iPad in the car?

[Want.FR-S]

Originally Posted by merlin2111

I like the idea of a larger GPS screen, better music interface, easy access to communication information on a larger easier to quickly read screen, and I could go on and on. It is not like any sane person would watch movies or tv while driving but a large touch screen is not much different from the tactile knobs and buttons you are used to. Most luxury cars have data connectivity built in for many applications and I have not heard or a sudden rash of mercedes and bmw's be driven off of cliff's.

You would be surprised what can be done through in-car entertainment.

In the GT86 standard equipment with navi, there is an option called DAB. That is the digital television standard that can send TV signals to your car and you can in fact watch TV while driving (or listen to it). I actually see how that works first hand and to my amazement this was standard equipment for a 2010/11 Toyota Corolla. The screen I believe was about 7 inches or so.

I have a 7" GPS touchscreen unit separate from the car. Trying to use that while driving is not easy as everything is on the screen without no physical feel. Actually it warns me not to use the unit while driving, then what is the point of having a GPS in the first place.

I believe the owners of those MB's or BMW's simply just give up trying to use those units while driving. C & D continuously criticize the stupid iDrive interface from BMW from time to time.

Originally Posted by Maxim

iPad = movies, games, email, internet, and every other thing you can think of that should not be done while driving. It would take approximately 1 week after such a service was offered before some idiot would be jacking off to porn on the highway. At least he would die happy, I suppose.

I've had cars with touch screen control of basically everything....simple physical controls work better for certain things, most notably the climate controls. The other stuff can be capacative touch and that's great, lots of functionality and much safer access to thousands of songs than trying to swap out a bunch of CDs while driving.

But mounting an iPad? Yeah, definitely not. Like I said...reaching out and going through the menus in my GTI's touch screen stereo is difficult enough. That's mitigated by the steering wheel controls which are great, but navigating to a new artist or album still requires going to the touch screen. I don't even like how THAT distracts.

What is funny is that the description here can be applied to the cell phone, where as the BlackBerry comes with lots of buttons whereas iPhone/Android phones comes with one or no buttons, and we all know where the trend is going. So now, if you happen to have an iPhone or Android, try changing music without looking at the screen. With a touch screen, you have to look at it to find where the virtual button is to press. This is ok if you have no other things to do. However, while driving, your eyes should be concentrated on the road, not on the screen. Sometimes it is better to have the physical buttons to change things without looking at it.

All in all, having a decent size screen to display key information in a car is fine. Having to manipulate many virtual buttons on that screen while driving is not fun.

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by Want.FR-S

You would be surprised what can be done through in-car entertainment.

In the GT86 standard equipment with navi, there is an option called DAB. That is the digital television standard that can send TV signals to your car and you can in fact watch TV while driving (or listen to it). I actually see how that works first hand and to my amazement this was standard equipment for a 2010/11 Toyota Corolla. The screen I believe was about 7 inches or so.

I have a 7" GPS touchscreen unit separate from the car. Trying to use that while driving is not easy as everything is on the screen without no physical feel. Actually it warns me not to use the unit while driving, then what is the point of having a GPS in the first place.

I believe the owners of those MB's or BMW's simply just give up trying to use those units while driving. C & D continuously criticize the stupid iDrive interface from BMW from time to time.



What is funny is that the description here can be applied to the cell phone, where as the BlackBerry comes with lots of buttons whereas iPhone/Android phones comes with one or no buttons, and we all know where the trend is going. So now, if you happen to have an iPhone or Android, try changing music without looking at the screen. With a touch screen, you have to look at it to find where the virtual button is to press. This is ok if you have no other things to do. However, while driving, your eyes should be concentrated on the road, not on the screen. Sometimes it is better to have the physical buttons to change things without looking at it.

All in all, having a decent size screen to display key information in a car is fine. Having to manipulate many virtual buttons on that screen while driving is not fun.

Exactly. I love the system in my GTI but it definitely is difficult to manipulate. There's also the delay caused by loading the next screen.

I would like it a lot more if it still had the nice display, but a row of buttons below it. Shortcuts to "albums" or "artists" or something. That's impossible for the system since it reads off of my SD card and has to work with whatever file system I decide to use when saving things to the card, but if it were working off of an iPod or something that already has everything cataloged, I would definitely enjoy shortcut physical buttons that I could reach over and press without taking my eyes off the road.

