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Perhaps there is a grandfather clause that would allow me to retrofit my 1982, and 1985 Mercedes' 240/300 dielsels? Probably not.
 
Wow awesome, apple, awesome.... bla bla.

Now what about working on that iLife 07, iWorks, Logic, Leopard OS and updating the Mac Pro first huh?

Non sequitur. iLife, iWork, Logic and Mac Pros have nothing to do with the potential for a Apple GPS system. The OS X engineers would be involved of course. I realize that this is conceptually hard for many to understand. That Apple as a 100 Billion company could actually be working on projects in parallel rather than sequentially but suprise you as it may they actually can walk and chew gum at the same time. Imagine that.

Diversifying too much?
I hope this isn't true, yet anyhow. They're already spread extremely too thin as it is.
Instead of developing all of these devices by themselves, wouldn't a better strategy be something like licensing out OS X in some type of customizable form, a very close license for Apple's sake. But then allow third party manufacturers to make and deal with all of the stuff around it. Maybe loosely partner with Apple [NOT iPhone-insider close, that's too close]. Have a team at Apple solely there to work with these types of projects and outside companies to make sure it goes perfectly.

Then before any product can be made public, it must pass a very thorough testing and Apple-UI-goodness test, only the best will make it through [without wasted money because only the top products would be closely developed with the team at Apple to oversee the Apple-ness]. Seems like it would offer more opportunities, but a lot of trouble also. But I'd rather see that than having 10.6 delayed because of the iGumball Machine isn't working correctly with some aspect of the system.

I too agree that in 5 years Apple should begin to license OS X for CE devices. It's the way they can have massive growth and it doesn't really harm their iPhone and other products because licensing is the key to making phat cash. I don't think they're spreading too thin because if you look at jobs.apple.com you see Apple is growing rather quickly. Too bad I don't want to live in Cali. ;)
 
p.s.
why would apple port safari to the pc, when there is no money involved..?
i bet it is too help open up the itunes music store as a webpage...
bring in buyers that don't want a ipod.......

There is money involved. The more users of a browser, the more money can be demanded from companies like Google who pay for their search bar to be the standard default.
 
It would make me much happier if Apple would focus on improving and building it's computers rather than test the waters with new markets. While I have no doubt there's a brain trust at Apple that sincerely believes the path to greater desktop and OS marketshare is a roundabout route, it's annoying to watch things like, oh, Leopard, fall by the wayside for the sake of a phone. Gods only know what other priorities this is going to undermine at Apple if this rumor is true.
 
it better be an awesome product, which lets us speechless.... :apple: starts to make everything, just like most japanese company.

I'm worrying about :apple: product's quality.... I hope my worries are useless however!
 
Well Steve Jobs is a very Merc fan, he even drives a Silver SL55, so I guess is possible. I always thought that since people complain so much about IDrive that BMW should ask Apple to design the system for them, I guess Mercedes leap them. A few months ago that Merc thing would mean that the system would find its way to Chryslers but they sold its American division...
 
well if this rumor is true, which i doubt this will be one product i will not want/have cause i hate 'benz

Agreed. I'm not keen on Merc's.

I would like to see it on BMW's.:D

I currently own an E46 330i ZHP with the navi; but I do hope BMW would also use this product (if it indeed comes to light) for my future BMW.
 
Das ist doof.

Maybe Apple is licensing their touch screen technology to Mercedes. I'd believe that. But Apple making a GPS?
 
It just seems like the more Apple branches out into new markets, the less it can focus on what made it great in the first place: its computers (well, and maybe the iPod, depending how you define 'great'). I for one hope that they're not trying to branch out.
 
It sounds promising. I'd love to have some Apple in my car, though they better not take it too far. Don't want a beach ball on my on my car display.
 
very true. japanese cars have fantastic GPS/nav systems; the acura, the infiniti, the lexus and even the toyota are all top notch, been very impressed with them.

up next would be american cars (chrysler), nowhere near as good as the japanese ones, but i'd give them a B-.

the euro's though are atrocious, at least the german ones. BMW's is only slightly better than not having a GPS, ditto mercedes. just complete junk. i got it for my fiancee because she gets lost easily and fell for the form over function -- everyone told me to buy the garmin, but i wanted it integrated... could have saved $1500 and had a much better system if not for my aesthetic requirements.

do take this with a grain of salt though, apple were rumored to be doing the same for BMW 12-18 months ago.

I'm already using my Acura navigation system (pre-traffic info version) and have an iPod dock in the bottom of my console that is plugged into the stereo AUX. Stearing wheel controls work, the first five playlists can be called up at any time, and shuffle too. It is fun :) Can't recall the last time I had more then one or two cds in my 6 disc changer.

Yes I have to remember to bring my iPod, but it's not that hard.
 
They obviously had to grind to a halt to get the iPhone out.

Obviously?

I dunno...that's what Apple "told us" it could be true or not. Depends on what you want to believe in. However even if true the engineering teams that work on Logic (Germany) or iWork and iLife are not the teams that would be working on the core technology behind the iPhone and any future incarnation.

It's just popular to derail threads here with off topic "Apple you better get me my [insert desired product here] threads that have little connection to the topic at hand.
 
Current Nav Systems Suck

I've got a Honda nav system in my car (the same that's in the Acuras), and I tell ya, if anything needs Apple's GUI magic it is this thing. I can easily see why they show their stupid disclaimer on the screen when you crank up, every single time (and it boots up, which can take a while). When you're trying to find something while driving, if you don't crash by having to futz around on the screen for miles and miles then you're going to when you start cussin and kicking it.

And telling me to "exit left" on the interstate when I pass by an insignificant exit to the right. Not all, but some. What's up with that? And there are many times she tells me to exit when it's the wrong exit (it's the next one, just ahead). Forget about driving in Washington DC. That city confuses the hell out of her everywhere you go.

When you crank up it takes its sweet lovely time booting up, and shows you their disclaimer/warning screen. It doesn't give you the option to acknowledge the message for about half a minute or so, then when you do it goes on to its initial screen. Think you're ready for action now? Nope. It's like Windows, when it shows you the desktop you ain't even half way there yet. Gotta keep waiting.

My wife hates the b---h. :)

Apple, show em how it's done.
 
If anybody isn't convinced of the need of a little Apple magic in this segment of the industry, have them use BMW's iDrive car control system for any length of time. It's a counter intuative ergonomic nightmare and been terrible PR for BMW. To even change the station on the radio, you have to wade through layers and layers of menus.

I'd say that Mercedes want something like this but combined with Apple penchant for logic and ease of use.
 
why MB? is it b/c SJ drives an SL?

honestly i don't like MB much. if only the picked audi, or at least BMW.
 
Not really that interesting as people have been putting MacMinis in their cars since they came out. I'm sure people were doing it with powerbooks/ibooks before that.
 
Hmmm this is something I would not have expected but it does make sense but less in way of selling an additional unit that Apple manufactured and more of a marketing "Apple certified" type of thing (Bose certified speakers in more luxury cars, etc). I could see Apple building the software for iTunes/iPod/iPhone integration into multiple brands of navigation systems. Though made by other companies it has that marketing appeal of "oh well all our cars (in this case Mercedes) are equipt with Apple Certified Audio Systems...

Plus the Mercedes part of this rumor does go well with that "What does Jobs Drive" thread :D
 
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