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XPower Powerpack 150 from Xantrex Technology Inc.

The new XPower Powerpack compact model is designed for use on the road or at home during emergencies

Xantrex Technology Inc. is making portable power easy and affordable with the introduction of its XPower Powerpack 150. Designed for use on the road or at home during emergencies, the Powerpack 150 is a portable device that delivers AC power anytime, anywhere.

The XPower Powerpack 150 has a single AC electric outlet to run items like 13" TVs, hand-held games, laptops, and lamps. For convenience and safety, the product has a built-in light. With a run time of more than 15 hours, the light is useful during an extended power outage, a weekend camping trip, or when jump-starting a car at night.

The XPower Powerpack 150 has built-in jumpstart cables and provides DC power to jump-start all four-cylinder and most six-cylinder engines. Unlike standard jump-start products, the Xpower Powerpack 150 offers the advantage of a safety feature that provides a warning if its cables are incorrectly connected to a vehicle's battery.

Other benefits of the XPower Powerpack 150 include:

Safe for indoor use Requires no installation or maintenance DC power port that can be used to run 12-volt products like mobile phones or air pumps True plug-in-and-forget recharging system that maintains optimal battery charge Battery status indicators that display the battery's charge level.

Recharging the XPower Powerpack 150 is a simple process. The unit can be plugged into a standard wall outlet using the AC charger. It can also be recharged from a vehicle's lighter socket using the DC charge cable included with the unit, or by using a solar panel.

The XPower Powerpack 150 has a suggested retail price of $79.99 US, which includes charging accessories, jump-start cables and a carrying case. It is available at leading hardware and automotive retailers throughout the US and Canada and online at www.xantrex.com.

Automotive CD Receiver with Fully Integrated XM Satellite Radio
 
For consumers looking to enjoy XM satellite radio in their vehicles, tuning in has never been simpler.   Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. and XM Satellite Radio recently announced the industry's first in-dash CD receiver with an integrated XM tuner.  With its smart, all-in-one design, Alpine's new CDA-9820XM receiver eliminates the need for a separate XM tuner box for easier installation and delivers best-in-class sound performance.  

Alpine's CES 2004 Innovations Award-winning CDA-9820XM features an integrated XM tuner module.   Previous configurations required a user to purchase an XM Ready head unit, separate XM tuner module and satellite radio antenna to enjoy XM's service in the car.   Now, a consumer can just make an easy purchase of the CDA-9820XM and the new XM Micro antenna (sold separately).

Alpine's new CDA-9820XM dramatically improves the consumer's ability to navigate and select XM channels through the use of its exclusive Quick Search ä technology, an intuitive user interface for quickly finding the desired channel or music category.   Alpine's proprietary Media Xpanderâ„¢ sound correction technology further enhances the music sound quality of digital audio sources.

The CDA-9820XM features a bright two color, eight character display, presenting users with information including XM channel number, name, category, song title or artist. Users can access XM channels via three bands and program pre-sets for up to 18 of their favorite channels.  An optional remote control enables users to directly input channel numbers for easy selection.

CDA-9820XM CD Tuner   

CDA-9820XM CD Tuner    Subwoofer level control Bass center frequency and width control Treble center frequency control Media Xpanderâ„¢ 2 PreOuts Quick Search navigation Ai-Net control 2 color, 8 character display Versatile Link ready Remote control ready Availability: January 2004 Target Retail Price: $349 50W Max x 4 / 18W RMS x 4 amplifier

For information about the CDA-9820XM, visit www.alpine.com

For more information about XM, visit www.xmradio.com.

The HotShot from Microheat

The HotShot for windshields is a lightweight, compact unit weighing just 1.1 lbs. About the size of a cordless telephone, HotShot is installed in the vehicle's engine bay and then connected to the existing washer reservoir tubes and the battery. The device is easily controlled from a separate fluid heater on/off switch placed on the dashboard.

HotShot produces heated washer fluid in about 30 seconds and sprays it onto the windshield. The hot-liquid stream dramatically improves driver visibility by successfully and efficiently cleaning what cold solvent cannot.

The Microheat HotShot:

-Removes ice, snow, frost; road chemicals, dirt, mud; and insects, bird droppings, and oil.
 
-Eliminates scraping with quick defrosting, defogging, and de-icing action
 
-Unblocks frozen nozzles and releases stuck wipers
 
-Extends wiper motor life and keeps wiper blades softer
 
-Releases stuck wiper blades and reduces chattering
 
-Uses all types of commercial fluids, cleaners or bug wash

Since the driver doesn't have to stop and de-ice the windshield, it also saves in downtime, a Microheat press release states.  Plus, there's no potential for accidents such as slipping off an ice-coated tire or fender to get to the windshield.

For more information on the Microheat HotShot and other products, visit www.microheat.com or call 248-489-2400.