Remember those "old" cassette players that once represented the center of any car audio system? Well, although they're long gone now (at least from modern vehicles), it would seem that they've served as a model for the device you're about to see as follows, namely the CA-IP500 Head Unit from Fusion, a car audio system that docks the iPod within its own "bowels."

The first thing that draws attention to the CA-IP500 is the very peculiar manner in which the iPod is docked. And that's because all the users have to do is simply insert (connector forward) Apple's player into the head unit (just as they would do with a music tape). After the device is securely docked, drivers will be able to control its every function via the fully integrated iPod user interface.

In order to make things easier for the user, Fusion has equipped its audio system with a full dot matrix OLED display (for enhanced graphics and easier menu navigation), while the rotary encoder and dual function encoder /joystick manage to do a pretty good job at "emulating" the iPod's famous click wheel.

Beside being able to dock and recharge the iPod, the audio system from Fusion delivers some other pretty interesting features as well. For example, it provides SRS Wos sound shaping, comes packed with an AM/FM tuner (also RDS compatible) and also with a line-out (4 channel + subwoofer) and auxiliary-in connectors.

Furthermore, the CA-IP500 sports several audio control options that could always come in handy, as for example the electronic bass, treble, mid, balance, fader control, 7 band equalizer (11x presets + 3x user) low and high pass filter and subwoofer level control. Moreover, it also provides certain security features, namely a security code and a detachable, anti-theft face plate.

The CA-IP500 Head Unit from Fusion sells for around 278 US dollars, which is not even that high a price, considering just how useful and interesting this thing could prove to be for all those iPod-crazy drivers out there.


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