Prius iPhone app is....

I like it! Seems unlikely to happen though. Maybe one of the scanguage or PC type OBDII developers could create an app and cable that would have their core features, but run on the nice iphone display.

 

1. The ability to have your iphone replace your smart key? (not sure where we'd put the hidden manual key)
2. A graphical EQ for adjusting the sound system settings, love to see a footprint of the interior of the car and be able to move around the "sweet spot" for sound balance and fade.

Seems to me that rather than using the iPhone app as an advertisement for selling cars, they could be using the app as a way of providing INCENTIVE for iPhone users to buy the car by leveraging what they can actually DO with their iPhones in conjunction with their car! The whole app is so 2006...underwhelming...but, I'm hoping they release updates that will include some real usefulness.

 

Since the we were suppose to be able to customize the seat belt warning sound, the reverse single beep , automatice look the door under certain speen or after a certain sec.................. Why don't your come out an iPhone app that let us do those ourselves without going thru all those dealership problem. Toyota said the user can customize it if they want to, but so far doesn't sounds like that is the case, since many dealer refuse to change some of the setting due to safety issue.

 

Efusco, thanks for steering the conversation toward more productive parts of the road (so to speak).

I agree with Radioprius and Ggood's ideas. Especially useful would be a FAQ section, handy for debunking myths. I'd also actually pay for an app that was specific to Prius maintenance requirements and records.

As far as tracking gas and mileage, there are already good apps available for that. No need to reinvent the wheel.

I've just downloaded the app and look forward to checking it out later. My main fear is that it will raise my degree of WANT for the 2010 Prius to a fever pitch.

 

My mother always taught me, "If you don't have anything nice to say, better not to say anything". Sometimes I can remember that....

 

I must admit I was hoping for a bit more, but it is a first effort. I agree, there are other mobile apps for doing a lot of what was proposed. However, Apple's strength has always been in taking existing ideas, imbuing them with style and adding usability. Combining features of the iPhone with those of the Prius might make an interesting app.

Imagine if the iPhone could take a picture of the consumption number, combine it with GPS data and geocache where you were when you got those numbers. Suppose if it also did character recognition on the trip odometer and did the math to help you figure out MPGs per trip leg based on total trip MPG. What if it linked to this site (or others) for real-time tracking?

If the iPhone were connected to the vehicle via wire, perhaps a software update to the car itself would allow the iPhone to get this information directly, or be used as a secondary monitor (backup camera PLUS nav!) or, as mentioned before, input device for customizing options.

Congratulations to the Prius team for a first effort. When the original, pre-gen I Prius came out, it had all the usefulness of a newborn baby. I'd say this iPhone app has about the same.

 

DevToaster - Rev - iPhone app development, Great iPhone apps, and more

 

Wow, that's pretty cool. The OBDII connector is wireless. That means you can have your iPhone mounted anywhere in the car without messy wires. Damn!

 

Agreed completely. That's exactly what they should be doing.

Why not? Toyota is a multi-million dollar company. To push it as mere advertisement with no functionality is just insulting to iPhone users.

 

Way cool. How'd they steal my idea so fast?

I looked at some of the suggested wireless OBDII modules. This one seems to be the cheapest, and is located in California:

PLX Kiwi Wifi - Connect your iPhone / iPod Touch to your car's OBD2 OBDII Port.

Note that this one also has an on/off switch, so it isn't a constant trickle drain on the regular battery. Anyone have any thoughts on whether getting the version with iMFD might be useful (allows additional sensor modules)?

 

Well, this was pushed out by the American marketing team on a limited budget, and I was adopting efusco's spirit of positivity.

However, I readily admit, it is incredibly lame in its current incarnation, to the point of saying why bother doing something if you can't do it right. I agree with those saying that it is a great opportunity to push the tech/geek factor by giving people a whole new level of interaction with their car and another good reason to buy it.

 

I wonder what functions this gives for a Gen III. I know some of the hypermilers say the Scangauge is about as useful as a brick so far for the Gen III since they have to crack some codes or something. I wonder if this isn't just as good (plus wireless!)

 

Good one! They can start by showing how to find the hidden TPM reset switch!

 

Seems pretty straightforward to me. The marketing team discovered that a lot of iPhone users were hitting the Prius page. Is it particularly useful for someone who currently owns a GenIII Prius? No. Is that who the app was aimed at? No.

 

So what does this app accomplish that the iPhone-enhanced "web clip" can't? The app should take it to another level and it currently doesn't.

 

It should take what to another level? Advertising? It did. People can now have a Prius ad installed on their phone, rather than just being able to view a web page that has ads on it using their phone.

 

Another level in term of functionality. That's just insulting.

 

Agree. I did not even downloaded it. Hopeless!