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      05-26-2014, 01:31 PM   #1
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Angry Infotainment

Let me preface this post with a few facts:

- This is the second car that I've ever owned (first was a Honda Civic where a 6 CD changer was the most technically advanced equipment it had).
- I'm 28 and have never known a time without computer technology.
- I'm used to having user friendly and well done pieces of software/hardware (iPhone, iPad, iMac -- yes I'm one of those people, but this would apply to other companies like Google, etc.)

I got the tech package and I'm glad I got it for the features that it does have. However, it feels like the technology is a decade old. Like I'm still using a pre-iPhone cell today. I mean it's just crappy stuff. I know this isn't isolated to BMW, Tesla is probably the only car maker that has a to-par infotainment system.

Does this frustrate the shit out of anyone else or is it just me? The nav/maps are average at best (still better than nothing), BMW Apps essentially sucks. I like the Bluetooth capabilities for music and calls, but that's really nothing special.

Just seems like there's a giant amount of room to go tech wise with cars. I have decent hopes for things like CarPlay but I'm sure that it's not going to be able to retrofit into this model (at least not without spending a bunch of $$$).
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      05-26-2014, 01:55 PM   #2
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Its miles better than the majority out there, I think if you had a larger sample size you might not find it so dated. Besides, what more do you really want out of a car's entertainment system?
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      05-26-2014, 02:04 PM   #3
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You should see all the complaint on Fords. I agree that my iPhone has more smarts than my car but my expectations were low.

It bothers me more about the poor quality stereo that comes with these cars.
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      05-26-2014, 03:12 PM   #4
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I understand what you mean. That is the reason I did not get the tech package -- if it does not exist, nothing to complain about. But even some of the music - phone and other iDrive stuff are pretty counter intuitive in terms of the UI.

However, I have a nice phone that does that for me, and enough gadgets that excel at what they do with state-of-the-art engineering. The technology that needs to exist on a car, and engineering that needs to go into making it a great driving experience, is there in this car, obviously almost all of it is geared towards the driving pleasure and not how we sync our phones to it.

Now if my phone had as crappy a design as some of these infotainment systems, I would be pretty mad, because I cannot drive my phone at sharp corners with a ton of power and great handling

With that thought it mind, it doesn't bother me.
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      05-26-2014, 03:14 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cmak10 View Post
I got the tech package and I'm glad I got it for the features that it does have. However, it feels like the technology is a decade old. Like I'm still using a pre-iPhone cell today. I mean it's just crappy stuff. I know this isn't isolated to BMW, Tesla is probably the only car maker that has a to-par infotainment system.

Does this frustrate the shit out of anyone else or is it just me?
Completely agree.

As a software developer, I'm *extremely* sensitive to this.
I've posted re this on a number of other posts. It's stunning to me that a state-of-the-art vehicle that can muster 300+ hp and has 10-way adjustable seats can also have a tech center that feels like a 2005 Nintendo GameBoy.

A base iPad has monumentally better tech power, flexibility, upgradability and usability than iDrive...and costs less than carbon fiber interior accessories. <cough!>

All the pure gear heads will say it's "good enough" and we're supposed to be focused on the driving.

Road apples.

For the ultimate driving machine, I want it all. I don't want to feel like I've just stepped into some way back machine from 2003.

Fundamentally, the car companies have to realize that they suck at making some things. Rather than trying to *build* everything, they should find good partners that do certain things better than them. They did this with tire mfrs decades ago. Michelin, Dunlop and others make great tires and allow BMW to focus on the car.

Simply do the same with tech. Allow Apple, Samsung and Google to handle the stuff BWW sucks at and more importantly make it *changeable* so as improvements get better, it's easier for car owners to update the technology components themselves. Gluing the tech into the dash is akin to welding in THE piece that will be obsolete the fastest. BMW isn't the only mfr with this issue. Most do the same.

Thankfully there are some improvements coming that will revolutionize things a bit:

http://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/
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      05-26-2014, 10:14 PM   #6
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This is why i dont waste money on tech, nav packages...maybe on a lexus but never on a bmw
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      05-26-2014, 11:07 PM   #7
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This is precisely why I passed on tech/premium/nav/HK.

