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I-Drive . . . there's no turning back

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Old 04-04-2009, 05:07 PM
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One thing I didn't like about the M45 interface is the far reach to the controller and its soft touch. I couldn't get used to it while just sitting at a car show. You had to be to gentle and precise, hard to do while driving. The iDrive controller works better.

A new Acura TL has a poor interface, IMO. There are many buttons in an odd arangement. I tried to program a lady's bluetooth and had to give up after 1 hour!!! The whole interface seemed convoluted compared to the simple "concept" of the iDrive.

The downfall to the iDrive (referencing an '08 550i) is the multiple areas in each menu. IE, having to go up or down between sections, especially on the nav menu. Apparently the '09 3 & 7 and '10 5 fixes that.

PS: I need to adjust the center vent frequently in the spring and fall. At least the '08 shortcut button makes it easier than the '06 version. Every morning I switch it to warm. Every afternoon I switch it to cool. Especially when the car is hot after work, you still have to wait for the accept screen, OK it (or let it time out), and then pull up the menu and change it. In the mean time, the auto A/C has blown hot air in your face for minutes.
Old 04-04-2009, 05:09 PM
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Hey I have no problems with my IDRIVE, it was a big step for me AND MUCH FASTER THAN MY HOME PC "THE COMMODORE 64"
I-Drive . . . there's no turning back-images.jpg
Old 04-04-2009, 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by korg_em1' post='836483
I think new i-drive is much better and no longer using Microsoft codes.
What codes are you talking about?
Old 04-04-2009, 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Richard in NC' post='836510' date='Apr 4 2009, 09:07 PM
A new Acura TL has a poor interface, IMO. There are many buttons in an odd arangement. I tried to program a lady's bluetooth and had to give up after 1 hour!!! The whole interface seemed convoluted compared to the simple "concept" of the iDrive.
Just spent a week with the TL and you are very correct - the button arrangement, in fact the entire dash arrangement, is just odd. Looks like three separate committees designed it and didn?t speak to one another.
Old 04-04-2009, 08:28 PM
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I will need to be paid if I go into details. Are you working for BMW R&D I-drive department?

I'm software UI designer and I know about I-drive issues before I got the car last year but I did not know that I-drive is that slow. Anyway BMW knows this well and I hope they're going into right direction with 09 3 series.

Originally Posted by JSpira' post='836591' date='Apr 4 2009, 10:15 PM
care to finish that sentence? Regardless, just concerning the first part of what you said, the MMI has very illogical menu sequences and the button layout around the MMI knob is not only counter-intuitive but it also requires the driver to look down to see which button to push.

What codes are you talking about?
Old 04-04-2009, 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by korg_em1' post='836634' date='Apr 5 2009, 12:28 AM
I will need to be paid if I go into details. Are you working for BMW R&D I-drive department?

I'm software UI designer and I know about I-drive issues before I got the car last year but I did not know that I-drive is that slow. Anyway BMW knows this well and I hope they're going into right direction with 09 3 series.
Don't really understand your reply. You can't explain what you meant by "Microsoft codes"?
Old 04-04-2009, 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted by JSpira' post='836593' date='Apr 4 2009, 08:16 PM
Looks like three separate committees designed it and didn?t speak to one another.
Which in fairness is, of course, a criticism that could equally have been leveled at the early iterations of the iDrive user interface. That also suffered from its own design inconsistencies.
Old 04-04-2009, 09:55 PM
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Originally Posted by swajames' post='836655' date='Apr 5 2009, 12:52 AM
Which in fairness is, of course, a criticism that could equally have been leveled at the early iterations of the iDrive user interface. That also suffered from its own design inconsistencies.
Not quite. I would say that the gen 1 iDrive was designed by several committees that tried to communicate with one another but had some language barriers.

The Acura's overall dash and tech design is so compartmentalized that it really looks like different committees were involved that did not even try to communicate.
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