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Quite frankly there is not much of a point for us enthusiasts to bother with Windows Automotive. Barking up the wrong tree.
I have one of the very first mass market systems that are based on Windows Automotive installed in my car, and while it sure is a pretty nice thing (and working astonishingly well for a MS product) it lacks quite a bit.
There is not, and there will probably never be a "hacker" or "modder" scene around those devices, as all the SDKs are closed to the public and only acessible to manufacturers who signed a deal with Microsoft. There is no way of really adding functionality to these systems for a hobbyist, and even if there was of course it would validate any and all warrantys on the device.
The Blue&Me system, as sold by Fiat and Alfa Romeo in their cars for a while now, works really fine, but it relies on proprietary hardware. Without severe reverse engineering you cannot extend the system to any noticeable degree. It is designed to be easy to use and deliver a certain set of functionality. The B&M system has the following features:
- mp3 Playback (USB port in glovebox)
- Phone management (sync contacts, handsfree)
- Sat Nav (in Blue&Me nav)
- Voice operation of the main features
However, the device is "hidden" from user access. That means all interaction is limited by whatever means of input the car itself delivers. There is voice operation for mp3 functionality (NEXT TRACK, PREVIOUS TRACK, RANDOM, and some select other commands) and you can initiate calls by voice. Surprisingly, even without any sort of voice training the system works quite well and even recognizes names from the phone book with relative accuracy. For in-depth control you rely on steering wheel buttons (like navigating the menus, folders, etc.)
All in all a nice solution but I am looking to replace it. Why? You cannot fast-forward in mp3s. Sometimes the mp3 library hangs, still playing music but not allowing folder browsing/selection anymore). Furthermore I was an early adopter of my car model, and was told that an update from B&M to B&M Nav was easy. Hah. Now they tell me it is not. Disassembling the device seems to support this - there is no antenna jack or something like that.
Any question, just ask. It is a system that will work for your mom or anyone who is just mildly technically oriented and easy to satisfy when it comes to digital stuff. But the proprietary ghost of Bill Gates ruined the great concept.
EDITED TO ADD: Sorry for recovering such an old thread. Heh.
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