Pdas come with a basic OS and basic versions of Word, Excel and other software, but to get true usability, you need to "Pimp" your pda with 3rd party software and hardware.  The same is not necessarily true with desktops and laptops, as Microsoft eats up their competition by offering free or low cost alternatives in order to knock the competition out.  That’s how IE came about.  But that doesn’t stop people from upgrading anyway.  But what about cars?  What are manufacturers doing to add extra revenue to their bottom line?

Cars used to come with basic radios and vinyl seats and not much more.  The first thing we did was tear out the radio and put in high end systems.  Then we’d install mag wheels and wide profile tires, add racing stripes, gauges, stiffer suspensions and basically reconfigure the entire car.  Try doing that now.  The radio is often connected to the hvac system, making it difficult, if not impossible to remove.  Most cars often have alloy wheels already.  The manufacturers are now packaging tons of options together, not leaving you with many ala carte choices.

On the other hand, the car makers saw the writing on the walls in the 70′s when everyone was buying their cars and "Pimping" them, and decided they wanted to profit themselves.  They began offering "dashboard electronics", otherwise known as "telematics."  First it was just FM stereo with 8 track, then casette, then cd.  Now you can get back up cameras, a car that parallel parks itself, heated and cooled seats, vcrs, DVDs and plenty more.  What was once for the wealthy only, is now available for everyone. 

"The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that U.S. factory-to-dealer sales of in-vehicle technologies will rise to $9.6 billion in 2007 from $8.5 billion in 2006."

To be sure, these options bring huge dollars to the bottom line.  GPS, for example, will usually cost about $2000.  A standalone system could be purchased for 1/4 of that.  But that large price tag is often bundled with other items like a high end Bose Sound system and a Sunroof for a total package price of $5000 to $6000, so a customer doesn’t really know what they paid.  Had they upgraded on their own, they would have saved plenty on the price and finance charges.

Generally, the latest technology starts on the high end makes and works its way down.  At least in the past it was that way.  But the market is now driven by young, techie, geeks.  So even entry level cars offer bluetooth wireless handsfree sets, iPod auxillary jacks, high end surround sound systems, and other tricked out doodads.  

If you pimp your own ride, you have to deal with all the wires and the mess.  The car makers do a nice, professional job.  And it’s all warranteed.  In the old days we used to drive around with bondo and say we were working on our cars.  Now they’re prepimped.

Read more about it here

[tags]pimp my ride, bluetooth, ipod, jamm, just another mobile monday[/tags]