splitfire

iTrader: (6)

the Nav in s550 is actually pretty good.. it has a **** in the middle and it is so easy to use i woudn't be suprise a 6yrs old kid can use it... i can drive with my arm resting and control pretty everything with that **** and with my eye on the road... after using for a while i can actually changing radio station with out looking at the screen and know where i'm at... but i know what you mean the older model MB's Nav suck@$$

Threxx

Siemens is German and is in the top 20 companies in the world by revenue.

Higher than any electronics company in Japan, I think.

Granted Siemens probably doesn't do much to do with nav interface, but then again neither do companies like sony and such in japan.

The only company that I know that do design current day OEM nav systems is IBM which does Honda/Acura.

I wouldn't be surprised if Pioneer does as well since I know they do a lot of aftermarket stuff and they do have relationships with OEMs... and they're japanese.

Just figured I'd mention Siemens...

cal_alum98

I guess it depends on the screen material... I don't really notice fingerprint smudges on the Lexus/Toyota NAV.

I much prefer a qwerty touchscreen interface over an ipod-like click wheel interface to input text. When I test drove the G37, the salesman tried to show off the NAV system's voice recognition, albeit with mixed results.

AzNMpower

I don't believe in touchscreen systems because they leave unsightly fingerprints and often require you to reach over and focus on pushing a screen that's in the middle of the dash, making you lose concentration. With a rotary **** and an eye-level screen (like iDrive), you're likely to be less distracted since you're not looking at where to put your finger. You can just roll your hand around without looking down, keeping your eyes on the road. Think about it. When you use a computer mouse, do you look at where your right hand is going? No, but rather you can focus on the computer screen, which happens to be in the line of sight of the road for vehicles like the MB COMAND and BMW iDrive.

Plus, I have my own issues with touchscreens...........I can't use them well at all.

cal_alum98

Actually, I find myself more distracted scrolling the wheel and trying to get the cursor in the right place before I click with each letter and number. With a qwerty interface, I already know the approximate location of every key and the amount of time spent looking at the screen is minimal.

When I use a computer mouse, I'm always looking at the screen to constantly track the cursor movement/position and don't have to divide my attention with the road ahead.

Threxx

I can see the advantage for lack of distraction when typing out names of streets and businesses going to QWERTY touch screen nav.

But otherwise when the number of choices is fewer, I think the non-touch interface with line of sight out the front window has the advantage for lack of distraction...

rominl

iTrader: (4)

please, lexus nav doesn't even allow you to put in destination while driving, but the german ones do. talk about safety?

and imho having controls/configurations for the whole car gives zero excuse for german to not have touch screen

Threxx

OK so if both allowed you to input while driving, the german interface would probably be safer. But instead Lexus doesn't let you input while driving, so it becomes ultimately the safest (excepting possibly prompting drivers to pull over at bad areas of the road or bad parts of town), but now becomes far less convenient. It's a trade-off either way.

XeroK00L

Well said.

Like I said before, my dream setup would be a combination of a touch screen interface and an I-Drive-like fine-tuning adjustments and an optional **** when fast scrolling is preferred.

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

Bosch as well

doug_999

I love it when people on this board knock something they don't have. As pointed out by numerous people on this thread and in past threads (myself included) after having both a touch screen system and a controller based system, we prefer the controller based system. Yet strangely enough, most of the people here who have only used the touch screen seem to prefer it to a system they have never actually spent time with..... Strange. (yes and try to keep the "but I tried it in my friends car and it sucked" comments to yourself...)

PS- even stranger is that some manufacturers seem to be moving AWAY from the touch screen to controller based systems (e.g. Acura)......

Mr. Jones

Siemens is a conglomerate
the name implies they are about electronics .

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortu...006/full_list/

Threxx

Some of their divisions extend outside the realm of technology. Most stay within. That doesn't really change much of anything.

LexFather

I mean people have their favorites but it is universally accepted by the experts in magazines the Japanese NAV systems are much easier to use. I believe Acura is the fav, followed by Lexus and Infiniti.

Has anyone EVER read a review complimenting on the use of Command or I-drive or anything with a **** or joy-stick?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

thank god i owned is300 before and recall it every day how much i don't like any controller. that's my preference and i am sticking to it.

and how "german interface would probably be safer"?