A few weeks ago Chrysler announced that a few of its new cars would have an in-car entertainment (ICE, baby) system called MyGiG. It’s a really nice idea: a 20GB hard drive can store navigation info, a Gracenote database, preferences, and – most importantly – around 10GB of WMA (gak!) or MP3 files, so you can play them while driving. And it imports music from your CDs (rips!) or a USB drive.
Nice idea, but it’s absolutely half-baked.
Chrysler’s “innovation” would be great if the year was, say, 2000 or even 2002. But there’s a little device called “iPod” that you might have heard of that complicates this situation and, ultimately, makes it a futile effort.
The reason’s simple: I already have my music in two places (portable music player, computer). I’m not going to add it to another place. That’s asking a hell of a lot of your customers, don’t you think? And not supporting any format (even unprotected AAC, come on) that the iPod specializes in shows its shortcomings, frankly. And sure, sure, I can plug my iPod in via the aux jack but that doesn’t do anything any other car with an aux jack does. Big deal.
Let’s face it. In 2006, the iPod is the de facto standard when it comes to portable music players. Any car that doesn’t at least have an aux jack is missing out. But any car that offers an ICE system that ignores the iPod? That’s just stupid.
I won’t even touch the enclosure a 20GB hard drive needs in order to not destroy itself. Let’s hope Chrysler puts great suspensions in these cars, too.
Posted in Cars
Semi April 4, 2007, 2:36 pm
iPod? Pfff! So my dream of an in-car unit that can hold all of my music starts to develop and I get this Apple-acolyte pissing on it. mouthing off about the one true portable music box like some “Church of Steve” evangelist. YOUR CAR IS YOUR PORTABLE MUSIC DEVICE! The proprietary, closed source code iPod is just a novelty. Once you’re out the of the car your attention is on communicating with bro’s and ho’s.
What you’re comments really bring up is a needed WiFi transfer solution between your home PC (or Mac) and your in-car HDD. Your home and car are music listening areas. Walking or biking about is NOT. Unless you WANT to get hit by a car… or falling house.
And AAC is not even a standard (though maybe a poorly crafted acronym). It, and iTunes, will be replaced soon enough with better quality/compression MP formats and simple drag-n-drop wireless music transfers, respectively.
Vernon Stephens May 4, 2007, 9:16 pm
I think having an in-car mp3 device is a great idea However, I agree that it needs more thought. What do you think? DC can introduce an ipod or mp3 deck or dock. The deck or dock sould be able to control the ipod or mp3 functions, the volume, ff, rw, menu and so on. The deck or dock sould double as a charger. In addition, the deck should be able to pivot in any direction, allowing the operator to view the screen, for videos. It would be nice if the device’s screen could be view on the LCD screen.
It is possible that DC would save money.
As a consumer of e-gadgets, I want my devices to be portable. I don’t want to be tide down to my car. We have become an, on-the-go nation. DC needs to keep up that idea, and they will be successful.