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Apple Adds Ford, GM, Mazda To Car iPod Lineup

xStep said:
I'm amazed that the car manufacturers are buying into a proprietary interface and protocol. They usually create their own standards and tell the suppliers how it _will_ be.
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Proprietary? Apple owns the market. Therefore the iPod jack is the de facto standard.

Take that - Microsoft!

That's cool about GM. We almost bought a new 7 passenger van about a month ago. I'd have been bummed if waiting just one more year got me iPod support in whatever vehicle I would have chosen.

😎
 
Maybe it's time Apple should license the dock interface and control protocols to other MP3 manufacturers. 😱

Otherwise, if the other MP3/WMA player manufacturers and Zune were smart, they will develop their own common interface (maybe USB and a common control language) and then iPod would be in trouble in the aftermarket market.

it's happened in the past in technology - proprietary interfaces rarely survive longtime. (look at firewire 🙁 )
 
veedubdrew said:
And I just bought a new Miata without iPod integration...wait for it...YESTERDAY! Dangit.

-Drew
Click to expand...

I bought one 2 months ago...they do a range of units for the MX5/Miata so there's hope we can just upgrade the stereo at some point in the future!

I've been looking at an adaptor that connects to the CD changer connection on the back of the stereo, looks like it would be take a little while to fix through the glovebox, but it's a pretty good solution otherwise. There's a thread about fitting it at http://www.mx-5.com/forum/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=1004
 
quagmire said:
Well GM had put an AUX jack into there radios so you could plug in any MP3 player you like, but it doesn't charge the MP3 player and doesn't give you the integration the iPod connectivity thing has. I would think GM would still put the AUX jack into there radios so people can still enjoy there player even if it isn't an iPod. Guess it is better late then never though for the Big 2.

PS: It didn't take long for the Big 2 bashing to come in. 🙄 A new record I believe. The first post bashed the Big 2.
Click to expand...

I know why bash them especially when they make a good move like this? It benefits Apple and the automakers. I say good move even if you are upset because it might be an added benefit to companies you hate with so much passion.

Besides I'd take a 2007 Mustang GT 500 Shelby over anything offered from Japan. That car is smoking hot! Sure you don't need 500HP, but wouldn't it be fun!
 
I still think aftermarket iPod solutions are just as good if not better than the "integrated" connectivity offered by the manufacturer. It's cool, but I doubt it will make much of an impact on sales either way.

There's something ironic about a kid who pulls his $400 iPod out of his pocket to plug into the stereo of his Ford Focus...at least to me, anyway.
 
You know what I did to get my vehicle iPod ready? I bought a cassette tape with an audio jack on the other end. 🙂
 
michaelrjohnson said:
My one-word reply:

"Whoa."

That's a staggering level of support from an industry that has to be the most sluggish when it comes to technological advancement.
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They only started including support for the iPod (now and not later) because of the length of time it takes for collage students to graduate and get into the design part of engineering.
 
Abercrombieboy said:
Besides I'd take a 2007 Mustang GT 500 Shelby over anything offered from Japan. That car is smoking hot! Sure you don't need 500HP, but wouldn't it be fun!
Click to expand...

Rather get the C6 Corvette. haha Even with 400 HP, it still beats the GT 500 Shelby. That is due to the fat the Mustang has gained. The 'vette is lean and 99% lean in Z06 form. 😛
 
cheekyspanky said:
I bought one 2 months ago...they do a range of units for the MX5/Miata so there's hope we can just upgrade the stereo at some point in the future!

I've been looking at an adaptor that connects to the CD changer connection on the back of the stereo, looks like it would be take a little while to fix through the glovebox, but it's a pretty good solution otherwise. There's a thread about fitting it at http://www.mx-5.com/forum/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=1004
Click to expand...

I use the AudioLink on my Mazda3, and I've been pretty pleased with it. There's an iPod Integration Kit from Mazda for previous models that's scheduled for release "Late 2006" for the 3; hopefully they're doing something similar across the board.

Andrew Beard
 
VW's sucks...

I just paid about $425 including labor to get the VW Ipod kit installed in my 2006 Jetta and it was a total waste of money! I was the first one at this dealership to get it installed, so I couldn't see it working in a floor model, or even try it before I bought it...

