12V Dealer Hits Jackpot With iPad Mini

Since the one-store Florida-based Soundwaves of Tampa posted an iPad mini install video last week, the store has received so many calls it is farming out work to other dealers.

The shop has received requests for iPad mini in-dash installations from as far as Italy and Dubai, and all over the country, so it is directing some of the out of state inquiries to other dealers.

Soundwaves’ General Manager Rob DeCrane, said Tuesday morning, a local ABC News station is sending out a crew to do a TV news segment on the store and he was about to be interviewed by an Internet Radio station.

The shop is getting about 100 calls a day and has received about 500 emails since the YouTube video on an iPad mini install in a Toyota Corolla was released November 2^nd, about 2 hours after the mini went on sale.

DeCrane has 20 iPad mini installs lined up for the coming weeks (it had to finish a few large jobs this week) with some customers driving down from as far as Ohio and N.J.

The interest may be a sign that the iPad mini, with a 7.9-inch screen, may prove a popular product for the car; more so than the larger iPad.

“It’s not too much bigger than a standard double DIN…it looks more like an OEM radio. It’s definitely a lot better suited for an in-dash install that a full-sized iPad,” said DeCrane.

How was he able to custom design a dash kit only hours after the iPad mini was released last Friday?

“The night before we stayed up all night and prepped it based on the specs that had already been released. And one of our guys waited on line; he was first on line,” to purchase the tablet.

The Soundwaves’ video has received over 447,000 views to date on YouTube.

Here’s another iPad mini install video; this one from Driven Mobile Electronics, Chantilly, VA with an install in a 2011 Honda Insight.  We also reported earlier on this install from Soundman Car Audio.

Source: CEoutlook