The Canadian stock config really hit the sweet spot for me (leather, enhanced bluetooth, extended inst cluster, cold weather pkg) which made passing on the tech and premium very easy. After reading many reviews and driving my car for a month, I regret nothing; not even the $30 I spent on Amazon for the y cable for my iPod. You really should have stock smartphone and iPod connectivity in a car like this. Shame, shame, shame.
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      05-27-2014, 06:26 AM   #8
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Add your own tech then!

If you want more tech, add it. For more gauges, a bluetooth elm device and a $6 app will give you a boost, volt, water temp and more gauges. DVDinMotion will unlock the dvd screen to play dvds and video from usb. Add an rca input and run a carputer to the main screen. Money and time is all you need!

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      05-27-2014, 12:50 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bladeomatic View Post
Completely agree.

As a software developer, I'm *extremely* sensitive to this.
I've posted re this on a number of other posts. It's stunning to me that a state-of-the-art vehicle that can muster 300+ hp and has 10-way adjustable seats can also have a tech center that feels like a 2005 Nintendo GameBoy.

A base iPad has monumentally better tech power, flexibility, upgradability and usability than iDrive...and costs less than carbon fiber interior accessories. <cough!>

All the pure gear heads will say it's "good enough" and we're supposed to be focused on the driving.

Road apples.

For the ultimate driving machine, I want it all. I don't want to feel like I've just stepped into some way back machine from 2003.

Fundamentally, the car companies have to realize that they suck at making some things. Rather than trying to *build* everything, they should find good partners that do certain things better than them. They did this with tire mfrs decades ago. Michelin, Dunlop and others make great tires and allow BMW to focus on the car.

Simply do the same with tech. Allow Apple, Samsung and Google to handle the stuff BWW sucks at and more importantly make it *changeable* so as improvements get better, it's easier for car owners to update the technology components themselves. Gluing the tech into the dash is akin to welding in THE piece that will be obsolete the fastest. BMW isn't the only mfr with this issue. Most do the same.

Thankfully there are some improvements coming that will revolutionize things a bit:

http://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/
Totally agree. I absolutely think that they need to bow out of the infotainment arena and partner with a real tech company (like Tesla looking to work with Apple on many things, batteries, tech, etc.) so they can focus on everything else that they are good at. I love 99% of everything else with the car. I'm really hoping CarPlay will be available for a retrofit. I think that the iDrive touchpad/turnwheel/knob/whatever-it's-called would actually work really great with it.
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      05-27-2014, 01:40 PM   #10
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I have all of this in my X5 right now and never really use it, so I skipped the Technology Package in the 2.

This isn't a BMW specific thing; it's the entire auto industry. The auto manufacturers will tell you they design their cars years ahead of time, they need to consider parts availability for 1-2 decades, etc. but at the end of the day you still feel like you're looking at a circa 2006 smartphone screen.

If it's any consolation, the BMW system used to be worse (slower, lower resolution graphics, etc.) and other manufacturers have their own set of issues (I see complaints about Ford's SYNC system often, for example).
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      05-27-2014, 02:07 PM   #11
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When going to BMW I never bought it for its technology like NAV, phone integration and things in the that realm. I looked at BMW as a drivers car. Performance first then the amenities like a cup holder and technology. Just my opinion. Its the main reason I chose a BMW over others. I looked at Mercedes as the comfy amenities type of car.
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      05-27-2014, 02:52 PM   #12
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If you go into a BMW tech package expecting to get an iphone or android-like system with similar features, you're going to be very disappointed, much like I was. However, if you go into the package expecting it to do everything you normally want to do (and should do, let's keep in mind you shouldn't really be reading news or texting) while driving, it pretty much does it and without much fuss. I will say that the more time I've spent with the tech system, the more pleasing it has become, but the initial shock going from android to BMW Connected hurt. I'm very outspoken about how it could be better and how disappointed I am that there is no bmw remote android app for the US, but the tech package additions were must-haves for me as a techie and I feel like they were worth the money.

