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Gadgets for the garage

From GPS gadgets that give directions to discreet dongles that improve fuel economy, we've got the hottest gift ideas for the car lover in your life.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 9 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Automatic Labs Automatic

Our top pick for in-car gadgets, Automatic Labs' Automatic "smart driving assistant" plugs into a car's diagnostics port and monitors your fuel efficiency and driving habits. That's not exactly new technology, but Automatic separates itself from the crowd by interfacing seamlessly with a slick iOS app that automatically generates driving reports, makes suggestions to improve your economy, and provides automatic emergency crash response in the event of an accident.

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2 of 9 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Specialized Bicycle Components Turbo electric bike

When I was a kid, a shiny new bike was the best gift that I could hope for. As an adult, it sort of still is. The Turbo's electric assistance motor boosts the bike to an estimated top speed of 27 mph. The rider still needs to crank the pedals to get the Turbo rolling, so there's some health benefit versus driving, but with the bike helping along, you won't arrive at your destination drenched in sweat or out of breath.

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3 of 9 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Garmin HUD navigation display

Garmin's Head-Up Display adds a cool, transparent HUD to your car's dashboard. Users of Garmin's smartphone navigation apps can now get their turn-by-turn directions while keeping their eyes on the road and off of their phones.

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4 of 9 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Garmin Nuvi 3597LMTHD portable navigation device

For those who would prefer their GPS navigation in a discrete device, Garmin's flagship Nuvi 3597 is second to none. It's slim and pocketable, and boasts a big, bright screen that's as sharp as its knife-edged design.

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5 of 9 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Pioneer AppRadio3 in-dash receiver

This 7-inch touch-screen receiver is the perfect dashboard upgrade for drivers who want safe access to smartphone navigation, audio, and driver aid apps. The AppRadio 3 boasts compatibility with Apple devices and a wide range of popular Android handsets.

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6 of 9 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Kinivo BTC450 Bluetooth car kit

For drivers who just want to add Bluetooth without major modifications to their car, there's this tiny dongle by Kinivo. It's capable of sending hands-free call audio and wirelessly streamed stereo music through a car's speakers via the auxiliary input present on most modern car stereos.

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7 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

iOttie Easy One Touch smartphone mount

This iOttie mount goes out of its way to make mounting a smartphone easy. Its suction cup base is made of a semiadhesive material that sticks to dashboards as firmly as most mounts do to glass. Plus, its One Touch cradle grips most phones firmly and automatically, yet releases with a single tap.

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8 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

PanaVise 15504 PortaGrip smartphone mount

This mounting arm by PanaVise may seem like overkill, but its iron grip will certainly keep even the heaviest smartphones held fast during even the most spirited of driving maneuvers.

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9 of 9 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

RoboReel smart extension cord

The humble extension cord goes high-tech with the arrival of the RoboReel in a garage near you. Not only can this motorized reel automatically collect loose cable, it features sophisticated safety features to protect the user in the event of a surge or if the cable is severed while you're working with power tools.

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