Lesson 1: Don't buy the NewerTech RoadTrip! FM transmitter for iPod. (also, don't buy three of them!)

I purchased three of these things. Two RoadTrip!+ (for iPods with dock connector) models and one original model (for anything with a miniphono jack). RoadTrip!+ #1 worked fine for about a week and then fried the iPod. Fortunately, the iPod was still under waranty. After receiving a new iPod, RoadTrip+ #1 fried it too! The transmitter was under waranty, but that doesn't do you much good if NewerTech doesn't respond to your email or phone calls. And they don't. Fortunately, Otherworld Computing/Macsales.com has excellent customer service and exchanged the item after their standard 30 day period when I explained about my problems with NewerTech. Of course, the replacement item didn't work either. It charged the iPod, but did not transmit FM or even light up the power LED right next to the little sticker claiming that it had been checked for quality. At least it didn't fry the iPod again!

RoadTrip!+ #2 didn't fry any iPods, but had a faulty cable that caused intense static whenever it moved. And, being in a car, it moved all the time.

The universal (mini phono adapter) RoadTrip! never worked and had to be exchanged immediately. The replacment worked reasonably well, but still had cable issues. One out of five ain't bad!

I purchased these based on iLounge.com's high ratings, which were probably accurate. The FM transmission quality did appear to be pretty good. The problem is that NewerTech probably made sure to send iLounge a perfectly functioning model, whereas the rest of us get some really poorly made crap.

And, despite the big difference between the level of customer service at NewerTech and One World Computing, they appear to be the same company. Both macsales.com and newertech.com are registered to New Concepts Development Corp in Woodstock, IL.

Ideally, I'd love to get the $100 back that I paid for these three turds, but I'm so sick of dealing with this nonsense that I'll just let it go.

I'm now happily rocking a transpod, which is working flawlessly in the hopelessly cluttered airwaves of NYC.

Filed in tech shopping ipod