I've always wanted a Google/Apple Nav system. My Garmin sucks

Good

Apple should license the hell out of OS X/Multi touch.


Nav systems have improved but many are still horrible to "ok" for user interface "navigation"

I think that the turn of the next decade will usher in the "Carputer" where you have full access and services that a desktop/laptop would.

Imagine the possibilities.

1. Web access wherever you go...easy webmail access to your messages.
2. iTunes access....kids need a new movie for a trip...download something new while you drive.
3. Flexibility- enable wireless monitors that can accept difference sources so that passengers have access to disperate entertainment sources.
4. iPhone integration...sync you calendar/contacts and any other relevant data. So that the "right" data is always near you.
5. GPS data that combines "turn by turn" and arial Google Earth pictures of your trip/destination.
6. iSight support for backup cameras
7. Voice Recognition for comand and control of Carputer and text to speech for reading your emails/documents to you.
8. Destination and "Points of Interest" pop up in a HUD with relevant data.
9. XM/Sirius radio and support for NAV traffic
10. DVD player included though Nav map data resides on mini hard drive. DVD uploads new data to hdd.

So nobody is going to mind when more OS X stuff is delayed? While car nav systems definitely need some work, I think a lot of it is because there are no buttons. Designing systems which are quick to use without requiring a lot of visual feedback is a lot different than something like the iPhone.

And built-in GPS systems are ridiculously expensive for what you get. A top of the line Garmin or other player will cost you $600 and generally be better than the $2000 nav system that is integrated. I imagine they are looking at the HK GPS500 which is a pretty neat device, and if they would just integrate that it would be a thousand times better than the built-ins.

I hope they aren't doing it, but that is because they already are letting too much slide.

You know, this sounds like the thing people would go ape for.
All this time and R&D computer companies have put into trying to get the computer into the living room as an all in one info/entertainment system--maybe the first place they should have been looking was the car. That is a space where people spend tons of time and are trapped, so to speak. After we get used to it in the car, then we will want a AppleTV at home that shares those features...

I guess all that is really needed to make this vision work is solid, high speed access to the internet. dont know if what is out there is good enough, but I guess it is inevitable.

Apple is lucky (forsightful?) as people are already used to plugging their iPods into the car. It will make sense for them to buy an iCarputer--especially after they geet hooked on the iPhone

Howbout it automatically downloads map data? If this system can download a movie, why not a map?

Great, just what we need, even more people on the road not paying attention to driving, but playing with their nifty new carputer.

BTW, why would you need an iSight for backup camera operation? Or is it just necessary to throw that in there to make 10 (since mine does this without the need of iSight or OS X).

Yes ...my boss is like many people...the minute he hits the road he's knocking out phone call after phone call. Technologies like WiMax and 4G are going to bring wirless speeds that compete well with Cable and DSL products of today. Clearwire is already at 1.5Mbps for wireless. We know that Apple can cram OS X down to a very small package (iPhone) yet maintain usability. Addabox and I have discussed this before. When you have OS X running on small devices the licensing opportunities begin to multiple. Apple doesn't need to license Macintosh but they stand to make <Dr Evil) Beeeeelions </Dr Evil> licensing OS X for CE devices.


D'oh...Occams Razor. Probably best to give people the option for both.


Nah...some features won't work when the car is in drive. Bluetooth would be mandatory you get in your care and your phone syncs to the GPS unit just like most of the units today. My gf leaves her phone in her handbag and after her Audi syncs it "just works" Text to speech makes reading your email easy and it should be the default way to access email. Just give them the header info and let the TTS take over when driving.

Hell use any camera you want. I offered no limitations The key part is that backup cams are safe and any GPS system should support a number of cams in my book.

I don't want to start sounding like your standard Apple basher (TOO LATE!), but, no, we don't know that. We won't know that until the iPhone is released and see how well it works. And we won't know that until someone rips it apart, and starts examining the underpinnings to see whether it really is OS X underneath, or a real 'minimalist' version of OS X that has very little in common with the full version.

That's true..once the iPhone is in a greedy little Tech's hands who's curious we'll likely know a bit more about the makeup of iPhone OS X. Man I'd love to see what's on the roadpmap for the iPhone series.

sort of off-topic but back-up cameras are only useful when you're driving a car that's way to big to begin with.