The sleek and sexy Alpine Blackbird can make driving fun and devoid of frustration (outside normal frustration parameters, anyway), by supplying powerful navigation, traffic and entertainment features.

With preloaded maps of the U.S. and Canada, a 16-channel GPS receiver and built-in traffic receiver that gives up-to-the-minute traffic updates, the Blackbird makes a case for its $750 price tag. After the free 90 day trial from NAVTEQ Traffic RDS, you do need to subscribe to continue getting real-time traffic, but the subscription is only $60 for the entire year. It also comes with an SD slot from which you can also listen to MP3's. The Blackbird device itself is only 8oz and can used as a handheld or it can be connected the to an Alpine in-dash DVD/CD player/monitor using the docking station (sold separately), and all functions and features are automatically transferred to the larger monitor.

You won't find me asking for directions, but I didn't really need to find my way out of that wet paper bag anyway. For everyone else in search of traveling assistance, the Blackbird makes for a stylish companion.