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Media (Apple) Businesses Media Apple

iPod Your BMW Officially Launched 472

Posted by simoniker from the objects-of-desire dept.
chasingporsches writes "Apple today announced the iPod Your BMW campaign on their front page. According to the iPod Your BMW page, 'Connect with music like never before behind the wheel of your BMW 3 Series, and X3 and X5 SAV, Z4 Roadster or MINI. With the installation of an integrated adapter developed by Apple and BMW, you can now control your iPod or iPod mini through the existing audio system and multi-function steering wheel. Which means no loss of power. No loss of sound quality. No loss of control.' There is also a QuickTime TV ad available for streaming. Apparently it only works with 2002 or later BMWs and Minis, and the iPod connects to a cable in the glove compartment."
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iPod Your BMW Officially Launched More

iPod Your BMW Officially Launched

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  • Car thieves of the world... (Score:5, Funny)

    by foidulus ( 743482 ) * on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:13PM (#9487994)
    Rejoice!

    • Re:Car thieves of the world... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Maudib ( 223520 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:40PM (#9488395)
      Because stealing a BMW just wasnt worth it before.

  • I love how the iPod just sits in the glove box. (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    All this effort into integrating the iPod into the car, but you're just supposed to toss it in the glove box? Please.

  • Sounds on wheels (Score:3, Funny)

    by 3DMantis ( 790215 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:14PM (#9488000) Homepage
    Why not make one for my vintage VW Beetle, you insensitive clod!
    • There was a campaign for iPods and new beetles, but that was just a fancy cup/iPod holder.
    • Why not make one for my vintage VW Beetle, you insensitive clod!

      Buy yourself Aiwa car stereo (a brand owned by Sony). Every model they make has a mini-jack line-in socket right on the front panel. Works with an iPod like a charm. If your vintage VW Beetle has a car lighter (some had, some hadn't), buy yourself a Belkin car kit to power the iPod while driving. Finally, buy yourself a ProClip pod to mount your iPod somewhere on the cockpit. All you need now is a stock 2x minijack cable and presto, you have
      • However, I had an old Beetle and I had car stereo in it, but it was virtually unusable - the sound of the engine was just too loud to actually hear the music.

        No, what that means is that the stereo was TOO QUIET. What you needed was a more powerful stereo. ;)

        Not that I don't like the sound of my rotary engine at 7K RPM....

  • Not that fortunate (Score:5, Funny)

    by CharAznable ( 702598 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:14PM (#9488003)
    So, when's the iPod, 1994 Honda Civic campaign coming?

  • Identification (Score:5, Funny)

    by LiquidCoooled ( 634315 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:14PM (#9488017) Homepage Journal
    Look out for the BMW's with white wing mirrors ;)

  • This is definitely... (Score:5, Funny)

    by jamonterrell ( 517500 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:14PM (#9488020)
    the most expensive iPod accessory ever!

  • iPod your Slashdot! (Score:5, Funny)

    by garcia ( 6573 ) * on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:15PM (#9488025)
    Become the 600th advertiser to mention iPod to get onto the front page of Slashdot.org!

    The iPod doesn't even have a fancy cradle or slot to slide into. They just want you to lay it in your glove box. I suppose that BMW owners might be different than me but I don't have any room in my glove box after all the paperwork for the car, the manual, and the road maps (GPS is great, I use it all the time, but it doesn't solve ALL problems), I don't have room for that.
    • BMW owners are different - they have the money for a BMW.

    • Re:iPod your Slashdot! (Score:3, Informative)

      by Saxton ( 34078 )
      This configuration is compatible with the iPod dock if you want to put it in your glove box.

    • It gets worse (Score:3, Informative)

      by commodoresloat ( 172735 )
      Check this out from the ad copy:

      The adapter frees your car from messy wires

      So the wire connecting the adapter to the stereo is neat and clean?

      On another note, it's interesting how much they're hyping the supposedly excellent "sound quality" of the iPod. I love my iPod, but sound quality here is almost entirely a factor of the encoding of the music rather than the iPod. When it comes down to it, the iPod is just a hard drive with headphones. It stores the music and hopefully doesn't introduce too much

  • This is old news. (Score:5, Informative)

    by windex ( 92715 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:16PM (#9488035) Homepage
    As a MINI owner, I have been aware this has been possible for quite awhile. It was just done via a third party company who built a custom interface by hacking up the alpine i-bus CD changer interface.

    My fear now is that this company is getting ripped off of all their work by this venture with Apple and BMW. :(

    I opted for Sirius over buying an iPod for hopes of having a greater selection in diffrent generes, but ... oh well.

    Justin
  • I hope they're not thinking about the same one I'm thinking of...

  • arg (Score:5, Insightful)

    by prockcore ( 543967 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:16PM (#9488043)
    why do they have the ipod flopping around in the glovebox?

    Really, is it so hard to make an in-dash stereo have a slot-loading ipod?

    Just slide your ipod into your stereo like an 8-track tape.

    Plus, that way you don't need to buy a BMW to use it.

    • Re:arg (Score:2)

      by nizo ( 81281 )
      Maybe they can include a free roll of ipod custom attachment tape (i.e. basically just duct tape) to fix this problem?

      Which reminds me of something my brother used to do. He was too cheap to buy a lint brush, so he had a handy roll of duct tape to remove excess lint/cat hair/etc from his clothes (just wrap a strip around hand sticky side up and pat clothes). Brilliant!

    • Re:better yet (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Bastian ( 66383 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @11:42PM (#9492010)
      Start making car stereos have a damn 3.5mm stereo jack somewhere on the front of the unit. There are so many different mp3 devices nowadays, and the last thing I want is more custom shit that locks me into brands or punishes me for not using the same thing as everyone else. Give me a standard way to plug my mp3 player into my stereo without having to fight with every FM radio station in a 30 mile radius or take my dash halfway apart and buy a $70 adapter so I can attatch a pig-tail to the back of my stereo.

      (And no, I'm not hating on cool iPod stuff. I have an iPod. But I still don't want a slot-loading iPod incase my next mp3 player is not an iPod or incase Apple changes the size/shape of the iPod yet again (they will - WWDC is coming soon). )

  • Match made in Heaven (Score:2, Insightful)

    by VividU ( 175339 )
    iPods and Beemers. Somehow it all fits (and not for the better).

    I miss the old Apple days (before they became a fashion statement)

    • Re:Match made in Heaven (Score:5, Funny)

      by jfengel ( 409917 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:22PM (#9488146) Homepage Journal
      I miss the old Apple days (before they became a fashion statement)

      Yeah, the Apple ][ was one heck of a computer.

    • Re:Match made in Heaven (Score:5, Interesting)

      by reidconti ( 219106 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:33PM (#9488311)
      Ever used an iPod? Then you know why it's the better product. Even my non-Apple friends have come to see how paying for quality can actually count. This from the PC-world that gives you bargain basement beige boxes. Apple is showing the world consumer electronics (and computers and such) can be pleasant to use experiences, not commodities.

      Ever driven a BMW? Then you know why it's a great product that's worth the money.

      1995 M3 -- best car I've ever driven in my life. Sad I had to sell it after 3 years, 40,000 miles, zero problems; happy about the good resale value.

      I can't say every person who buys an Apple product is 100% pleased with it, nor can I say every BMW purchase is a happy one. But both companies are shining examples of how, with a little bit of extra attention to detail and engineering, a superior product can usually be produced. And yes, it will cost you a little bit more.

      About the only thing dumber than assuming that more expensive == better, is assuming that more expensive == worse. Sure, there are plenty who buy iPods and Bimmers as status symbols, but don't discount those of us who have actually have taste. Do you listen to crappy music nobody's ever heard of, and then the day they get airplay claim they've "sold out" and then refuse to listen to them? Same principle, pal.

      Oh, and this would not have worked in my 95 M3, nor would it work with my 1st gen 5gb iPod (still chugging away on original battery after almost 3 years!)

      But I'll be buying a new iPod this year to have bigger capacity, and will be buying another (if not new-new) BMW in a year or so.

      Worst thing about this new system, to me, is that you have to set up special BMW playlists, and then only access by track number. How hard would it have been to actually show track names, christ. Aftermarket companies have figured out how to integrate Valentine 1 alerts into the 5-series computer, which is a much bigger technical feat than hacking the cd changer into assigning track numbers to iPod playlists.. I think the Alpine system coming out soon will be better.

      (By the way, if you wanted the status symbol thing to hold true, it should have been Mercedes of maybe Lexus. Sure Mercedes used to make decent cars, but not any longer -- Mercedes is the ultimate status symbol, not a driver's car. Tell me, how big is the Mercedes club's track or club racing program? Yeah, nowhere near as large as BMW, which is probably second biggest behind Porsche in the nation).

      • Re:Match made in Heaven (Score:3, Informative)

        by VividU ( 175339 )
        You make a bunch of good points. I drive a 2000 3 Series myself and I think its great (Although it has more minor problems than my '88 Accord with 200k miles).

        I'm also use Apple products professionaly.

        What I'm sad about is the perception that Apple is cultivating for itself.

        These days, when I think of Apple I think: elite, expensive, fashionable, trendy, Hollywood
        • What I'm sad about is the perception that Apple is cultivating for itself.
          These days, when I think of Apple I think: elite, expensive, fashionable, trendy, Hollywood

          Well, those perceptions usually end up selling more units to average image conscious consumers.

  • This Is For (Score:5, Funny)

    by aluminumcube ( 542280 ) * <greg@nOSpaM.elysion.com> on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:17PM (#9488061)
    Nothing more then rich, liberal, elite, yuppy, eurotrash, scumbags. Which is exactly why my 2002 325 is getting one as soon as my dealer has them in stock!

  • Backwards... (Score:5, Funny)

    by danielrm26 ( 567852 ) * on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:18PM (#9488065) Homepage
    This story is probably most likely to incite BMW owners to get an iPod to go with their car, but in my case it's actually inspired me to get a BMW to go with my iPod. :) I was close to getting one anyway, this just finalizes things for me...

  • holy crap. (Score:5, Funny)

    by moondo ( 177508 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:18PM (#9488074)
    i really had no reason to drive my BMW until i read this... thanks apple!

  • My boss wants one... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by javaxman ( 705658 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:18PM (#9488075) Journal
    Just in case anyone was wondering if this type of thing will influence the car purchase choice of *anyone*, the answer is a definite yes.

    My boss, with this announcement, is suddenly *really* interested in purchasing a BMW. He'd never talked about BMW before this... it's exactly the type of thing that luxury car owners use to decide which car to buy. BMW knows their market.

  • It's about time... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by midifarm ( 666278 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:19PM (#9488077) Homepage
    For years Apple has been compared to BMW, as far as marketshare. I'm glad they finally pooled their efforts together. One nicer thing would be an integrated dock in the center console (next revision). Also does anyone know if you get songs info (titles etc.) displayed on your stereo? That would be cool.

    Peace

    • Re:It's about time... (Score:3, Informative)

      by in7ane ( 678796 )
      No, just the track number:

      "3. See/Hear - View and control up to five unique BMW playlists and virtually endless miles of music. Your iPod adapter simulates the CD changer function in your audio system, allowing you to move between and view track numbers in up to five BMW playlists."

      And specific playlists are required as well, from the description on the Apple page it seems to be a hack of the CD changer, as somebody already pointed out this has already been done by a 3rd party product, rather than new

  • Great (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Primotech ( 731340 )
    First we had morons fumbling for their cell phones, now we'll have morons fumbling for their iPods.

  • is this the Alpine ipod ready kit in disguise? (Score:5, Informative)

    by humuhumunukunukuapu' ( 678704 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:19PM (#9488094)
    sounds just like it

    read about it here [alpine-usa.com]

    it will allow the same thing this article talks about on alpine receivers. i can't wait for it!

  • Whoops... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:20PM (#9488098)
    as I hit the horn and spin the wheel maddly in a clockwise direction to cycle through my playlist.

  • A CABLE!!!??? UGH (Score:5, Interesting)

    by alta ( 1263 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:20PM (#9488103) Homepage Journal
    Come on, you have to plug in a cable and throw it in the glove compartment? What a hack! I could modify my car to do that, and put an LCD screen on the dash to show me what I'm playing. Hell, you can probably buy that already. Before I watched the video, I though the BMW would have some sort of dock that either I sat my iPod in, or even cooler, a slot, like a tape deck, that I shoved my ipod in. Now THAT would be cool. This is not what I call "Seamless integration" I think in the future car stereo's are going to come with a media bay, just like printers do now. I slap in my SD/xD/MMC/Memory Stick or whatever and the stero reads the ID3's and playlists. Off I go. And laptops will come with built in FM transmitters to broadcast their audio to my home entertainment center or car stereo... I would love to sit in my living room, play a FPS and have it all come out the stereo. No Wires.

    • Re:A CABLE!!!??? UGH (Score:4, Informative)

      by humuhumunukunukuapu' ( 678704 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:27PM (#9488214)
      something like, oh, say,

      THIS? [apple.com]

      :)

    • A DOCK?!?!? HA HA HA (Score:5, Insightful)

      by johnpaul191 ( 240105 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:36PM (#9488348) Homepage
      yeah leave your ipod in a cradle on your dashboard while you run into the WaWa... and maybe a wallet with $400 sticking out of it. at least in the glovebox you can secure it, and it's out of sight. it's marginally more secure, but someone not knowing it is in there is the best protection short of taking it with you every time you get out of the car.

      • Re:A DOCK?!?!? HA HA HA (Score:3, Interesting)

        by GeorgeH ( 5469 )
        Isn't "taking it with you every time you get out of the car" the whole reason for going with an iPod instead of something like a carbot [carbotpc.com]?
        • an incar computer is nice if you spend a lot of time in the car.....
          that's the hardcore solution to incar music and more.
          but if you just want music for your commute and use the same iPod while at work or in the gym or mowing the lawn or whatever then it makes sense to take it with you. if you drive to the movies, you do not need to take the iPod with you, or a restaurant or food shopping or something like that.

          i used to play the game with a tape adapter and power line going to a portable Cd player (or MD p

  • for other cars check ICELink (Score:5, Informative)

    by SpiceWare ( 3438 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:21PM (#9488112) Homepage
    ICELink [densionusa.com]

    ICE-Link takes the place of your external CD Changer and it operates like one. iPod starts when CD changer is selected on a supported factory or aftermarket radio, and paused when other source is selected. Track control from radio and steering wheel controls are provided.
  • jeez i had to take out a loan to buy my powerbook and now i need a BMW for my ipod. apple needs to market products towards people like me w/ an '96 ford aspire.

  • Better job already posted (Score:5, Funny)

    by Murf_E ( 754550 ) <murrayegger@NoSpAm.hotmail.com> on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:22PM (#9488140)
    here [slashdot.org] is a way better solution plus a better vehicle

    **ducks**

  • Cool stuff, can't wait for the mini-mini (Score:5, Insightful)

    by fname ( 199759 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:23PM (#9488153) Journal
    This is neat, but certainly not a huge deal. Hopefully, if succesful, the major car companies (Toyota, GM, Ford, Daimler, VW) will take notice and do something similar. This seems like a great, lo-tech way to get your MP3s into your car, without requiring a dedicated in-dash MP3 player. I could see this option becoming especially popular in rental cars (which probably limits it to the Mini for now). I'm sure they'll start running "get a mini with your mini" promotions pretty soon.

    Sadly, I know 2 people with BMWs who just miss the cut; one has a 2001 3-series, and the other has a 2003 M3.

    More to the point, this will allow the driver to control the iPod form the steering-wheel controls (is the steering wheel the scroll wheel--eeks!), with a dock cable running into the glove compartment. I imagine you could install a holder for the iPod elsewhere in the car too.

  • I WANT! (rant) (Score:5, Interesting)

    by the_skywise ( 189793 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:25PM (#9488179)
    A friggin' "slide in" dock connector in my car console. So I can just insert the iPod and go. I don't want cables, and I'm certainly tired of the FM iTrip transmitter that fades out whenever you get near a strong radio station.

    It's ironic that a "retro-tech" tape-cassette car stereo would afford me better sound than my CD player which has no external line inputs. (It has internal ones at the back but they want about as much money as my iPod for an adapter!)

    Okay, ultimately what I want is a universal and OPEN dock connector so we can all have car stereos that will handle all of our Minidisc, MP3 or XM or whatever portable sound system players we have in the future. The connectors should handle hardware connections as well as provide a standardized software interface (uPNP maybe?) to display and select the track/album information inside.

    (And it should handle cellphones too!)

    (I think I'm going to switch to decaf for the rest of the afternoon now...)

  • Uhh This is Cute. (Score:4, Informative)

    by SirStanley ( 95545 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:26PM (#9488193) Homepage
    I love apple. I'm a zealot, this is a cool thing for your BMW but read the fine print.


    Only available for model year 2002, 2003 and 2004 BMW3 Series; Z4 Roadster; X3 and X5 SAV; and MINI models. Not available on vehicles with navigation system, CD changer, DSP cassette player or satellite radio. Installation performed by authorized BMW and BMW SAV centers only. Third-generation iPod (software 2.2 or later) or iPod mini (software 1.1 or later)

    Yes... How many BMW owners don't opt for the CD Changer?
  • Most high-end car audio systems have their own system for linking digital devices. Clarion has CeNET, which allows, for example, you to hook up a CD changer and browse the CDs in it, right from the main Clarion deck.

    It should be easy for a company to make an iPod CeNET adapter that lets you browse your collection while showing track and album names too (the Clarion stuff supports that).

    The biggest problem is that every car audio company (like Pioneer and Eclipse) have their own proprietary network system,
  • What about the "i-Move" Smart with its custom iPod ?

    http://www.smart.com/-snm-0135155096-1087392676- 00 00013462-0000005165-1087849573-enm-smart/content/b e/fr/smart/modelle/imove/flash
  • They already did this over a year ago with their F650CS [bmwmotorcycles.com] motorcycle. One of the accessories available for this bike is an audio system [bmwmotorcycles.com]. It's padded on the inside and has power and audio leads that will attach to a device like a Walkman or iPod. So for a few months last year they were giving away an audio system and iPod with every new CS sold.

    It's a damned fun little bike, just so you know. It's fuel injected, agile, torquey, gets around 60MPG, can run 80MPH all day long, and is one of the cheapest, li

  • It only works for 2002 models and up. I've been dreaming of this for a long time . . . cursed 1998 . . . .

  • I called my dealer today and he hasn't heard of this yet. He thought I was crazy ;)

    Pat
  • ...which was to get a car stereo with an auxiliary jack [jvc.com], and simply plug in and put the iPod in a nice holder [belkin.com].

    Integrated controls are nice and all, but my solution was less than $200, and will work with any car with a single-DIN stereo.

    My real question is why it's harder and harder to find stereos with front-panel auxiliary plugs these days. Aiwa offers them in cheap-ass stereos, and JVC in a couple models, but that's it. It could be a much cheaper solution for the masses.

