spwolf

apparently, some entune features will be disabled during driving ... surprise!!!
so hopefully that voice recognition works really well... people say it works good in ford, so no reason not to work in toyota too.

spwolf

yeah, i am not sure i love all of this integration... i have 3gs and ipad, and while they are good, they also have their issues which i would not like to see in the car!

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

'never' is a long time for one thing, but more importantly, it's the HARDWARE that will quickly become obsolete and unable to run things that newer phones and tablets will get.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

what if it could work with MANY devices and brands?

many drivers now (particularly very young) use their phone or ipod as their music source for the car, ignoring radio, cd, satellite, hard drive, etc. they also use it for nav, talking, searching, etc. all the things these complex dedicated car systems are beginning to do. i also think all the legal nannies and lockouts make these systems partially or completely suck.

TRDFantasy

But that would apply in any situation. If you had a dock in the interior for a tablet to run as a nav, that too would eventually become obsolete and you would HAVE TO buy a new tablet in order to stay modern. That is not even talking about the fact that a dock system opens up a whole can of worms in terms of problems. What if the tablet has a bunch of problems while docked? You think consumers would blame the tablet maker? Of course not, they would blame Toyota. Plus docking different tablets in the interior would give it an awkward and uneven look.

Point is, hardware always eventually becomes obsolete, and there is nothing you can do except buy new hardware to stay relevant. Software updates however will help keep the hardware relevant longer.

Entune will work with many phones and brands. Entune is very simple, you link your smartphone to the system, and done.

So far Ford's Sync has a high take rate and pretty high satisfaction from owners who have it.

It seems so far that the market has decided they like systems like Sync, so Entune should be similarly successful.

flyfishman

Anyone have any educated guesses as to which models will receive Entune first?

I am in the market for a 2011 Land Cruiser and afraid I will regret the purchase down the road if Entune (1) becomes standard (or option) on the 2012 and (2) is truly useful and upgradable. Given that the LC is such a low production vehicle, Im not sure whether it will be one of the first to receive Entune - although it is supposedly Toyota's flagship vehicle.

Also it has a DVD-based NAV, wonder how Entune pairs with that or if it matters?

It just miffs me to no end when Toyota puts out these generic open-ended statements - "Toyota Entune simplifies the interaction for customers and will be available in select vehicles this year."

spwolf

it will probably come with MY upgrades... Entune includes improved navigation as well, it is all in one system.

spwolf

also obviously entune costs more than old navis to produce, so there is an question if this cost is going to be passed to the customer or not...

Blackraven

haha all of this talk about internet in the car and automobile being fully connected to the internet made me think that perhaps one day, cars can be compromised by hackers

Hehe who has control of the vehicle now :P

*Batman*

Yes but it probably costs less than the old navi cost when the 3GS was first built in 2005. I think that is more relevant.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

that's true, but at least you could upgrade it, unlike current all in one car systems that are not upgradeable (h/w).

people already connect phones and music players via cables and bluetooth and yes, the integration is often buggy or bad, and yes, sometimes they blame the car, so this is nothing new.

a non-issue as standards like the current stereo DIN/double-DIN could be developed to give a consistent fit.

no, the point is (which you keep ignoring), you CAN'T upgrade the hardware on cars with fully integrated nav/stereo/climate/phone/etc. which is why i say i don't want it monolithic.

true, but car makers thus far have not added any significant features via software, just map updates and bug fixes generally. another reason i don't want in car nav is they still use car maps which with the internet is now stupid. yes, you could be out of 'coverage' area but the car can 'cache' data as needed. in fact, google is switching to vector based maps precisely for this reason (much smaller data, easily cachable, supports 3d views better, etc., etc.).

yes, and looking at a focus recently, it seems you can get sync WITHOUT navigation, which is a good thing!

tech changes much faster than the car industry, so things will evolve.

TRDFantasy

The new Prius V is one of the first vehicles that will get Entune. Next-generation Camry will get it as well.

Toyota said that "select" models will get the system this year, but did not elaborate. I assume Entune will spread to much more models next year.

I wasn't talking about standards though. I meant the look of the interior would differ. Different tablets have different styles and colors, and it would be impossible to get tablet makers to agree to a standard look for all tablets.

This is quite similar to people with aftermarket navs in their cars. Some look reasonable, others look silly.

We can only agree to disagree then. IMO the benefits of a fully integrated system outweigh the tablet dock system you mentioned. Out of personal preference, a lot of people wouldn't want a "dock" system anyways, similarly to how a lot of people refuse to buy aftermarket navs.

GS69

Exclusive Photos:
Is This InfoTainment System Taking Notes from APPLE?

Although many people were focusing on the Lexus booth for the awe-inspiring LFA and the customized 5 Axis project CT, 1 thing that many overlook are the details.

Agent 001 on the other hand, not so much.

While 001 was thoroughly checking out the Lexus CT200h by 5 Axis, he noticed that there was something unique about the CT's navigation screen. 1st off its a touch screen and secondly, its graphic user interface bears resemblance to an Apple product.

Note: in the shots down below the GUI has icons for Safari, iBooks, iTunes and MobileMe.

Coincidence? We're not entirely sure, considering the press release for the vehicle remains vague.

If Lexus launches this type of system in the next-generation fleet of vehicles, could this finally put an end to Ford's SYNC System reign?

An excerpt from Lexus' press release follows:

The new CT 200h will have a prominent place in the exhibit, encompassed in a “Darker Side of Green” interactive studio. The new CT 200h, the 5th hybrid in the Lexus lineup, achieves the luxury segment’s best EPA-estimated combined fuel economy of 42 mpg. It goes on sale this March.

The Chicago Auto Show will mark the debut of a highly-modified Five Axis Project CT that proves that hybrids can be aggressive. This CT 200h is complemented by a 5 Axis custom widebody conversion, JDSU “Dark Passage” paint, and custom black accents. It sits low on a TEIN Flex coilover suspension system and custom 19-inch FIVE:AD forged wheels. The Five Axis Project CT also features a custom Ultrasuede® EcoDesign™ interior, custom touch screen interface center console and a Stoptech High Performance Big Brake Kit on the front. Standout vehicles from last year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show that will also be on display include a customized LS600h L by VIP Auto Salon and a revamped RX 450h courtesy of tuner Paul Tolson, EST Styling...

BinaryJay

This is terrible. Facebook is the last thing in the world we need in our cars.

That being said, I am not surprised at all that it has happened. It still pisses me off though.

GS69

In the dash is probably safer than people driving while trying to look at their mobile phones for their friend's current status ... ?