Entune = Horrible

i didn't have a problem at all connecting my iphone.

 

Just took delivery of my PiP and it has Entune. My iPhone 3GS also connects fine with BT and starts playing music even though it wasn't before I turned the car on.

But I had some other questions for the group that I didn't see answered here: the email I got telling me I needed to register for Entune said I get 3 months 'complimentary' Entunes. That implies it will cost me some monthly fee, which I hate. I couldn't find out what that fee was however. But what does the fee cover? If I can play music and make phone calls via BT and the map/nav works without paying a fee, then I'm happy. I can't see a need for Binging or checking my stock portfolio while driving. The traffic overlay sounds useful- is that unavailable unless I pay?

Thanks in advance,
Tom Farr
La Crescenta, CA

 

It said three years for Entunes. The the three month's was for the XM radio subscription. You do want to go to the Entunes site and create ID and PWD. You'll need it to get Traffic, Bing, Pandora, Weather etc. via the Prius/Phone internet connection.

Bing/Nav tie-in is very useful. Search on Bing and then hit Navigate and you are there. That and traffic interface are the key to any car/internet interface.

The complimentary XMNavTraffic subscription only works on the 7" HDD nav display. The 6" nav/radio does not have the ability to get XMTraffic. Something Toyota should tell buyes in BIG BOLD LETTERS so they can decide what they want to do.

Bing and Traffic interface with Nav make it worth it. Free for three years. XMTraffic is a $15(?) month subscription. Advantages are it doesn't use your phone data allotment and it works even if you phone is out of range or roaming (more dollars for Entunes traffic)

 

Thanks Proximal,
I did mix up the Entunes and XM offers. I agree the Bing/Nav tie-in sounds useful as well as the traffic. Don't know what the weather thing does, but I guess I'll experiment. I assume I need to download Entunes to my iPhone to accomplish all this. After 3 years, hopefully I'll know what Toyota wants to charge me for Entunes. Then I'll decide whether to keep it.

XM will be off as soon as the 3 months are up. I'm not inclined to pay a monthly fee for music.

 

Entunes works fine with my Optimus LG (Android) on my Prius v. I use it quite often with Pandora and with Bing when appropriate. I do find it interesting how Toyota advertises it is essetially only an extension of my phone on a larger display.

 

It gets interesting with the iPhone. Due to the avarice of Apple/ATT et al, the iPhone can only connect for internet usage via direct USB connection. It works fine for Bluetooth iPod and calling use. Not a big deal. You plug the phone into the USB when you get into the car if you want Entunes Bing and Traffic.

You can connect to the internet via Bluetooth with the iPhone IF you by ATT's "Personal Hotspot Tethering" option for $30(?) a month. I do that because I use a Mophie battery case with my phone which Toyota's undersized USB port cannot handle.

So free Entunes Bing and Traffic via your iPhone, you just have to use the USB connection.

Three years from now with Entunes? Who the heck knows. I'll be driving a new car by then. Hopefully a plug in AWD drive Ford or maybe Honda's FCX Hydrogen fuel cell car.

 

My Entune Nav got lost today for several hours. It put my present position some 30 miles away! I tried restarting the car several times and just gave up. I was planning on taking it in for service but it corrected itself on the last leg of the trip.

 

When I first connected my ZTE Warp (Andriod) I was able to transfer my contacts to the EnTune System without a problem

 

Can you navigate to the address using the Phonebook contacts?

In Nav it asks if you want to use the Phonebook to navigate. Can it use the address from the phone book not the stored contacts?

 

My decision tree is far different species than yours and I respect that difference. While I love my smart phone (happens to be an Evo 3D), I tend not to take on major debt or make major life decisions based on phone compatibility.

If you're more attached to the phone than the car, more power to you.

P.S.: I like howling in the wilderness and I've never had the hankering to be an iPhone...

 

Re: Backberry issues

Let's just boil this down to its essence: Blackberry is pathetic.

 

I have to agree Entune is really underwhelming. I like the iPod integration and the Bluetooth phone connection works well for me thank goodness, but the Entune apps are of limited appeal and so few!

The nav system was a shock too, I can hardly see it - nothing like the system on my wife's TCH and not even as readable as my $100 Garmin nuvi!

And finally the Car>Consumption graph is the worst I've seen on any Toyota Hybrid - no average, no miles left, no records - just a very hard to read graph. Have to jump from several displays to see it all, the MID gives more info??? Disappointing from Toyota...

 

Toyota knows: Entune Account
Looks like $5-$10/month, with Pandora being free.

 

I'm picking up my Camry XLE tonight, and this seems to be the best venue for hybrid info that I've found.

For a non-techie, with a tracfone and a verizon simple workphone, what will Entune do for me without registering and having a smartphone to use?

The car came with the Entune package, I've been happy with my Garmin until now. The only reason I consented to the package was the bluetooth voice command Nav.

Will I find this to be a $1000 fancy radio or will it I actually like it? I drive 6-10 trips daily servicing copiers, averaging 125 miles/day. I don't need to take the time to check metrics etc. I'm hoping to drive this car like my '08 Corolla but with a couple more mpg.

Having serviced for IBM from 1970-2000, I had a plethora of tech gadgets and even a Blackberry in 1992. I'm tech'ed out.

I see a lot of unhappy Entune users here.

Thanks

 

I finally have made some progress and have good news on the Entune/iPhone S front:

I'm now able to connect to Entune and all of it's programs painlessly and successfully!

Different approach then what they direct us to on the Entune website, here's what works for me:

- start the car
- UNPLUG your iPhone from it's USB connection (this is key)
- turn on your iPhone and log in to the Entune app on iPhone
- click the info button on the Prius
- go straight to Bing, type in anything (I do "gas") and hit go
- click on the first place Bing finds and hit Map (that starts your Bluetooth flowing)
- go to Pandora, enjoy your tunes

Works EVERY time...the key is to NOT put the iPhone hooked up to the cable. You can charge your iPhone with a car charger, but do NOT use the USB cable.

Hope this helps some of you!

I have a 2012 Prius Package 4 and an iPhone S and finally enjoying ALL of the Entune features that didn't work before.

 

If the iPhone is not plugged in, it must be communicating with the Prius via Bluetooth connection.

Do you have the tethering option on your iPhone to get it to communicate to with the Prius?

 

That is the Key....if AT@T tethering is subscribed to then it will work wirelessly through bluetooth...If it is not subscribed to, and still works, then the plot thickens...I will try it at lunch today...

Update: it did not work without Bluetooth tethering.....
-M

 

Please leave the smartphone flame wars to another site, like reddit or something. There's no need to troll everyone here who uses an iPhone, we're big boys (or girls) and we can choose what phone to use all by ourselves.

 

1) the iPhone is not a smartphone
2) my statement is true, it is not a flame

I design on multiple devices, and design using bluetooth hardware, firmware, and software as well. Apple's implementation is crippling and non-standard.

 

I clearly don't need to bother reading anything more you say if you're going to be happy using this extreme level of hyperbole.