[ksfrogman]

I like my iDrive DVD/Navi, but agree there is much room for improvement when it comes to being more specific about final destinations.

I too agree that everything iDrive is too damn slow. Imagine what it would be like to point to your Windows Start button or a pulldown menu, and have to wait a few seconds for the GUI to respond. It's a major inconvenience and a distraction.

[ScBlacksunshine]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

When you use voice input - don't start speaking after the beep, wait for the small speech icon to appear in the bottom left corner of the idrive display.

You will never here the words 'I'm sorry I didn't understand you' again.

Obviously there is a bit of a glitch in the system and the voice recognition program is not 'ready' until the logo appears.

I have a problem with this, maybe someone can clarify it for me. I tried voice entry for the house #, normally, for something like 1135, you literally have to say One thousand one hundred thirty 5, then 90% of the time, iDrive will be spot on, but when it comes to something like 11356 or 156789, they system won't recongnize One hunder thousand or ten thousand and if I try to say one one three five six, the system will come up with something completely different. Anyone experienced that?

[calvino]

Originally Posted by aarnt

Already mentioned, you would need to clean the screen too often but that was not the reason they did not implement a touch screen. With the touch screen you need to lift your arm and aim with your finger to a small icon or button. This will grab your attention for far longer than the current iDrive does. I agree that some more buttons near the controller would be handy, or on the steering wheel. It is safer to have controls in the places your arms rest anyway than in places a driver should touch while driving anyway. Think about it, AUDI and MB are implementing the same idea, MB had it with buttons arround the screen, and the screen was placed low on the dash, and now they will change it to a higher position with a central controller and some buttons.

Several companies are following this pattern, more will do so soon. It's the safer way known to control so many functions while driving. Speech recognition could surpass it, but it is too early IMO.

my GF own a honda and that GPS was great !! is so easy to use and is touchscreen and the screen is not dirty all the time,

it had the buttons arround the screen plus is touchscreen, if you want to listen to music you press sound to navigate you press NAV to see the map you press MAP
went you press NAV it comes another menu with big buttons that says address,POI, recent places, home, and set up.
you can find places by name or by phone #

Honda NAV is extremely easy to use , I find idrive more complicated and more distracting however that's just me. that's why I did not get it. I have a nuvi instead if I need a address I just get it out of the glovebox and that it and I love it no problems what so ever and is actually really fast it calculating the routes plus you get traffic info

[NFS]

Originally Posted by ScBlacksunshine

I have a problem with this, maybe someone can clarify it for me. I tried voice entry for the house #, normally, for something like 1135, you literally have to say One thousand one hundred thrity 5, then 90% of the tie, iDrive will be spot on, but when it comes to something like 11356 or 156789, they system won't recongnize One hunder thousand or ten thousand and if I try to say one one three five six, the system will come up with something completely different. Anyone experienced that?

I have had this problem with phone no's especially - but now I wait for the icon it hardly ever goes wrong.