Today I am checking out the XtremeMac InCharge Auto BT. This is a cool device that will keep your iPhone charged and allow you to play your tunes via Bluetooth connectivity and your cars aux input. If you want a hands free solution and want to play your iPhone or iPod music in your car the InCharge Auto BT will do the trick.

Gallery

2 images

Specifications

The InCharge Auto BT is a multifunction device. It has a USB port on the back of the part that plugs into your 12V adapter. It also supports Bluetooth for wirelessly connecting your device to the car stereo. The InCharge Auto BT will launch soon for $79.99.

In Use

My new car lacks integrated Bluetooth like my old car had. That means if I want to listen to my music or make calls I need a Bluetooth hands free device or an auxiliary cable for my iPhone. XtremeMac has one device that will do all of that and is surprisingly small. I hate having things hanging on my visor; they drive me crazy because they don’t look good. The InCharge Auto BT is a single device that depending on your car you may be able to hide out of the way.

My 2012 Mustang has a DC outlet and the auxiliary input inside the console. That means I can plug in the InCharge Auto BT in the console, pipe it into my stereo system, and never have to see the adapter. The coolest thing is that not only will the InCharge Auto BT put your music into your cars stereo via the auxiliary input, but also it connects to your iPhone or other device with Bluetooth.

The audio streaming quality is very good with clear music. The tunes streamed to the device via Bluetooth have less volume than songs on the radio, but they sound good. The small plug that goes into the auxiliary input on your radio has the multifunction button and mic on it. In my case that isn't ideal. The aux input being in the console means that the mic is several feet from my mouth.

In test calls, other people could hear me even with the mic in the console of my car, if the console lid was open. They did say I sounded far from the phone, but they could clearly hear me. With the console lid shut, I could barely be heard. That means in my case I have to pop the console open if I need to make or receive a call. I also have to pop the console open if I want to hit the button to answer or end a call or pause and play my music.

I knew that going in and most cars will have an auxiliary input on the dash where the cable and button are easily accessible. Despite the quirks in my car, I very much like the InCharge Auto BT. It has a USB port for charging any device that uses a USB charger. It ships with an iPod and iPhone cable though so users of other devices will need their own cable. The only other issue is that the button won't skip tracks; you have to do that on your device.

Verdict

Conclusion

Even with my cars strange aux input location I really like the InCharge Auto BT. It lets me keep my phone in my pocket for music streaming and calls unless I want to skip tracks or make a phone call.

Updates

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