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Apple Launches CarPlay At Geneva Show
An anonymous reader writes "Apple announced today a system called CarPlay, which integrates your iPhone with your car, with Siri voice control. CarPlay will be offered in Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo vehicles this year, and others 'down the road.' From the press release: 'CarPlay makes driving directions more intuitive by working with Maps to anticipate destinations based on recent trips via contacts, emails or texts, and provides routing instructions, traffic conditions and ETA. You can also simply ask Siri and receive spoken turn-by-turn directions, along with Maps, which will appear on your car’s built-in display.'
Siri, do a Heads Up Display and flash my strobe lights at oncoming cars so they crash.
Where is that exit *SMASH* oh.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
Apple seems to have invented what a lot of people have been using for years - a head unit with MirrorLink capability. How come it is suddenly wonderful?
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
Apple Maps! Just what I always wanted!
So now Apple will know everything you do, and that information will be accessed in secret by the spy agencies to know everywhere you've been and why.
Technology is ruining our lives.
"To activate Siri voice control, just press and hold the voice control button on the steering wheel."
My pet peeve. For Siri, why can't we just press it without the holding part? Come on, I'm driving here.
So will it be patchable through your phone, or will it severely lag behind phone development, like every other "Car OS" we've seen so far...
Magic doesn't work in my presence. My power of disbelief is too strong.
This is so innovative, that it MUST be Steve Jobs who invented this himself!
I'm just waiting for Clippy to pop up and say "I see you're having an accident. Would you like me to play a Funeral Dirge?"
On an Apple product? Seems unlikely... Perhaps on some other product.
The 3 auto makers offering it first are all high-end luxury brands. That means the "early adopters" are the same people who have plenty of disposable income to have already purchased superior options.
(Personally, if I had they money to be driving around a Ferrari, I would already have a really nice custom stereo system in it, which would surely have a dedicated GPS system in it. Why get stuck in a situation where you can't find some place you need to get to, just because you accidentally left your phone at home or at work?)
This integration makes a lot of sense, but I think the people who will get the most out of it are the masses driving inexpensive economy cars, minivans, pickups, and mid priced sedans or sporty cars. (Again, the wealthy have the means to pay for "concierge" services by phone where they can make requests of a live operator who answers. Why settle for an automated system like Siri?)
Not being an Apple customer, these three car brands now seem less tempting. Irrational, I know - the car is still the same, but there the feeling sits. Who'd want to drive an applecart?
This is probably not going to affect the amount of Ferraris I purchase, to be honest.
Didnt apple make a big fuss about google using the term "appstore"?
so google changes the name to "googleplay"
Now Apple decides to use the term "carplay"??? Let me guess, now a new lawsuit on google for using the word "play"
have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
fringe roaming as well where you don't have to leave the USA but you do pay the $20 a meg fee.
::head desk::
1. Apple maps is a joke and completely useless
2. considering how many people hate Apple, they're losing prospective customers for a $60,000 car for example because of one tiny feature.
This is going to bomb harder than any product I can think of recently.
I wouldn't buy a car that has this unless it also works with other phones.
I have a long history of pro apple posts. I'd just like to go on record saying this doesn't excite me at all. (neither does a watch)
The 3 auto makers offering it first are all high-end luxury brands.
Volvo cars aren't exactly priced in the stratosphere. Even their expensive offerings are still FAR cheaper than those from Mercedes and Ferrari. Volvo makes nice cars but they are mostly at the lower end of the luxury segment if you consider them a luxury vehicle at all.
Personally, if I had they money to be driving around a Ferrari, I would already have a really nice custom stereo system in it, which would surely have a dedicated GPS system in it.
A reasonable thing to do but why not have the option of layering on Siri or similar Android services in addition? I'd rather have the consumer electronics stuff handled by a consumer electronics company whenever possible. I have a GPS in my truck but it is woefully out of date, expensive and the graphics pretty much suck. Car companies are REALLY bad at updating firmware and they don't do enough product volume to get costs down to reasonable levels. When possible it makes a lot more sense to use something like a smartphone to handle many of these tasks.
(Again, the wealthy have the means to pay for "concierge" services by phone where they can make requests of a live operator who answers. Why settle for an automated system like Siri?)
Just because you have a bit more cash doesn't mean you want to spend it needlessly. Concierge services are expensive and most people who can afford a nice luxury vehicle didn't get their money by being frivolous with their cash. It's not an either/or proposition either. Personally I'd be more likely to use Siri (even with its deficiencies) than some high priced live service even if I had the money just because it would probably be an occasional use thing with me.
