From: "Michael Chen" <mchen@ciskon.com>
Subject: iPod Music Link testimonial
Date: Thu, January 19, 2006 10:57 am
To: admin@nuxx.net


Steve,

I posted the link to your website on Honda Music Link in OdyClub.com.  I see
that you have found our little thread there. ;)

Feel free to put my comments below to your "testimonials" section that you are
planning.

You may post my name, email, and location (Okemos, Michigan).  

Michael

My experience with the Honda Music Link:
==================================================================
We bought our 06 Honda Oddessey in Nov. 2005 with Navi system.  I was absolutely
delighted how intuitive everything in the car is.  The Navi system is the best I
have seen so far and the voice control is just amazing.

So just like you, after reading the News release from Honda about the Honda
Music Link. Thinking, wow, how nice would it be to listen to my iPod in the car
and use the nice big Navi screen to see the track name, artist, etc.  I didn't
even think the possiblity of not being able to see those info because with the
integrated XM radio, the track name, artist, and category is displayed.  And
especially after seeing how everything else worked in the car, I would not think
Honda would create anything less than what I stated.

From the News Release:
"Honda Music Link enables consumers with iPods to select their music by artist,
album, genre and play list through the Honda Civic's standard controls on the
audio system head unit. In addition, this system is the first of its kind to
offer synthesized audio voice feedback when searching through the iPod music
library with the vehicle's audio system controls."

The "In addition" sort of implied that you get all the above AND you get voice
feedback!

The only good thing I can say is at least I can listen to the iPod in the
Odyssey now.  But the navigation is so cumbersome that it is truely not an
enjoyable experience (Maybe they want you to keep using XM!).  And as you said,
I think it is somewhat more dangerous for driving as you have to listen and wait
as each letter is read out, then you have to quickly  reach over to the radio at
the specific moment the letter you want is read out to make your selection. If
you miss the letter, then you wait again until you hear your letter again.

Another negative thing is the Honda TTS (Text-To-Speech) software. It is so
intrusive that it creates all these song files in your iPod to synthesize the
artist, playlist, genre names, etc.  If you use your iPod other than in your
Honda, you might end up hearing all these tracks.  

On the other hand, my BMW X5 with Dension (http://www.densionusa.com) IceLink
Plus is truely a wonderful integration.  It displays track and artist name on
the factory radio.  Allows me to scroll thru playlist, artist, album thru
steering wheel control as the info is displayed on the factory radio.  No
special software on PC or Mac necessary. Unfortunatley, the IceLink kit disables
XM on the Honda and still does not display track info on Honda vehicles at this
point. 

As to the Honda Customer Rep you spoke to saying no other car manufacture does
what you mentioned (ie. Display track name, playlist etc.).  Mercedes has
released their iPod kit:
http://www.mbusa.com/features/iPod/index.do

From FAQ of MBUSA iPod kit:
"What is the iPod Integration Kit for Mercedes-Benz?  The iPod Integration Kit
for Mercedes-Benz is an integrated system solution that provides connectivity
between a customer's iPod device and the electronic and audio systems of the
Mercedes-Benz vehicle. The solution offers the ability to connect and stow the
iPod device with a specially designed interface in the glovebox that charges the
iPod device while allowing the driver to manipulate iPod menus and device
functions via the multifunction steering wheel buttons. Also, the driver can
conveniently reference the iPod menu, playlist, and artist or title information
on the multifunction display on the dashboard."

I am anxiously waiting for someone like Dension to come out with a kit that
displays playlist and track info.  The Honda engineers should really chat with
Mercedes or Dension to get an idea of what the minimal iPod vehicle integration
kit requirement should be.

Sincerly,
Michael Chen
Okemos, Michigan