[smally]

I just came across a HU from pioneer called the Pioneer AppRadio for iphone 4 and ipod touch 4th generation AppRadio | Pioneer Electronics USA. has anybody installed it and if yes what are your thoughts views on the same? please write in. looks like a very good product for iphone users. cheers.

[navin]

Originally Posted by smally

i just came across a HU from pioneer called the Pioneer AppRadio for iphone 4 and ipod touch 4th generation AppRadio | Pioneer Electronics USA. has anybody installed it and if yes what are your thoughts views on the same? please write in. looks like a very good product for iphone users. cheers.

It looks like is only for Iphone users and primarily for those living in the US as many of these apps require infrastructure that is still not available in India.

[blackasta]

Yes I saw this a few months back on the crutchfield catalog.
Did not appeal much to me - and is kind of a niche device. Also apps supported are very less.

[smally]

Originally Posted by navin

It looks like is only for Iphone users and primarily for those living in the US as many of these apps require infrastructure that is still not available in India.

navinji. its meant for iphone users and i am one of them . i guess pandora is the only app that is still not readily applicable here. its primarily for music and navigation that i will be using it. i know there are a lot more options in that price range, but the clean looks of the appradio just blew my mind! any idea if this has been installed / used by anyone in mumbai. would like to see a demo.

[DerAlte]

Actually, this is a darn good idea: just provide the display/touchscreen and audio processing / amp infrastructure, and use the iPod Touch / iPhone as a CarPC platform. Limitation: supports only iPhone4, not the older iPhones. Doesn't seem to support iPads at the moment, but I don't see a limitation, since the hardware interface is identical. USB data and Power for charging are separated at the HU end of the interface cable. That should account for the higher charging capability needed for iPads.

The touchscreen interface on the HU is limited to, I presume, what can be achieved over a proprietary protocol Pioneer must have implemented over a serial link via the interface cable. The connection of the iPhone to the HU is implemented over a standard USB connection (check the installation manual), so no proprietary-hardware gimmickry there. Since it is standard USB, the protocol would be similar to USB-based touchscreen displays used with PCs. Touch the screen, and the coordinates go as a stream to the iPhone; display updates are another stream going from iPhone to the HU. Of course, the Pioneer AppRadio app on the iPhone will hog the iPhone CPU doing all this, possible more so because all the apps will run from within the Pioneer app.

I don't think it will be limited - in future - to the apps that are displayed in the pictures on that page - that seems to be a virtual group just to get the most important ones up front. 'Apps' should lead to all the other apps the users have on their iDevices, as long as such apps conform to the Pioneer internal API rules. Otherwise, Pioneer HU display will go for a toss if non-standard methods are implemented by external apps. Currently, Pio software guys would have played safe and limited the setup; one reason is Pio will get the App sales revenue.

This way, what I want to use the system for is left to me (current status: *almost* like a CarPC):
- As the audio source, I could use Music Player / iTunes as the source, or an Internet radio station as source. I mention this in generic form, even though Pio is supplying a decent choice of internet radio clients, including Pandora and AUPEO. There must be many who prefer to, like me, listen to things like Comedy Central while driving
- Dont need a separate BT interface, calls are by default through the HU
- Do Skype calls - not today, but when things open up at Pioneer
- Have native voice-guided navigation without having to get a separate system or potter around with Google Maps. Not sure if the MotionX navigation app can read India maps from Garmin, MMI or SatNav
- Do vehicle diagnostics with a BT-interfaced OBD interface and the DashCommand app
- ... (IF Pioneer opens up the App interface for 3rd party apps, that is)

[navin]

Originally Posted by smally

navinji. its meant for iphone users and i am one of them ...any idea if this has been installed / used by anyone in mumbai. would like to see a demo.

Not to my knowledge. PM B&T he might know.

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Actually, this is a darn good idea:

What if you misplace your phone?

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by navin

... What if you misplace your phone?

It has a built-in FM radio, as well as interfaces for digital radio and Aux-in! Adequate alternate sources.

[nayaksudhir]

I ordered one from the US for my new car (which hasn't arrived yet) and it is lying in my store.

Hopefully, I will have my new car and the appradio installed in it by the end of this month (April).

Will post pictures and a short review.

[satpalsharma]

Originally Posted by nayaksudhir

I ordered one from the US for my new car (which hasn't arrived yet) and it is lying in my store.

Hopefully, I will have my new car and the appradio installed in it by the end of this month (April).

Will post pictures and a short review.

Did you manage to get this device installed in your car? If yes, how's the experience so far?

[nayaksudhir]

Originally Posted by satpalsharma

Did you manage to get this device installed in your car? If yes, how's the experience so far?

Well I did! The experience is great as long as you have iphone 4 or 4s (since the cable that came along works with these 2 models). You see all your apps on the dash. There are some really cool apps which give a nexgen feel to the dash altogether.

However, the cable that came along got twisted (thanks to my toddler). I looked for a used cable which I couldn't find in India. A new cable cost 74$ and that too was for iphone 4. I was really in a fix for a few days. Even bought an fm transmitter and enjoyed music through it. Didn't like the workaround so finally uninstalled and put the original back in. The whole experience lasted 3 months.

It is now lying with me sans cable. I will dispose it to someone who just needs a fancy FM radio with Bluetooth calling.

Overall experience - 3/5

Positives: Amazing Screen, Great Fonts, Apps come to life, Navigation rocks (through google maps or mapmyindia), Bluetooth calling works like a breeze.

Negatives: Cable sucks, works with iphone only.

[Epic]

Guys. AppRadio is for Android too. Check out this link

http://pioneer-india.in/shop/avh-x8590bt/

I believe it has most of the features but not sure if it has TA. It does say Auto EQ but I am guessing it is TA but not in pro mode. This is definitely an option to look as a single source that gives you various features including bluetooth hands free and navigation.

I am currently using the Alpine ICS-X8 which has MirrorLink but it is so unfortunate that the DriveLink App has not yet been released in India/Asia which is not allowing the HU's features to be used to its full potential. In this case the Pioneer AppRadio scores over any other.

[madhu33]

I am using AVH X 2590 BT for my car.
I have an S3 .
Initially before buying AVH X 2590 BT i thought i would be able to use Appradio mode .
But realized that AVH X 2590 BT is not compatible with android and only iphones.
Is there any other way i can connect for APP RADIO mode. ?

[satpalsharma]

Originally Posted by nayaksudhir

>> You see all your apps on the dash.
>>Navigation rocks (through google maps or mapmyindia.

When you say 'all the apps', do you have to Jailbreak in order to get all the apps on the dash? My impression was it shows the Pioneer AppRadio App only and the apps compatible under that App.

Also when you say Google Maps, do you use any specific AppRadio app to get google maps or its the default Google Maps that comes to the dash (that would happen only on jailbreak device i'm assuming)?

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by satpalsharma

... default Google Maps that comes to the dash (that would happen only on jailbreak device i'm assuming)?

The Google Maps App runs on iOS without jailbreaking.

Also, Pioneer will not make anything that would require users to jailbreak their devices.

[satpalsharma]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

The Google Maps App runs on iOS without jailbreaking.

Also, Pioneer will not make anything that would require users to jailbreak their devices.

Yes, Google Maps run without jail breaking on iOS. My query was whether the same Google Maps App run on Pioneer Dash as well? If you go through Pioneer specs, they have a dedicated app which you've to install on iOS and that app will run on the Dash not all the other apps. Pioneer officially do not support iPhone screen sharing. People do that by Jailbreaking their device.