If you have this you better hope you have nothing to hide from the other people who might be in your car.
Siri: "I see that you have received a text from Ms. Longlegs with the address for the Super 8 motel, would you like directions?"
Siri: "I noticed that your most frequent destination is: Woody's Rub and Tug, would you like directions? Shall I make a reservation?"
Don't get me started. AT&T didn't end up charging me, but threatened to disconnect me for going over the roaming cap while I was in Yellowstone...while my phone displayed that it was on AT&T's network. They had to send some sort of network update to my iPhone, claiming customers preferred to see the AT&T logo while roaming until they hit the cap, of some such bs.
Of all the really ass-backwards, poorly performing parts of a modern automobile, the head unit has got to be one of the absolute worst. It requires a minimal, simple interface, and the ability to multi-task effectively. Even the aftermarket pieces which try to do a better job end up sucking horribly. Of all things that matter, Apple (I grudgingly admit) probably has the best chance to solve. MS sure isn't going to get it right (they've tried, and failed, no suprise). And most of the current miscarriages of technology are based on linux already.
But instead of taking over and dominating the head unit, they seem content to simply add a couple of buttons and a special BT interface for iPhone users. Shame, really.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
I don't know about you. The car I'm driving is 9 years old and it is still going strong. I will likely keep it for another 3-4 years at least. Gadgets don't last this long. I'm afraid it might work wonder now but in a few years it is an eye sore every time I get into the car. I wouldn't buy car comes with this kind of crap. Give me bluetooth and auxiliary jack. I'm satisfied.
First off all, most of the people who hate Apple are right here on your favorite website. Not exactly Ferrari / Volvo / Mercedes big customers.
And they wouldn't be "Ferrari / Volvo / Mercedes big customers" because? Tech workers don't exactly pull in Walmart employee salaries.
A more practical response is that CarPlay will likely be an *option* on Ferrari / Volvo / Mercedes cars. If you haven't drunk the Apple kool-aid and want something else, you'll likely pass on this option and go for one of the other many non-Apple options that have currently existed for years. As such, this announcement has little relevance for the tech savy Slashdot community.
Of all things that matter, Apple (I grudgingly admit) probably has the best chance to solve
Actually after sitting in a Model S, I'd say Tesla is probably furthest along the right track. They seem to be the only car company that has figured out how to update firmware and the 17" screen they use makes a LOT more sense than most of the other systems I've seen. A little 6" screen seems a bit out of date and certainly can't display much. Not saying Tesla has everything perfect but its the most innovative system I've seen. Certainly more interesting than tighter iPhone integration.
first. A good Idea is a good idea. but it's how you take it to market. the devil is in the details. and apple is good at making high quality, refined products, thus.. they sell well. if you see a problem with that you don't understand business.
Second. Even if they did no innovation at all, and simply made a high quality product. what is wrong with that? The very idea you have issue with that( and they do innovate so it's beside the point) but even if they didn't it shows a clear bias.
What makes you think adding the CarPlay option precludes other options from also being functional? You think CarPlay is going to prevent Bluetooth from existing?
Hey Apple - nice try, buddy. Too bad you'll never catch up to Harman! You're general purpose, we're niche, and we're focused, and we're more user-centric.
1. Apple maps is a joke and completely useless
Based on what? Yeah they flubbed the roll out but I've used it since and it mostly works fine. I'm guessing you are one of those people who read all the bad press and presumed that Apple would never fix the problem. Guess what? Over over 30 million people use Apple Maps mostly without problems. Apple Maps is certainly not a joke and anything but "completely useless". Your assertion is mostly without any basis to support it.
2. considering how many people hate Apple, they're losing prospective customers for a $60,000 car for example because of one tiny feature.
Apple sells millions of devices a year and you think people "hate Apple"? Have you actually been to an Apple store lately? They are packed. Nobody buys Apple products because they have to. They are all discretionary purchases and people buy Apple's gear because they... gasp, LIKE the products. Who knew?
Maybe YOU don't like Apple but out here in the real world Apple is wildly popular.
From TechCrunch:
Tell me again how this is somehow better than the Bluetooth connection everybody is using now?
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Until recently, the car audio segment has gotten so stagnant that even the meth-heads don't bother breaking a vehicle for the stereo anymore. Alpine used to be the be-all and end-all with their units, but for the most part, a new car with a navigation system is on par with what they offer, which makes the industry "meh" all around.
