Tech for Hitting the Road

Mobility is taking on a whole new meaning among gadget makers.

At this week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, auto makers and gadget manufacturers alike unveiled innovations to keep consumers connected, entertained and informed while in their cars.

Here's a quick glimpse at five devices coming to a dashboard near you:

Price: $500 plus monthly subscription

Starting this fall, watch live TV on the road with an Audiovox (VOXX) receiver that links to your existing in-car entertainment system. Partner Qualcomm (QCOM) (whose MediaFlo service currently provides live video to AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) cellphones) will pipe in 20 channels, including all major networks, CNBC, MTV and Comedy Central, among others. Subscription prices have yet to be announced.

Price: $8.95 a day or $62.65 a week 

In-car entertainment isn't limited to your own car. AT&T and RaySat Broadcasting Corp., in partnership with Avis (CAR), will offer the 22-channel CruiseCast satellite video service to Avis and Budget car rental customers beginning in late spring. Travelers will have access to a range of channels, including The Disney (DIS) Channel, Nickelodeon and CNN.

Prices to be announced

No need to endure the same cartoons the kids are watching in the backseat in order to stay entertained. The ENV-100's dual-zone ability lets you control your car's entertainment system screens independently. So your kids can watch SpongeBob while you use the navigation system to look up directions to the closest hotel. Features include WiFi, voice activation, DVD playback, text-to-voice email and GPS navigation, as well as full computing capabilities on the 160 GB hard drive. It's also Internet- and satellite-radio ready.

Price to be announced

Available in Europe this fall, these Internet-radio receivers offer access to thousands of stations world-wide. (You'll need an unlimited wireless data plan to connect.) The receiver also supports AM/FM and CD audio. Lexus and BMW are in talks to offer the radios as an option, according to miRoamer.

Price: $2,799

No need to break out the BlackBerry or netbook thanks to this in-car computer. Developed in conjunction with Microsoft (MSFT) and Intel (INTC), the Azentek Atlas uses text-to-voice to read incoming Outlook emails to you, and a voice recognition feature transcribes your spoken response to send back. It also offers web browsing, Wi-Fi, and GPS navigation. Look for it this spring.