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Satechi’s Apple Watch Grip Mount plays music, shows notifications from steering wheels or bike handlebars

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While it’s not the first Apple Watch bike handlebar mount to be announcedSatechi’s Apple Watch Grip Mount ($15) appears to be the first to actually hit stores — and it’s very affordable, besides. Made from two pieces of mostly matte plastic — an Apple Watch-holding clip and a handlebar- or steering wheel-ready cuff — the Grip Mount comes in either 38mm or 42mm Watch sizes. Side controls are accessible from the right edge of the clip, and you can rotate the Watch’s screen to your preferred orientation relative to wherever you’ve mounted it.

satechihandlebar2

How practical is the Grip Mount? Well, if you want a way to Bluetooth stream a playlist full of music directly to your car stereo or a pair of bike-safe headphones, the Apple Watch is the smallest Apple wireless audio device around. And depending on how you plan to use it, it could be a handy way to check a pocketed iPhone’s map or notifications on the go. On the other hand, you’ll either need to enter a passcode to interact with the Apple Watch’s screen, or disable the passcode lock feature, which means you probably won’t be doing a lot of tapping on the display when you’re riding or driving. But if you want to add a little screen to your handlebars or steering wheel, this is about as good of an option as you’ll find at an inexpensive price point.

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Siri Eyes Free coming to six more 2014 Chevy models

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GM has announced that six more of its 2014 Chevrolet models will have Siri Eyes Free compatibility via its MyLink infotainment system. The company was the first company to offer Siri Eyes Free, initially on its Sonic and Spark models.

  • Camaro
  • Cruze
  • Equinox
  • Malibu
  • SS
  • Volt

With Siri Eyes Free, drivers can make calls, hear & dictate text messages, check & add calendar appointments and of course play music, all via voice.  A button on the steering wheel is used to activate the service.

“The response to Siri Eyes Free integration in Chevy Sonic and Spark from our customers has been remarkable,” said Chris Perry, Chevrolet vice president of U.S. Marketing. “Easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink’s existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience, so we’re excited to expand this to even more customers.”

In Eyes Free mode, the iPhone’s screen remains off during usage to minimise distractions.

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Apple patent details steering wheel remote control

PatentlyApple covered a number of Apple patents today that were recently published by the US Patent & Trademark Office. One of the 21 patents originally filed in Q1 2011 is for an iOS remote control that would clip onto a steering wheel. The remote shown in the patent drawings essentially looks like the iPod click wheel, but Apple described it as a touch-sensitive, rotatable faceplate:

Apple’s invention generally relates to remote controls. More specifically, certain embodiments of the present invention provide a steering wheel mountable wireless remote control for controlling a portable media player… The remote control device can also include a faceplate that is rotatably mounted on top of the base section that very much resembles Apple’s iPod clickwheel… The notable difference is that Apple states that the faceplate is touch-sensitive.

You can get full coverage on the patent at PatentlyApple

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