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Devium Dash smartphone stereo (photos)

A Colorado-based startup is trying to raise money to build a car stereo that integrates your iPhone.

Liane Yvkoff
Liane Yvkoff is a freelance writer who blogs about cars for CNET Car Tech. E-mail Liane.
Liane Yvkoff
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Devium Dash (front)

Car manufacturers are racing to integrate smartphones with infotainment systems, but one startup wants to cut to the chase and build a head unit around the iPhone.
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Devium Dash faceplate

Dash is a sleek, double-DIN automotive head unit concept that uses interchangable faceplates in which the driver snaps in his or her smartphone to use as the stereo's interface. Colorado-based Devium designed the product and has turned to Kickstarter.com to raise the money it needs to manufacture and sell it.
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Devium Dash faceplate (without phone)

Smartphones attach to the faceplate and are held in place by a removable rubber lining in the cavity that snugly fits devices with or without protective covers or cases. When connected to the head unit, a customizable dashboard will display the user's car-centric applications in one place. Devium says that it's developing an app that will let you dial while the phone is in landscape position, but that has to first be approved by Apple.
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Devium Dash faceplate (attaching phone)

The proposed initial faceplate works with the iPhone 4 and 4S and iPod Touch, and Devium plans to design and release new faceplates other devices, such as Android phones or future Apple product versions if their dimensions change significantly.
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Devium Dash faceplate (with phone)

They're not the first company trying to build and market an iPhone-based head unit. French audio manufacturer Oxygen Audio introduced last year the O'Car audio system, which integrates the iPhone into the head unit as well. Jackson Electronics also sells an iPhone-based aftermarket car stereo and is working on an accessory to mount an iPad to the head unit.
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Devium Dash faceplate (rear)

But Devium's product offers a cleaner design, which may appeal to Apple fanboys. The company is trying to raise $45,000 in the next 54 days, and backers who pledge $250 will essentially be preordering the equipment, which will retail for $300. For $50 more you'll get a Dash with the iPhone 4/4S faceplate anodized in either black, red, blue, or white.
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Devium Dash base

If Devium is able to reach its funding goal, the startup will begin shipping Dash in July 2012.

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