msgs350

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I though the wallet key didn't work on 2007 GS models? Which model did you get and where? Thanks for the info!

wayner

The issues that I am raising are mainly bugs that are supposed to work (like the email/sms reply functionality), pretty basic shortcomings in the system, like only holding 1000 contacts/not display XM channel names in presets, or (IMHO) poorly thought out default settings (like phone connected obscuring the backup camera).

I agree that everything has shortcomings but what is wrong with discussing them in this forum? In fact it allowed me to find a solution to one of these issue which is the backup camera issue.

p.s. And I do have a problem waitng for my computer to boot up which is why I generally don't shut them down(I use sleep mode) and I also use SSDs which drastically improves boot times.

LexFather

To be honest I also didn't understand why the 4GS keyfob is larger than the 3GS one. Usually things get smaller. I also prefer the plastic material on the 3GS to 4GS.

wayner

If you read some of the other threads here then you will see that I am hardly unique in thinking this is an issue - it bugged a lot of people.

I am guessing that a large majority of GS350 owners would have no idea how many gears their car has and really don't care all that much. My previous car was an IS350 so I see the GS350 as being more built for comfort than performance. What am I supposed to buy that is a nice luxury car? What is a luxury car that isn't a performance car? Isn't the Lexus considered more of a "comfort" car than a "performance" car? That's what you often read in the reviews when a Lexus is compared to a BMW or Audi.

I agree that it has great technology ... for a car. But it still has a lot of shortcomings and I think that it is a shame that car technology is really lagging other mobile technology by so much. And implementing third party devices has happened before. Remember when cars had built-in cell phones as an option?

Many people do and I also complain about the shortcomings of my iPad, Blackberry, etc.

Outrage

I think size and weight has been artificially added to make the key fob feel more "substantial". There's a large chunk of metal in the one corner, for instance.

SW17LS

Which is why Lexus set up a way to turn it off.

I disagree. If you said that about the ES I would agree, but people purchase the GS over the ES for its better performance. The ES is arguably a more comfortable car. Are there people who drive the ES and don't realize or use its performance and quality? Sure...I'd say they wasted their money over the ES.

This GS is a big departure from the idea that Lexus is a "comfort" car over a performance car. In fact...people say this car is far more fun to drive than its BMW competitors. Read around.

The GS is a great car, I love it...but if comfort was my only concern when buying a car I wouldn't have bought the GS, I would have bought another ES.

But you have to understand that will ALWAYS be the case. Car tech will never operate as smoothly as tech tech. The GS has a ton of new to Lexus technology, and when you compare it to its peers, I think the technology is better than all but Audi.

You remind me of the members on the Prius board I used to post on when we had our Prius. Its kind of funny to watch people that are technogeeks, and not car people try and talk about cars LOL

You see, to us the fact that a piece of technology might be a little annoying to operate is a extremely minor issue compared to the fact that its an incredible car to drive, rides great, has an incredible interior, looks great, and sounds great when the gas is put to the floor to us. To you its like "But the thing only has 1,000 phone contacts so it sucks". Its frustrating to us that you have this great car and don't even see or appreciate WHY its great. Its not great because it has a screen or can stream audio over your phone's Bluetooth.

I do prefer the older keys too...

LuxoRocket

I do see wayner's point of view here. A couple of thoughts:

1) Sweating the details - if Lexus can care enough that they put a Helmholtz resonator in the air intake and a palm rest around the remote touch controller, I think it behooves them to also obsess over the other little things in the man-machine interface (e.g. the 1,000 phone contact limitation, the notifications obscuring the screen when reversing, the aluminum trim reflecting in the side mirrors and the rear view camera getting covered in water droplets and becoming unusable when it rains)

2) Offering technology that's as joyful to use as the car is to drive - Lexus is obviously trying hard to change its reputation from a builder of reliable-but-boring vehicles to a purveyor of fun to drive-and-reliable cars (GS, IS-F, LF-A). In the current day and age, I don't think building a sharp-handling, luxurious car with Bluetooth and a large screen is enough; an immersive technology experience is very much an expectation. If Lexus wants to change its image, it has to appeal to multiple age groups and a more tech-savvy demographic, and these are folks with high expectations of their technology.

SW17LS

Sure, but you have to compare their technology with other auto technology available from other manufacturers, not consumer electronics. Consumer electronic companies are always going to create a better graphic interface for instance...

Outrage

neurocity

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