49 TECH TRANSFORMER...

Like me, if you own a car with a few years behind it, you won’t have the latest and greatest in-car tech. My Abarth will have a CD player (that plays MP3s - when was the last time you played an MP3?) and something called Blue-And-Me, which links a phone to the stereo and steering wheel controls. At the time, this was decent, but not anymore.

How do I get true hands-free calling, up-to-date maps, and Spotify blasting out of my tiny speakers? With a Bluetooth adapter, that's how.  

For just £20ish, I bought a Bluetooth receiver that plugs into the car's AUX port.

This receiver allows me to make calls, listen to directions from Google Maps, and blast the awesome Black and Gold and Red, White and Blue playlists I created in Spotify (click on the links for more information), all on a 12-year-old radio.

I added a USB Car Charger to keep everything juiced while I’m driving and a phone holder so I can see the map as well as hear the instructions being barked out.

For £40, I now have a decent little set-up, certainly enough to keep me updated and entertained while in the UK; I may need to consider my options when we make our trip, or I could end up having to sell a kidney to afford my mobile phone data bill when I get back to Blighty.