You already know about Bluetooth in the car for hands-free phone communication. Now comes a pair of car stereos with Bluetooth, not just for cell phone connectivity but also for wireless connections to music players: the Pioneer DEH-P9800BT ($550 street) and Premier DEH-980BT ($570).

Don't worry about reports elsewhere on the hot new Pioneer DEH-P810 that's so neat it's only offered to the Japanese home market. The DEH-P9800BT and DEH-980BT have the same key Bluetooth functionality, and the 256-by-64-pixel OLED display on our units is in English.

These two units are single-DIN (the common 2-by-7 inch opening for removable car radios) and can receive streamed Bluetooth audio via the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP). A handful of MP3 players have Bluetooth and support A2DP, such as the Samsung SBH300, as do some Bluetooth cell phones with music-playback capability (look for A2DP in the features list). Anycom Technologies offers a $120 iPod-to-Bluetooth adapter called BluNA.

Both Pioneer stereos have the usual music-playback abilities: They can handle standard CDs, as well as MP3, WMA, and AAC files. Also, you can plug in Sirius or XM Satellite Radio modules or a direct-connect Apple iPod; with any of the three, song and artist information appears on the 16-character display.

Bluetooth cell phone features include caller ID, hands-free operation (of course), and a voice-activated phone book. A rotary control handles many of the player and radio functions, partly resolving the issue of tiny buttons that are hard to use. The faceplates of the two stereos are virtually identical.

The difference between the two U.S. units is that the DEH-980BT has automatic equalization and a two-year (not one-year) warranty, for an extra $20. The prices may seems high when your garden-variety CD/MP3/WMA car stereo with satellite radio connectivity is less than $250, but adding a Bluetooth car kit (not just an earpiece) can run $300 for the kit and installation.

If you want to impress your date, either with how cool your car is or with mesmerizing sparkles, the 65,000-color OLED display can be tweaked to show engine RPM as a graph with peaks and valleys; a triple gauge comprising RPM, system voltage, and a sound meter as simulated analog gauges; or a digital three-pack of tachometer, voltage, and audio wattage.