APP-CONNECT

[Gazellio]

Hi, my Beach was a demonstrator and APP-Connect on the Media Centre was not activated. Anybody know how mucho to activate it?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi, my Beach was a demonstrator and APP-Connect on the Media Centre was not activated. Anybody know how mucho to activate it?

230€ in Eire
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/vw-connect-app-connect.22256/

£199 + VAT in UK

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/app-connect-car-play-needs-a-“part”.21001/

 

[Volkywagen]

I’d save your money. It’s not that good

 

[burnercan]

I’d save your money. It’s not that good

What don't you like about it? My biggest beef is that if you use it with an iPhone you seem to be constricted to Apple Maps, which I find far inferior to google.

 

[Lewis]

If you use Apple Music then you’ll love App Connect and Carplay

 

[Ian2017]

We have it and it’s great for music, Spotify and podcast etc which are all easily accessible - the Apple maps are fine IMO but the navigation direction only come up on the screen and not on multifunction display.
I think it is well worth the investment- works best with apple cable rather than 3rd party cheap cable though

 

[Volkywagen]

Your phone will send all music to the system via Bluetooth, so other than having Apple maps to use (the Vw maps are more than sufficient and up to date) and using data on your phone to navigate, the phones screen is mirrored on to your ICE screen. Handy if you want the missus to send messages for you or dial somebody but I don’t see the benefit for £200 add on. Each to their own.

 

[mccp]

Your phone will send all music to the system via Bluetooth, so other than having Apple maps to use (the Vw maps are more than sufficient and up to date) and using data on your phone to navigate, the phones screen is mirrored on to your ICE screen. Handy if you want the missus to send messages for you or dial somebody but I don’t see the benefit for £200 add on. Each to their own.

I didn’t bother with the VW maps because of the cost. Apple maps via app connect works well for me.

 

[Loz]

I just bought a new TomTom instead. Doesn’t require a network connection to work like all the phone based apps.

 

[Eber123]

It works with my Android phone quite well. I wanted it mainly for navigation. Connect the phone, search you destination and the rest will go through the radio. Saves me to find a place somewhere for the phone or the sat nav. To get the power to those devices is always messy.

Phone conversations are OK, as is the music playback. In general I like it. Also it still works with the VW data plug via Bluetooth.

I think it is a bit to expensive, but that's the way it is.

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[T6 CFO]

If you use Apple Music then you’ll love App Connect and Carplay

Yep! That’s what I use it for. Switched from Spotify to Apple Music.

Don’t use it for much else as use the built in Satnav and leave phone to operate on Bluetooth.

I would use it for Apple maps if I had satnav issues.

Mike

 

[Alibee]

Have to say, I'm a complete fan and would pay a great deal more for it than VW charge (perhaps the only instance where I would!).

I use it with a 4G Mifi device plugged into the glovebox (with a "3" data sim), and my Android phone in the centre cubby-hole. The Mifi provides wifi for laptop + kids devices, so it stays on an connected permanently, charging from the USB port. We use c. 20GB per year, including all nav, lots of podcasts / Spotify and a fair few WhatApp messages.

Where it really excels is in the combination of all media, and the use of Google Assistant. All of us throw questions at it when driving (usually related to wherever we're driving through), listen to audiobooks on long journeys, ask it for direction to nearest Thai restaurants / tyre repair centre / waterpark / etc, and respond to WhatsApp groups (which it reads out incoming messages automatically). I also love the ability to text message / email, using which app I prefer, without having to take my hands off the wheel.

I also have high hopes of a sort of contextual sightseeing app coming out one day that tells you about your surroundings as you drive, making you aware of great places to see / eat, and things to do (linked to your interests) while you head towards a destination (or just cruise around Europe).

Might be worth considering a cheap Android phone, with a suitable data + voice sim, to leave in the car, and letting your normal phone connect via Bluetooth.

 

[johnv]

well my experience is negative as well .. used it with Android/Waze, and it was all over the place it just had a vague approximation of where I was. I disconnected it and used Waze stand-alone on the phone and it worked fine!

 

[RoB5urf]

Might be worth considering a cheap Android phone, with a suitable data + voice sim, to leave in the car, and letting your normal phone connect via Bluetooth.

I'm a big fan too but experienced random disconnects with my cheapish android phone. It was only when I invested in better phone that the experience became totally reliable and enjoyable. Cheers

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I added App connect as I saw the cost as negligible having decided to get the larger screen.
I didn't really know what I was getting.
It's not ultra useful but the features it does have are delivered well in my experience and its worth may be decided by what alternatives you already have.
Heres what I like..
1) I'm delighted with the sat nav from apple maps as I don't have discovery media and don't want to put another dangling cable into a 12volt socket. I think TomTom & Garmins have more features for sure but ultimately I just want a sat nav. It works, it displays on the screen no dangly bits and hasn't failed me yet. Voice warnings are given in good time it hasn't lagged like the VW one did in my hire van last year.
When I plug in the phone and the Map is displayed on the screen it knows my route home (as per phone set up) and shows me the traffic congestion with a pretty good ETA yet no annoying directions when you know where you are going.
2) Shout "Hey Siri" and you are away....ask her the weather and she'll tell you. Ask her to call home and she'll do it. Get her to read your messages or voice mails....well you get the point!
3) The interface on the touch screen is not cluttered which is more important to me when I'm driving than feature filled screens.
Here's what i don't like..
1) I'm damn sure they could do more with it app wise and still keep it uncluttered.
2) The sat nav map is a little basic and I haven't found out if you can zoom in. But it matters not really as long as you can here the voice over.
3) I have had the occasional glitch where even though siri has done what she's asked the screen has reacted slowly.
Overall though I'd have it given the choice again.

