Mercedes has announced plans to implement what they call a Splitview Command display in new S-Class models—a means for the passenger and driver to see different images on the same surface.
Mercedes-Benz new myCOMAND system has appeared at the Los Angeles Auto Show, taking on the fourth-generation BMW iDrive. Whereas the latter has an Xbox 360 feeling, this one gets some clues from Apple, especially Coverflow and the menu navigation, which reminds me of the first version of the Apple TV and Front Row. One big difference is that myCOMAND is connected to the web, grabbing information wirelessly and presenting it through their own on-screen apps. Looking at the high resolution screens and the feature list, it seems very good:
It’s Mercedes’ Swarovski Elements iPhone pouch from their GLK collection, which holds your iPhone the way that only a gaudy piece of leather can. Only 40 are going to be made (as of now), and will be raffled off in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin to people who are rich enough to attend. More gaudiness after the jump. [eMercedes Benz]
Joining a long line of modded brethren, this Mercedes truck case mod is one we’d love to take for a spin. Details are thin, but we know it has sweet features such as working headlights, integrated exterior controls and not one but two LCD screens built right into the cab. Hit the gallery below to see pictures of the production process, and by all means take your best guess as to what kind of hot cargo she’s haulin’. [haha.nu via Gearfuse]
newVideoPlayer("searchandsend_gawker.flv", 475, 376); Here’s a video by Mercedes-Benz detailing how their new Search & Send system works with Yahoo Local (It also functions similarly with Google Maps).
Although we’re not too sure what they’re smoking over there in Germany, because in one of the other videos they claim the old way of getting directions into your car was by printing them out and handing them to your Golden Retriever, who lovingly tapes them to the car’s dashboard. [Mercedes]
Helping make sure you never get stuck on the wrong side of town with your Mercedes, the German automaker is working with Google and Yahoo to be able to send the latter two’s maps and directions onto the car so you never get lost. Or at least recover when you are lost.
This way, you can plan directions before you head out (instead of spending 10 minutes punching it in while your car’s running in a garage like some kind of failed suicide attempt). Plus, once you do have directions programmed into Google and Yahoo maps, you can just press the “i” button and it’ll auto-fetch them. The best feature is probably having other people send you maps and directions while driving.
These are available in the S-class and CL-class starting September 5, and in all 2008 C-class cars. [News.com]
As recently published by the German (not BBC) magazine Focus, Apple will be making an in-car system for Mercedes. This mystery unit will tackle “maintenance entertainment, communication and navigation”. From Focus (translated): Mercedes will exclusively offer the new Apple set for six months. On an introduction on the market presumably 2009 are to be counted. Unclear it is still whether Apple – similar as with iPhone – on Google will trust maps as navigation aid.
So this is what we “know” from the article:
I have a thing for Chinese mobiles. All those cult cells that look like packets of fags cigarettes and Porsches. And now they’re moving into retro phones. This one comes from a company called Yinke and it’s an old-skool mobey but with all the newfangled stuff we consumer geeks love so much. Rather confusingly it’s got a Mercedes badge on the back, but who am I to question Chinese craziness?
There’s a 2 megapixel camera, MMS support, color display, pre-loaded games, and it even comes with a stand so that you can display it proudly wherever you might be. In homage to Chris Penn, it should come with a free shellsuit, gold neck chain and a DVD of Reservoir Dogs. – Ad Dugdale
Yinke to present its stand-type mobile phone M002 [Aving via "Ubergizmo]
