[boltjames]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomer123

I would just cut the crap and buy it. It works beautifully and simply. Plus it brings PlugIn which is a much better interface than BMW's in the Multimedia section.

Be advised that unlike the standard iDrive setup, you cannot do a split screen with the PlugIn user interface.

That was a dealbreaker for me. If I'm on a drive navigating to an address I can't give up the nav display just to see a marginally better Apple display. With the iDrive setup, you can get the nav map on the left, the album art on the right, and when you reach an intersection the lane assist display overtakes the album art for a moment to guide you to the right exit. None of that functionality happens with the cradle and the Apple display.

It also isn't widescreen. See screencap. You pay a lot of money for less functionality and a waste of screen real estate.

BJ

[boltjames]

Originally Posted by Photoman

I don't have BMW Apps ... So is a cradle just a glorified charger for me?

Yes. And the apps are weak, just terrible, and the execution is awful- you need to have the BMW app running on your phone so if you get a text or a phone call it shuts down the BMW app until the text or call is over. Multitasking rules don't apply. In fact, the very best app of all doesn't require a cradle or even a cable. It's the BMW Remote app which lets you do something useful- send Google maps data straight to the nav system. In an emergency you can unlock your doors or locate your car in a big parking lot with it too.

I've got a beater iPod Touch with 25,000 songs on it docked with the white Apple cable and it lives in the car permanently as an audio source. My iPhone connects via Bluetooth for the phone source. I don't use apps as I don't need Facebook or Twitter updates on my nav screen and I don't want to bury my iPhone in the armrest. Oh, and my iPhone has a case and the case doesn't work in the cradle.

Bottom line: Skip the apps, they suck. Use a beater iPod for just the music. Keep your iPhone free about you in the cabin via Bluetooth. I did a lot of research on the topic, that's what you want to do.

BJ