[Starks8]

For those forum members who have the 2013 Cruzes or maybe even plan on getting a 2013 Cruze that's equipped with the 7 inch color touch screen, you likely know that it comes with the Stitcher and Pandora Apps pre-installed, allowing one to access these apps through your phone/ipod touch through either bluetooth or the USB/AUX hookup. Well I have a few questions about it and want to get you guys' prospective and thoughts on it as well.

The first question is, what would happen if one tries to open other apps on the phone that's paired to the car that aren't Stitcher or Pandora? Would they work? Say I pull up the Accuradio app on my Iphone or the Iheart radio app on my android phone through either bluetooth or USB connection? Would I be able to hear the music through the cars speakers at all? Would I see the app's background pop up on the screen? Would I be able to operate the app through the touch screen /steering wheel controls, or at least through my phone, even if it doesn't show up on the cars touch screen?

If its possible to have the ability (even if somewhat limited) to use the iphone and/or Android specific music/radio related apps that aren't the pre-loaded Pandora or Stitcher apps, would other apps that aren't radio/music related work? For example, would phone apps like Facebook, Fandango, Accuweather, ESPN, yelp, and/or Redbox possibly work on any kind of level through the cars color touch screen when hooked up through USB or ran through bluetooth?

My initial guess is that the answer to this is a big fat NO, but you never know and I thought I'd at least ask. And I obviously ask because I'm interested in the Cruze being able to have this ability to do this. The spark and sonic I think have this ability on a certain level but not to the extent that I'm talking about.

When I wrote Chevy/GM that 5 page letter I mentioned that the upcoming 2013+ cruzes should have the ability to do this and pretty much be able to use almost any app on your phone through the oem touch screen. I mentioned the company CustomGadz to them that has a Mimics Dash that does exactly what I was talking about ... customGadz , Android / iPhone Car Dash intergration - Full device control [MimicsX2] - YouTube. I might seriously look into what they can do with the Cruze because it seems it doesn't have to be connectED to your car's computer to work although some installation will be required.

Do you guys think Chevy will ever send a update through a USB drive that would allow Cruze to owners to upgrade the usable apps feature in the Cruze, so that more apps can be downloaded to the headunit and thus usable through our iphone/android phones? Sorta like how Ford sent out a whole system upgrade to their buyers for their Myford touch's problems through a USB drive? Thanks and let me know what you think. Sorry for the length!

 

[Starks8]

Nah, I don't think Gracenote in the Cruze or in any car for that matter is what allows you to do that or what Im talking about. The Gracenote feature in the cruze does this...

"Gracenote® identifies the music collection on the driver’s smartphone or MP3 player and presents information such artist name, genres and album cover art on the MyLink screen and enables users to select similar music to the tunes they love. Gracenote also improves the accuracy of MyLink’s voice activation system by allowing users to access music using artist nicknames, such as “The Boss,” “G.N.R,” or “The Fab Four” simply by using MyLink’s touch-screen or steering wheel buttons and voice control interfaces." Gracenote | Chevrolet MyLink Creates Smart Phones on Wheels .

However while reading the information in the above link about gracenote and the chevy mylink infotainment package, it seems my question is somewhat answered as it states within the reading... "Drivers will be able to upgrade the capabilities of MyLink as new approved downloadable features become available. Before any smartphone apps can be used with MyLink, they must go through a validation process to demonstrate that they are safe to use while the vehicle is in motion. Functions such as text input on the touch screen are disabled while driving."

So if indeed able to upgrade the capabilities of Mylink which I'm hoping means, being able to download more usable apps (i.e., Yelp, Fandango, Accuweather, ESPN) to the Cruze's 7" color touchscreen headunit, actually when and how often will these mylink upgrades take place?

 

[Starks8]

Thought this video was pretty cool and informative about some new things that you can do by having the XM Travel Link service when paired with the new Mylink system. Anybody made use of the XM/Mylink Movie listings icon yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA-qrDD6M3w&feature=channel&list=UL

On a side note, I heard that the name for the infotainment program in the new Honda Accord is HondaLink! Really, HondaLink?! I wonder how they ever came up with that name? Copy-cats!

 

[Starks8]

I haven't used the Movie link, well I looked it over, but haven't actually gone to a movie I found yet. I use the Weather and Gas Station stuff all the time though. I like that it will link the gas station number so you can call them with a click of the button.

cool, so how is the xm weather info in your opinion? Does it do pretty good at finding the weather for the exact town where you live or does it just give you the weather for your closest city? Can you check out hour by hour forecasts, 24 h, 36 h forecasts? I live Culpeper, VA which is the northernmost county of central Virginia and we're considered part of the greater baltimore-washington metropolitin area, so I wouldnt be surprised if a). We couldn't get a XM weather reading or b). XM weather gave us the weather reading for either the city of Richmond or the Baltimore-washington area.

It would be sweet if the XM Gas stations could find you ethanol free gas stations! Then i would really be impressed! haha

 

[Starks8]

Research GogoLink Navigation. I found out through the dealer that the '13s with MyLink will be able to add a navigation App for a one time charge of $50. Any one else hear this? Supposedly this is going to be available this Winter.

Thats kinda cool, but I likely wouldnt want to spend $50 to use the Gogolink nav app. For 1, ive never heard of it and 2) for 50 dollars i could just use the mylink nav or my phone.