Sony Creates a Clie Car Cradle

Posted By: Ryan Tuesday, August 5, 2003 10:48:04 AM

Sony has just announced the Clie Car cradle. The new automobile accessory has a built in GPS receiver for maps and directions, can read email and your schedule out loud, charge your handheld and play mp3's over your car stereo system.

The CLIÉ PEGA-CC5 car cradle is compatible with the NX80V, NX73V and TG50 Clie handhelds. The cradle mounts to a car's air vent and uses a cigarette lighter to power and also charge the Clie. It also comes with a separate remote control that can wirelessly control certain software applications and cradle functions.

Clie Car Cradle ~ Click for largerThe GPS Assist Navigation system displays the car’s location and direction of movement through the handheld screen. With the bundled GPS antenna, the cradle unit provides turn-by-turn directions with voice prompts. A special version of Rand McNally® StreetFinder® Travel Navigation Software is included that features street-level maps and descriptions of restaurants, hotels, attractions and business services.

The cradle can transmit MP3 and ATRAC3 music files stored on Memory Stick media via car audio speakers through the FM transmitter function (optimal frequency range from 95.9 – 101.9MHz), or it can use the optional line-out cassette adapter or the Sony Bus Connection Adaptor Output accessories (for use with compatible Sony car stereo head units with Changer Control function.

In addition, a text-to-voice function can read back e-mail stored in CLIÉ Mail™ software application, and appointments from the datebook.

The car cradle will be available at retailers nationwide at the end of August for about $300. SonyStyle is now accepting pre-orders.

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Very Cool

KRamsauer @ 8/5/2003 12:09:30 PM #
Wow. That is very cool. And coming from an OEM you probably have less to worry about than the cobbled together third party solutions.

RE: Very Cool
Hal2000 @ 8/5/2003 8:28:38 PM #
This should be better than the bluetooth solution I was looking at. Love the mp3 remote! My tg50 already connects via casette adaptor in the ol' red convertibile, but this would rock!

"One hour martinizing! Who is this guy martin anyhow?"
RE: Very Cool
ha-me3 @ 8/8/2003 4:59:22 AM #
I WAS RIGHT! I WAS RIGHT! it was a good thing to put my zire 71 on ebay and get a TG50!!! and sony does a great job on the memory sticks. my laptop has a but in MS reader and thats better than tuggin around an extra external usb device. And now they offer this!!! Awesome! and speaking about cars, i just got a new clutch!!! RIGHT ON!!!

Yo!
RE: Very Cool
ray00pal @ 8/11/2003 3:59:35 PM #
NOT cool! Don't forget FM's bandwidth is much smaller then MP3 or any CD. Just listen to to the same song from your CD and compare it to FM, you will know what I mean.

Excellent

sandbuck @ 8/5/2003 12:09:34 PM #

The "Sony with an OS" rocks on.

Dammit

Quik_Fix @ 8/5/2003 12:09:56 PM #
I need a car cradle for my sj-33. I like to add mods to my car and this would be perfect... if it wasn't 300 bucks man!
I know its for the high-end devices, but geez! I guess the price isn't terribly obscene considering there's GPS built in. But I need just a plain old holder for my Clie.... Can someone suggest where I might find one?

Oh my God. They found me. I dunno how but they found me...
RUN FOR IT MARTY!

Quik_Fix
quikfix@hotmail.com

RE: Dammit
palmsailor @ 8/5/2003 4:11:23 PM #
But I need just a plain old holder for my Clie.... Can someone suggest where I might find one?

Check out the Positioning Solutions web site under accessories.

http://www.positioningsolutions.com/accessories.html

They show (3) model types, vent, window and powered.

This is VERY cool....

Nobita @ 8/5/2003 12:14:43 PM #
Damnit...I just got the Garmin iQue, and now this comes out...hmmm....if only Sony used SD, and not Memory Stick.

Moderation, even in moderation.
RE: This is VERY cool....
orol @ 8/5/2003 12:20:44 PM #
don't know ahy so many people are biased
now is actually MS better .. is cheaper and offers bigger capacities


RE: This is VERY cool....
rsc1000 @ 8/5/2003 12:40:59 PM #
>>Damnit...I just got the Garmin iQue, and now this comes out

Why the frown? I think that - esspecially if you want GPS - the iQue is a far better solution than a Sony + this cradle. no? Heck - many people have been clamouring foir the iQue who aren't even interested in the GPS feature, because its such a nice PDA.

Or am i just unable to detect sarcasm here? hmmmm...is the iQue even shipping yet?

RE: This is VERY cool....
LiveFaith @ 8/5/2003 3:36:07 PM #
The cradle alone is worth a mint. I use the one by Arkon and it's worth 5 times the cost. This "smart cradle" is something only Sony would attempt. I would like to see a review on this. But for $300, whew!


Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

RE: Welllllll...
mikemusick @ 8/5/2003 3:48:31 PM #
There are advantages to Garmin's integrated approach, the most notable (at least to me) is that you don't instantly chew-up the serial port, my biggest gripe with sleds. In applications that need the serial port *and* GPS positioning data, you're sunk. Keep the serial port free, and there are external solutions available.

Also, do not be too quick to discount the bulk of the Sony GPS/mount. You would be surprised how difficult it is to find a safe yet accessable place for all that bulk and weight. The Garmin has it here, in spades.

What's really disappointing is that Sony decided to cobble this thing together rather than bring us the MemoryStick GPS that they've had in their home market for over a year.

