Bluetooth Connectivity

Just slightly larger than a standard car charger, the Roav SmartCharge packs in both Bluetooth connectivity to your phone and an FM radio transmitter to your car’s stereo.  By simply plugging the device in, and using the Roav app to tune in an empty FM station, you can add Bluetooth music streaming and phone calls without wires.

However, if your car has an Aux input, you can connect the Roav SmartCharge directly to it instead of relying on the FM tuner.  This also results in clearer calls and less static when listening to music.

To setup the device, plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter port and start your car.  When the device flashes “bt”, select the “Roav F2” item in your phone’s Bluetooth settings.  Find an empty station on your car’s radio, then press and hold the arrow buttons to change the Roav SmartCharge unit to that station. The current transmitting frequency will display on the Roav’s LCD screen, making it easy to match up to your car’s radio display.

Hands-Free Calling

When a call comes in, the unit will light up “C IN” and you can press the the phone button to answer it.  Press the phone button for 1 second to hang up.

Call quality is OK and is heavily dependent on the clarity of the FM signal and the placement of the Roav charger (and hence, the microphone).  If the Roav unit is plugged in a fair distance from the user or in a console, the caller will likely remark that you sound “far away”.  Call quality can be improved by using an AUX connection if possible.  I would have preferred if Roav also offered a “remote microphone” that could be placed closer to the user’s mouth, such as on the dashboard.

Features

In addition to Bluetooth, the SmartCharge can play songs stored on a USB flash drive.  Simply plug the drive into the second USB port and the Roav will play the MP3, WMA, FLAC and WAV files stored on the flash drive.  Press the phone button to play and pause the music, and use the arrow buttons to navigate the tracks.

Charging

The two USB ports on the unit can be used to charge your devices.  The first port is a dedicated IQ port that can detect different devices — such as tablets — and provide a 2.4 amp charge as needed.  The second port can provide up to 1.5 amps of power, which is enough to charge a tablet, just not at full speed.  Either port can charge a smartphone.  The second port also serves as a data port for USB flash drive music playback.

Anker Roav SmartCharge Car Kit F2, Wireless In-Car FM Transmitter Radio Adapter, Bluetooth 4.2...

Anker Roav SmartCharge Car Kit F2, Wireless In-Car FM Transmitter Radio Adapter, Bluetooth 4.2...

$24.90

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12 used from $12.99

as of October 11, 2023 7:23 pm

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Last updated on October 11, 2023 7:23 pm

The post Anker Roav SmartCharge Car Kit F2 Review appeared first on Technically Well.

PROs

• Two Power IQ ports: Both ports use Anker’s PowerIQ technology, which allows each port to supply up to 2.4 amps of power to devices that need it (4.8 amps total). I tested this out by charging my iPad and a friend’s iPad at the same time and verified that both ports could output over 2 amps. This can come in handy if you have kids in the back seat and you need to charge their tablets while watching movies (Anker also makes extra-long charging cables that reach the back seat).
• Blue LED illumination: My car’s uses blue LED accent lighting, so the PowerDrive compliments it perfectly. A blue LED allows both ports to glow, making it easy to plug in a charging cable in the dark. And the LED is not so bright that it is distracting at night; it provides a nice, soft glow.
• Safety: There are built in protections against surges and overheating. While the charger did become warm while in use (even more so when charging two devices), it did not feel like it was going to melt or burn anything.
• Durable: I’ve left this charger plugged in my car and the cold and hot weather doesn’t seem to affect it.

CONs

• Charging cables not included: You will need to remember to bring your own charging cables. Anker makes heavy nylon cables that I have also found to hold up very well in the car (and wild temperature swings).
• No Quick Charge: Please note that there is no Qualcomm Quick Charge technology on this particular car charger.  For that, check out the PowerDrive Speed.

Overall, I really like the PowerDrive 2 Elite’s combination of style and function. The carbon-fiber mesh exterior and blue glow looks great in my car and the two charging ports allow my friend’s to recharge their phones without taking over my music.

Check out the Anker PowerDrive 2 Elite on Amazon

Special Deal: Use code KINJA212 March 8st – March 14th

Need some heavy duty charging cables? Anker’s got you covered with both Lightning and Micro USB nylon cables.

Anker 24W 4.8A Car Charger, 2-Port Ultra-Compact PowerDrive 2 Elite with PowerIQ Technology and...

Anker 24W 4.8A Car Charger, 2-Port Ultra-Compact PowerDrive 2 Elite with PowerIQ Technology and...

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as of October 6, 2023 1:12 am

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The post Anker PowerDrive 2 Elite Car Charger Review appeared first on Technically Well.

Mount Your Phone

First up, you’ll need to conveniently mount your phone so that Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze can navigate you to your fall foliage destination.  This phone mount from 1ByOne features a strong magnet that you can easily slip in your phone’s case.  This makes your phone easy to unmount whenever you need to pull over to grab a quick snapshot.  Then you can simply place your phone back on the vent mount and the magnet will hold it in place while you navigate to your next destination.

