[danimal]

What extra stuff is shown on the enhanced instrument cluster?

What do the BMW apps look like? Are they any good (and will they be good in three years)?

Honestly, all I really want is better smart phone integration. Add multi-touch support to the main screen and let me control my phone through it. When I push the talk button on the steering wheel, it should activate Google Now or Siri. Whenever sound is coming out of the phone, direct it out of the car's speakers. Seems like, even with the $2000+ tech package, you only get bits and pieces of true smart phone integration.

The bottom line is, BMW is never going to make apps as good or as frequently updated as what is available on our smart phones. Just make it user friendly to use our phones while on the move. I know this already close to happening with some automakers. Hopefully, BMW will not get left behind on this.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by J-Ho

Depending on which model year you go with. Music streaming via BT is now standard for all 2015's.

Has this been confirmed? The "changes as of July 2014" thread indicated that this was only the case on higher end cars like M3, 4/5/7 series.

[Kayevman]

Originally Posted by danimal

What extra stuff is shown on the enhanced instrument cluster?

What do the BMW apps look like? Are they any good (and will they be good in three years)?

Honestly, all I really want is better smart phone integration. Add multi-touch support to the main screen and let me control my phone through it. When I push the talk button on the steering wheel, it should activate Google Now or Siri. Whenever sound is coming out of the phone, direct it out of the car's speakers. Seems like, even with the $2000+ tech package, you only get bits and pieces of true smart phone integration.

The bottom line is, BMW is never going to make apps as good or as frequently updated as what is available on our smart phones. Just make it user friendly to use our phones while on the move. I know this already close to happening with some automakers. Hopefully, BMW will not get left behind on this.

I completely agree. I have Tech Package now and never use it--it's all cumbersome and the map was outdated when the car was new.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by danimal

What extra stuff is shown on the enhanced instrument cluster?

What do the BMW apps look like? Are they any good (and will they be good in three years)?

Honestly, all I really want is better smart phone integration. Add multi-touch support to the main screen and let me control my phone through it. When I push the talk button on the steering wheel, it should activate Google Now or Siri. Whenever sound is coming out of the phone, direct it out of the car's speakers. Seems like, even with the $2000+ tech package, you only get bits and pieces of true smart phone integration.

The bottom line is, BMW is never going to make apps as good or as frequently updated as what is available on our smart phones. Just make it user friendly to use our phones while on the move. I know this already close to happening with some automakers. Hopefully, BMW will not get left behind on this.

if you keep pressing the talk button on the steering wheel you get siri

[Killramos]

Originally Posted by danimal

The bottom line is, BMW is never going to make apps as good or as frequently updated as what is available on our smart phones. Just make it user friendly to use our phones while on the move. I know this already close to happening with some automakers. Hopefully, BMW will not get left behind on this.

The apps are run off your smart phone and not made by
Bmw. I'm sure there is a collaboration but it's a two way street. Processing is all done by the cell phone just control and display is by car.

[hoppy6698]

I'm actually hoping the Tech pack can take an update from the Apple / BMW venture some day and become fully integrated :P

[abc]

Originally Posted by ehagerty

You also get relieved of an additional 2,150 bucks that is weighing you down

lol, hilarious... i ran a search to find existing disucssions on this tech/nav package... with gps avail through other sources these past 3 yrs... i'd like to be able to drop this package and save it for another package, like the premium package maybe... worst case would have been to feed into bmw's hand and have to feel obligated to roll both their package offerings to your car purchase.

[xxxHolic]

Originally Posted by hoppy6698

I'm actually hoping the Tech pack can take an update from the Apple / BMW venture some day and become fully integrated :P

Ungh I hope the opposite lol. I don't want BMW to focus it's tech enhancements just on Apple products. Android needs some love too lol. The BMW apps support and functionality are night day on my iPod Touch and Galaxy Note 3, with the Android app just not having nearly the amount of functions. I hate using two devices but I also refuse to switch to Apple just to get better integration lol. It's principle and I hope my stubbornness pays off.

[abc]

Originally Posted by J-Ho

Depending on which model year you go with. Music streaming via BT is now standard for all 2015's.

good to know, thank goodness, but doesnt the apple link technology do the same thing if you had a apple product anyway... but i think it requires a wire connection, but it would charge the phone during use.

