sethz

Thanks again for these answers. When I look at myaudiconnect profile, I have both the PRIME and PLUS. So if I want everything to remain the way it is currently on the free trial, and if I will pay about $28 a month for the PRIME and then another $20 for the PLUS which will give me the in car wifi which I am understanding that some folks are saying they can add to their existing AT&T account and use the hotspot on their mobile device. I would prefer not to use my mobile device as a hotspot so I have to pay roughly an additional $50 per month that should work for me. I think where I got confused was that I was looking at PRIME as the all inclusive features which included wifi. Am I missing something?

sethz

I just answered my own question! The $499 pre pay for the PRIME includes the PLUS and the 6GB of data. GOT IT! THANK YOU!!!! (now on to the obdeleven posts)!

superswiss

During the trial period you have a complementary PRIME and complementary unlimited PLUS plan. Once the trial expires, you initially only need to renew PRIME. PRIME basically includes a 6GB PLUS plan. Once you burned through the 6GB, then you can add an additional PLUS plan, or add the hotspot to an exisiting AT&T Shared Data plan.

rocko76

I'd mind the price less if the voice recognition, routing, points of interest DB, and traffic information wasn't so terrible. While needing to plug in my phone to access Android Auto obviously is less convenient that if that wasn't necessary, I spend far less time doing that repeating myself over and over, finding that major POIs are missing, and sitting in traffic that I could have otherwise avoided.

As it is, I need to repeat myself several times for it to recognize I'm trying to find, say, "Nordstrom's" - only to find out it thinks the nearest Nordstrom's is 200 miles away (it isn't). Nor is trying to draw an address on the MMI **** any easier.

Much, much easier to plug it in and say "OK, Google" - and basically seem to get most of what is in AC, plus more. Not getting the map on the VC isn't that big of a deal to me at the end of the day.

IMO, increasingly less acceptable in cars of this class when consumer tech that easily surpasses it is a $50 note away (echo dot - voice recognition) or just bundled into a phone everyone is already carrying (granted, latter has been true for a while, but quality of the voice recognition piece is accelerating). I realize that said devices generate alternate revenue streams vs. the hardware itself - but the same can be said for these services vs. the vehicle purchase.

superswiss

Sounds like you are using the built-in POI. That database is indeed out of date and missing a lot. Just like saying ''Ok, Google", say "Google search Nordstrom" and you get the same results as you get on your phones. INRIX traffic is actually very good. Just like Google, they crowdsource their traffic data and combine it with TMC, SigAlert etc. They will soon start to collect traffic data from every Audi with Nav on the road and they already collect data from mobile phones, trucks, delivery vans etc. We did a 1300 miles road trip to Portland for the solar eclipse and it took us around all the I-5 congestion on the way back to CA. It chose deserted Oregon country roads for much of it. We could actually tell who was using Google Maps and or Waze. As we were exiting they all went the opposite direction and the MMI took us on a different route with nobody on it.

markcincinnati

I am not in total agreement with rocko, but I have two "Alexas" at home, one in the kitchen and one in the bedroom.

When I speak a question or command to Alexa, even if the TV is on, the microwave is on (no, we don't have one in the bedroom) and even if the dishwasher, blender, garbage disposal or the dog is barking, she ALWAYS gets it.

I paid, well you know how much I paid, $149 for my full on echo and $49 for my echo dot.

Siri is pretty crappy, compared to the echo and even when compared to the Audi lady.

But for the price of the MMI + Nav, the Audi system (and most auto systems, that I know of) it is a rip off, ok not a rip off, per se, because I do like the integration.

Audi should license Alexa and be done with it.

BTW the MS Cortina or whatever isn't too impressive, but she's better than Siri, too.

The point is, it seems to me that the auto mfgrs should just buy the technology and stop fooling around -- and the thing is, I did not train Alexa. I even trained the Audi lady and she only gets me about 80% of the time, actually it's probably better than that but, it is sometimes, annoying.

superswiss

The quality of voice control seems to differ between models and definitely has issues if your passengers are talking. It works actually quite well in my RS5 and especially the "Google search" command is pretty much right on, because it actually sends what you say to the Google servers for interpretation. However, in the R8 Spyder voice control is terrible despite the mics in the seat belt (too much wind and engine noise with the top down). In the B9 so far based on my experience it also works well, unless as I said you have talking passengers.

Also, make sure you don't aim the center vents upward as that will generate wind noise at the mic and completely screw with the systems ability to understand you.

mplsbrian

Well, the day has finally come... my AC trial expired this weekend and it's time now to pay the man... or to not.

Checking in with the community: has anyone who passed on immediate renewal of AudiConnect services after trial expiry received any discounts? For example, a "we miss you at AudiConnect, here's 10% off renewal" email or the like? If so about how long did that take to come?

Buckeye96

I'm going to re-up, but my thought was that it was worth the price tag just to get the map updates. When I had the Q5, the dealer quoted me $600 for the map update CD, so this seems like a better deal. At least that's how I'm justifying it in my mind.

njspeedfreak

It's possible to update the maps without the connect service. You can download them from a website and then save them to an SD card. Pop the SD card into the MMI slot and then apply the update. Don't remember the exact process to do this, or the website that has the maps, but a forum search should yield that info if anyone is interested.

I didn't renew. Can't say I really miss it to much. It was nice to have while it as free but not worth the price they are asking. If it was around $10 a month I would probably sign back up.