Apple entering the industry is a major thing. Before Apple stepped into the cellphone/smartphone biz, the most popular unit at the time was the RAZR 3G and smartphones were reserved for geeks or execs.
I would say that this might be a game changer, since there will be many, many people out there who will base their vehicle choice if CarPlay is present or not, and this can mean success or going in front of Congress for another bailout.
Not at all. They didn't reveal any hardware.
They revealed SOFTWARE that is smart enough to allow car manufacturers to leverage iOS with crap hardware that only has to stream video and return touch coordinates through some simple APIs.
It's cool stuff. It should have been pushed out 2 yrs ago, but I don't think anyone else is doing this right now.
My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
Disclaimer: Lifelong Android user, fully moved to iOS with purchase of iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and use rMBP as main computer.
Apple Maps continues to give inaccurate directions with implications ranging from incredible inconvenience to downright life threatening danger.
A lifelong Google Maps user, I bought an iPhone 5S on launch day. I switched to Apple Maps largely due to the tighter integration and full screen mode. I wanted to give it a fair shake. Let me share a few brief observations.
A large regional hospital in my home town closed down several years ago, and moved into a new building nearly ten miles away in a different city. The original facility was purchased by the city, and converted into a high school. Apple Maps continues to list the old location - now a high school - as the location of THE HOSPITAL, despite it having moved YEARS AGO. That is the kind of error that could quite possibly KILL SOMEONE.
I continue to receive weird route selections and inaccurate directions that would add miles and several minutes to my drive. Incorrect or inefficient exits. Favoring 55 MPH state routes full of small towns & numerous stop lights over interstate 80 running fully parallel a mile away with 70 MPH speed limit and traffic moving smoothly. Head scratching, bizarre route choices without the deep options available in Google Maps to correct it.
I think this is the problem - Google's army of of > 6,000 contractors endlessly driving & mapping the roads of America vs. Apple's flyover algorithmic mapping.
http://www.businessinsider.com...
I still use Apple Maps, but largely only to keep track of distance driven/remaining and ETA on routes I'm already familiar with. It is, overall in my estimation, about as accurate as Waze - which is to say both products are damn far sight worse than Google Maps.
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don't u think that now that apple has car companies building standardized dumb consoles calling their apis that it will build momentum that will pave the way for a standard that others can follow?
it won't take but a few lines of code for manufacturers to call a google or msft api instead of an apple api, and these companies will be smart to configure their os in the car software to drive the same dumb hardware.
My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
I hate to break it to you, but Google has shitty maps in areas too. Apple may be worse, but its mostly outlier cases (like yours). And by outlier I mean every rural area in the country and a bunch of populated areas. If I had a dime for every time Google routed me in a shitty, misdirected, or simply impossible way I would be the one paying for dinner when Sergey and I went out. I use Waze, which is somewhere between Google and Apple, but I can at least edit the map when I find a f*ed up area, and when it tells me what time I can expect to arrive, it's usually very, very accurate.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
The big advantage of this system is getting rid of the GPS DVDs, which guarantee your data will be out of date (or expensive to replace).
I already have that, it's called a Bluetooth adapter, and it works with ALL brands of phone. Fuck Apple.
Mark my words, people will die because of this Apple interface
which requires the driver to talk to it in order to make it work.
I am no Luddite, but I know how people drive now
( not very well at all ) and I know that interacting with a
Siri interface is going to be a significant distraction from
the task of driving.
I do use a GPS app in my phone and it works very well indeed.
Once you have entered your destination into the software and
started navigation, no further interaction is required. This is
how vehicle navigation needs to be. The app makes driving safer
because it speaks directions and requires NO action on the part of
the driver once the car is moving.
Tim Cook doesn't know shit about design, and Apple is becoming
something to AVOID under his so-called leadership. Cook has the
power Jobs had, but virtually none of the talent.
'
My girlfriend is a habitual Wazer. She makes so many reports that she has attained the highest Waze rank in just a few months.
We have a standing agreement that she will not use Waze for directions when we travel together to events. It has screwed up our trip at least twice in the last year, once outside Chicago with baffling exit directions wrong by at least 20 minutes and 5 exits of driving. No construction, no traffic backup to explain it.
Apple makes outstanding hardware and OS software, and continues to have circles run around it in cloud services and applications.
