a wireless phone that has PalmOS on it and a keyboard (blackberry style) that fully integrates with the new A8L MMI - phonebook and all. Do you think this will happen in the next 18 months. I mean come on, this car is supposed to be for mobile executives and about the future and I'm stuck with a 2001 phone (V60).

If not, do you think that if you want to retro-fit your '04 A8L to get the phonebook MMI integration that will probably be in the '05 model it will be possible? I'm talking about even replacing key components of the car with new '05 components. It's better than buyin' the '05 an taking it in the shorts on the depreciation of the '04.

Thoughts..comments..questions...yadda yadda.

-P

 

Other than Audi, who are the key 3rd party suppliers that might integrate a new phone platform? Perhaps we'll have better luck outside Audi.

 

phone technology. Just saw an Acura ad featuring Bluetooth phone integration. I wish the V60 was 2001 Audi technology. My 2001 A8L (bought it 12/02)came with an analog handset that I couldn't even get new service for!!! I wish I had the V60 integration. To give them some benefit of the doubt, car designs (including wiring harneses and bus systems) are probably locked in 1-2 years before the car gets to market. Thus, it's tough to offer the very current stuff, but Audi shouldn't lag so far behind.

 

Don't get me wrong. I am a fan of Audi, but a critical one. Their integration of the V60 is shaky at best. I am with you - I would love to have the Bluetooth option. I would consider a similar phone to one you're describing. I saw a Kyocera that has it all (I don't think it was Bluetooth capable). It would eliminate the need for separate pager/phone/PDA. I cringed spending the $384 for the Audi V60 when Verizon sells the Kyocera for $399 or 499. I don't understand the logic. Of course, I also lived with the analog factory phone in my S4. I kept my obsolete analog plan for 1 or 2 years just to say that having the Audi factory phone wasn't a total waste.
Hopefully Audi comes to grips with it's seeming lack of interest in the phone situation and produces something good for MY05

 

Sweet dreams :-)

 

Potsie, I agree with your wish list, but technology is changing so fast that our beloved A8L is getting lost in the ever changing landscape. Bluetooth seems to be hot and because of that the 05 will probably get that (the new 2004 LS-430 from Lexus already does) My hope is that AoA will support the 2004 A8L with some upgrade but I am not holding my breath.

 

If I had a schematic and a VAG-COM tool that would hook up and talk to the car, I bet we could engineer it. It wouldn't be that hard.

Sometimes I wonder if you could do some kind of set up with the MMI without the VAG-COM tool. It wouldn't surprise me if the thing is already the VAG-COM tool.

Too bad we don't live closer together, I would try and help you out.

That is one mod I could sell to A8L owners! I wouldn't mind making a few dollars off my experience.

pw

 

....it sure sounds like you could easily integrate the V60. The Onstar can be dialed from MMI and uses the steering wheel controls?

Oh, this could be done...<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a8/msgs/40366.phtml">Dr. Gallo's Informative Post</a></li></ul>

 

It is VERY difficult to make everyone happy when it comes to phones. Potsie wants a Palm-OS phone, I want a Windows Mobile SmartPhone, etc etc. Because each phone is different, it would be a near impossibility to give A8L buyers a choice and have full integration of all those choices with MMI. Although Bluetooth would be nice for recognizing a variety of devices, it would not insure seamless MMI integration, which requires the unique software in the phone.

That is where my sympathy ends. For God's sake, I'll live with the V60 as my car phone, but please, please, please give me some basic integration. Don't throw excess inventory of an old phone at me and then leave me stranded with poor integration that you have no plans to improve. How can you build brand loyalty behind a car like the A8 when you leave your early owners in a big ugly ditch when it comes to a function that is viewed as a BASIC element of automotive electronics among luxury car buyers?

I've given up hoping that the specific phone I like will be integrated into the A8 now or in the future. Thus, I'm willing to buy that phone/PDA as a portable and set up my Audi car phone to forward calls to my preferred phone when I am not in the car. Pretty simple. But if I am willing to accept this as a compromise and deal with all the headaches that two phone numbers, two phone books, etc implies, at least don't make the car-installed half of that compromise even worse by walking away from the responsibility of upgrading it to allow for basic integration.

C'mon Audi, this is bush league. And please don't kid yourselves into thinking that this is just an annoying thing that early owners will simply live with. This is the kind of thing that will cause some early owners to leave the Audi brand or, at the very least, to stop recommending your brand to other potential buyers.

FIX THIS PROBLEM!

 

for the board that's below the arm rests, there's an installer I've worked with before in the Sacramento (CA) area who I'd trust to develop an installation scheme. Paul could probably do the same and retire on the all the phone installs that he'd sell to us on this board.