[Raizon]

Originally Posted by bman6074

I ended up getting it and have found the NAV to very useful. I can send addresses right from Google maps to the car then go to the car a bring up that address and start guidance. If i have an address in my contract on my phone I can use that as well. I am glad i got it. I think its worth the extra money. All the other features are great too.

I think with this one function it's totally worth it. I never liked car navigation systems because they require you to input an address or use their limited crappy POI search. If I can pull the location off my phone and just beam it over to the car navigation that would make it so much more useful.

[eddie291]

Originally Posted by Raizon

I think with this one function it's totally worth it. I never liked car navigation systems because they require you to input an address or use their limited crappy POI search. If I can pull the location off my phone and just beam it over to the car navigation that would make it so much more useful.

Whoa, I had no clue about this feature. How do you do it?

EDIT: NM, just googled it and found out how to do it:

https://support.google.com/maps/answer/3500417?hl=en

Is it just through the desktop or can you use the google maps app on your phone?

[bman6074]

Originally Posted by eddie291

Whoa, I had no clue about this feature. How do you do it?

EDIT: NM, just googled it and found out how to do it:

https://support.google.com/maps/answer/3500417?hl=en

Is it just through the desktop or can you use the google maps app on your phone?

i have done this it works great. I think with the "My BMW remote" app I think you can send the address from there as well.

Just a note you can't send a trip route only an address. Then you find the message in the car and start navigation to the address. Navi will give you the best route it thinks is correct.

Edit: you have to setup your account via the SOS button before you can do this. You will speak to a bmw rep and they will explain it all to you. This is how i found out about this feature

[snodgrass23]

Originally Posted by Raizon

...or use their limited crappy POI search.

This is something that actually works pretty well. There is an online search option which I almost always use instead of just what happens to already be in the database in the car.

[Killramos]

Originally Posted by bman6074

i have done this it works great. I think with the "My BMW remote" app I think you can send the address from there as well.

Just a note you can't send a trip route only an address. Then you find the message in the car and start navigation to the address. Navi will give you the best route it thinks is correct.

Edit: you have to setup your account via the SOS button before you can do this. You will speak to a bmw rep and they will explain it all to you. This is how i found out about this feature

Yup takes about 5 minutes to get to the car. Planning on going somewhere google on the app and send to car. Get in and while she warms up scroll to messages hit navigate and you are done!

I use it all the time.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by snodgrass23

This is something that actually works pretty well. There is an online search option which I almost always use instead of just what happens to already be in the database in the car.

You can actually code Google local voice search... so you go to POI and you can say "Cheescake Factory" and it will search for it

HU_NBT 3000 GOOGLE_LOCAL_VOICE_SEARCH

[Raizon]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

You can actually code Google local voice search... so you go to POI and you can say "Cheescake Factory" and it will search for it

HU_NBT 3000 GOOGLE_LOCAL_VOICE_SEARCH

Yeah, it works well with common stores or restaurants. But when you try to search for small local places, it will never find it.

[plien69]

Originally Posted by bman6074

i have done this it works great. I think with the "My BMW remote" app I think you can send the address from there as well.

Yes, you can send POIs from the Google Maps app, by Sharing it via the My BMW Remote app.

From the POI details screen in Google Maps, tap "Share", then select "Send to vehicle" (with the My BMW icon). It'll ask you for the PIN for the My BMW Remote, then sends it to your car.

[alz0rz]

Originally Posted by plien69

Yes, you can send POIs from the Google Maps app, by Sharing it via the My BMW Remote app.

From the POI details screen in Google Maps, tap "Share", then select "Send to vehicle" (with the My BMW icon). It'll ask you for the PIN for the My BMW Remote, then sends it to your car.

I hit 'Share' and I don't see a 'Send to Vehicle' ... and yes, I've had BMW Remote up and working for quite a while.

[pikcachu]

Go to BMW remote, click the "control" icon.. then "online search" search something... click on the name and then the big "send to vehicle" button at the bottom...

[pikcachu]

Sample

[plien69]

Originally Posted by alz0rz

I hit 'Share' and I don't see a 'Send to Vehicle' ... and yes, I've had BMW Remote up and working for quite a while.

I've seen it show up in different places in the Share list. Today, it's showing up at the top:

[alz0rz]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

Go to BMW remote, click the "control" icon.. then "online search" search something... click on the name and then the big "send to vehicle" button at the bottom...

Yes, this works for me, I've been using it this way for a while.

What I did not know is sharing from within Google Maps.