When you like tech, bringing some (or a lot) of it into the car is a big deal. Here’s three ways to bring some or more of your electronic goodness into what you drive without breaking the bank.

Cigarette Lighter USB Adapter

Got something powered by USB that you’d love to have in the car? Use one of these little guys and it will fit the bill nicely. Cheap, too. Only 5 dollars. If you shop around enough you might even be able to score one for less than that.

Non-Slip Dashboard Mat

This little dashboard mat stays put and "sticks" whatever you place on it. They are made of material that is non-slip and "hold" things like cell phones and iPods. No installation required. Plop on the dash, put stuff on it, done deal. If one is not available at your local electronics store, try this eBay search. Prices are as low as 3 dollars. The better ones are washable.

Coffee Cup Power Inverter

Sure, you’ve seen power inverters for cars before that give you "three prong" outlets – but have you ever seen one shaped like a coffee cup? This one is, and it’s only 30 dollars. Sound like a lot? Not really when you realize how convenient this thing is. Usually when you plug in an inverter it is in a decidedly inconvenient spot, not to mention the inverter itself is large and might even scrape up against your leg while in use. This one has its own spot and it’s already in your car. Oh, and by the way, this also has a 500mA USB charging port on it too! You may not even need the cigarette lighter USB adapter above if you get one of these…

If you own a car, you know you have to do your required maintenance to keep it running well. Oil changes, tune-ups and repairs can be tricky to keep up with, especially if you have multiple cars. If you don’t already have a system in place for keeping up with this information, then check out the freeware program, Cars.

From the web site’s description:

Cars is a vehicle maintenance program.  With Cars, you are able to keep track of your automotive repairs and maintenance.  Reports are available in each section of the application.

You can read the full list of features as well as view a sample screenshot but there is nothing you expect to find as the program is pretty straight-forward. Again, if you don’t already have a spreadsheet  or some other way you manage your vehicle maintenance, Cars seems to be a great program for the job.

Oh sure, we all know about updates for computers. Updates for Windows, updates for OS X, updates for Linux and so on.

But how about a software upgrade for your car or truck?

General Motors cars have had PCMs (Powertrain Control Modules) for a very long time. In fact, the first GM car to get it was the 1990 Geo Storm (why they chose that car and not a Cadillac is anyone’s guess..) This is a programmable module that’s inside your vehicle.

If your GM car or truck is a 1996 or newer, you can easily check to see if there are available updates for the PCM at http://calid.gm.com. It costs nothing to check.

All you need is your VIN.

How to use:

1. Enter your VIN and click the “Get CAL ID” button.
2. From the next screen select “PCM/VCM Powertrain/Vehicle Control Module”, then click the Next button at the bottom right.

You will see any available updates for your GM vehicle. Each choice next to “Module:” is clickable. You only have to click once on each section to see what updates are there.

If you like, you can print out the pages, bring it to the dealership and have the updates applied. Cost varies greatly depending on what needs to be updated.

Can you apply these updates yourself?

Yes but it’s not recommended. While it’s true all you need is a laptop and an OBD-II connector cable, you will need to acquire the update and use special expensive software. Furthermore, if you fail to update properly, the vehicle will literally not start.

Updates of this type are best left to the dealership.