Rarely do I come across a utility that is absolutely ridiculously easy to use, is efficient and just plain works. ISODisk is one of them.

ISODisk is so easy you’d think there would be more to it. This app simply mounts ISO images as drive letters, and creates ISOs from CDs or DVDs. There are no options in the software; it doesn’t need them.

For any drive letter not in use, you click the folder icon next to the letter, pick your ISO (I’m using PC-BSD distribution for my example above), close the app and that’s it. Want to have a whole bunch of drive letters as different ISOs all at once? Go right ahead. Want to unmount a drive letter or two? Just run the app again and click the red X (also shown above) next to the currently assigned letter.

For creating an ISO, click the tab "Create ISO from CD-ROM", choose the physical drive letter you want, click the small disk icon and an ISO is created.

When you download this, don’t be surprised at the super-speed you get it. The installation file is nothing more than a tiny 527k single EXE.

The only, and I mean only, drawback to this software is that it doesn’t work in 64-bit Windows Vista or 7. But it does work for all Windows 32-bit editions, including 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7. Being that most people are still in 32-bit world, this isn’t a problem.

It doesn’t get any easier or faster than this when working with ISOs. I give this app two huge thumbs up.

The typical tech people put into cars are music players, DVD decks, PNDs (personal navigation devices) and smartphones. And the most annoying thing is how to mount it.

You have seven basic options for mounting tech in a car:

1. Proprietary in-dash
2. Semi-proprietary in-dash
3. In-mirror
4. Gooseneck/Bracket
5. Suction mount to adhesive plate
6. Suction mount to glass
7. Friction mount (a.k.a. "bean bag" mount)

Here’s each one of these in detail.

Proprietary in-dash

This is any tech you buy that is specifically made for in-dash use and the most expensive of the bunch. Ordinarily you’re going to spend at least $400 (installation not included) for one of these setups. Better ones have a DVD player, GPS and options to pair to your phone via Bluetooth.

The major problem with tech of this type is that it suffers from the "last in line" curse. Any tech that is current now (such as on Blackberries and iPhones) won’t be available in the in-dash units until a year or two later. And by that time the tech is already obsolete.

Semi-proprietary in-dash

The difference between this and the fully proprietary in-dash setups is that certain pieces can be taken out and used elsewhere. The one seen above has a 4.3-inch TomTom GPS device that can be removed by a simple click-in/click-out (which means it can also be upgraded easily, avoiding some of the last-in-line curse). It also has a ton of other features. If I were searching for an in-dash solution, I would take this over the fully proprietary any day.

 In-mirror

A rear-view mirror that’s a touchscreen monitor? Believe it. The operating system is Windows CE and there are mounting brackets for Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford, Mazda and Chevrolet.

To note: These are not easy to acquire and are usually reserved for builders who buy 100 of them at a time. We’ll see tech like this become more readily available for consumers as time goes on, possibly in the form of a super-thin OLED screen that "sticks" to your mirror without having to swap it out.

 Gooseneck mount

Mounts of this type can either be held in place via a suction to the glass or drilled into the floor. You will either love or hate the gooseneck.

Suction mount to adhesive plate

This is the most convenient option for most people. Automotive GPS makers have got this down pat. For example, when you buy a Garmin GPS, it comes with a plate with adhesive that you can stick to the dashboard. Then you mount the GPS to it with its suction mount. Works well and is certainly better than putting it on the glass.

Suction mount to glass

Whether it’s a gooseneck or other type of mount, suction mounting to glass is an imperfect solution at best, mainly due to the fact it can "take a dive" without warning.

  Friction mount (the "bean bag")

This mount setup sits anywhere and has rubber padding under it to prevent sliding from all over the place.

Which is best for you?

For those who are cheap: Suction mount to glass. Readily available, easy install.

For those who have odd-shaped devices: Gooseneck with adjustable bracket. Ham radio guys have been doing this forever, because a mobile ICOM isn’t the same size as a Kenwood isn’t the same size as a Yaesu, etc.

BONUS TIP for hams: Consider using a gooseneck floor mount that attaches to the passenger seat bolt. No drilling necessary. Takes minutes to install. Cheap and rock-solid. Looks good, too.

For those that want the easiest to use: Use the friction mount. It can be moved from car to car easily and moved anywhere you like at whim. Bear in mind friction mounts come for a variety of different mobile devices including almost all cell phones.

For those that don’t like friction mounts: Use a suction mount to a plate. This is what I use personally because the bean bag liked to jump around when going over things like bumpy railroad tracks – even at slow speed.

For those that like to show off: Use the in-mirror (assuming you can even get one) or in-dash. But remember that this is a very permanent thing. All the rest can be moved from car to car, but not this method. Not easily, anyway. Once it’s in there, it’s really in there if you catch my meaning.

There’s a lot of people who have the desire to shoot video while driving, but then quickly give up the notion after realizing how much of a pain it can be. However it’s not all that difficult if you know how to do it in a safe way that doesn’t inconvenience you.

One way is to build a mount, like this:

There are a few immediate issues with the above method:

1. Both seats must be at the exact same angle in order for the bar to work.
2. Not everybody has a vehicle with headrests that extend (my truck doesn’t).
3. You have to physically fabricate the mount from scratch; it requires drilling, bolts, nuts and so on.

The second way – which is far easier – is to use a Flip secured tightly high on the passenger seat via a bungee cord wrapped around it.

I tested this and the result was surprisingly good.

(Note: The video below is admittedly boring. The point was to test shooting video this way to see if it would actually work.)

Although I didn’t get the angle quite right (it is pointing down somewhat), the video is clear and mostly stable. I purposely drove down a residential road with speed tables just to see how the Flip could handle bumps in the road video quality-wise, and it fared out much better than expected.

Flip camcorders do not record to videocassette but rather internal Flash memory, and has its own built-in USB connector for easy Flip-to-PC transfer. The newer HD models sell for $200, but the Flip Ultra (which is what I have) will record up to 30 minutes with its 1GB internal memory and retails for around $80 depending on where you shop. It also has the convenience of running off just 2 AA batteries. The 60-minute record time 2GB versions are 10 dollars more.

Also, there is the Flip action mount, however this may not work for in-car use (but does work great for bicycles and motorcycles).

So if you have the itch to shoot video from the car, now you’ve got some easy and moreover safe ways to do it.

To close out, here are things you should never do with camcorders and cars:

Holding a camcorder while driving. Dumb. Just plain dumb. It takes a hand off the steering wheel and concentration off the road. Bad, bad combination.

Putting a camcorder on the dashboard. Bad idea. Most of the time it will block your field of view and if there are any emergency situations where you have to make a hard stop or turn, the camcorder will go flying – and possibly hit you.

Mounting a camcorder near or on the rear glass. Blocks field of view in the rear direction. Bad idea.

Mounting a camcorder with suction cups to glass. Not smart. It will fall off. And yes there are some fools who have actually tried this.

If the camcorder is not secure, it’s just bad news all around. The steel bar method is rock solid. The bungee method keeps a Flip (and only a Flip or like type camcorder) very secured.

What about tripods?

A standard tripod is very bulky and will compromise the space behind the driver/passenger seats. In addition it’s not easy to set up at all.

The GorillaPod (in particular the Go-Go) is not secure enough for in-car use.

People see videos like these:

…and really want to do the in-car video thing. But trust me, this was not an easy setup. Not at all. Cool yes, but not easy.