The best system I've ever used was in the Ford Mustang GT that I tested before I deployed. The newest generation of Synch works amazingly well....just press the steering wheel button, say outloud which artists you want, and it goes right to that. You can do it with artist, album, song, whatever...it never had any trouble recognizing my voice and only required memorizing about 4 different phrases. "Play Artist Avenged Sevenfold" brought up all their albums and I could then just tell it to shuffle or pick a specific album or song. Phenominal.

[neutron256]

I plan to install a Padholdr.com mount. It uses a standard Panavise articulated mount. I don't expect I will acutally be using it often so what I want is to have the mount (a small ball/post mounted with four screws) connected up under the dash on the passanger side. That way I can quickly and easily remove/attach the holder/arm whenever I want.

http://padholdr.com/ipad-mounts-for-cars-trucks/

I've also been looking at getting a Lenovo Ideapad A1 just for use in the car. You can find them for $200, 7" screen, GPS and bluetooth.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...14BD79634CB472

[Zgrinch]

Originally Posted by neutron256

I plan to install a Padholdr.com mount. It uses a standard Panavise articulated mount. I don't expect I will acutally be using it often so what I want is to have the mount (a small ball/post mounted with four screws) connected up under the dash on the passanger side. That way I can quickly and easily remove/attach the holder/arm whenever I want.

http://padholdr.com/ipad-mounts-for-cars-trucks/

I've also been looking at getting a Lenovo Ideapad A1 just for use in the car. You can find them for $200, 7" screen, GPS and bluetooth.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...14BD79634CB472

Interesting...Padholdr has a version that fits in the cup holder for about 90 bucks
Couldn't finds any reviews for it, but looks like a good option.

[neutron256]

Originally Posted by Zgrinch

Interesting...Padholdr has a version that fits in the cup holder for about 90 bucks
Couldn't finds any reviews for it, but looks like a good option.

The cupholder thing seems like a bad idea to me. I've got a really nice cupholder mount for my iPhone right now, the kind where you trun a dial and expands to fit the cupholder. It even shakes a bit with just the weight of the iPhone I can't imagine how you would get a solid mount with an iPad and I couldn't stand having it bounce around and having to readjust it all the time.

Also with the FRZ/BRZ cupholders I don't think they would be in a very good spot to mout the iPad.

[Zgrinch]

Originally Posted by neutron256

The cupholder thing seems like a bad idea to me. I've got a really nice cupholder mount for my iPhone right now, the kind where you trun a dial and expands to fit the cupholder. It even shakes a bit with just the weight of the iPhone I can't imagine how you would get a solid mount with an iPad and I couldn't stand having it bounce around and having to readjust it all the time.

Also with the FRZ/BRZ cupholders I don't think they would be in a very good spot to mout the iPad.

Cannot argue with that logic. I just dont want to put any mount screws in my car. Guess my iPad will sit in the passenger seat like it always does.

[neutron256]

Originally Posted by Zgrinch

Cannot argue with that logic. I just dont want to put any mount screws in my car. Guess my iPad will sit in the passenger seat like it always does.

I'm the same way. Like I said if I'm going to do it then it needs to just be the mounting point that I can remove the arm form. And the mount would need to be inconspicious like under the dash, or along the transmission tunnel.

Here is a pic of the panavice mount with a quarter for size comparison. I think I could find a nice discreet spot to mount it.

[Zgrinch]

Here is another option that I think might work. I think I'm going to give this a try. The mount connects to the passenger seat rail bolt.

http://www.arkon.com/iPad_accessorie...car-mount.html

[neutron256]

Originally Posted by Zgrinch

Here is another option that I think might work. I think I'm going to give this a try. The mount connects to the passenger seat rail bolt.

http://www.arkon.com/iPad_accessorie...car-mount.html

I've looked at those and they seem nice, but I'm worried that that long flexible arm with shake under the weight of the iPad, and I really want something that I can quickly remove arm and all when not in use.

Anyone have any experience with these? How solid are they when driving?

[wu_dot_com]

for anyone who cared.



this picture shows how an iphone can fit inside that little slot right next to the push start for the BRZ. so no need to run wires pass through the shifter.

i had to take my iphone out of my case to take that picture. but you get the point.

[Zgrinch]

Originally Posted by wu_dot_com

for anyone who cared.



this picture shows how an iphone can fit inside that little slot right next to the push start for the BRZ. so no need to run wires pass through the shifter.

i had to take my iphone out of my case to take that picture. but you get the point.

Sweet!