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I should probably let you know that I am the master of Jerry-rigging stuff. A few examples: I have a  screw/ring that I use to tune one of the broken machine heads on my 1939 Johann Nurnberg double bass… I have two broken guitar pedals that that I use to balance and  prop up the front feet of my 1970 Fender Rhodes organ (that is missing one of the leg extenders)… For years, I used a toothpick to hold in the bass boost button on my home stereo… the list goes on and on.  It’s just who I am and how I operate. I am cool with it.

Even though I am fairly practical about form/function and am usually forgiving when it comes to aesthetics, I also don’t want you all to think that  I am not capable of appreciating something that is beautiful or works well. On the contrary, I’d pimp any Harold Van Doren object, any day of the week. I can appreciate something that is elegant or makes it easy on you, while not always requiring it. I’m kind of “Jekyll and Hyde” like that. Dig?

So when I received the MediaGate i-Kit FM Hands-free car kit & FM transmitter to review, at first I think I questioned if I needed it, but after about 2 days, I really began to appreciate it. Now, I am not trying to say it’s beautiful, like a Van Doren scooter or anything, but for $50-$60 it looks reasonably good and works pretty well. It definitely makes it easy on you, if you want to screw around with your iPhone/iPod in the car.

In a nutshell, the i-Kit is an FM transmitter for you iPhone/iPod that transmits the output of your device, wirelessly, to your car stereo, while at the same time keeping it charged. It has a couple of other extra features too, so lets just go ahead and list them all.

1. It charges your iPhone/iPod while in your car. Plugs right into the cigarette lighter. It has a nice swivel arm that is very strong and well made that holds it well.

2. It transmits the iPhone/iPod signal to your car’s stereo so you can listen to music or talk on the phone, with no wires.

3. It has a charging “pass-thru” USB input, so you can charge other USB powered devices while you charge or use your iPhone/iPod in the cradle (for instance, you could simultaneously charge your other phone or GPS device)

4. It holds it your device in place so you can interact with it more easily and (more safely?)

Let’s get to the review. I just took this on an 1100 mile trip and used it with my iPhone G3, so it got lots of use.

The Good:

The socket fits snuggly and firmly in cigarette lighter. An LED lets you know its connected, which is good, so you don’t accidentally drain your battery. The goose-neck swivel arm is firm yet flexible, so you can easily position the iPhone and it stays in place despite bumps in the road.

Using the i-Kit  for “hands-free” access to your phone works pretty well. You have to make sure the volume is not up to loud or people on the other end will hear an echo effect. Also, there is a small 1/8 inch cable connector that you need to plug into the headphone jack on the iPhone and into the side of the i-Kit, to reduce hum when you are using the phone or other applications that stream audio (like Pandora, etc).

You can really pivot the face of you device around easily. This is great for GPS services or map reading.

It is reasonably good looking for being modular (in order to accommodate many device types) and for being mostly made out of plastic.

The Bad:

Personally, I would have preferred the goose-neck to be a bit longer so that it was a little closer to my viewing range while driving. It seems kind of low in my Scion XB. In “normal” cars where you are sitting lower, it is probably just right.

There is also an annoying little beep that takes place every 5 – 10 minutes or so. I am not sure if I have something set incorrectly or what, but I am not sure how to make it stop. I will continue to fiddle with it to see if I can make it stop.

The Weird:

In the notes for the device it says “The use of this device in the course of the minor accompanied by fever, this is a normal phenomenon.”

Um, I am not sure what this means. They might want to re-translate that part.

The Bottom Line

The i-Kit is nifty. A nice accessory for the road warrior. I found it to be mostly intuitive and effective. Thumbs up!

Watch the video review

Jay Donovan (50 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook