MINI USA Releases MINI Connected Video Explaining the Tech
MINI has been out in the front with MINI Connected yet it’s not easy thing to encapsulate in an article or even a commercial. So MINI has released a two minute long video (a la Apple) explaining the technology and how easy it is to use.
<p>It looks really cool.</p>
<p>Only things I could do without are facebook and twitter. Hate those things</p>
<p>about 3/4 of the way through the video, just before the Dynamic Music part, you can clearly see Mission Control.</p>
<p>I have neither Mission Control or Dynamic Music on my Week 3 build R60…</p>
<p>Did they ever get a link to White Roof Radio on the thing?</p>
<p>What about an Android version? Not everyone wants an iPhone!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>What about an Android version? Not everyone wants an iPhone!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Not anytime soon thanks to the fragmented nature of that platform. You can read more <a href="http://www.bimmerfile.com/2011/02/28/inside-bmws-connecteddrive-past-present-future/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p>
<p>So, Mini Connected does everything your iPhone does while plugged in to your iPhone. Why not just use your iPhone and save $1,000+?</p>
<p>Nice video. Hope this makes it to the dealership lounge on the TV. great for new owners to learn.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Why not just use your iPhone and save $1,000+?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Because driving while operating an iPhone to update your twitter account is sort of insanely dangerous. Using an automotive-grade interface on a large screen in view of the windshield is infinitely safer. The safest option of all? Do it at a reds light or not at all.</p>
<p>David,</p>
<p>Go to the website at the end of the video and you will see that Mission Control and Dynamic Music will be rolled out this summer.</p>
<p>I saw the speedometer in that video go up to 80mph. Clearly we all now have corporate sanction to drive at these speeds. Thank you.</p>
<p>This looks pretty cool, although I think Australia’s Gov has banned, or severely restricted, the internet capability for our market.</p>
<p>Cool vid, makes me want a new Clubman! Anyone with connected try it with a 3G iPad?</p>
<p>The Facebook and Twitter feature should be banned! There is no, none, zippo, nil, need for this. No need for RSS feed either. If a person can’t wait to update those things at home, office, hotel or a park, they have no business driving a vehicle – period. I hope states and countries pass a law to ban this. In a survey just released, over 60% of drivers in the USA text while driving. Now their going to be able to Tweet and Facebook – geeze.</p>
<p>I like the web radio feature and the Google maps. I’m not sure I understand the Dynamic music feature? As some one else posted, to bad it’s only for an iphone. Know many people who don’t have an iphone and don’t want one (me for one). Well I guess if a person doesn’t have an iphone they can save a bunch of money and not get Mini Connect. Too bad as I do like Google maps and web radio.</p>
<p>I feel like this video just convinced me why I DON’T need mini connected… I mean really, update facebook from my car, turn signals that blink to the beat of my own personal music…? Really? Why do I need this?</p>
<p>Yes I have tried it and connected does work with a 3g ipad.</p>
<blockquote> What about an Android version? Not everyone wants an iPhone!
Not anytime soon thanks to the fragmented nature of that platform. You can read more here.</blockquote>
<p>That’s very disappointing to read – I just ordered a Countyman with Mini Connected, thinking that Mini was working on an Android app (based, in part, on reviews I saw on this site). Mini is going to miss out on a lot of sales of Connected if they don’t come up with an Android app. From today’s San Jose Mercury News, the newspaper for Silicon Valley:</p>
<p>“Android versus Apple: Google’s Android operating system has surged ahead of the BlackBerry and iPhone as the most popular U.S. smartphone platform, according to a report today from industry researcher comScore. The comScore report is based on a three-month average of U.S. mobile phone subscribers ages 13 and older. According to comScore, Google’s Android operating system had 31.2 percent of the market as of January, up from 23.5 percent three months earlier. Research In Motion’s BlackBerry platform had 30.4 percent of the market, but lost 5.4 percentage points. Apple’s iPhone edged slightly higher to 24.7 percent. A report last week from another industry researcher, Nielsen, had Android in first place, with the iPhone and BlackBerry platforms tied for second.”</p>
<p>I don’t have any use or Facebook, Twitter or RSS; I just want Pandora, webradio, and local Google search linked to the nav system.</p>
<p>Sorry to sound thick, but do I understand this correctly? It requires Apple product interface and isn’t a stand alone internet device?</p>
<blockquote>It requires Apple product interface and isn’t a stand alone internet device?</blockquote>
<p>Correct. The car doesn’t have the hardware or software to connect to the internet by itself. It uses the smartphone as a modem to connect to the internet. The Mini Connected app installed on the phone translates certain content that the phone downloads from the internet (Facebook, Twitter, webradio, etc.) into a format the car can display. The app has to be written to work with a specific smartphone operating system. At this point, Apple’s iOS (the operating system for the iPhone and iPad) is the only supported operating system.</p>