Cool! Mercedes Benz & Apple working together...
 

Here's an interesting little tidbit - granted, not directly diesel related, but certainly MB related - and it's the diesels that really count, right?!?!?

http://www.macrumors.com/2007/06/17/apple-developing-car-navigation-system/

Here's the text of the article:

German Magazine Focus is reporting (Google translation) that Apple is working on car navigation and sound systems. Apple is said to be working for an introduction in 2009, working with Mercedes exclusively for 6 months.

The system is reported to include "entertainment, communication, and navigation," similar to devices already on the market.

According to FOCUS-sources, the device, that the computer maker is presently developing combines entertainment, communication and navigation in a single device.

Mercedes will exclusively offer the new Apple device for six months, with an expected market introduction targeted for 2009. It is still unclear whether Apple - as in the case of the iPhone - will rely on Google Maps for navigation help.

Focus is a popular German magazine, though its track record in Apple rumors remains unproven.

Good news I suppsoe BUT, I wish folks would DRIVE properly and not be entertained. Driving habits are getting worse and worse due , imho, to distractions like that.

Navigtion systems. I have to laugh. Where are we driving in the middle of the Sahara with no landmarks? Now that's hard to navigate through.

I think the dash needs some vintage games like asteroids or centipede.

The iBenz? A Macedes? I want one. Actually I was thinking of installing an iMac in my car to run iTunes on. There was an article on a guy who was installing the mac mini in cars. He saw a picture of one before it was released and noticed that it was just about the same size as a car stereo. He wrote apple and they liked the idea of mac mini's in cars and they got him a few before they were officially on sale.

Hmmm, now that is a cool idea., a mac mini in the car... flat screen in there... naw, I'll just use my powerbook.

Very cool! I want to install a permantent Navi in the SDL when I get some extra money. I want one that looks like a CD player but has a screen that pops out, it will need to work with an Iphone as well.

I like on the new cars how you can use the phones through the speakers. It wouldn't be worth it trying to install something like that in one of these.


What would really be cool is that if you could get internet acess...:D

Uh...cool. So will this unit be completely proprietary (old-school Mac), or another rebranded Unix (new-school Mac)? :devil: :D

The only cars I own with nav are the ones where it's high-line standard equipment, not optional. (Actually, that's every car except my latest diesel Benz! lol) I'd delete nav in nearly every case if I could -- just another easy way for manufacturers to keep up ever-diminishing profit margins in cars.

Cheers, John

I have a stick on Garmin that I love, but a built in would be better. I use mine for work, it takes a lot less time then looking at a map.

There was an article in The Star a few months back about a 350SD owner who liked to keep up on the technology, he installed a nav screen in the pull-out ashtray, as well as a bluetooth hands-free phone system. I believe the car had also been through a complete rebuild, owing to water damage...

My Panasaonic stereo has a bluetooth adaptor that would allow me to use my bluetooth phone through the car's stereo system - not sure what mic would be used, though. But the systems are already out there - and pretty cheap, too! Mine was only about $149 from Crutchfield - the bluetooth adaptor is extra, but something like $100, I think.

My kenwood headunit (its extreme top of the line) supports bluetooth phone interface as well, however, my cellphone is so old it doesn't feature bluetooth. :D I don't care, because I hardly ever talk on the phone while driving anyways, or I can just use my earpiece thing. As for navigation systems....they're cool, but a huge distraction. Printing off a mapquest route or two and setting it in the door pocket is just as good, and costs a lot less. :D Plus, I have a duplexing printer, so I can print front to back. Saves paper too! :)

I'm gonna beat yah Hattie!

I have a car pc that's going in the 84. Will have streets & trips 07 with one of those cheap eBay USB gps receivers. 15" Dell flat panel on a arm, Winamp, the works.

I don't trust crapquest at all. I've gotten too many bogus directions or it wouldn't give me directions for some addresses. Googoo maps isn't much better either.:mad:

yah, I've learned to take mapquest directions with a grain of salt.

That's why I'm getting navi.........

I'm gonna mount my screen on one of those ergo arms so I can swing it over to face me, or to face the back seat so passengers can watch a movie! :D

Plus, with the ATI remote wonder remote, I have 60 playlists that I can call up with the press of two remote control buttons! It's like a 60 CD changer! :D

The laptop must get in the way though? It must take up a lot of space. I know people who use them on boats and they make great chart plotters.

The Garmin is in my way because its on the windshield, bit its not bad. Its touch screen so if you are carefull you can program it while driving. But usualy I pull over. One built into the console that can be updated via wireless or DVD would be the best.

I'm on the phone constantly while driving, I really need to get an ear piece. I also use my GPS all the time, its a great tool!