| High Technology |
While I have only been driving it a day, I must admit my surprise at how disjointed these systems are in the '05. Each of the systems seem to work well on their own, but it is very apparent that they were not designed in a cohesive manner. Some examples of why I say this are as follows:
- there are 2 buttons on the steering wheel, right on top of each other. One controls the BT, and the other the NAVI. Thus far, I don't see any need for separate buttons; they should have integrated them into one.
- the XM information doesn't display on the NAVI screen, as it does on the TL that I saw a while back. This is a clear oversight, since the audio system Bass/Treble/Balance/Fader do display on the NAVI screen, so the audio & NAVI systems are linked together...
- the OnStar systems can now be added to Verizon's calling plans as a phone to share your minutes for $10/month, which makes it a viable alternative to a BT phone. Yet, best I can tell the Navi's cool address book and voicedialing features can't be used to dial the OnStar phone.
Don't get me wrong, the new systems are very nice additions that make the vehicle a technological wonder. But a little more integration would have made for a much more cohesive system. |
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| shootist |
quote:
Originally posted by High Technology
...how disjointed these systems are in the '05.
- the XM information doesn't display on the NAVI screen, as it does on the TL that I saw a while back.
Yes it does. Just like the audio controls- push and hold the right radio button while you're in XM, and you get the full display.
I didn't know you could add the OnStar phone to a Verizon account. If I do this, I won't even have to get a Bluetooth phone. Verizon's only BT phone is the Motorola 710, with a gigapixel camera, for $350. |
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| slocko |
i think the reason they made them seperate was to help out the voice recognition technology. That way it doesn't need to evaluate all the other voice command keywords. It just compares your voice to the ones in the phone voice database. It probably makes it more accurate. Having seperate steering wheels doesn't bother me.
Now what bothers me is not using the navi screen for caller id, battery strength, and network info. I think you can use Onstar to dial numbers in the dvd database, not sure about the personal ones. I agree that should be better integrated. I think the navi screen should also be used for dialing. If I am on a long trip with somebody and they want to make a phone call, they should be able to use the touchscreen to make a call.
Auto-answer would be another nice feature. Also, make the navi screen default to the last know state. Why must it default to being off? That was pretty dumb. |
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| shootist |
quote:
Originally posted by slocko
i Also, make the navi screen default to the last know state. Why must it default to being off? That was pretty dumb.
Mine doesn't default to off. It shows the disclaimer and then the Map. Is there an option in Setup that you have chosen? |
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| slocko |
If you dont' make a selection is shuts off. At least the previous version gave you time.
The designers really blew this one. It cannot be difficult for it to remember that when you turned off the car, you had the audio overlay on.
But on the bright side, something to look forward for them to improve on. I see a very bright future for the navi screen with all sort of MID options for us to configure.
Also, there seems to be no voice command to turn the screen on for radio controls. |
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| High Technology |
quote:
Originally posted by shootist
Yes it does. Just like the audio controls- push and hold the right radio button while you're in XM, and you get the full display.
I didn't know you could add the OnStar phone to a Verizon account. If I do this, I won't even have to get a Bluetooth phone. Verizon's only BT phone is the Motorola 710, with a gigapixel camera, for $350.
DUH and THANK YOU!!! I guess it was time to take my own advice and RTFM!!! I feel much better that you pointed that out to me, since that's what my NAVI screen will be used for 90% of the time. I actually find driving with the moving map distracting, and only will use the NAVI on rare occasions (the backup camera and the other capabilities of the screen were the drivers behind going for the NAVI). I echo the above comment that the NAVI screen should resume in its last mode when you start the car -- it has many more functions than "just navigation".
I have a V710, and it works well with the system. It is actually a much better phone that you would be led to believe by all of the people picking at it on the various forums (such as HowardForums). The signal/battery strength don't (yet) display on the MDX, but I understand that a firmware update is on its way from Motorola.
I wish the Acura system could mimic the headset profile (rather than the handsfree profile), since the phone's voice capabilities are better (e.g., I could use the phone's contact list without creating a new phonebook for the car if it had this feature). My BT headset has but a single button, and I can do about everything with it by voice. |
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| ibdursty |
| "gigapixel camera" ? Man, I want one of those, lol. |
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| mlkeller |
quote:
Originally posted by High Technology
DUH and THANK YOU!!! ...
Don't feel bad - I just picked up my '05 last night and I made the same mistake when I was playing with it on the lot (I was getting very frustrated that I could not view it, esp. when the color selection screen shows a preview pic of the XM display). I only figured out about displaying the XM info when I was browsing the manual while waiting for the financing paperwork to be ready :) |
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| shootist |
HiTech,
Bet you haven't discovered the command
"Scratch my left knee".
How does the OnStar phone work? Can you 'verbally dial', or do you have to enter numbers into a phone list, and select from the phone list?
The Onstar option is especially interesting to me, since it allows the front passenger to make calls independent of the driver. Gotta keep 'em interested, or they won't let you buy the next new car. |
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| slocko |
| even if you add a second line, you still will have the problem of a second phone number. people are still going to call your cell, not your onstar number. |
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| shootist |
| slocko- I did read on the Verizon site that you can forward calls from you cell to you car by pressing a * combo. |
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| High Technology |
I believe that the OnStar phone can store a phone book, as well as do the digit dialing. According to the manual, the OnStar digit dialing requires you to program one digit at a time, yet according to the OnStar website, I believe that this is no longer a requirement of the latest OnStar hardware/software. That being said, I hope the MDX system is (as it should be) the latest generation of OnStar...
I haven't tried it yet, as I am waiting for the personal calling to be activated (along with the 1 Year of Safe & Sound, you also get 30 personal calling minutes for use in the first 60 days). When I activated OnStar on Thursday, they told me that the personal calling would take a day or so to become active, and mine hasn't yet. I'll tinker with it once it goes live and post results...
The Verizon call forwarding appears to be their standard call forwarding options (either Immediate Call Forwarding where your portable phone wont even ring -- the call will go straight to the car, or No Answer Transfer where after a few rings, the call will go to the car). I don't know if they still charge extra per-minute/double minute charges for this -- I haven't used call forwarding in a few years. |
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| mlkeller |
| Verizon's page (www.verizonwireless.com/onstar) does not show any of the Acuras as having the digital hardware required to share minutes? Anyone know anything about that? :confused: |
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| shootist |
| Yeah- OnStar is owned by GM. Didn't you notice that all the cars on teh OnStar page are GM? Lots of other companies now install OnStar, with OnStars subsidy. |
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| dipersp |
| FYI, I have Verizon and forward my cell to my home number at night (No cell reception at the house.) Any calls that come through my cell number DO count against my minutes. Be warned! |
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