Get this:

  • Only supports 5 playlists, numbered 1-5
  • Doesn't even show you the song name on the display, just "TRACK 01"
  • You can skip tracks using the head unit or the steering wheel controls, but you have no idea what you're switching to because it doesn't show the track name...
  • If a playlist is more than 99 tracks, track 100 will look like "TRACK 00" and track 101 will look like "TRACK 01".
  • It does charge the iPod
  • It does pause the Ipod when you turn off the radio

All in all a total waste of money. The iPod is locked in the glovebox, so I can't even see what song is playing. I would be ok with only 5 playlists if I could load them up with lots of albums each and skip from album to album by skipping 10 tracks at a time. I tried to create playlists called names like "1 - Rock", "2 - Jazz", "3 - Electronic", etc. which seemed like a good idea, then put all of my favorite albums in them, but if I want to listen to the 10th album in my Jazz playlist, how the hell am I supposed to find it? Do they seriously expect me to track through ~100 songs until I get to the album I want? 😡

My advice to you if you own a VW: just get an aux in jack installed and a mounting kit so you can read the display. You can get a clicker that goes on your steering wheel also. I would have saved $425 and the 4 hours of my time it took the service department to install it.

If Apple wants people to be responsible and buy iPod kits for their cars, they need to demand a certain level of functionality. Displaying the track name on the dash unit should be considered mandatory, not optional.
 
Correct me if I'm mistaken..

Wasn't there an Apple press least in 2005 that Nissan, Mazda, and Daihatsu were going to have iPod interfaces in their cars starting with the 2006 model year? Was that just supposed to be the JDM market? It kills me that Mazda hasn't offered an iPod solution for the RX-8 since it came out, even if it was only in the upscale Bose head unit. I even contacted Bose when I was getting nowhere with Mazda about it and their response was, in my opinion, a written shrug of their corporate shoulders.
 
illumin8 said:
I just paid about $425 including labor to get the VW Ipod kit installed in my 2006 Jetta and it was a total waste of money! I was the first one at this dealership to get it installed, so I couldn't see it working in a floor model, or even try it before I bought it...

Get this:

  • Only supports 5 playlists, numbered 1-5
  • Doesn't even show you the song name on the display, just "TRACK 01"
  • You can skip tracks using the head unit or the steering wheel controls, but you have no idea what you're switching to because it doesn't show the track name...
  • If a playlist is more than 99 tracks, track 100 will look like "TRACK 00" and track 101 will look like "TRACK 01".
  • It does charge the iPod
  • It does pause the Ipod when you turn off the radio

All in all a total waste of money. The iPod is locked in the glovebox, so I can't even see what song is playing. I would be ok with only 5 playlists if I could load them up with lots of albums each and skip from album to album by skipping 10 tracks at a time. I tried to create playlists called names like "1 - Rock", "2 - Jazz", "3 - Electronic", etc. which seemed like a good idea, then put all of my favorite albums in them, but if I want to listen to the 10th album in my Jazz playlist, how the hell am I supposed to find it? Do they seriously expect me to track through ~100 songs until I get to the album I want? 😡

My advice to you if you own a VW: just get an aux in jack installed and a mounting kit so you can read the display. You can get a clicker that goes on your steering wheel also. I would have saved $425 and the 4 hours of my time it took the service department to install it.

If Apple wants people to be responsible and buy iPod kits for their cars, they need to demand a certain level of functionality. Displaying the track name on the dash unit should be considered mandatory, not optional.
Click to expand...

I wanted to get a aftermarket kit for my Pioneer radio, read up a bit and turns out its very much the same thing as what you had, bloody expensive, and it doesnt to much, sure it can extract Id3 tags from a Mp3 CD, but not from a ipod attatched to a $200 connector? WTF?? I really think there needs to be a level of integration indicator on the apple website, I personally dont like the "we have AUx input so now we support a ipod" thing!!!
 
bearda said:
There's an iPod Integration Kit from Mazda for previous models that's scheduled for release "Late 2006"

Andrew Beard
Click to expand...

Where did you see this? I saw the Mazda press release that only said it would be a $200 option in new models. As the owner of 2004 Mazda 6, I need to know!
 
illumin8 said:
I just paid about $425 including labor to get the VW Ipod kit installed in my 2006 Jetta and it was a total waste of money! I was the first one at this dealership to get it installed, so I couldn't see it working in a floor model, or even try it before I bought it...

