Entune is terrible...what are the other options?

Here is my solution -- I have my phone mounted above the display.

Fullsizeoutput_9134 by wgary posted Oct 8, 2017 at 9:12 PM

I use a magnetic mount in my CD slot (haven't played one since I bought the car), with a lightning power cable that I had installed coming out through the vent, so no dangling cords.

Fullsizeoutput_9135 by wgary posted Oct 8, 2017 at 9:12 PM

Overall, this works pretty well. I use the phone for maps, messaging (at lights), etc. The dashboard display gives vehicle info. The main touchscreen gives "now playing", quick dialing, and weather. That is just about all I would ever need to know. Plus press/hold the phone icon for Siri.

 

I did some detective work. The website was partially br0ken. Try this for a US link as I am fooling Priuschat.

hxxps://

 

Thanks again @Prodigyplace . That's near enough the same thing. All coating is soft synthetic rubber and the inner wire skeleton gives it rigidity. There are three knuckles on each finger allowing easy manipulation, although it's possible to bend anywhere with a bit more force. This was most convenient method for me to mount an 8" Tablet screen for navigation on my car.

 

Coming from a Mini Countryman with the Mini Connected/Nav system, the etune is an upgrade for me. Let me tell you about junk. The MC/N (going with MC/N for short for Mini Connected/Nav moving forward) was not user friendly at all. You had to turn a knob and move the joystick and click to enter addresses. Forget using it if you didn't know the zip code! It was specifically FOR the cRapple product line and even though Mini had an app in the Android store, it wouldn't work. I got that car in 2014. The nav system info hadn't been updated at all so I was driving over big open areas/ over water etc (where new roads and bridges are currently). I stopped using the Nav all together and got one of those vent clip/CD clip thingies like @wgary above has/had. I could only use it in the CD slot because the vents in the Cooper were round. I couldn't ever get it to hold longer than a couple of miles before it popped out. Talk about frustrating. I was "stick a fork in me, I'm done" with my car and Mini all together and then a deer decided to put icing on the cake and push my "being done" over the side of the cliff - which brought me to a Prius.

Comparatively, etune is much better than what I was using previously. It's more user friendly in a lot of ways and more intuitive. I like being able to use the voice function and tell it to "where is Walmart near me" and it shows me all the results in my area with distances and cardinal direction. (I use Walmart as an example because there's one everywhere).

What I find annoying (and I get it) is the safety features built into the head unit that prevent you from entering in an address on the fly. Case in point, I couldn't take a road I normally go down to get to point B yesterday because cops had the road blocked off. I knew there was an alternate way but wasn't sure where to turn. Couldn't do it with the built in Nav in the Prius without coming to a complete stop. So I picked my phone up, squeezed the sides (google pixel xl 2) and told Google to take me to my destination and she got me there. I kind of wish that the etune had a function/feature much like waze that pops up a screen asking whether you are driver or passenger so that you can bypass the safety feature and be able to use the Nav system if you are a passenger (or driver). I'm still waiting on my Carista to get here (I think it got lost in the mail as it was supposed to be here before Christmas) to edit functions and whatnot and make the head (and car) more user friendly.

I've only briefly used the Nav for actual navigation in my car, but I can see where the voice talking while you are on BT can be annoying.

 

Sadly, that's typical of the Entune navigation. Fortunately for me, my UK Business Edition didn't have the built in Nav and I truly on my phone for guidance. My preference is for either Google Maps, or Waze which is owned by Google.

 

After using my built-in GPS for nearly 4 months, I decided to use my portable Garmin.

Here's what the Garmin gives me that the Toyota version does not: (1) Total voice commands (no touching the screen whatsoever!), (2) Traffic updates, (3) Simple interface, and (4) Free updates quarterly.

So why would I prefer the Toyota GPS?

 

built into prime real estate

 

I get traffic updates on my built in navigation unit.

 

I too get traffic updates with the factory unit.

 

DVDIRV, How did you mount your portable Garmin in your Prius? We have used portable Garmins more than 4 years ago mounted on the window or on a weighted pad on the dash.
We are considering moving from a 2015 Prius V with built-in Nav to a 2019 Camry Hybrid to get Safety Sense Upgrades. Unfortunately, the built-in Navigation is only available on just the top line Camry Hybrid XLE as part of an expensive Option Package that also includes Entune 3 Premium Audio with 9 JPL speakers.
The Entune Nav on our 2015 Prius V has been adequate for us. On the 2019 Camry, you can also pair your Smartphone to Entune & use Scout GPS Link App on the 2019 Camry Display, but Consumers Reports had lots of connection issues with Scout GPS & found it difficult to use. Any other GPS alternatives would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Interesting.

When my son got his 2015 Prius v 5, he tried the built-in Navigation because it was there. After a couple of misdirections, he reverted back to his Garmin on a weighted mount near the left front vent window.
I realize that does not help you with the Camry. I do not recall hearing anybody else here who actually likes the Toyota navigation.

 

Installed my Garmin Nuvi yesterday in a Prius Prime.