Dallas – Alpine will expand
Pandora control to most of its head units in 2011, the company said here during
the MERA Knowledgefest.
Early this year, the company
launched its first such head unit, the CD-less $349 iDA-X305S’s
The controls of the head unit
emulate the controls of iPhone’s Pandora app, and the product’s 2.2-inch
display shows Pandora-supplied album art and song metadata. The head unit
connects to the iPhone via included cable that plugs into the iPhone’s
multi-pin connector, enabling the head unit to receive Pandora music from the
iPhone, send control signals to the iPhone’s Pandora app, and charge the phone.
Controlling the Pandora app
through the iDA-X305S’s controls is more convenient and safer than the
alternative, which is to connect the iPhone to a head unit’s 3.5mm audio-input
jack and use the iPhone’s touchscreen to control the app while driving, Alpine
contends. The head unit will also help consumers comply with laws prohibiting
cellphone use while driving.
To control the Pandora app from
the head unit, consumers must install a free downloadable app, which is
available from Apple’s iTune store.
The iDA-X305S features AM/FM tuner, 4×18-watt amp, USB input, and inputs to
connect a satellite-radio tuner, HD Radio tuner, and Imprint acoustical-tuning
processor.