RE: This is VERY cool....
claudiomv @ 8/5/2003 6:51:19 PM #
As far as GPS/navigation is concerned, in the demo of the system on sonystyle.com they say you have to calculate your route on a PC before feeding it to the Clie. This is a major limitation compared to the iQue, that can calculate the route by itself in real time. So if you're looking for a navigation system, the iQue seems to be theonly possible choice.
RE: This is VERY cool....
abosco @ 8/5/2003 8:19:55 PM #
>>There are advantages to Garmin's integrated
>approach, the most notable (at least to me) is that
>you don't instantly chew-up the serial port, my
>biggest gripe with sleds. In applications that need
>the serial port *and* GPS positioning data, you're
>sunk. Keep the serial port free, and there are
>external solutions available.

What do you want to use the serial port for, anyway? The NX80v has dual slots in addition to the T-Series connector. So you could have a Bluetooth Memory Stick in the MS slot, a Wifi card in the CF slot, and a GPS cradle on the serial port. Anything more is just showing off.

-Bosco

Only new devices supported

addict @ 8/5/2003 12:46:31 PM #
Figures, only the new devices are supported (nx80, nx73, tg50). Man...Sony crushes my enthusiam again

-Addict (NX60 owner)

RE: Only new devices supported
rluxemburg @ 8/5/2003 1:01:11 PM #
Agreed - if this supported my 760 I'd buy it for sure.

RE: Only new devices supported
Admin @ 8/5/2003 1:44:11 PM #
It's odd that they are only supporting the latest models, but that is sony for you. I saw this back in Jan at CES using a NX70
RE: Only new devices supported
abosco @ 8/5/2003 2:31:45 PM #
My guess is that they only listed supported models, not discontinued ones. I'd imagine it doesn't support the NZ90 because the serial port is different, and the NX60 and NX70v are unsupported because they're discontiued. I'll bet they work fine with it.

If this thing was $150, I'd definitely buy it. But $300? This thing sure is awesome... I'll be looking on ebay.

-Bosco

RE: Only new devices supported
Tungsten @ 8/5/2003 5:30:26 PM #
Agreed with the above post. Sony's definition of "support" excludes discontinued models. There's no technical reason why it shouldn't support the NX60/70, unless it has malicious lock-out code.

More info at goodthatway.com

Scott R @ 8/5/2003 1:01:29 PM #
We reported on this a couple of weeks ago. There's a good deal more info and photos here:
http://goodthatway.com/news_arc/?id=31

This device is greater than the sum of its parts. Sony looks to have done a very nice job of improving usability by automatically changing the GUI to a large icon, finger-friendly GUI when you place the handheld into the cradle.

Scott

http://goodthatway.com
- featuring PDA/smartphone news and FREE MONEY!!! -

RE: More info at goodthatway.com
zampheer @ 8/5/2003 4:25:19 PM #
Acually some info on this has been available for sometime at sony.com/xplod . It was talked about at CES in Las Vegas the last time around.

Sony surprise Monday?

mikecane @ 8/5/2003 5:34:37 PM #
A 320x480 T-series?

But *which* Monday? Upcoming or the next?

Or the next next next next...?

RE: Sony surprise Monday?
carioca76 @ 8/5/2003 11:36:47 PM #
I have searched this page for surprise, for Monday ... I can't find where you are coming from with this comment

Easily moved?

Hal2000 @ 8/5/2003 8:39:45 PM #
If this is going to set me back $300, then I'm going to remove this big SONY sign every night. Also how easily will this move into my 2nd car on weekends? (got jumble-of-wires-osis.)

"One hour martinizing! Who is this guy martin anyhow?"

How Dare they!

Isaiahp @ 8/6/2003 9:30:49 PM #
A GPS without the ability to recalculate, or create new routes on the fly is pretty useless.

The wife uses the Navman on her Pocket PC, and it is great! And it also cost $300. So when I saw this I was ready with the credit card to buy not only a new handheld, but also this cradle.

Sony? Are you reading this?? GPS has kept me from buying a Clie, and now this feels like a rotten carrot.

Bleh. I guess I will keep my eye on the T2...

Other Options

ballistic @ 8/7/2003 8:09:41 AM #
You aren't limited to Sony's car cradle.
I can do everything the PEGA-CC5 offers except text-to-voice and the finger GUI.

My GPS/Car Cradle Solution for my NX70V.

Arkon Universal PDA Mount.
Rikaline GPS Mouse.
Mapopolis Platinum + GPS MapPack Subscription.
Sony Cassette Adapter.


RE: Other Options
Isaiahp @ 8/7/2003 9:55:10 AM #
Do you get the voice prompts with that solution?

RE: Other Options
ballistic @ 8/7/2003 3:30:48 PM #
Not yet, but I will when Mapopolis Navigator for Palm OS5 is available soon (in 'early release' now).

I can do door-to-door directions and route mapping.

RE: Other Options
treo007 @ 8/7/2003 5:32:06 PM #
Yes, but the Clie solution comes with a wireless remote for volume, mp3 forward and skip, etc.

Now if they'd just make this available for the UX series.

Just ordered this thing

soulreaver99 @ 8/11/2003 2:00:40 AM #
Just ordered this thing. The setting up and calculating the route on the PC sounds pretty stupid, but I'm going to give this thing a try anyway. I'll have a full review posted as soon as I get it.

Technology Gone Stupid
http://www.blackhaloinc.com
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