I especially like the bigger screen along with the coded DVD in motion. Now if I could only find out how to code in the USB video feature so I can watch videos from USB on long road trips. That's what I'm working on currently.
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      05-27-2014, 03:36 PM   #13
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Wishful thinking but I'd like to see a retrofit to support Apple Carplay.
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      05-27-2014, 07:01 PM   #14
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I'm really hoping CarPlay will be available for a retrofit. Hope springs eternal but no chance. These are deeply integrated systems not just radios.

"I especially like the bigger screen along with the coded DVD in motion" Mine has the usb working as well.
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      05-27-2014, 08:24 PM   #15
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USB video?
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      05-27-2014, 11:52 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjposner View Post
These are deeply integrated systems not just radios.
Agreed.
However the VAST majority of computing power & programming centers around the infotainment features. Trust me, the nav system talking with satellites re traffic conditions is way more complex than dimming the car stereo for an incoming call. And getting the oil level to display is Tinkertoy stuff

Take away all that BMW labor spent poorly trying to replicate iTunes, Google Maps, & Contacts and instead put that effort into building car settings that can be controlled via a smartphone app. These apps could be built for multiple flavors of phones. They could be shared between cars, backed up on your computer and (best of all) they could be updated by the end user to fix bugs or release new capabilities as they occur.

They should build a simple little menu display that would allow making vehicle setting changes without a phone. This would give some measure of future proofing the cars, should an iPhone or Droid not be available in 10 years.

But now every time you purchase an album, change a phone number or buy a new phone, you're car has the latest/greatest with you.

It's all going to happen, it's just that the traditional car companies have been slow to move on it. Look for upstarts like Tesla & tech giants like Apple & Google to spearhead this new technical shift in the driving experience.
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      05-28-2014, 06:18 AM   #17
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Bladeomatic, if it is a simple screen that shows or mirrors the phone how are they going to justify a $2,500 tech package. Not going to happen. BMW does allow for "software updates" and nav updates, so not completely blocked to future improvements. My early 2011 BMW build's system was slower and less feature rich than my 235is.

With dvdinmotion, video on a usb stick (not iPhone) is playable on screen.
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      05-28-2014, 07:15 AM   #18
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i have pro nav (UK version of tech package) and like it alot. Nav is great, maps are clear, 3D view is great in cities, its quick to pick up traffic issues, very accurate. Split screen junctions is great, turn by turn on the black panel display between revs and speedo is great.

Music wise its good, holds my music, lets me browse and find other music by genre. shows me album artwork.

Other features, news is good, weather is useful.

Dont see what the issue is really.
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      05-28-2014, 08:36 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjposner View Post
With dvdinmotion, video on a usb stick (not iPhone) is playable on screen.
Oh that's awesome. Do you know what files it will play or is that documented somewhere?

Side note: I'm reading elsewhere that it only plays mp4's... anyone know a good free video converter?

Last: found a good one, http://handbrake.fr/

Last edited by darkerosxx; 05-28-2014 at 08:46 AM..
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      05-28-2014, 04:19 PM   #20
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There was an article earlier this month regarding BMW/MINI and CarPlay integration. Nothing definitive, but more of a opinion piece suggesting that BMW is going to continue dev testing with all technologies, but would probably wait until things settle before making any changes. You have to respect the fact that they've spent what is I'm sure millions to develop iDrive.

While iDrive isn't perfect, I find it easy enough to use and much better than trying to mess around with my phone while I'm on the go. That being said, I still go to my phone to find places I'm not familiar with, like if I need to Yelp a restaurant nearby. POIs are not going to be up to date on iDrive, nor do they give me an idea of whether it's any good. Waze is another example of phone being better than iDrive navigation, although I use the two of them about 50/50.
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      05-28-2014, 06:02 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darkerosxx View Post
Oh that's awesome. Do you know what files it will play or is that documented somewhere?

Side note: I'm reading elsewhere that it only plays mp4's... anyone know a good free video converter?

Last: found a good one, http://handbrake.fr/
Tested and working. Thanks mjposner!
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      05-28-2014, 10:32 PM   #22
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yawn. effing millennials. keep your eyes on the road. save your tech whining for outside the car.

sorry, but the crying about vast amounts of tech that have no use while driving are totally irrelevant to me. give me nav and Bluetooth music and calling caps and that's all I need while driving.

USB video? seriously? why?
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