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Release Date: August 05, 2009
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Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
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Discover New Music

  • Machine Gun Etiquette

    • 8 out of 10
    • The Damned
    • Punk rock is mostly associated with three chords and a bad attitude, but the Damned were one of the few bands of the era bent on bringing musicianship and a good sense of humor to the scene. And while
  • The Stooges

    • 8 out of 10
    • The Stooges
    • Another pillar of my musical foundations, The Stooges' first album is one those records whose influence far outweighed its popularity. Like The Velvet Underground & Nico, hordes of people wh

  • Jagged Little Pill (Acoustic)

    • 6 out of 10
    • Alanis Morissette
    • Ten years after the original release, comes the traditional celebratory acoustic re-recording. The album has held up remarkably well. While it is not as meaningful to me as it was when I was sixteen,
  • Pressure Chief

    • 6 out of 10
    • Cake
    • Pressure Chief, Cake's latest album, didn't immediately grab me. In fact, it took perhaps half a dozen listens before I started truly enjoying it. Any

  • Odyssey Number Five

    • 10 out of 10
    • Powderfinger
    • Guitar-driven rock out of Australia, Powderfinger has not seen much exposure in the States, but should get a nod for their toe-tapping songs. Building off their previous release, "Internationalist" (

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In-Depth Review

TuneDeck for iPod nano

So-called "premium" FM transmitters for iPods have been around for a couple years now, with some models commanding price tags north of $80 to pump music to your car stereo, but cassette deck adapters have remained surprisingly 1990's-like. Given that a quality deck and adapter will beat the pants off an FM transmitter any day, we never understood the lack of more iPod-oriented solutions (a regular adapter dressed up in white plastic doesn't count, guys), but we're happy to see that Belkin shares our position and did something about it, recently releasing the TuneDeck for iPod nano.

TuneDeck
Belkin TuneDeck for iPod nano

The TuneDeck is an ingeniously simple idea: a typical plastic tape adapter is fixed with a hard plastic piece that protrudes about two inches and connects to a cradle for your iPod nano. Drop your nano into the dock-connected cradle and it sits securely right by your radio controls. It's an elegant solution that finally does away with the long wire that accompanies most standard tape adapters.

TuneDeck

An included car power adapter connects to the bottom of the TuneDeck and provides optional charging capabilities for your iPod nano. When connected, the power adapter also adds functionality to the TuneDeck, automatically pausing your iPod nano when your car is turned off. On its own, however, the TuneDeck will continue to play your iPod nano even when the car and stereo are off.

Our only major gripe regarding the TuneDeck lies in its limited flexibility, literally speaking. The iPod nano cradle can pivot about 20 degrees to the right or left to provide a more opportune viewing angle for its user, but that's it. Given that the TuneDeck will invariably block some sort of display or controls in most cars, it would be ideal if the cradle could also rotate, as it does iwth the TuneBase.

The Bottom Line

For cars lacking a direct iPod connection, cassette adapters are the next best solution for connecting your iPod, delivering sound quality that is noticeably richer and clearer than even the best FM transmitters can. The TuneDeck delivers everything one could expect from it, and is the ideal solution for iPod nano owners with a tape deck in their car. Just make sure that propping the nano up by your stereo won't block any displays or controls you might want easy access to.



TuneDeck
While it sports a slick design, the TuneDeck prevented us from inserting or ejecting CDs, as well as
compromising the cup-holder in our Subaru WRX, without first removing the iPod nano.

Just The Facts

TuneDeck for iPod nano from Belkin

MSRP US$49.95

Pros:slick design, excellent audio quality, includes car charger

Cons:may obstruct car displays or buttons, limited positioning options

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