steiner

I loved the touch screen and was really skeptical with the new NAV with the mouse thing. But after playing with it for 15 mins, I totally changed my mind. I immediately got a hang of it in the first few seconds because it came so natural. After five minutes I forgot it was a mouse. Felt just like me touching the screen. Part of it might be I used my computer mouse all day long (who has not?) so it came like second nature.

But I didn't like the graphics that much. However, it is an entirely different topic.

Steiner

encore888

I had a similar reaction, really there is little (or no) learning curve, or should I say, Lexus doesn't need to do any training for its customers because using computers has already trained us!

IMO the graphics have been simplified and made somewhat more plain, I think this has to do with the introduction of Remote Touch and how they wanted to emphasize how simple it was, but IMO it is not as pretty (at least the parts I saw) vs. the previous gen. However it is very simple and easy to navigate as a result.

steiner

I think it is a mistake to make the graphics more plain, like in this case. If you are sitting through a lot of PowerPoint presentations at work, you would get the feeling this is by an entry-level engineer. It has all of the essential information, but didn't know how to use colors and composition to make the information standing out to make itself a better interface. But then again, Lexus didn't have any common sense, as far as NAV was concerned, on the interface level before. Why should it change?

What I hoped they would do was to copy Blackberry interface and give the customers the ability to pull whatever they would use most to the top level of the menu, from underneath three or four leyers. They didn't seem to do that this time (at least I didn't see it).

In the old generation, it was very frustrating to switch Bluetooth to another phone. You have to know exactly what to do and navigate through several menus and layers. The whole process just didn't make any sense at all for situation of two drivers in the household sharing one car. My wife never got a hang of it and never could change it back to her phone after I switched to my phone. In the end, we leave it on her phone alone and whenever I drive I would drive without the benefit of having BT in a 45K car. (not to mention Lexus BT quality is crappy in the first place)

When I used the toillet, I put the seat up. Then my wife would put the seat down when it's her turn. BT phone selection should be that simple. That was customer dissatisfaction, and they didn't seem to know the weakness on a relatively new and key marketing feature.

DigMyM35x

I haven't seen the 2010 yet so no ppinion on it. I am very interested to see it though!

Steiner - wow, I thought I was the only one that had this problem (the BT NOT the toilet seat ). Very frustrating.

Can anyone confirm that they came up with a solution for the BT issue on the 2010 system? Seems simple enough - just set a priority like most of the other car co's in this class!

thanks!

Jay

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Do you still have to be stopped like the previous NAV system to imput?
If so,still a stupid set up.

meowmix52

Actually it's more of a safety feature. Inputting things while driving is dangerous because your eyes are off the road. Voice commands in all gens still work, however, and compensate for the lack of physical input.

encore888

Yes there is still lockout but supposedly the voice recog is updated for entry.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Voice command isn't that great(at least in the '09).The safety issue is lame.
Acura,Lincoln and others have NAV that can be used on the fly.
Portable units are much more of a safety issue,yet....

The G Man

Voice command is hit or miss. Did Lexus ever think of using that passenger seat weight sensor to determine if there is a passenger on board which can operate the nav safety, or is that not allow by the Lexus lawyers either

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Another looney safety thing by Toyota...

When a Toyota dealer installs a Toyota part remote start system,you start the vehicle with the remote start fob,you then when you hit the button to unlock the door and the engine shuts down only to have to start it again.
It seems stepping on the brake somehow wasn't good enough safety procedure..

ecount00

I say 'satellite radio 2' and the more often than not the car responds with 'setting temperature to 72 degress' or some such thing. voice commands are better than nothing while moving but they are very hit or miss and not a very good fix for a locked system IMO

RXSF

well that supposedly is changed on the 2010, because it now understands everything. casual language a well as a better voice recognition

The G Man

Does the 2010 RX understand Ebonics? No voice command system is a 100% and can undersatnd everything. The Acura voice command system is one of the best on the market and it still doesnt understand me all the time.

ecount00

No doubt the new Lexus system is perfect. Pass the cool-aid

98OysterES

iTrader: (4)

I agree the Acura system is superior to the one in the previous Lexus cars/SUVs ... i haven't played too much with the one in the 2010 RX yet, so time will tell. The system in my 05 TL is pretty good ... but still gets me wrong 10-15% of the time!