Not too long ago we showed you a custom dream garage composed mainly from IKEA-sourced components, but this custom garage is something else entirely…. Check out the video to experience 40 seconds of envy-inducing bliss.
Have a custom garage or cool video share? Let us know in the comments!
Tablets are not the wave of the future – they are the essential tool of today. Since the debut of the Microsoft Tablet PC roughly a decade ago, technology has come a long way. The first universally accepted tablet was the iPad. Soon after Toshiba, Samsung and Blackberry hit the market with their own tablets, making this revolutionary and easy-to-use technology widely accessible to the general tech-toting public. They have quickly become an every day tool, acting as a replacement to cameras, computers and, of course, the standard pad of paper – their uses are practically endless. How would you unleash the power of the tablet?
Hours of Entertainment
Let’s face it – most of us with a tablet use it for entertainment purposes. But, as we know, there’s more to do than simply browse the web. The android app Musical Pro can turn your tablet into your own mobile piano, guitar or ukulele (okay, maybe not the latter), and sounds so realistic your friends might confuse you for Mozart or Jimmy Page. Well, maybe not that good… but you get the picture.
Tablets can also be integrated into your daily drive, allowing you to play your entire music library on every car ride. From Beiber to Bach, using Bluetooth will allow Pandora or Spotify streaming right from your car. Tablets can provide hours of entertainment for kids as well, with games like Ant Smasher, Steamy Window and of course, the classic, Angry Birds. Currently, the Android Market has over 250,000 apps and over 4.5 million downloads. The ratio of those apps that are used to distract from actual work was not readily available; but we imagine the number is fairly large!
At the Office, In a Meeting – You Name It!
Businesses are riding the tech wave with Kelly Slater-like precision, and are integrating tablet usage into their everyday business regimen. Many restaurants are using various menu applications, trading their usual paper menus for the tablet. This allows for a better and more dynamic customer experience – and possibly a higher tab after you wolf down your porterhouse!
Retailers are using tablets as a way to educate their customers about their product when they are knee deep in other people, which keeps those customers engaged. We’ve even been known to use tablets for presentations on-the-go to create a more interactive meeting. Some of the more tech-savvy Real Estate agents use tablets to show homes available rather than traveling from house to house. How does this affect their commission? I don’t have the answer… but it sure makes house viewing exciting!
Now that we’ve shared some creative ways to use them, it’s your turn. How would you put a tablet computer to use? Share your ideas!
Looking to buy? Check out our line of tablets here.
At Car Toys, your opinoins and feedback are important to us, and we read every comment card, email, web comment, and letter submitted by our customers — we really appreciate the feedback and suggestions. It’s helpful to know what we’re doing well so we can continue on that path, but also helpful to know what we may not being doing well so we can continue to tweak our programs and training for a better customer experience. Continual improvement for maximum positive customer experience is something Car Toys takes a lot of pride. It also helps when you hire the right people, too, which is what I want to highlight today.
Car Toys customer “D.W.” (name withheld by request) stopped into our Lewisville location to upgrade her car stereo with a unit that featured Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and also decided to get her car detailed. Install Manager, Damian Arcibar also noticed that the customer’s radiator was leaking and went above and beyond to make sure she was taken care of, including avoiding a costly tow and storage fees, and even making sure her car was safe and secure while she recovered from an unfortunately timed car accident!
Kind Words from Car Toys customer, D.W.:
“I was directed to you by the HR Department. I am writing to let you know about exceptional above-and-beyond service that I received at one of your stores. This occurred a couple of months ago, and I have been out of the country for a time, but it is never too late to say Thank you and to recognize good work.
I recently purchased a vehicle, an older model Mercedes. I took the car to the Car Toys store in Lewisville, TX, with the intent of upgrading the stereo system and adding a bluetooth phone device. I received excellent and attentive service from the staff and found the system in the price range that fit my needs. In addition, I spoke with Damian Arcibar, the installation manager, and also decided to have the detail service on my vehicle. I left the vehicle overnight and Damian and his team installed the new system and also completed the detail service. I was amazed at the results of the detail service! The vehicle looked like it was freshly painted, all of the odors from the interior were gone, all the stains on the carpet were gone, the leather interior was very clean, the headlight covers looked like new. Exceptional job and very worth the price. The stereo and hands-free phone system were also installed well and looked and performed great.
That alone is enough to warrant excellent service, but my story does not end there.
While my car was waiting at the Lewisville shop for me to pick it up, Damian noticed that my radiator was leaking. He immediately called to let me know. Damian, totally of his own accord, took time to do a quick check of the radiator and discovered that the seal was broken and all of the water was gone. Of course this made the car un-driveable. I was at a loss as to where to have the vehicle repaired. Damian knew that a repair shop was very close to his store there in Lewisville. When I arrived to get my car, Damian took his personal break time from work to escort me to the repair shop to ensure that I made it safely. He also waited with me while the mechanics looked at my car and gave me an estimate on the repair. Unfortunately the news was not good and the radiator had to be replaced. I decided that I would have another garage do the repairs, but I was still at a loss as to what to do with the vehicle in the meantime. To save me the expense of having the vehicle towed, Damian offered to house my car at his shop overnight until I could get a wrecker to tow the vehicle or find a repair shop close by. I accepted his offer, and he followed me back to the shop to make sure I made it safely.
