Despite the number of FM transmitters for the iPod in the market, DLO’s TuneStik is a little different with its functionality and versatility. While a lot of third-party FM transmitters work well, they are not as portable and intuitive with their interface as TuneStik. And that’s essentially the only thing that differentiates TuneStik from others.

TuneStik is compatible with all new iPod models and comes with three critical pieces that make up the unit: transmitter module, steering wheel cradle and RF remote control. All individual components are black in color and durable enough to withstand rugged use. Unfortunately, unless you have a black iPod, the black on white combination will look undesirable at best. We wish DLO could’ve taken care of that and released a white version to compliment the best selling color in Apple’s iPod product line. With that said, all others colors will work. Maybe that’s because we realize it wouldn’t be feasible for DLO to release a blue or green version of TuneStik.

The steering wheel cradle is a nice addition. Since the device comes with an RF remote control, it’s possible to take TuneStik on the road. Obviously if you want to skip forward/backward while you are driving, the cradle does an excellent job in keeping the remote intact. Not to mention, you can also remove the remote from the cradle and hand it off to passengers without any distraction whatsoever. That was thoughtful on DLO’s part that made TuneStik an interesting unit.

The remote control is relatively standard with play/pause, volume controls and skips forward/backward buttons. You can also press a single button to find various stations and use the back light on/off button to navigate the iPod.

From a performance standpoint, it works well. Since it’s a simple FM transmitter, it’s designed to work well as a single functionality device and its delivers on expectations with no lag between the remote control and the FM module. However, we weren’t really interested in its performance to begin with. After all, it’s an FM transmitter, and DLO has enough resources to perfect performance of an otherwise simple accessory. What attracted us to TuneStik was its portability factor, and for that, we are excited at the inclusion of steering wheel cradle and a remote control.

The price tag, at $59.99, is way too steep for mainstream consumers to justify, and while we love the product, the price has got to come down for it to make sense. We suggest you wait for a few months to pick up TuneStik, an otherwise great, simple iPod accessory with minor drawbacks.

[Gundeep Hora]

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[tags]fm transmitter, ipod accessories, ipod[/tags]