KeriBlog

Cars, Security & a Peek into my Life

Automakers: Steering Wheel Mute Buttons Please

I’d like more vehicles to offer this tiny feature, because it makes a big difference… so much that I’d consider it a key differentiator when cross-shopping this segment.

A steering-wheel Mute button, to instantly kill the radio.

Because if you must snap into hyper-focus,
first instinct is to shut the music off.

This button is the most efficient way, your left thumb is always beside it.

Which is why it’s puzzling to me that this button is very rare.

Every day I drove this SUV, I used it several times.

I can count on one hand the number of vehicles I’ve tested that have one.

I think they should all have one.

Found on a 2016 Hyundai Tucson.

 

 

What is HD Radio in New Cars

If a new car offers HD Radio, it means it’s a richer type of radio in 2 ways:

1 – the sound is digital, so it’s less noisy than analog FM

2 – it allows the radio station to transmit both audio and data

See how much information is on the screen?

How to contact the station via text or Twitter.  Then the screen refreshes, and shows the artist and song name that’s currently playing.

Many auto manufacturers offer HD Radio as an audio upgrade in new cars.

Example – the above screen is in a 2016 Mazda3 in which HD Radio comes standard, second trim (GX) and up.

 

 

Let’s Get to Know, Brooks Alberta

Learned a lot, my brother is a great tour guide.

There are 120 different nationalities living here!

It’s an oil town; if you work in the on an oil rig, you’re a “rigger“.

I wish I had more time here, I want to go out to work with them, be a rigger for a day, HOW fun would that video be… my weak blogging arms failing me, getting coffee at the Red Basket at 5am, seeing oil up close gushing around.

This is Canada’s Desert… like, it rained twice this summer.

The sky is HUGE, it’s hard to explain, and it doesn’t translate in photo.

That’s the Brooks Aquaduct, built to water the fields in the 1910s… of concrete?!!

The new way, that machine, drives up and down the fields and you can control it with your iPhone.

During the tour my brother and I turned into ghosts.

Been playing lots of pool, my favourite spot is The Legion. I almost beat Ron there… SO close I sewered on the 8 UGH.

The bars are in hotels here, and many also have liquor stores in them, it’s kinda hard to explain.

The two main bars.

The people here are genuinely nice. Not happy crappy nice, genuine; then they’ll give you a shot or two, so Canadian I love it.

Pete took me to Brooks Animal Protection Society, where he volunteers. Special place, and heartbreaking, too. That’s his story he wrote about adopting his cat.

My lovely hosts!

And the tour will end of course the city’s very best radio station, 101.1 The ONE Brooks.

Where I messed up the song introduction.

Thanks for a great time Brooks, I’ll be sticking around for your giant Boxing Day party next year!