I won't even start on how iTunes Match - which I pay for - has missed hundreds of songs and complete albums from cloud storage - vs Google Play Music manager app on my MacBook that is free of charge and faithfully recreated my entire 12,000+ library in the cloud and continues to scan my iTunes library for new music.
Ap
Disclaimer: Lifelong Android user, fully moved to iOS with purchase of iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and use rMBP as main computer.
Apple Maps continues to give inaccurate directions with implications ranging from incredible inconvenience to downright life threatening danger.
A lifelong Google Maps user, I bought an iPhone 5S on launch day. I switched to Apple Maps largely due to the tighter integration and full screen mode. I wanted to give it a fair shake. Let me share a few brief observations.
A large regional hospital in my home town closed down several years ago, and moved into a new building nearly ten miles away in a different city. The original facility was purchased by the city, and converted into a high school. Apple Maps continues to list the old location - now a high school - as the location of THE HOSPITAL, despite it having moved YEARS AGO. That is the kind of error that could quite possibly KILL SOMEONE.
I continue to receive weird route selections and inaccurate directions that would add miles and several minutes to my drive. Incorrect or inefficient exits. Favoring 55 MPH state routes full of small towns & numerous stop lights over interstate 80 running fully parallel a mile away with 70 MPH speed limit and traffic moving smoothly. Head scratching, bizarre route choices without the deep options available in Google Maps to correct it.
I think this is the problem - Google's army of of > 6,000 contractors endlessly driving & mapping the roads of America vs. Apple's flyover algorithmic mapping. http://www.businessinsider.com...
I still use Apple Maps, but largely only to keep track of distance driven/remaining and ETA on routes I'm already familiar with. It is, overall in my estimation, about as accurate as Waze - which is to say both products are damn far sight worse than Google Maps.
So have you actually taken the time to report these inaccuracies and errors to Apple -- using the not so hard to find Report A Problem button *right in the maps app* --or do you just vent your spleen on technology sites about how shitty Apple Maps are, complete with relevant examples?
If you can take this amount of time to document and bitch, surely you took the 10 seconds to tap the Report A Problem button? I can assure you that someone inside Apple does read those reports.
Did you know that gullible is not in the dictionary?
You like your women like you like your cars eh? Well recalling previous discussions we've had about your cars, you lament for the good ol days of the carburetor, adjusting your points and valves, and leaded gasoline. So with that in mind, you must love you some broken down, stank assed smoking women, who leave a trail of fluids on the ground behind them wherever they go. Furthermore, they may be fun and fast as hell in a straight line but can't handle too much of a curve with out steppin that ass out on ya. They may be easy to fix but they need adjusted constantly depending on time of month, the temperature & humidity, where exactly you last fuelled them up at, and sometimes just because they feel like being a pain in the ass, they'll refuse to do anything at all. Sounds great dude!
CarPlay makes driving directions more intuitive by working with Maps to anticipate destinations based on recent trips via contacts, emails or texts
No. Please, no. Every gadget, app, of software that tries to anticipate anything has, from my experience with them, success rate of almost zero.
That includes Netflix with it's dumb suggestions.
Try it! Library of Babel
Ironic that most Volkswagon drivers always have that damn Apple logo on their cars. What will they do now??
I, and at least one friend I am aware of, have reported this when it was discovered over a year ago. The hospital is still being displayed in the wrong location.
Apple got my money when I bought the phone. I don't think they care. Their cloud services are as laughably award as Microsoft's mobile hardware.
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Microsoft also sells millions of products a year and we hate them too.
sounds like waze, except the integration vs using speaker phone
www.RacquetUp.org - Helping Detroit Youth
If so, any problems can be fixed.
Microsoft also sells millions of products a year and we hate them too.
Microsoft doesn't get the love Apple does but most people don't actively hate them either. Only folks like those of us who hang out here on slashdot really tend to have a strongly negative opinion of Microsoft. I'm certainly not a fan but I have no illusions that my opinion of them is widely held either.
The pause is long enough that you wonder if they're trying to say that "what is important" is the data on the screen or what you're doing?
Heck, I'd like to think that DRIVING IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT and these touch screens are only taking your eyes off the road so you can pinpoint where on a screen you're going to touch. I dig technology and progress but driver controls are one thing that should be left in the analog world of dials, buttons, levers, etc.!
Never hit your grandmother with a shovel, for it leaves a bad impression on her mind...
But Apple isn't in the habit of releasing actively user-hostile shit like Windows 8 while being a convicted monopolist.