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iPod Your BMW Officially Launched
chasingporsches writes "Apple today announced the iPod Your BMW campaign on their front page. According to the iPod Your BMW page, 'Connect with music like never before behind the wheel of your BMW 3 Series, and X3 and X5 SAV, Z4 Roadster or MINI. With the installation of an integrated adapter developed by Apple and BMW, you can now control your iPod or iPod mini through the existing audio system and multi-function steering wheel. Which means no loss of power. No loss of sound quality. No loss of control.' There is also a QuickTime TV ad available for streaming. Apparently it only works with 2002 or later BMWs and Minis, and the iPod connects to a cable in the glove compartment."
As a MINI owner, I have been aware this has been possible for quite awhile. It was just done via a third party company who built a custom interface by hacking up the alpine i-bus CD changer interface.
:(
... oh well.
My fear now is that this company is getting ripped off of all their work by this venture with Apple and BMW.
I opted for Sirius over buying an iPod for hopes of having a greater selection in diffrent generes, but
Justin
sounds just like it
read about it here
it will allow the same thing this article talks about on alpine receivers. i can't wait for it!
i saw the baby, and the baby looked at me
BMW kinda got it half right. the iDrive has a knob, but rather than spinning it to scroll down menus you press it in certain directions--something much more suited to a joystick or just plain ol' buttons. that and the menu system is apparently horribly non-intuitive.
looking at this, though, it just seems like a hack of the radio, with the iPod's connection being in the glove compartment. ??? so now you have to lean over the passenger's seat (and maybe the passenger) to plug in the iPod if you took it out of the car. and god forbid you have anything actually IN the glove compartment that might get it the way. i think it would have been much better with some type of dock in the center armrest console.
I love apple. I'm a zealot, this is a cool thing for your BMW but read the fine print.
Only available for model year 2002, 2003 and 2004 BMW3 Series; Z4 Roadster; X3 and X5 SAV; and MINI models. Not available on vehicles with navigation system, CD changer, DSP cassette player or satellite radio. Installation performed by authorized BMW and BMW SAV centers only. Third-generation iPod (software 2.2 or later) or iPod mini (software 1.1 or later)
Yes... How many BMW owners don't opt for the CD Changer?
--------========+++Dont Feed The Lab Techs+++========--------
something like, oh, say,
:)
THIS?
i saw the baby, and the baby looked at me
>but you're just supposed to toss it in the glove box?
Well, if all the controls are integrated into the existing steering wheel controls, you really don't need the iPod in view; so best keep it in the glovebox for those 0.8+ g corners.
-- www.globaltics.net
Political discussion for a new world
For an example of real neat integration of an iPod in a car look at what smart did with the i-move
;-)
Although I must admit that I'd still prefer a BMW over Smart anytime.
If, like me, you have a Sony with a multi-changer control you can have both an iPod and a CD changer hooked up.
I highly recommend it
'Internet! Is that thing still around?' - Homer Simpson
Is the iPod also easily spotted through the glove box door? After all, that's where the adapter is. ;-)
---- The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. -Thomas Jefferson
Yes, you can control your iPod from the car's radio or steering wheel, but the integration leaves a lot to be desired. It works by emulating a 5-disc CD Changer. Hence you can have "five unique BMW playlists".
You will not be able to see the song name or artist on the radio's display. Nor will you be able to access any of the other iPod functions or features, such as browsing by name/artist/genre etc. You will only be able to FF and RW one of five playlists.
Apple and BMW should go back to the drawing board.