Kenwood is now shipping two of its 2011 navigation/radios with Pandora control under its Excelon line.
The DNX9980HD is Kenwood’s first radio with Pandora control and built-in HD Radio. It works with a Pandora app on your iPhone.
It’s one of 9 Pandora car radios by Kenwood first announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
At $2,000 suggested retail price, the 9980 also gives you Garmin navigation showing advanced 3D graphics of buildings including some photo-real images. You also get free live traffic. With an optional OBDII module—the KNA-EC100—you may receive vehicle diagnostics and gas-use information. Voice control lets you switch modes, make phone calls and find music and video files. You can also connect more than one iPod or iPhone.
The 9980 uses a high res WVGA 6.95 inch touch screen and supports iPod video and USB video plus DVD video. It also has built-in Parrot stereo Blueooth and a split screen navigation view so you still see on-screen video controls while navigating.
You lose the built-in HD Radio on a new $1,200 DNX6980 navigation/radio–also now shipping–but you still get Pandora control, Garmin navigation and built-in Parrot Bluetooth. The double-DIN 6980 has a 6.1 inch WVGA LCD touch screen, split screen views and optional HD Radio (as well as satellite radio).
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