[MPBK]

Today I saw an Audi billboard announcing the first in-car WIFI. It said to Google it. So I did.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20047930-48.html

What a genius idea.
No more out-dated DVD based GPS. It's Google maps based. And that's just one of the services. Basically, having your car connected to the internet while you're driving, the potential is unlimited.
And, it creates a rolling WIFI bubble for your other devices, such as iPad, cell phones and laptops.
Although Audi doesn't (yet) provide voice call function I don't have any doubts that it will be coming, very soon.
Basically, they've turned the car into another 4G device, like the smart phones.
T-Mobile has the Audi account for now. But this is a huge market for all 4G providers. How many millions of cars are sold in the USA per year?

So now we need to pay another monthly fee (whether you use your car or not).
Huge money making idea.

[Raja Ventureshield]

yeah, my friend has an Audi and he has that option.
pretty kewl idea but like you said another way to take piece of the pie ($$$).

btw, NYC has free city wifi now i heard.

[Casca]

Rather pay extra or hack my phone to be an wireless hotspot that the car's computer and everything else can use to access the web. At least then I can take my wireless hotspot everywhere with me, including while I am driving. Paying for 4g access on the car just sounds like another bill with very limited use.

[Shaan]

Have this option in our A7. cool feature indeed but think ive only used it 3 times in the past year that ive owned the car

[MPBK]

Originally Posted by Shaan

Have this option in our A7. cool feature indeed but think ive only used it 3 times in the past year that ive owned the car

And you've been paying every month?
How much is that bill?

[Shaan]

Originally Posted by MPBK

And you've been paying every month?
How much is that bill?

well i guess i kind of cheated the system, i used to work for t-mobile at the time which whom Audi's contract is for this wifi service. did some research and found out that i can use the sim in my phone, input it into the sim slot and the wifi will work. I have a work and personal phone so when on trips ill use the work phone and put that into the car

[Kwando]

Doesn't BMW offer wifi hotspot option? I saw it in one of the catalogs.

[arnsbrae]

Originally Posted by Kwando

Doesn't BMW offer wifi hotspot option? I saw it in one of the catalogs.

Is this what you mean?

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...r_hotspot.html

[stickypaws]

Mercedes also has hotspot.

But the difference with the Audi system is that the car's display/nav system is connected. The hotspots in the BMW and Mercedes are to connect your personal devices (in the Mercedes there's a router in the trunk.)

I prefer the hotspot systems over the integrated Audi system because you keep your own service provider and/or use free wifi wherever you can connect. The Audi system means a contract with T-Mobile just to get connected with the car's display/nav system. Why pay for that when all you really need is a connected personal device for those rare times you need connectivity. Plus you should be paying attention to your driving. Connectivity is really more for the passengers.

imho, having a smartphone and iPad wifi connect (hotspot option) is good enough. And a basic HDD based nav pre-loaded with maps is still needed when out of wifi reach.