Uconnect used to be the best non-premium brand in-car audio/connection system. No longer! Heck, My Ford Touch probably beats it now.

So I try to sign up for the new Uconnect Apps. Already I see a problem. These mobile apps are a paid service. You get several years free, but after that you have to pay for the connection app. What kind of scam is that!? What will they charge for next in your car -- Air Conditioning? I can see it now: if you don't pay the monthly fee you can no longer use air conditioning. Makes me think manufacturers aren't making enough money on the cars anymore.

Next issue is that these mobile apps don't work on all smart phones. So you are beholden to the platforms they choose for you. How hard is it to just have Pandora loaded in your car radio and have it access your phone via bluetooth like every other brand car without having to use any services? So now I have a new car without the ability to use Pandora except via an auxiliary input. This is a load of c-r-a-p.

And all the great thoughts about text-to-talk. Again, not working unless you have the right smartphone.

Maybe car manufacturers will start making phones now too. You will have to buy their phone and cell service to use all the great features of their futuristic car.

I am not a happy camper!

 

My old neighbor rear ended my parked Durango. Second time in 2 months I rented a competitor, first the Acadia and then the Explorer for each a week and more.

I like my Durango much more than Ford's no button annoying dozen or so screens. Notwithstanding I don't have the new u-connect and I rented 2014's. Also the GM Acadia had nice Pandora integration with pictures of the album. It beats the Ford's super annoying system so I'd put them in 3rd place.... (my U-connect used to display Pandora song titles but stopped when I switched phones.... DAMN! otherwise getting U-connect to automatically connect to my phone's audio is much easier than Ford. I had to force pairing, then switch screens, scroll down to bluetooth and then it.)

 

I was finally able to connect my phone via standard bluetooth listening mode. So I can hear Pandora, but still not control it. It's small solace since you would think a major car upgrade would actually give you an upgrade.

Still can't get text-to-talk despite my phone having all the protocols setup. I may try to erase Uconnect from the phone and reload it. Just don't want to have to mess with phonebook again too.

 

First of all, the UConnect access and apps require a monthly subscription because it's using wireless internet data. Like any other mobile device, that requires a fee. I personally think the fee is way too high and the internet for Uconnect is only 3g so it's slow, but that's the reason behind the fee.

As for hooking phone up through bluetooth and playing pandora. I can do that with mine...no fee at all. I can change songs through the Uconnect 8.4N as well. No problem for me. The only thing I can't do is choose a different station without going to my phone.

 

The best way ( at least for iphone ) is through cable. If you haven't tried it you need to. So much more features with Pandora and your standard music library this way over bluetooth. Much easier to navigate.

 

Sure, you're hearing Pandora music the same way you could listen to anything on your phone via bluetooth. But you're not "using" Pandora. You not only can't change stations, you can't thumbs up/down songs, or do any other Pandora admin task. You are just listening to a bluetooth device.

Some of the stuff they want a subscription for is understandable, but for things like Pandora (which are free by design), there's no excuse.

 

I use Spotify or my tablet/phone's other music apps via bluetooth streaming. No problem whatsoever there. Volvo just added Spotify to their onboard apps. No fee there but you need to run a hotspot via phone or hotspot device and connect your car's stereo via Wifi. Some vendors chose Wifi for connectivity for these built-in apps others use cell service installed in the car. It's going to have to be paid for one way or another. There's no way you're going to use internet enabled apps in a vehicle and not pay for them to connect to the internet.

In 2-3 years options will be much different. Both Apple and Android are working with all major auto manufacturers and will be offering Android L and Apple's new car OS that will allow apps to be run from the iPhone on the car. You'll be screwed with old phones or stuff like Windows Phone.

I've got a 2013 with a crappy by comparison 430N here and I can control audio apps, call whoever from uploaded phonebook, text-to-speech and I don't even have to use my car mode apps for anything but navigation. Great compared to having to install a bluetooth receiver or aux inputs. I researched what I was getting radio wise before buying. If there would have been problems I would have went with Volvo or Mercedes. UConnect has compatibility info out there. If you bought before that info came out that's the price you pay on the frontline with any purchase of a new to market product.

 

No question that things are changing faster than most people can keep up. The fact that most people have smart phones, you'd think that manufacturers would keep more people happy by just letting your phone do all the internet access, and have the car be a passive device that can use that service -- rather than trying to create it's own. After all, if you turn your car into a hotspot, the devices in the car may think it's wi-fi, but it's really just another cell connection that the car is making. When you're kid starts streaming video over that wi-fi connection it's not going to be that great, and it's going to cost a fortune in data charges.

I say, instead of creating a new account, just allow the primary phone in the car to be the data connection. Every other device in the car can use it via a router built into the car radio. Another upside of that is the rear entertainment system could more easily access all the audio/video in the car. The current setup is a real step backwards.

 

Better yet, just throw in a hotspot in the glovebox.

 

So my car is a year old now and Sirius radio no longer works -- good riddance. But what's weird is that some other Unconnect stuff doesn't work either. I thought the basic Uconnect apps came with a 5 year subscription.

I can no longer connect to Pandora through Unconnect. And I can no longer use "talk-to-text". Even stranger is that I can still use text-to-talk, I just can't reply.

What gives?