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Bluetooth music while on four wheels

Rock and Roll

With the UK ban on driving with a mobile phone in your hand, hordes of manufacturers have rushed to fill car cigarette lighters with hands-free calling kits. Venturi is the latest, offering wireless Bluetooth music streaming from a mobile phone to your car stereo.

The Venturi Mini
Venturi's Mini: promises ease of use

The Venturi Mini grabs music from your phone using Bluetooth's stereo protocol - aka A2DP - then sends it on to your car stereo via FM transmitter. It measures 8.4 x 4.3cm, is powered through a cigarette lighter socket and its manufacturer said it's ready for use as soon as you plug it in.

If calls come in while you're driving and rocking out, the device can automatically pause the music at the start of the conversation and then resume it again at the end. It also features noise-reduction technology, presumably to dampen out the sounds of other drivers' honking horns.

RDS technology also links your mobile phone's address book up to your car radio, so that a caller's ID is shown on the radio display when it comes in. All the Mini's functions are controlled through a scroll wheel on the device, and it also double-ups as a charger with a USB port.

Venturi
Venturi's Mini: how it could look... if you have a Porsche Boxster

The Venturi Mini will be available in September and retail for around £80 ($160/€111).

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