  • icelink does this too (Score:3, Informative)

    by johnpaul191 ( 240105 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:41PM (#9488411) Homepage
    http://icelink.densionusa.com [densionusa.com] has a product that does it the same way. the car's head unit thinks it is a CD changer so the remote controls of the stereo work, and the display will show track info. it adaps to a lot of car stereos out there, so it's an option for more than just BMW owners.

    these are essentially hacks to existing car stereos.... just give it some time and there will be more options to integrate better with MP3 players.

  • Let me check.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by hopemafia ( 155867 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:51PM (#9488545)
    iPod...nope
    BMW...nope

    Guess this means nothing to me

  • Great... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Kid Zero ( 4866 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:54PM (#9488572) Homepage Journal
    two things I can't afford, in one neat package!

    I'd be happy with a flipping CD player.

  • sigh (Score:3, Interesting)

    by samantha ( 68231 ) * on Monday June 21, 2004 @03:54PM (#9488574) Homepage
    I would be much more impressed by a voice navigation interface to the ipod that does not require you to own any particular high end car. But that would make too much sense and wouldn't nickel and dime us to death.

  • In related news... (Score:5, Funny)

    by pyrrhonist ( 701154 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:00PM (#9488638)
    BMW today announced that in keeping with the spirit of their Apple iPod partnership, the "i" in BMW's model names will now be placed before the number.

  • No Z8? Bah! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Nick of NSTime ( 597712 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:04PM (#9488693)
    This won't work in my Z8 roadster? Pish-posh. Guess I'll just have to deal with whatever Jeeves puts on whilst riding in the Maybach.

  • Better example (Score:5, Informative)

    by Lispy ( 136512 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:08PM (#9488727) Homepage
    For an example of real neat integration of an iPod in a car look at what smart did with the i-move [smart.com]

    Although I must admit that I'd still prefer a BMW over Smart anytime. ;-)

  • Denison ICELink (Score:3, Informative)

    by noelp ( 524550 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:10PM (#9488751)
    Denison make an after market kit for both factory fit and OEM stereos that controls/charges an iPod (classic/3G/mini) through the head-unit.

    If, like me, you have a Sony with a multi-changer control you can have both an iPod and a CD changer hooked up.

    I highly recommend it [densionusa.com]

  • Sad Little Me... (Score:4, Funny)

    by bfg9000 ( 726447 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:11PM (#9488760) Homepage Journal
    ... after taking another look at my slightly sagging SCO shares, I realize I'm a little short this month, so I have to CHOOSE between the iPod or a BMW. It's that kind of decision that makes people's heads explode.

    Oh, well, after I blow my SCO money I still have my Enron, Worldcom, Martha Stewart Enterprises and Bre-X investments to fall back on. Tonight I'd better check to see how they're doing, maybe I *CAN* afford both after all!

    P.S. I saved a BUNDLE by choosing my own investments and not paying an "expert" to do it for me.

  • Missing... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Cinematique ( 167333 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:17PM (#9488823)
    Something's missing... track listings on the head unit. They should have hacked something together that pipes CD TEXT info out to the receiver and shows what's currently playing. Then again, do iPods with dock connectors have the ability to send track information down through their connection?

  • This is an overpriced hack (Score:3, Informative)

    by jhsewell ( 620291 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:37PM (#9488988)
    Yes, you can control your iPod from the car's radio or steering wheel, but the integration leaves a lot to be desired. It works by emulating a 5-disc CD Changer. Hence you can have "five unique BMW playlists".

    You will not be able to see the song name or artist on the radio's display. Nor will you be able to access any of the other iPod functions or features, such as browsing by name/artist/genre etc. You will only be able to FF and RW one of five playlists.

    Apple and BMW should go back to the drawing board.

  • Comment removed (Score:3, Informative)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @04:54PM (#9489133)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • It's just a trick to get you to upgrade... (Score:5, Funny)

    by PetoskeyGuy ( 648788 ) on Monday June 21, 2004 @05:59PM (#9489654)
    ...to BMW 2002 or greater

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