Long summer road trip?

Don't leave without these.

We're smack in the middle of summer driving season, and you've got enough to worry about, with jammed highways, high gas prices and two kids in the back seat getting Doritos dust on your leather interior. One thing you shouldn't have to sweat is the music.

Trying to find decent radio stations as you drive from town to town is so last century. These days, all you need is an FM transmitter and your MP3 player.

The new RoadTrip, available at griffintechnology.com for $99.99, plugs into your cigarette lighter and lets you charge and play your iPod/iPhone (including the new 3G S version) in the car. It's simple: Attach your iPod to the device and find an open radio station using the "auto-scan" feature. Set RoadTrip to that station, then listen to your tunes through the car radio.

RoadTrip lets you play your iPod through the car radio.

Unlike some FM transmitters or in-car iPod docks that use batteries or suck power from your iPod, the RoadTrip actually charges it while you listen -- an essential feature for long drives.

For cars with auxiliary jacks, try Griffin Technology's TuneFlex AUX SmartClick ($79.99). The direct line to the stereo provides crisp sound, and it comes with a remote control that attaches to the steering wheel so you won't drive off the road while switching songs.

-- Reed Tucker