 

[kave]

I navigated down to France and Italy last summer, it worked perfect. It is not always 100% working though, sometimes it wont connect or takes ages to connect. A phone mounted on the vents does more or less the same even with siri etc. I think VW and Apple need to work on the stability a bit more.

 

[El Greco]

I ordered it just in case I subsequently regretted it, The dealer was not sure what it was as it was early days then. I have played around with it and initially had random connection problems that were resolved by using the USB cable that came with the phone. It looks like not all cables are created equal.

I use the built in sat nav. Last year it guided us around France with only a couple of issues. I have used Google maps occasionally via app connect very successfully but a data connection is required.

I am glad I included app connect as an option. You never know what improvements may be made in the not too distant future.

 

[thetallguy]

I enabled App Connect on my Golf SV which has the Navigation head unit as standard on the GT spec. It cost me £180 or so to enable but I’ve been very impressed (albeit grudgingly) thus far.

I’m a willing user (generally) of Apple Maps, though they are still not perfect. I spend a lot of my time having to hunt down rural addresses in Devon and Cornwall, and postcodes are of limited use in these situations so what I tend to do is find my destination using satellite view before I connect the phone to the Golf. I’m sure that I’ll be doing the same with campsites as long as Brexit is kind and we keep our free EU data roaming.

When Apple Maps aren’t working then I put my phone in a cradle and use either Google Maps or Here - the latter is (was?) a Nokia product which you can use without data switched on. You have to download your desired countries in advance while you’re within WiFi range then it stores them on the phone itself. Works a treat across Europe and often better at finding locations/addresses than Google or Apple.

My still-on-order (build date late-Feb) Ocean has been specced without in-built satnav but I have gone for the 6.33” screen and AppConnect, and I’m confident that this is the correct combination for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[MattBW]

If you are willing to jail break your phone I think you can use the rather excellent waze with it

 

[Ciarán o flynn]

Mine was done in 5 mins 150 euro

 

[kaf2546]

Have to say, I'm a complete fan and would pay a great deal more for it than VW charge (perhaps the only instance where I would!).

I use it with a 4G Mifi device plugged into the glovebox (with a "3" data sim), and my Android phone in the centre cubby-hole. The Mifi provides wifi for laptop + kids devices, so it stays on an connected permanently, charging from the USB port. We use c. 20GB per year, including all nav, lots of podcasts / Spotify and a fair few WhatApp messages.

Where it really excels is in the combination of all media, and the use of Google Assistant. All of us throw questions at it when driving (usually related to wherever we're driving through), listen to audiobooks on long journeys, ask it for direction to nearest Thai restaurants / tyre repair centre / waterpark / etc, and respond to WhatsApp groups (which it reads out incoming messages automatically). I also love the ability to text message / email, using which app I prefer, without having to take my hands off the wheel.

I also have high hopes of a sort of contextual sightseeing app coming out one day that tells you about your surroundings as you drive, making you aware of great places to see / eat, and things to do (linked to your interests) while you head towards a destination (or just cruise around Europe).

Might be worth considering a cheap Android phone, with a suitable data + voice sim, to leave in the car, and letting your normal phone connect via Bluetooth.

Hi, is that like the one below? I use the Personal Hotspot on my iPhone to connect tablet etc for work and leisure but wondered about this as the Hotspot runs down the phone battery very quickly and needs turned off and on regularly to reconnect:

Huawei E5573bs-322 4G

 

[WelshGas]

Hi, is that like the one below? I use the Personal Hotspot on my iPhone to connect tablet etc for work and leisure but wondered about this as the Hotspot runs down the phone battery very quickly and needs turned off and on regularly to reconnect:

Huawei E5573bs-322 4G

Yes. I use a PAYG version and buy 12G Data sims for 3, that last 12 months, normally from Amazon, but I only use it in the van or when visiting the USA or Australia as there are no Data Roaming charges.

 

[kaf2546]

Yes. I use a PAYG version and buy 12G Data sims for 3, that last 12 months, normally from Amazon, but I only use it in the van or when visiting the USA or Australia as there are no Data Roaming charges.

Thanks, will order

 

[Alibee]

Hi, is that like the one below? I use the Personal Hotspot on my iPhone to connect tablet etc for work and leisure but wondered about this as the Hotspot runs down the phone battery very quickly and needs turned off and on regularly to reconnect:

Huawei E5573bs-322 4G

Yes, but I have the E5577 (not sure what the difference is!). Plugs into the 2nd USB so never worry about it running out of battery, but you could plug it into the inverter easily if you only have one USB in the dash.

As per WG, 12Gb 3 SIMs seem to be the best bet.

 

[kaf2546]

Yes, but I have the E5577 (not sure what the difference is!). Plugs into the 2nd USB so never worry about it running out of battery, but you could plug it into the inverter easily if you only have one USB in the dash.

As per WG, 12Gb 3 SIMs seem to be the best bet.

Yes might be slightly later model but spec seems the same


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