Get this:

  • Only supports 5 playlists, numbered 1-5
  • Doesn't even show you the song name on the display, just "TRACK 01"
  • You can skip tracks using the head unit or the steering wheel controls, but you have no idea what you're switching to because it doesn't show the track name...
  • If a playlist is more than 99 tracks, track 100 will look like "TRACK 00" and track 101 will look like "TRACK 01".
  • It does charge the iPod
  • It does pause the Ipod when you turn off the radio

All in all a total waste of money. The iPod is locked in the glovebox, so I can't even see what song is playing. I would be ok with only 5 playlists if I could load them up with lots of albums each and skip from album to album by skipping 10 tracks at a time. I tried to create playlists called names like "1 - Rock", "2 - Jazz", "3 - Electronic", etc. which seemed like a good idea, then put all of my favorite albums in them, but if I want to listen to the 10th album in my Jazz playlist, how the hell am I supposed to find it? Do they seriously expect me to track through ~100 songs until I get to the album I want? 😡

My advice to you if you own a VW: just get an aux in jack installed and a mounting kit so you can read the display. You can get a clicker that goes on your steering wheel also. I would have saved $425 and the 4 hours of my time it took the service department to install it.

If Apple wants people to be responsible and buy iPod kits for their cars, they need to demand a certain level of functionality. Displaying the track name on the dash unit should be considered mandatory, not optional.
Click to expand...


It sounds like you should have researched this product before spending the $$. It is not a matter of VW not wanting to display the title information it is a limitation of the stereo itself. Ask question sor research the product (plenty of info on these adapters on the web) and you will discover these issues before "wasting" your time and money.

Many car iPod interfaces work this way
 
kvanwagoner said:
It sounds like you should have researched this product before spending the $$. It is not a matter of VW not wanting to display the title information it is a limitation of the stereo itself. Ask question sor research the product (plenty of info on these adapters on the web) and you will discover these issues before "wasting" your time and money.

Many car iPod interfaces work this way
Click to expand...

indeed.. even bimmers have the same type of interface.. track1, track2, etc, etc.. lame🙄
 
illumin8 said:
I just paid about $425 including labor to get the VW Ipod kit installed in my 2006 Jetta and it was a total waste of money! I was the first one at this dealership to get it installed, so I couldn't see it working in a floor model, or even try it before I bought it...

Get this:

  • Only supports 5 playlists, numbered 1-5
  • Doesn't even show you the song name on the display, just "TRACK 01"
  • You can skip tracks using the head unit or the steering wheel controls, but you have no idea what you're switching to because it doesn't show the track name...
  • If a playlist is more than 99 tracks, track 100 will look like "TRACK 00" and track 101 will look like "TRACK 01".
  • It does charge the iPod
  • It does pause the Ipod when you turn off the radio

All in all a total waste of money. The iPod is locked in the glovebox, so I can't even see what song is playing. I would be ok with only 5 playlists if I could load them up with lots of albums each and skip from album to album by skipping 10 tracks at a time. I tried to create playlists called names like "1 - Rock", "2 - Jazz", "3 - Electronic", etc. which seemed like a good idea, then put all of my favorite albums in them, but if I want to listen to the 10th album in my Jazz playlist, how the hell am I supposed to find it? Do they seriously expect me to track through ~100 songs until I get to the album I want? 😡

My advice to you if you own a VW: just get an aux in jack installed and a mounting kit so you can read the display. You can get a clicker that goes on your steering wheel also. I would have saved $425 and the 4 hours of my time it took the service department to install it.

If Apple wants people to be responsible and buy iPod kits for their cars, they need to demand a certain level of functionality. Displaying the track name on the dash unit should be considered mandatory, not optional.
Click to expand...


This is far from a waste of money in my view. I had an early Denison kit that did LESS than this and it was very workable. I had one playlist -- the one I had to manually select. Worked fine. I could play a specific playlist or just play random songs of a specific genre.

Right now I have zip and BMW and others try to make an interface for the optical BUS that operates the car. I'd love to have what you complain about until that comes out.
 
illumin8 said:
I just paid about $425 including labor to get the VW Ipod kit installed in my 2006 Jetta and it was a total waste of money! I was the first one at this dealership to get it installed, so I couldn't see it working in a floor model, or even try it before I bought it...

