Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Evidence of Apple and VW collaboration on up! dashboards?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/19/evidence-of-apple-and-vw-collaboration-on-up-dashboards/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/19/evidence-of-apple-and-vw-collaboration-on-up-dashboards/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/19/evidence-of-apple-and-vw-collaboration-on-up-dashboards/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Last week we told you about Volkswagen's plan to put touch screens in every one of its cars next year and wondered if maybe this is what Apple had been helping VW sort out.

Well, our brothers over at Engadget did some digging and came up with a video showing VW's UP touch interface in use. Apple fans will immediately recognize the look and feel of the images as very Coverflow or Front Row-like. Apple fanboys will have already seen all this, of course, and put their cars up for sale in anticipation of the new VW lineup (anyone want to by a 2002 Corolla, btw?).

Is this the fabled iCar? Has Apple assisted in the design of VW's new touch interface? While the video shown here is indeed intriguing, don't get excited just yet. Apple's Coverflow is easily imitated, and VW might have only been inspired by Apple's work. Even so, it would be a huge improvement over what VW uses now, and as much of a leap forward for the automotive industry as Apple's iPhone has been for mobile phone companies.

If you know Apple, they're gonna keep this pie as secret as they can until it's fully baked. But we're gonna do our best to keep an eye on it while it's cooking, so stay tuned.

[Source: Engadget]

Evidence of Apple and VW collaboration on up! dashboards? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Apple automobileApple carAppleAutomobileAppleCariCarVolkswagen AppleVolkswagen touch screenVolkswagen upVolkswagen UP!VolkswagenAppleVolkswagenTouchScreenVolkswagenUpVolkswagenUp!VW AppleVW upVW UP!VwAppleVwUpVwUp!Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:04:00 EST<![CDATA[All VW models to get touch screens]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/12/all-vw-models-to-get-touch-screens/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/12/all-vw-models-to-get-touch-screens/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/12/all-vw-models-to-get-touch-screens/#commentsFiled under: ,

Recently we reviewed VW's four-door GTI and one of our few complaints was the difficult-to-use nav system. We suggested replacing all the little buttons and dials with a touch screen. Guess what? They listened! VW's design chief, Walter de' Silva, tells Automotive News Europe that starting next year, every VW will have a touch screen interface. Not just those equipped with nav, but every VW made. It's not clear from the story whether this is will be in Europe only or includes U.S.-spec VWs as well.

According to the article, all the car's main passenger-usable systems will be controlled by the screen including climate, radio, entertainment, etc. While we'll withhold judgment on the usefulness or intuitiveness of the system, it will surely go a long way toward giving VW a high-tech look. Could this have been what VW consulted Apple on a few months ago? Or is it just finally the fruition of VW's tech licensing of touch-screen technology from Immersion back in 2005? If so, that could mean the company's new touch screens will have tactile feedback like GPS units that use Immersion's TouchSense technology. Either way, we look forward to seeing how iPhone-like automotive controls work out.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - Sub. Req.]

All VW models to get touch screens originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"We have been working with Apple on control interfaces."

That's a direct quote from, not Martin Winterkorn at Volkswagen, but Ian Callum, the design director for Jaguar, as quoted by CAR magazine. Callum says Jaguar's new XF's start button "starts to pulsate" when the driver gets into the car. Once running, the car's hidden air vents "rise up" and the JaguarDrive Selector pops up from the console. Actual buttons are kept to a min.

Sounds all very high-tech and somewhat Apple-like. The pulsating start button is very reminiscent of Apple computers' power indicator lights.

So now we have Apple confirmed to be working with Jaguar and rumored to be working with Volkswagen and Mercedes. Another item of interest we came across in researching this post is a Macrumors story which says it heard about the CAR interview with Callum from Macrumors reader -- get this -- Chris Bangle. Could it be? Nah.

Thanks for the tip, Chris!

[Source: CAR Magazine via Macrumors]

Jaguar design chief says XF is Apple flavored originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple automotiveapple carapple icarapple jaguarAppleAutomotiveAppleCarAppleIcarAppleJaguarian callumian callum appleIanCallumIanCallumAppleFri, 31 Aug 2007 12:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple, Volkswagen creating the iCar?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/29/apple-volkswagen-creating-the-icar/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/29/apple-volkswagen-creating-the-icar/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/29/apple-volkswagen-creating-the-icar/#commentsFiled under: ,

For years, an Apple-designed car has been both the butt of jokes and the dream of many an Apple fanboy. Could a fashionably cool car from Cupertino be on the horizon? German publication Sueddeutsche reports that Volkswagen chief Martin Winterkorn has been talking to Apple's CEO Steve Jobs about something, though exactly what isn't totally clear.

If you're a follower of Apple product development, you know rumors and speculation can run absurdly wild years before the company unveils anything official. Combine that fact with Google's ability to translate German (Google says Martin winter grain is the head of VW, for example) and the two might have only gotten together for a rousing game of Donkey Kong on Jobs' iPhone.

[Sources: Sueddeutsche via MacDailyNews, Financial Times Deutschland via EE Times, and Snopes]

Continue reading Apple, Volkswagen creating the iCar?

Apple, Volkswagen creating the iCar? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Apple carApple iCarAppleCarAppleIcariCarMartin Winterkorn Steve JobsMartinWinterkornSteveJobsVolkswagen AppleVolkswagen iCarVolkswagenAppleVolkswagenIcarWed, 29 Aug 2007 17:28:00 EST