Technology changes fast, and today’s cars have so many new features compared to cars from earlier in the 2000s. There are things though that can help you retrofit some new gadgets to these older cars.

In an earlier That’s Cool segment, we talked about how you can bring a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa to your car.

Things like this really do rely on your cell phone, so my first gadget is the best wireless charger/vent mount for my cell phone that Joe has found so far. It’s called the Letscom Wireless Charger. If you want to use hands free navigation, you really do need to have your phone visible and charged. This gadget does a great job at both, while being safe and secure. Instead of prying something apart to hold your phone in place, it has a sensor that can tell when your phone is near and it has automatic clasps grab and hold your phone in place. And once in place, it stays there. The vent mount design is one that has not faltered once during testing. On this vent, this is the first one that I found to work without slipping. When you need to release the phone, there is a small button on the side and the arms come open for a quick release. This gadget gets a big two thumbs up.

The second gadget this week addresses cars that don’t have a backup camera which helps a lot with safety. You can add an after market system which is available at some of the Big Box stores, automobile dealers, and the automobile electronic dealers. These are the best and most reliable sources with professional installation. However, if you are thinking about something that is easy to add, you can try the Fensens license plate wireless backup camera. This easily installs around your license plate and charges with a solar panel. It sinks up with an app on your phone and there is an included button. The app does have some lag to it, and the button is iffy at best, especially with Apple devices. But the cheaper cost and ease of installation allows me to give this a one thumb up.