Get this:

  • Only supports 5 playlists, numbered 1-5
  • Doesn't even show you the song name on the display, just "TRACK 01"
  • You can skip tracks using the head unit or the steering wheel controls, but you have no idea what you're switching to because it doesn't show the track name...
  • If a playlist is more than 99 tracks, track 100 will look like "TRACK 00" and track 101 will look like "TRACK 01".
  • It does charge the iPod
  • It does pause the Ipod when you turn off the radio

All in all a total waste of money. The iPod is locked in the glovebox, so I can't even see what song is playing. I would be ok with only 5 playlists if I could load them up with lots of albums each and skip from album to album by skipping 10 tracks at a time. I tried to create playlists called names like "1 - Rock", "2 - Jazz", "3 - Electronic", etc. which seemed like a good idea, then put all of my favorite albums in them, but if I want to listen to the 10th album in my Jazz playlist, how the hell am I supposed to find it? Do they seriously expect me to track through ~100 songs until I get to the album I want? 😡

My advice to you if you own a VW: just get an aux in jack installed and a mounting kit so you can read the display. You can get a clicker that goes on your steering wheel also. I would have saved $425 and the 4 hours of my time it took the service department to install it.

If Apple wants people to be responsible and buy iPod kits for their cars, they need to demand a certain level of functionality. Displaying the track name on the dash unit should be considered mandatory, not optional.
Click to expand...

It sounds like the link is just emulating an external CD changer. That's the same thing the aftermarket iPod link for my Mazda3 does (although mine was a whole lot cheaper...). Unfortunatly the following article makes it pretty clear that the Mazda link is going to have similar capabilities:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/08/03/apple-announces-partnership-with-ford-gm-mazda/

article said:
Operation must be done through the audio system, not using the iPod. Track information, such as the artist or album name is not displayed on the audio system.
Click to expand...

I'm not impressed. If it displayed track information I'd be all over it, but as it stands I'll stick with aftermarket. From what I understand it's possible to display track info via the factory sat radio interface (although I don't have a sat interface on my Mazda3, so take it with a grain of salt) on most if not all new Mazdas, so it just seems like a shame.

Andrew Beard
 
cheaper options

There are already good options for playing an iPod in your car.

I've got a small cheap transmitter which allows me to play my iPod in any car with an FM radio. (On a home component system, the output quality is amazing, at least to my ears.)

Now the car companies are offering an option which will perform the same function at a higher price.

Are iPod enthusiasts so stupid they will pay for the 'iPod integration' option in their new car? Are investors so stupid they will bid up the price of Apple stock every time there is a press release with the word iPod in it?

My guess is 'mostly no' on the first question. 'possibly yes' on the on the second question.

I own Apple shares. So please ignore this post. What I really mean to say is that iPod integrated cars are the greatest society-altering innovation since the Segway.
 
j238 said:
Are iPod enthusiasts so stupid they will pay for the 'iPod integration' option in their new car?
Click to expand...

Yes, I would have paid for an iPod integration system in my car if it had displayed info on the stock stereo. I haven't found an FM transmitter yet that could keep a signal in DC, and I really don't want to have to grab my iPod whenever I want to skip a track while driving on the beltway. I ended up buying an aftermarket link a week after I got the car so I didn't have to worry about trying to find a blank spot on the dial (and constantly fiddling with it on longer trips) and the controls on my steering wheel map directly to the iPod.

If the same thing was available from the dealer for a reasonable price I would have gotten it. If the link also displayed track info from the iPod I would have easily paid twice as much.

I guess that makes me a stupid iPod enthusiast.

Andrew Beard
 
Ipod with Alpine stereos

Most of the 2006 line of aftermarket alpine car stereos has what is called Full Speed Connection for Ipod. With a head unit for as little as $200.00 MSRP and a $30.00 connection cable you have full control of your Ipod from the stereo as well as data display. It also has a quick search function. I have the Alpine DVA-9861 with my Ipod mini. It works great! Keep in mind this is second generation Ipod control for Alpine. From what I have read the first generation was very slow. This is neary as good as having your finger on the Ipod.

http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/products/product.php?model=KCE-422i
 
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