I just got my first smart phone (you all can stop laughing now) so I was looking at apps. I found that you can now get an app that hooks up to the OBDII port, like the Scan Guage. I remember when a phone was just a phone and we had a "party line". With my Scan Guage (over the tach), Garmin GPS (just to the right) and Smartphone (next to the center stack) I feel like I have as much information available as the pilot of an F-14 Tomcat. All this high end technology at my fingertips and I still have no idea what the oil pressure is. I wonder if they have an app for that? :lol: Jim
DIAGNOSTICS Click to enlarge picture Motoriety Pro Motoriety Pro Platform: Windows Mobile ● Cost: $100 (for diagnostic device — the app is free) This is not the diagnostic app you want, nor is it available for the most popular types of smartphones. But Motoriety Pro is a glimpse of what's to come. By inserting the diagnostic device into your vehicle's onboard diagnostics port and syncing it to a phone via Bluetooth, the software will collect a limited amount of telematic information directly from the car. For now, those data are most useful for keeping teen drivers in check (it can even issue a Tweet when the vehicle passes a given speed), and for basic do-it-yourself maintenance, such as knowing why the engine light is on, and how to turn it off. motolingo.com Jim
I hear ya Jim, I still don't have a smartphone, have the Garmin, the IPod and regular old Cell which I am carrying around when I am outside the car so he batteries don't fry. Been thinking of the IPhone as it can store my music, has a Tom Tom app for the GPS end and of course the phone. Throw on top of that all the calenders and contacts will automatically update with my Mac makes a pretty good candiate. Only thing missing is the real time info from the OBDII port which I originally got the Garmin for yet have not got the add on. Short of it- I'm interested in what smartphone you have and what app reads the OBDII data. Might be too much to ask for to have all of it run through one interface but...........
I got the BlackBerry Curve 8530. I had checked out the IPhone, but it seemed to heavy and large for me to lug around on my belt and my carrier is Zerizon, as it is the only service that works around my house. BB makes the Storm 2, which is like the IPhone. I liked it, but I got two 8530's for free and the Storm 2 would have cost $149.00. I figure in a year the Storm will be free and I will upgrade. I like to stay right behind the cuting edge. They say that smart phones will soon replace the dash mounted GPS, but I hope not. The Garmin I can see. Jim
Tim, the Garmin dongle is on sale right now on Amazon for $89, and free shipping! That's $50 less than I paid about a month ago - jump on it! I have a Crackberry - I don't know what number it is but it's at least 3 or 4 years old now - but truly it's almost a waste for me, all I want my cell phone to do is make a damn telephone call! Of course, it's nice that it automatically syncs with my PC and keeps my contacts list up to date, but I really don't need my email showing up on my phone all day when I'm sitting right there at my computer! I used to have a different BB, but it had this odd keyboard where one button was for two letters and it was supposed to be smart enough to figure out what you were typing and print the right word - either it was the stupidest keyboard arrangement in the world or I just didn't get it - but we did not get along! The Garmin has a hands free built right in so I can make or receive phone calls without having to look down or find my phone - and that's pretty cool. However, I can definitely see the day when your phone will be pretty much all you need for communication (calls, texts etc) camera, video, GPS and just about anything else you can dream up. Shoot, in Asian countries you use your phone to buy stuff from a vending machine, or pay for your bus or subway ride!
I upgraded only because a smart phone became usefull for work. I will admit it is cool to check email and MA when I am not home and sitting around waiting for something, like my car in for service. When the phone can do everything, it will be too large to carry or too small for me to see. I don't want to go to tri-focals. Jim
Nice! the hands free on my Garmin really stinks (might have something to do with my Motorola handset and it's bluetooth capabilities, I have a bluetooth earpiece that is pretty sketchy too) I see it too, wondering if I can cut down on the dashboard clutter today
I have Verizon here as well but my current carrier is ATT and they have everything bundled (wifes' cell, internet, etc). Do like their minutes deal where you don't lose em' if you don't use em' at the end of a month.
It seems some phones work better, blue tooth wise, with the Garmin. My iPhone works great, wife's phone not so great. That is a great price for the Garmin HD. Has anyone with one ever had the blue tooth disconnect on it's own? Ours did a couple of times on the MITM/MTTS trip:confused5: Mark
We live in the shadow of a super secret, government underground complex (well, not so secret to the locals) that reeks havick with cell phone service. Zerizon is the only one that will work around here. They may bounce their signal off the place for all I know. Just loaded Google Maps to the phone for free. Very cool. You old time smartphone users will have to forgive me for being impressed with old technology. Jim
Convergence We were thinking of doing a touch display interface... But now, why do that at all? One has a single function device that costs a couple hundred dollars, when all one has to do is do the data interface to smartphones and do apps! The unit cost can be much, much lower. So where is all this going? The software is becoming a higher and higher percentage of the product, as there are computers in everything now. One just has to move the data from where it's generated to where it's viewed. But it will be sad as well. Device manufacturing will implode, just like standard manufacturing did. There will be less and less devices that do more and more things. And then we're all left with some limited decisions. Like the ever more frustrating Apple app store with it's absurd rules for what can and can't be an app, or the smaller app stores for Android or RIM. And the app store owner is gonna be the one getting rich. So where is this all going? Yet another type of market consolidation where we're given convinience at a price. anyway, that's how I see it.... Matt
Wow Doc, that was depressing. True, but depressing all the same. Perhaps when we reach that point, I will actually be able to completely retire, so all I'll need is a rotary phone near my rocker. Jim
This type of product has been around for a while. Actually I worked on one at a previous job. It was aimed at businesses with mobile workers and vehicle fleets. I guess the difference now is that OBD based apps on smartphones have become easily available to end consumers.