Stefan Mileschin

Remember the days of yore when carphones used to be attached to the car -- permanently? Accel Telecom wants to take you back there with the Voyager, an Android smartphone with car-centric functions that can stay put in your vehicle. To start with, the handset will feature a dedicated Waze launcher key for GPS navigation duties, and will also sport "high level noise reduction and echo cancellation," along with hands-free voice activation. Other features include a 3G-WiFi hotspot, a "driver-centric" design with large physical keys, multiple car-focused apps and "crystal clear, echo free sound quality." Interestingly, it'll also connect to your vehicle's on-board diagnostics system via RS232 or Bluetooth and ping you if any parts are about to break off. Accel told us that it'll launch Voyager in Europe and the US "with operators that offer a second sim device," to let you share your current phone number. There's no sign of pricing yet, but there is PR and a video after the break.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/18/a...id-smartphone/