Loud and Clear!

Do you have a hard time hearing your Pocket PC while driving or in noisy environments? Or, maybe you want to hear both your music and GPS audio navigation at the same time? If so, check out Arkon Resources, Inc. (http://www.arkon.com), a southern California company that offers an extensive selection of sound amplification and mounting kits for your Pocket PC. Arkon is a leader in their field with plenty of experience, which goes back to their first SoundFeeder line of FM audio adapters introduced seventeen years ago.

Other companies offer similar solutions, but Arkon’s mounts are more flexible. For example, Arkon’s Powered Multimedia PDA Mount Kits (a.k.a., “Powered Mounts”) have side-grip arms that can accommodate nearly any Pocket PC, including an iPAQ with an Expansion Pack. The Powered Mounts also have a longer audio cord that can easily reach unusually placed audio jacks, such as the one found on the bottom of the iPAQ h5555.

Choosing your best sound boosting solution

For this review I tried Arkon’s three main sound boosters: The SoundFeeder, the FM Multimedia PDA Mount, and the Powered Multimedia Mount.

The SoundFeeder SF250 (http://www.arkon.com/sf.html) is the latest model in Arkon’s SoundFeeder line of wireless stereo adapters. The SF250 connects via a cable to the audio jack of your Pocket PC (or other portable audio player) and transmits the stereo audio signal to your car’s FM radio via one of 8 available FM bands. 2 AAA batteries are also needed to operate the device for up to 60 hours of continuous play.

The SF250 has a striking design and silver finish that goes beautifully with many Pocket PCs. The SoundFeeder will work with any FM radio. I have used it to send my Pocket PC’s audio signal to an FM radio in my vehicle, a hotel room’s FM radio, a portable FM radio, and my home stereo system. It is helpful to keep the volume in Windows Media turned nearly all the way down in order to avoid sound distortion.

The electronics of the SoundFeeder are based on Phase Lock Loop (PLL) synthesized circuitry. According to Arkon’s Web site, this technology helps eliminate electronic drift, thus improving signal stability. The SF250 is a more universal solution than a cassette adapter. Almost all cars have an FM radio, but CD players are replacing cassette players as the standard in car stereo systems.

Use this solution if you already have a PDA mount in your car, or if you would like the additional flexibility of using the SoundFeeder technology indoors. Bear in mind that you can also use it to play Windows Media Player music through any FM stereo.

The FM Multimedia PDA Mount Kits (http://www.arkon.com/multimediapdamount.html) combine the SoundFeeder technology described above with a non-powered PDA mount. I tested the CM659 Vent Mount Kit, but a variety of these kits are available, allowing you to attach the mount to your windshield, dashboard, a cup holder, and more. [In April 2004 Arkon will replace this product with the Powered FM Multimedia Mounts, which will also provide power to the Pocket PC via a cigarette lighter adapter.]

Use this solution if you want to hear Pocket PC alarms, music, and GPS navigation instructions through the higher-quality speakers in your car. Note that you can easily change between Pocket PC audio output and your car’s stereo music.