All of Damian’s actions were far above and beyond just customer service, but kindness and chivalry on a personal level. But again, my story does not end there.
I left my car at Damian’s shop and a friend was taking me home. On the way home, we were in a very severe car accident; hit from behind at a high speed by a driver who was texting! We both suffered significant injuries and my friend’s car was destroyed. Due to my injuries, I was not able to return for several days to pick up my vehicle from the Car Toys shop. I notified Damian of what happened and he assured me not to worry and that they were happy to keep the vehicle until I was able to return for it. After several days I was able to finally pick the vehicle up and get it to a repair shop.
This whole series of unfortunate events caused my vehicle to remain at the Lewisville store for approximately a week. To say “thank you” is grossly insufficient to truly express my appreciation to Damian and all of the team at the Lewisville store who went so far above mere customer service, but gave of their own time and their personal assistance to help me get through a very challenging time. It is important that Car Toys know what an exceptional team they have at the Lewisville store and I strongly urge you to recognize their service in a special way.
With sincere thanks and regards,
D.W.”
Have a story to share? Email us! We’d love to hear from you.
Survey any car audiophile (that elite group of car audio consumers that live, breath, and sleep pure sound quality in their vehicles) what are some of the top brands that feed their addiction, and Focal is sure to come up in the discussion. And not only does Focal manufacture top shelf car audio gear, they also have one of the most amazing lines of home audio speakers that sounds even better than it looks.
I’ve opted for Focal car audio gear in my car for almost 10 years straight and have never found anything that quite matches the pure sound quality, the amazing accuracy, or the awesome reliability. And that’s how the owner of this Mercedes CLK500 felt when he stopped by our Jantzen Beach location for an upgrade to his prized German sport coupe. No compromises and nothing but the best.
Sparing no expense, the owner opted for Focal’s Be series speakers to drive all four corners. The Be series features the same drivers found in Focal’s uber-Hi-Fi line of home loudspeakers, including theUtopia III and the Grand Utopia, which carry a hefty price tag upwards of $180,000 (yes, you read that right…).
The CLK’s front stage is made up of Focal’s premium Be Nº 7 system, a three-way component speaker system featuring a 6.5″ W-cone woofer, 3″ W-cone midrange, Focal’s amazing and unique TBe Beryllium inverted dome tweeter, and the audiophile-drool-inducing customizable Crossblock passive crossover network.
Jantzen beach installer-extraordinaire Brandon Lenzi placed the 3″ mid and TBe tweeter into the Benz’s a-pillars to keep the sound stage high and centered, molding the drivers into the OEM panel for an OEM fit and finish. To help center the stage even further and maintain the surround-sound capability of the OEM Mercedes radio’s Logic 7 processing, a center channel component system was fabbed into the factory location featuring drivers from the Be Nº 6 system and painted in factory-matched black gloss.
The rear stage was tackled next, opting for the Be Nº 6 system 6.5″ two-way component system, which includes the same amazing 6.5″ W-cone woofer paired with the TBe Beryllium inverted dome tweeter. The system was molded into the rear to maintain the clean factory-look, while still tastefully presenting the individual componentry.
With incredibly pure sound belting out from all four corners of the Benz, the next step was to add a bit of bump and bottom-end to round out the frequency range. Three Focal K2 Power 10″ subwoofers handle the lows, installed in a custom fiberglass sub-tub mounted in the spare tire well. The panels were trimmed in factory-matched vinyl to carry on the clean OEM theme into the trunk, but he also added a little flash for when the owner wants to show off a bit. The entire sub system is covertly hidden under the factory trunk liner, but peel it back and an amazing acrylic grill is exposed, featuring an etched classic Mercedes Tri-star logo that is backlit via blue LEDs.
This system requires quite a bit of power, and all of the speakers and subs are powered by a bank of compact Alpine PDX amplifiers. Thanks to their petite footprint, Brandon was able to maximize his power in the convertible’s tight trunk space. The front Be Nº 7 component system’s Crossblock sits conveniently on the left side of the trunk for easy tuning access.
Overall the system is not flashy; it’s pure and clean, just like the amazing sound emanating from the speakers. We were honored to learn that Focal featured this install on their website. It’s just one example of the amazing work Car Toys can perform in your car. Whether it’s a simple radio or Bluetooth hands free kit install, or an over-the-top, budget-busting, transformagical work of art, we’ve got your needs covered. After all, Car Toys is The Better Way to Go…. Stop in and let us show you why.
Rockford Fosgate just announced a killer contest where one lucky winner and a guest will get the opportunity to spend a day with Pro Motocross Racer Ryan Sipes. Interested? If you win here's what you get:
Not a bad deal, eh? Unfortunately, I don't qualify since I work for Car Toys, but you can still enter to win! Follow this link to learn more and sign up.