Kensington LiquidFM Deluxe For iPod

The basics

The Kensington LiquidFM Deluxe For iPod FM transmitter comes with automatic frequency scanning, universal windscreen mount power switch to avoid draining your car battery. It also charges iPods while you listen.

The good

If you have trouble keeping your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel, avoid this combined iPod mount, dock and transmitter. By locking your iPod on to the window in front of you, the irresistible temptation to shuffle tracks, ogle artwork and even watch video clips can distract from the importance business of avoiding concrete pillars at 80mph. The LiquidFM scans for empty frequencies automatically and will transmit song and artist names for display on RDS car radios. As this model is getting old, it’s worth keeping an eye out for clearance bargains.

The bad

The QuickSeek scanning technology needs an upgrade, so be prepared to scan through a few stations before finding one that’s genuinely silent or static-free. Volume tends to be on the low side, too – you won’t be rattling neighbourhood windows with the Kensington’s polite output.

The bottom line

The decent eye-level mount keeps your iPod from rattling around in the footwell. We’re not sure where the ‘deluxe’ element comes in though – it’s your typical black plastic build.