Buying a Bluetooth Car Stereo

Many new vehicles come with Bluetooth-enabled stereos
straight from the factory, but you can also purchase specific
or universal adapters if your car isn't one of them. The
universal adapters are more likely to have limited functions,
while the stereo-specific ones offer a broader range of
features. Stereos that have Bluetooth built in tend to be the
most advanced, as we read on the last page, often with full
phone control, streaming music capabilities and more.

There are a couple of considerations you'll want to keep in
mind, though. Some cars have stereos that are more
challenging to substitute out than others. For example, if
your vehicle has a climate control system or other key
feature linked through the stereo, you might want to
reconsider yanking it out. Those who are slightly less
tech-savvy should also make sure the Bluetooth car stereo
they have their eye on is one they can actually operate
efficiently. Hands-free capabilities aren't much of a benefit
if you spend all your time fiddling with the controls trying
to make everything work properly.

On a similar note, it's also a good idea to thoroughly check
the features on your Bluetooth car stereo to make sure it has
all the functions you want. Nothing worse than taking
an expensive new acquisition out for a test drive only to
find it only gets half the job done. Although Bluetooth is
a universal technology, there can be some hang-ups if you try
using newer Bluetooth devices with older ones, so it's smart
to verify everything in your electronics landscape will get
along before making any purchases. Security might also be
an issue. Many models feature some modicum of theft
protection, whether the ability to remove the face of the
stereo or flip it around to make it more low key.

One concern with using Bluetooth technology is the
possibility of being hacked. If you'll recall from the first
page of this article, Bluetooth operates on radio waves, and
hackers can use this to their advantage to interfere remotely
in a number of different ways. They can potentially steal
passwords, and they can also reportedly communicate with
a passing Bluetooth network.

This particular hack, known as the Car Whisperer, allows
someone to listen in to a Bluetooth network set in
a vehicle -- whether a phone call or a simple conversation
between driver and passenger -- and even participate in that
conversation if they choose. A nonprofit organization called
the Trifinite Group tested the Car Whisperer phenomenon, and
they proved that unprotected devices are at risk should
a hacker be in the vicinity -- although with some simple
equipment, the vicinity can cover a much larger range than
Bluetooth networks traditionally encompass. Plus, if the
hacker was following his or her unknowing target in
a vehicle, the eavesdropping could become even more serious.
Strong password encryption and other security measures are
steps manufacturers and users can take to help diffuse the
threat.