Honda Cars : Honda and Acura first automakers to offer Siri “Eyes Free” | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

by Nick Jaynes of www.digitaltrends.com

Nine automakers have agreed to welcome Siri into their vehicles. Honda and Acura are the fist out the gate for 2013 on selected models. Unfortunately, details on what Siri will be capable of accomplishing are slim.

Both Honda and Acura announced this morning that both would be integrating the hotly anticipated Apple Siri “Eyes Free” into a select few of their vehicles this year.

As soon as the systems are in place, 2013 Honda and Acura owners with an iPhone running iOS 6 will be able to call upon Siri to execute a number of tasks all the while keeping the iPhone screen from lighting up. This allows the driver to keep his or her hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road.

What are these tasks and how will specifically will Siri be integrated into the Honda and Acura infotainment systems? According to Honda Public Relations Manager Robyn Eagles, “Siri Eyes Free Mode will allow users to speak in their natural voice to perform a host of communication tasks, including make calls from a phone list, create text and email messages, and have incoming texts read to them via voice commands without having to interact with their phone’s visual display.”

The Honda and Acura vehicles scheduled to see the Eyes Free integration are the newest in the lineup: the Accord from Honda; and the RDX and the ILX from Acura.

So far, nine automakers have signed agreements with Apple to include Siri Eyes Free into their infotainment systems: BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Honda, and Chrysler. Honda, the parent company of Acura, appears to be the first to the game with this announcement.

How and when other automakers will massage Siri into their pre-existing systems has yet to be seen. As soon as more information is learned, we’ll be sure to bring it to you.


Source;
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/honda-and-acura-first-automakers-to-offer-siri-eyes-free/

Honda Cars : Tapscape: 3 iPhone, iPad Apps for Honda Car Owners | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Calling all Honda owners: There are plenty of apps for you.
 
Keep up on all the latest Honda news, find out the buzz on the newest models and even learn how to repair your favorite Civic or CRV. Here are some of our favorite Honda apps.

Honda Tuner
This dedicated magazine is written by and for Honda owners and enthusiasts. Each issues is packed with the world’s best Honda news from the U.K (where it’s published) and around the world.
In each issue, you’ll learn about new products, news, motor sport and Honda events.
Subscriptions are pretty similar to print magazines — about $20 for the year.

The Honda Automobiles App for iPad
Want to see what your future Honda CRV looks like in all 12 different colors? For instant access to features, specs, colors and videos and commercials, the official Honda auto app is a must-download.
The reviews, however, aren’t the best. Many say things like, “Very slow starting and doesn’t work,” but there are also many reviewers who are praising the app.

Honda Accessories
Buying your Honda is only half the battle. Accessorizing it is the fun part.
The Honda Accessories app lets you customize your Honda vehicle. “View the full list of available automotive accessories design,d engineered and rigorously tested for Honda vehicles.”
If you want to learn a thing or two, the app also includes some videos on why genuine Honda accessories are the best choice for your Honda.

Guest Post Author: Jason Lancaster is a contributor for http://www.hondapartsonline.net

Source;
http://www.tapscape.com/3-iphone-ipad-apps-for-honda-car-owners/

Honda Cars : TomTom New Speed Camera App (for UK markets) | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

 
While governments place speed cameras to catch drivers that go over the limit, the private sector has come up with several anti-countermeasures such as radar detectors and jammers, which as most of you probably already know, can be illegal in certain countries. 
 
Adding to the wide selection of solutions for drivers is TomTom's new Speed Camera app for iPhone users in select European markets. 
 
The app, which is powered by the largest European driving community with 1.6 million drivers in 15 countries, gives drivers access to fixed and mobile speed camera alerts by keeping users informed about speed limits during their trip. 
 
"Our Speed Camera service can be of real benefit, helping people to stay focused as they know where the next camera will be," says Gerry Hinds, Vice President Mobile at TomTom. "We all know that confident driving is safer driving. And that’s why we’re so pleased that we can now offer this accessible service to a much larger segment of the driving community."
 
TomTom's app informs drivers of their speed, the speed limit, the type of camera ahead and the remaining distance to reach it, with real-time updates from customer reports in the UK, Ireland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
 
The TomTom Speed Camera app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store, but users are required to purchase a monthly or annual subscription. 
 
In the UK, TomTom is currently offering an introductory price of £1.49 (US$2.4 or €1.8) for one month or £16.99 (US$27.6 or €20.9) for 12 months, with the regular price being £3.99 for one month and £26.99 for a year. 

Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-tomtom-speed-camera-app-for-iphone.html

Honda Cars : Honda New Civic Smartphone App Launched | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

The new Honda Civic is ready to meet the European market and the carmaker has now released a smartphone app to support the launch of the car, with this aiming to connect with customers at an emotional level.The Honda Civic App was developed by Nexus/H and aims to become a part of the buying process, being included in a wider marketing plan that also includes printed catalgoues, as well as other online and offline channels.

Here are the key features of the new app:
An interactive “hot spot” to demonstrate the imaginative Honda “Magic Seats” system with a fun game that shows the variety of items that can be conveniently stored within the flexible interior and luggage area.

A dynamic 360 degree viewing facility that provides a virtual tour of the interior space and equipment that becomes even more involving with the iPhone version which uses an accelerometer.

Users can create their own “wind tunnel” experiment through the smartphone mic and discover some of the key aerodynamic and handling characteristics of the new Civic.

Ability for users to “explore models” and to create their own new Civic, choosing model, engine, grade, colour, etc., with a social media and email facility to post and share their model on Twitter or Facebook.

The Honda Civic mobile app is now offered for download in over 20 European markets, being available at the app Store and Android Market.

Source;

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-new-civic-smartphone-app-launched-42847.html

Honda Cars : Rumors DON'T Get Any HOTTER This! Will The iPhone 5 And 4s Obsolete SYNC And ALL Others? | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

If you take ALL of the Apple rumors over the last 5 years and balled them up, I don't think the totality would equal the hype about what's coming this Tuesday at 10AM PT, at the companies iPhone event.

SO many rumors and girations are flying faster across the intertubes than the Concorde in it's finest moment.

Will the iPhone 5 be introduced along with an iPhone 4s and cheaper pricing/plans?

Will the iPhone 5 have the rumored teardrop shape, larger screen, 4g, 8 megapixel camera, blah, blah, blah?

Will there be NO iPhone 5, only a 4S and cheaper 4's?

But the BIGGEST rumor which has us at AutoSpies.com so jacked up about is the speculation that they will introduce the most amazing voice technology interface in history born out of their acquisition of Siri.

Check out what Forbes had to say about it:

"The Siri voice control system allows users to instruct the iPhone to ‘send a text message to Jason Schwarz asking him meet me for lunch’. Think about this capability in terms of safety. We all know that too many drivers send and receive text messages, now they will be able to safely operate an iPhone in the car. The voice assistant adds a layer of intelligence as well. If I ask my iPhone to ‘call Dad’ it might ask me whether it should dial his home phone or his mobile. It is also able to perform Web based search functions such as ‘book a table for two at 9:00 tonight’ or ‘send a taxi to my house’. Siri worked with Citysearch, Opentable and Taxi Magic before the Apple acquisition"

If this is true then it's GAME OVER for Microsoft SYNC and ALL other in car voice interfaces and the Spies predict they will HAVE to license the Apple technology going forward.

We've always said that interactive voice to text and vice versa in the car is the KILLER app.

You see it all the time, people texting while driving and it's VERY dangerous.

And we're ALL guilty for doing it.

With this new technology, is press a button and say for example, 'TEXT 00R AND 009…then it records the message... 'Agent 00R and 009 are WAY less cool than 001' and the system converts you voice to text and send to the recipient. When a new text comes in, it reads it and then offers options.

But it's not like old one dimensional systems like dragon dictate.

This can do contextual stuff like 'find map to 90068' and 'send directions to 001JR'.

So not only should the auto manufacturers be worried but GOOGLE should be worried.

Because if its as good as we're told, the masses using smartphones will be using APPLE voice search vs. Google or whomever!

Here is a video simulation of how it could work from MacRumors:



Source;
http://www.autospies.com/news/Rumors-DON-T-Get-Any-HOTTER-This-Will-The-iPhone-5-And-4s-Obsolete-SYNC-And-ALL-Others-67047/

Honda Cars : Honda launches TV ad to interact with iPhone app | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda is launching what it claims to be the first campaign that allows viewers to use an app to interact with a TV ad in real time.

The 'This Unpredictable Life' campaign, for its Jazz model, breaks tomorrow (1 February). It gives the app's users the ability to "catch" animated characters with an iPhone as they appear on screen in Honda's new TV ad.

The app, named Honda Jazz – This Unpredictable Life, is free to download.

The Pixar-style clip shows a character floating through life, collecting experiences and possessions.

Using audio-recognition technology, app users can pull up to seven characters, including Space Monkey, Baby Balloon Head and Playful Puppy, to their app.

The campaign showcases the car's ability to "handle all that life has to throw at the modern family".

Martin Moll, head of marketing for Honda, said: "This new ad campaign reflects the experiences of our Jazz customers, showing how its Tardis-like interior has the versatility and space to cope with almost anything."

Source;
http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1052149/Honda-launches-TV-ad-interact-iPhone-app/