CarPlay
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 546
From: Maryland
I agree, I really like idrive and like seeing the Nav in the HUD. I know you don’t like idrive 7 but I find it very intuitive and easy to use. Of course I’ve never used any of the previous idrives.
I haven't used carplay since 2020, I need to try it again to see if they've improved it.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,460
Likes: 232
From: CA
I find the Tesla interface to be better than CarPlay. It's all subjective but that's my preference. Tesla software is amazing. However, it's a nice option when you rent a car and the native interface is crap (like Toyota). I hear the new iDrive is worse than last iteration.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 69,226
Likes: 4,222
From: Maryland
The main reason why I love CarPlay is it just seamlessly works with my Apple
music, and I like the Google maps satellite map feature. It also lets me just click on my next appointment in my calendar and it automatically loads the address into Google maps, it also monitors Google Maps and let’s me know when I need to leave to make it to my next appointment.
I have not found a system that integrates well enough with the music on my phone that I don’t need to ever touch the phone other than CarPlay.
Being so used to the satellite maps regular maps just look crappy to me.
Plus I love that I have the same interface and music and navigation in every vehicle I drive. I get out of my car and get in the Pacifica and start it up, and the same song just starts playing…
music, and I like the Google maps satellite map feature. It also lets me just click on my next appointment in my calendar and it automatically loads the address into Google maps, it also monitors Google Maps and let’s me know when I need to leave to make it to my next appointment.
I have not found a system that integrates well enough with the music on my phone that I don’t need to ever touch the phone other than CarPlay.
Being so used to the satellite maps regular maps just look crappy to me.
Plus I love that I have the same interface and music and navigation in every vehicle I drive. I get out of my car and get in the Pacifica and start it up, and the same song just starts playing…
Latest idrive isn't precisely worse, it has more useful features, but like I said before it is too bloated and not as intuitive. It has garbage like "driving experiences" on the main menu that control background lights and music, but hides important settings under a bunch of submenus.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 546
From: Maryland
The main reason why I love CarPlay is it just seamlessly works with my Apple
music, and I like the Google maps satellite map feature. It also lets me just click on my next appointment in my calendar and it automatically loads the address into Google maps, it also monitors Google Maps and let’s me know when I need to leave to make it to my next appointment.
I have not found a system that integrates well enough with the music on my phone that I don’t need to ever touch the phone other than CarPlay.
Being so used to the satellite maps regular maps just look crappy to me.
Plus I love that I have the same interface and music and navigation in every vehicle I drive. I get out of my car and get in the Pacifica and start it up, and the same song just starts playing…
music, and I like the Google maps satellite map feature. It also lets me just click on my next appointment in my calendar and it automatically loads the address into Google maps, it also monitors Google Maps and let’s me know when I need to leave to make it to my next appointment.
I have not found a system that integrates well enough with the music on my phone that I don’t need to ever touch the phone other than CarPlay.
Being so used to the satellite maps regular maps just look crappy to me.
Plus I love that I have the same interface and music and navigation in every vehicle I drive. I get out of my car and get in the Pacifica and start it up, and the same song just starts playing…
With the Tesla I need to use EZZ’s method for using Waze. There were a number of accidents on all of the routes I needed to take yesterday and I thought maybe the Tesla nav would take me on the quickest route to avoid the accident and it didn’t. I find the Tesla voice control to be very good though.
The main reason why I love CarPlay is it just seamlessly works with my Apple
music, and I like the Google maps satellite map feature. It also lets me just click on my next appointment in my calendar and it automatically loads the address into Google maps, it also monitors Google Maps and let’s me know when I need to leave to make it to my next appointment.
I have not found a system that integrates well enough with the music on my phone that I don’t need to ever touch the phone other than CarPlay.
Being so used to the satellite maps regular maps just look crappy to me.
Plus I love that I have the same interface and music and navigation in every vehicle I drive. I get out of my car and get in the Pacifica and start it up, and the same song just starts playing…
music, and I like the Google maps satellite map feature. It also lets me just click on my next appointment in my calendar and it automatically loads the address into Google maps, it also monitors Google Maps and let’s me know when I need to leave to make it to my next appointment.
I have not found a system that integrates well enough with the music on my phone that I don’t need to ever touch the phone other than CarPlay.
Being so used to the satellite maps regular maps just look crappy to me.
Plus I love that I have the same interface and music and navigation in every vehicle I drive. I get out of my car and get in the Pacifica and start it up, and the same song just starts playing…
That being said, it is ridiculous that today most cars still rely on contraptions like carplay or bluetooth protocol to interface with apps on the phone. They should have essential apps built into the infotainment systems ffs.
I really don’t use CarPlay much at all except when I use Waze. Plus in my X7 we have CarPlay set up to work with my wife’s phone first.
With the Tesla I need to use EZZ’s method for using Waze. There were a number of accidents on all of the routes I needed to take yesterday and I thought maybe the Tesla nav would take me on the quickest route to avoid the accident and it didn’t. I find the Tesla voice control to be very good though.
With the Tesla I need to use EZZ’s method for using Waze. There were a number of accidents on all of the routes I needed to take yesterday and I thought maybe the Tesla nav would take me on the quickest route to avoid the accident and it didn’t. I find the Tesla voice control to be very good though.
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Lead Lap
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 1,723
From: San Diego, CA
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,612
Likes: 1,852
From: Ohio
The wireless charger is absolutely useless, it charges too slow and the phone gets super hot if its streaming music via BT. I bought a mount from Kuda and charge my phone with a cable - if anyone needs a good mount I highly recommend them, I've used them in all of my BMWs and Lexus cars, very high quality integrated products.
There's also used to be Bury mounts, but they have gone generic years ago.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,059
Likes: 275
From: California
Here's my setup for wireless CarPlay. I use a 3d printed mount and a tozo w10 "MagSafe" charger. Can't say enough good thing about the charger, never drops the phone and I tested the real Apple MagSafe too. About to upgrade the usb charger powering it to a 45w USBC . I tested that earlier last year and it worked phenomenal in charging a phone with a low battery
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,612
Likes: 1,852
From: Ohio
Yep, Kuda is one of the few companies that still makes mount that are make/model specific and they integrate very well. They don't list all the products on their site, you gotta contact them to see if they have it if your car isn't listed.
There's also used to be Bury mounts, but they have gone generic years ago.
There's also used to be Bury mounts, but they have gone generic years ago.
Like holy crap, I always wanted something like this but could never find anything that didn't look horrible, now I won't have to keep my phone in the consoles. This is entirely your fault, I have never bought a product so fast after seeing it lol!
Last edited by Striker223; Jun 10, 2022 at 08:43 PM.
