Car gadgets we're looking for at CES

The auto industry might be driving off a cliff, but the Consumer Electronics Show that opens Thursday in Las Vegas will be featuring many new (and often expensive) gadgets for your car. Here’s a sampling:

One of the most ambitious items is the Dreevo 2, a GPS unit that will not only provide directions but weather updates, local fuel prices, the location of speed cameras and -- here’s the best -- open parking spots. If it works, sign us up (unless it puts us in receivership).

MiRoamer is billed as the first Internet radio for cars, capable of receiving thousands of online stations from around the world. It will work only on Blaupunkt radios, at least at first.

HD radio, which offers improved sound, has not caught on widely so far, but it will soon be enhanced with real-time traffic info.

We'll have updates from Sin City.

-- David Colker

Photo: Workers set up the Samsung booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

10 gifts for gearheads

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. A wonder that we ever manage to buy presents that aren’t the usual pair of socks or necktie. Here are a few suggestions for the person who wants to buy the gearhead in their life something a little different and/or useful ...

A2B Electric Bicycle
The A2B is a kind of cross between a bicycle and a scooter. It can go for 20 miles at 20 mph on lithium-ion battery power alone. Or there’s the option of buying a second power pack to double that range. Then there are pedals. It has an aluminum frame, a comfortable oversized saddle, a pliant suspension, and can also take a basket and rear carrier bags. $2,699 from many dealers in Southern California. Check on the company’s site for the nearest one.
ultramotor.com

...lots more gifts for gearheads after the jump.

Your excuse to play with toys at work -- Road Mice

For every boy (or girl) who has grown up and wishes he (or she) could still push a model car around, here's an offering from Road Mice.

Yep, this is a wireless computer mouse that comes in a number of guises, such as Camaro, Charger, Corvette and Mustang. There's an especially cool police version of the Charger. Employing radio frequency and optical technologies, they work on Macs and PCs. The headlights illuminate, and there are right- and left-click buttons on the hood, on either side of the scroll wheel.

The products are the brainchild of Four Door Media Inc. Chief Executive Dan Cwieka and company President James Markey, who came up with the idea after first considering a car-shaped computer. The products were engineered and designed in Laguna Beach and manufactured in China.

Cwieka says the Road Mice have heft and feel good under the user's hand (and isn't this usually the problem with toy computer mice?). Still, procuring the licenses to re-create these popular models in mouse form was a challenge, Cwieka said. When asked why only American companies were currently represented, he said, "Many of the imports are too concerned about quality and are harder to convince."

Four Father’s Day gift ideas

Father’s Day is almost here. And does anyone have any idea what to buy them? This is a short but considered list of humble suggestions for the car enthusiast dad.

Accutire Digital Tire Pressure Sensor
Under-inflated tires have an adverse affect on handling, braking, tread wear and fuel consumption. Regular checks are ideal for keeping a tab on tire pressures and a handy gadget makes the task easier and a little more like fun. An Accutire MS-4751WC provides quick, accurate readings (many gauges at gas station forecourts are less than accurate). Don’t forget to check the spare. The large backlit display is easy to read, while the rubberized grip and cast metal housing should provide years of service. $17.99, from Amazon.

NASCAR's Earnhardt Jr. gets a real job

Helping a fledgling company get along always brings a nice, warm feeling. Voodoo Ride was set up this year, and one of its participants is Dale Earnhardt Jr. He’s a NASCAR driver, so this attempt at getting a "proper" job should be congratulated.

Dale and his chums have launched a product called Hypd (apparently, NASCAR guys aren't known for their spelling) as part of a range of car care products. Hypd puts a long-lasting, high-gloss finish on tires. After a visit to the carwash, most tire shine products last only a few days, but Hypd's makers claim that their product lasts for weeks. This is done by using a three-part silicone system plus two sophisticated additives that bond to tires, forming a protective barrier that prevents cracking, fading and premature aging. And nobody likes to crack, fade or age prematurely.

Holiday gifts for gearheads, Part 4

Holiday gifts for gearheads, Part 4

It's tinsel time in Tinseltown and welcome to the fourth list of car-related presents. I hope they’ve been of some help.

Mequiar’s Ultimate Car Care Kit
While we would all love the gift of a new car, that’s not an option for most people. But how about a new-looking car? Well, clean, at least. Mequiar’s Ultimate Car Care Kit has a scratch remover, polymer car wax, cleaners for the wheels and tires, and even an interior detailer spray that works on leather and sat-nav screens alike. Included in the carrying case is a microfiber cloth.
$29.99
www.meguiars.com

Holiday gifts for gearheads, Part 3

Welcome to the high-end installment of the gift list. This is for those with deeper pockets (in one case, almost bottomless) and the luxury of a little more spare time.

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 12-cylinder engine
Well, not quite. It's about the size of a couple of shoe boxes placed end to end. This scaled-down replica is battery powered and operates by a press of the "Engine Start" button. Move the gear lever through the authentic little gate and a surprisingly full-throated engine noise is heard. $499.95; www.gmpdiecast.com

Holiday gifts for gearheads, Part 2

This time around, the spotlight is on items that mere mortals can afford. Phones and MP3 players come and go, but some of the gadgets mentioned below have more staying power, just because they're so darn useful. The first two are positively iconic. A future post will feature more expensive (or expansive) ideas.

Swiss Army Knife
It has seen duty on the space shuttle, performed surgery in the field, fixed all kinds of things from spectacles to saxophones -- the Swiss Army Knife is a must-have item. And the fact that it can carry so many attachments makes it pretty cool.
From $19
www.swissarmy.com

Maglite
The Rolls-Royce of flashlights, made in Ontario, Calif. -- tough enough to survive life on an oceangoing vessel or being run over by an SUV. Great looking, and it's worth keeping one in the car and one in the home (put it with the earthquake survival kit).
From $6
www.maglite.com

Holiday gifts for gearheads, Part 1

With photos from the summer still not downloaded to the computer, the holiday season has pounced upon us. To try to make it run a little easier this year, here's the first batch of gift ideas for the gearhead in your life. This one centers on books and DVDs, but subsequent posts will feature gadgets and other ideas. Keep an eye out. The prices given here are list prices -- a little Net surfing would be worthwhile.

BOOKS

"McQueen's Machines," by Matt Stone
Steve McQueen was a total gearhead, collecting everything from motorbikes to planes, and plenty of exotic cars in between. With pictures from the family archive, Stone brings a fresh insight to one of the big screen's icons by showing him as a man with an automotive passion, and someone who could easily have been a professional racer. Here are machines he has owned, raced or driven in films.
($26.95, Motorbooks)