I have a problem with the iPhone connection kit in my 2008 Mazda RX-8: it was obviously designed by monkeys. Only something less than human would consider selecting a playlist and song by mere numbers to be acceptable. What does the monkey care if you want to listen to Green Day but instead get Michael Bolton because you selected 5/4 instead of 10/35?! (Not like I have any of Mr. Boltons fine tracks on my iPhone… it was only an example.)
This crazy number song selection system wouldn’t be such a problem if you could just select the tracks in the iPhone’s built-in (and quite good) iPod touch-screen. But you can’t. The downside of tethering to an integration kit is that it puts the iPod controls into a locked mode… naturally assuming the car’s controls are superior (not maddening!)
There is a solution. Use any program but the iPod app to play music, while attached to the integration kit, since only the iPod app locks the control. Simple. This led me to Adaptunes by Alpha Acid LLC. Currently selling for $0.99 in the App store (regular price $2.99), Adaptunes provided not only an interface that made sense and looked good, it went one better than the stock iPod by offering the ability to automatically adjust volume based on current speed.
Since Adaptunes uses the built-in GPS in the 3G and 3GS iPhones to get the most accurate real-time speed measurements, the variable sound function won’t work in a 2G (unless you get a highly accurate triangulation reading — which is unlikely.)
The application is extremely easy to use. Simply select a profile (”Driving”, “Mountain Biking”, etc.) and adjust the high and low volume levels to your liking. The program will remember the slider positions the next time you launch and manage the volume accordingly. When adding songs you can either build a playlist in Adaptunes or select using all the standard iPod options: Artist, Song, Playlist, Genius List, etc.
Downsides are minor. While driving, with the iPhone in a suction cradle, the sliders can be a bit tough to “grab” with the tip of a finger. It would be much easier if the control space was larger. Same for the mode slider. It’s hard to tap in just the right spot in order to flick to the next mode.
For now the application doesn’t do much else. Alpha Acid claims that many more social and GPS-aware activities are being developed for the more advanced version of the program, which will be called Adaptunes+ and be available later this year for a few dollars over the standard version price. These include location-triggered actions, social network interaction and — wait for it — adaptive playlists. Yes, when you’re cruising at 5 mph it may select something mellow, like Barry Manilow’s “I write the songs”, but put the pedal to the metal and it could switch out to Ozzy’s “Crazy Train!” All aboarrrrrrd!
The short of it is that even the basic Adaptunes version is just what I was looking for and then some.
