VIDEO: First footage of BMW Product Navigator using Microsoft Surface
We can think of worse things to do than spend a day at a BMW dealership configuring the vehicle of our choice. To make the experience of selecting the Ultimate Driving Machine even more engaging, BMW and Microsoft have teamed up on futuristic touchscreen tech. BMW's Product Navigator is like the iPhone, only supersized and on steroids, and it proves that the inventive types at Microsoft are alive and well. Hit the jump to view BMW's new Product Navigator in action. The tabletop touchscreen interface enables users to pick a BMW, modify colors and content, and even save the finished project to a thumb drive to take home with them. As customers configure their vehicle on the Product Navigator, a plasma TV on the wall displays video and specs of that exact vehicle. Neat. Thanks for the tip, Markus!
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Smegley 9:54AM (11/30/2008)
Meh. Kinda supports the impression that BMW drivers are mostly superficial people hyper-obsessed with silly gimmicks.
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ugg.tryptophan 6:33PM (11/30/2008)
which mainstream automakers havent used gimmicks to sell cars?
Randy 1:02AM (12/01/2008)
You could do this with FLASH / Shockwave Idon't know..........6 years ago with a touch screen monitor... It's still cool though!
SimbaDogg 1:27AM (12/01/2008)
i dunno why, but i think thats really awesome. especially if you're u wanna be able to quickly decide between different options w/ a significant other/family member.
but on a side note, myself being a stupid american...when that guy was talking i couldn't help but think hans and franz
RockStoneSteel 10:11AM (11/30/2008)
Hate to burst anyone's bubble here at AutoBlog, but this capability already exists at NEARLY EVERY carmaker's website already. ...minus perhaps the touchscreen, which isn't so high tech. Sounds to me like MicroSoft may be behind the curve.
Now if they offered a life size holographic preview, that would be different.
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Chris Riccio 2:00PM (11/30/2008)
MicroSoft? Really??
Since when is the S capitalized.
I own one 10:03AM (11/30/2008)
Now you can look at your baby and see her in action before you buy her. Great idea.
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ropeburn 10:31AM (11/30/2008)
OR..... you can turn around and look at the hotness in real life, you're at the showroom R-tard! This doesn't bring anything new to the game, viewing options/paint is done very well on their website already.
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Mobius_1 10:38AM (11/30/2008)
BMW teamed up with MS to create a giant iPhone... right...
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JIm 11:27AM (11/30/2008)
This would be perfect if it was set up actually place car orders an operated just like BMW's I-drive. The company would quickly see their orders go to zero as people became dumbfounded trying to navigate from one section to another. Perhaps then BMW would see what a monster they'd created with the I-drive OS. Hello, McFly...
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Paul Tan 12:01PM (11/30/2008)
This used to be called the BMW Konfigurator.
http://paultan.org/archives/2008/10/15/bmw-konfigurator-lets-you-configure-your-bmw-csi-style/
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Mike 12:59PM (11/30/2008)
I bet its framework is built off of MSPaint.
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Dave S 2:08PM (11/30/2008)
If I'm spending x thousands of dollars I want to see the damn thing in the flesh not on some stupid monitor. Sorry, stupid idea!
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max 6:37PM (11/30/2008)
This is amazing technology and we all need to see it for what it is.
Of course it is true that we can already configure the colors, trim, etc. on their website. But this is a magnificent invention -- imagine the potential.
However, I think this article would be better suited on a technology website than auto website.
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MacDoc 5:58AM (12/02/2008)
Having anything to do with Microsoft cheapens the BMW Brand.
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