entune - what do you like about it?

I like the fact that weather and traffic are available, but don't like the fact that they aren't integrated with the map display. I'm used to a graphical presentation of traffic on the map without having to ask for it.

The other apps are not something I would use. I thought there was supposed to be a tire pressure app, but I can't find it. Strange, since it does have the sensors and the warning light was on when it was deleivered. I especially don't like Bing. Who uses Bing? Did Microsoft have a hand in designing the Prius software? That would explain the clunky interface.

 

Yeah, the Weather app is really light weight. Weatherchannel.com would have been great. Haven't checked out 'Traffic' yet but can see that it might be useful sometime. Bing might be useful while traveling and you need to locate a pharmacy, hospital, etc. Other than the Nav, most of the other apps are absolutely useless, I'll bet, for 99% of the customer base.

There's a lot of potential there. Maybe it will evolve into something more useful.

BTW, how can you tell if you have the latest update? And are updates dealer only? It would be nice if you could download the latest version to your smart phone, plug it in to the system and get updated that way.

 

Here is how you get the version info, u will need to visit the dealer to get latest update.
http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omnav/OM47828U/pdf/07-1.pdf

 

If it mirrored the display of the iphone, that would be useful. Apple is coming out with some technology that is supposed to do that. I don't see the point of having to plug in my phone, so my radio display can do a more poor job of showing Pandora, than the app on my phone does. Same with the RADAR, and other tools. They are all just worse versions of the app that runs on the nice high res screen you already have.

When using bluetooth, Pandora, Spotify, Music, all work just fine. It even passes through the cover art, song name, etc. The only functionality you lose is the ability to browse your phone music.

Making it seamlessly share the data connection on the phone to display, so it can update maps with traffic data, and weather might be more useful. They should be adding more useful functionality, not duplicating functionality.

The best thing they can do is ditch XM and use Sirus instead. I know it's the same company, but the quality and reception of the Sirus technology is just so much better than XM. I frequently rent cars, and always enjoy listening to the Sirus. The XM in my Toyota, sounds like a bad MP3, the data rates are horrible.

 

I love being a trendsetter We disconnected our iPhones for a couple of Pantech cheap touch screen phones. We still have a data plan, but $50 a month less, and zero to get the phones. I use the in-dash navigation on trips and love it. No way I'm paying for a data plan to use Pandora or anything else. The savings will go to an iPad, and my old iPhone 3GS is now a Touch for music.

I still have hands-free phone with bluetooth, and I don't miss those silly Entune apps at all. Honda's new IOS integration sounds more promising.

 

There is no Entune app for the Nokia 900 Windows Phone 7.5 (or 8.0) but everything useful (text-to-voice and voice-to-text, hands free phone, streaming music via BT) works. I do miss native traffic info (but carry a portable Garmin LMT device). Connecting via USB throws a 100% repeatable over-current error (which no device other than the Prius Nav throws). Haven't tried the Hotspot via BT workaround (if it is one, via BT). In sum, not sure I'm missing anything.

 

This is how to get a map (i.e. NAV) update.

 

Sorry to say,entune is pretty limited and not very useful. The hands free phone is Great,but other then that, not much else. I us the USB port to play music,and some times the Nav actuary works. When it does it is very helpful. None of the other entune features work on my Prius V 5.I feel that Toyota either released entune to soon, OR they are not supporting it with fixes. Either way this is very bad PR for Toyota and the people who shelled out $$$ for these features.

 

Apple is getting drivers to buy into their Eco system. Android fan boyz may need to trade in for a Apple to use those system.
Google takes aim at Apple's 'iOS in the Car' with Audi-Android partnership

 

It is actually not a very smart move to rely on just one phone type/os. It also does not make sense to pick a declining market share owner either. Apple has been losing this battle of market share now to Android now for over 3 years.
Smartphone Ownership in the U.S. Hits All Time High -

While Apple does make a good product, not every Toyota owner has one. Per the charts, 60% would not. It would make more sense to make a product that can have an app to join the smart phone to the car radio, despite the OS.

As for Entune not working.... I have yet to see where it does not work. Each application I have used has worked 100% of the time. It totally depends on your mobile carriers data though. So if the application is failing, it might be a poor internet connection via your mobile carrier in the area you are in.

The biggest problem I have with Entune was finding a good time to use everything on it. I just don't check stocks or try to read a screen for sports scores. The weather radar comes in handy while driving in bad weather and the Nav works well, but is not Garmin/TomTom quality. The yearly map updates costing $150+ is also unacceptable when portable units mentioned commonly come with free updates now.

Nissan/Infiniti has teamed up with Garmin to do their in dash navigation. Garmin has teamed up with Kenwood to deliver the rest of the radio. It would be nice to see Toyota do a like partnership.

 

Chrysler has team up with Garmin but they are not providing free maps updates.
https://www.garmin.com/auto-update/

Nissan Nuvi 750 is strictly a Nav system, not really indash.
Nissan nuvi 750 | Garmin

Merc is the 2nd OEM after Chrysler that does fully integrated Multimedia system
Future Mercedes Infotainment Systems Will Integrate Garmin Navigation

 

Nissan/Infiniti has the NTX replaceable OEM from 2008~2013 systems.

 

its not factory installed, its after market... not really a team up with Nissan. but a teamed up with nav-tv
http://www.navtv.com/product/220/ntx-nis-inf-garmin-nav-kit.html?forceShowProduct=1
Aftermarket or Factory Navigation [Archive] - Nissan Armada Forum: Armada & Infiniti QX56 Forums