Keep Your Phone Charged

Of course, running a navigation app and your GPS chip will drain your phone in no time.  Keep it charged and ready to go with the 1ByOne dual port car charger.  It features two high-powered charging ports so you can keep both your phone and your passenger’s phone at 100%.  It can also charge an iPad at full speed in case there are little ones in the backseat that need their movies and games.

Be Ready for a Dead Car Battery

After a long day of hiking and checking out the changing leaves, you come back to your car only to find that the door didn’t shut the whole way.  You put the key in the ignition and sadly discover that your car’s battery has met its death by dome light.  Don’t let this situation put a damper on an otherwise awesome day.  You can simply grab the 1ByOne Portable Car Jump Starter out of the trunk, connect it to your car’s battery, and be back on the road in no time. As an added bonus, this unit also serves as a portable power bank that can charge your phone while you’re checking out the autumn colors.

Hit The Road With 1ByOne

Before you embark your weekend journey to check out the leaves, prepare your car with these great gadgets from 1ByOne.  You’ll be able to navigate, keep your phone charged, and jump start your car if needed without breaking a sweat.  And you won’t miss a minute of the great fall weather and colors.

This sponsored post is brought to you by my friends at 1ByOne, an online retailer that strives to help people realize the power of technology to make our lives easier and more fulfilling.

The post Prepare For Your Fall Road Trips with 1ByOne appeared first on Technically Well.

PROs

• Compact design: I’m surprised how small this charger is. The metal ring makes it easy to grasp for inserting and removing it from my cigarette lighter port. This metal ring also seems dissipate heat effectively because the charger did not become very hot while in use.
• High-powered: In my video, I tested the charger with an HP 7 Plus tablet, a Samsung Galaxy Victory phone, a Kyocera Hydro Xtrm, and an iPad all at the same time. I tested the port that the iPad was plugged in to and it still read 1.5 amps, which is normal for my iPad. So despite the number of other items charging, it seems that each port adapts to provide as much power as needed by the connected device.
• Safety: Anker states that there are multiple safety circuit integrated in the charger, and as I noted earlier, overheating really does not seem to be a problem with this charger.

CONs

• No user-replaceable fuse: Some car chargers have a fuse that can be replaced if needed, but I did not see one on this Anker charger. So if the safety circuits kick in to protect your devices, you will likely need to replace the whole charger.

I really like the solid and compact design of this Anker car charger, and it is sure to come in handy for keeping all of my friends’ devices charged on our next road trip (heck, I have enough gadgets myself to put all four ports to use). I hope that my unbiased testing and review of this sample unit I received assists you in making an informed purchasing decision. If there is anything that I can do to improve this review, please let me know by leaving a note in the comments so I may respond. Thank you!

Unfortunately, this product is no longer available, but there are many other Anker car chargers available!

The post Anker 48W 4-Port Car Charger Review appeared first on Technically Well.

PROs

• High output: The 2.1 amp output means that this car charger is powerful enough to charge an iPad at full speed, and it will also work fine for your iPhone.
• Apple MFi-certified: The Lightning connector is approved by Apple to be fully compatible with your iPhone and iPad.
• Small connector: The Lightning connector is about the same size as Apple’s original Lightning cable, maybe just a hair larger. It should still fit fine in through most iPhone cases.
• Blue LED: I know this doesn’t affect the functionality of the device, but I really like the blue LED on this charger as it matches my car’s dashboard well.

CONs

• No fuse: While this car charger has built-in protections for over-heating and over-charging situations, I could not find a user-replaceable fuse. So when this charger gives up the ghost, it’s done.

Overall, I’m impressed with how small this charger is compared to other car chargers I’ve used, and I like that it can provide full power to an iPad. This Skiva unit appears to be very well made and I have had no issues with this car charger.

Skiva PowerFlow Lightning Car Charger

The post Car Charger Review: Skiva PowerFlow Lightning Charger appeared first on Technically Well.

PROs

• Design: This charger is very compact and discreet when plugged into the cigarette lighter port. The metallic design seems to dissipate heat well as it only got a little warm when I used it.
• 3 High-Powered Ports: The 3 USB ports can supply up to 2.4 amps each, This means you can charge 3 tablets (iPad, Kindle, Nexus 7, etc) at the same time. If you need to keep your kids’ gadgets powered for a long road trip, this can definitely come in handy.
• SmartID technology: The SmartID technology adapts to the charging requirements of your device. For example, it can supply 1 amp for smartphones or up to 2.4 amps for tablets. In the attached photo, you can see that the iClever was able to adapt and supply the 1.6 amps that my iPad typically needs while charging according to my USB voltmeter.

CONs

• No user-replaceable fuse: From what I can tell, the unit’s fuse cannot be replaced if it blows.

Overall, this is a great way to keep multiple gadgets charged while you’re on the go. It can supply up to 2.4 amps to each of the 3 ports, making it a powerful yet very compact charging solution for the road.

The post iClever 3 USB Port Car Charger Review appeared first on Technically Well.