PeterS Posted August 10, 2016 Report Share Posted August 10, 2016 My new car was ordered with the professional media pack, but either I'm getting forgetful or am missing something as I'm finding it awfully frustrating getting it all to work! First the easy stuff...iPhone 6 connected by Bluetooth and USB. Connected Drive working, insofar as I have the app and the activation code from the car has been entered in the app. I get the weather and all that stuff. Email is set up via the connected drive website and the car is receiving mail ok, but it only gives (and reads out) email headers. Is that normal? I haven't managed to get the car to receive / show any text messages...not sure if it should! Seems odd if it can't? I haven't even attempted to sort out Twitter and Spotify... Now my 2012 5 series had something similar (can't remember if it was called connected drive though?) and I'm sure setting it up to receive and read out texts was straightforward I don't remember ever setting it up to do the same with email, but I did set up the Twitter and Facebook functions. It too had Spotify I think. If I recall correctly they were done via an app first, and then just worked... The configuration / operation of the connected drive stuff doesn't seem to be covered in the printed handbook or the copy stored on the HD in the car, and the BMW website is not hugely intuitive in its organisation of info on this stuff... So what am I missing? And before anyone says I'm getting old, I managed to set up the Audi Online services in the A3, including Twitter, without even opening the handbook and that's happy to display and read text messages and tweet happily There is some good news though; the BMW remote app is working, and I can happily flash the headlights from anywhere in the world... Any pointers much appreciated! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 Emails - it only shows the email title and first two lines. SMS messages - yes you should be able to see text messages. They are accessed under "Office", not Connected Drive. Twitter and Spotify are very easily done although the Twitter functionality desperately needs an update and I've stopped using it as a result. Facebook is the same, albeit slightly better and the ability for the car to post on your behalf is rather good (and very annoying to your friends!). Create an account on IFTTT and you'll find a wealth of other integration and automation services from BMW Labs. IFTTT really brings it to life. Finding out the full functionality of Connected Drive is poorly documented, I agree. It is a case of performing app updates now and then, exploring the system and finding out what it has. Panoramio or whatever it is called, Wiki (I love that and often have it on because it reads out information about the places you're driving through!), and a lot more, they're all there is you spend an hour with the menu. Go into Apps and see what is available. The BMW remote app is good but IFTTT will do a lot more. It'll send a message to you if your car moves, if it enters a particular area, email you the location of where you parked it, tell you when you've nearly found it after you lost it, guide you back to it, blah blah blah. There are, quite literally, hundreds of IFTTT automation things from BMW Labs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 IFTTT BMW Labs recipes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 It does actually do it, apparently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 I now know why Mac bought a BMW https://ifttt.com/recipes/346212-receive-an-email-with-a-map-to-where-you-just-parked-your-bmw 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 (edited) Great - thanks NNMM. Still not sure why BMW don't make it easier, but it all makes more sense now On the snap in a adaptor front, I had one in the 5 series but haven't in the 2. Looking in the armrest I'm not even sure they do one? It was fairly expensive for the 5 IIRC (given its plastic plus a few pence worth of connectors...) but it also sold quickly on eBay for a good price. I'm just using a USB cable now, and everything seems to connect okay... Edited August 11, 2016 by PeterS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 18 hours ago, Daz said: I now know why Mac bought a BMW https://ifttt.com/recipes/346212-receive-an-email-with-a-map-to-where-you-just-parked-your-bmw Yep, there are a variety of different IFTTT recipes for that purpose. It must be a common issue with BMWs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 14 hours ago, PeterS said: Great - thanks NNMM. Still not sure why BMW don't make it easier, but it all makes more sense now On the snap in a adaptor front, I had one in the 5 series but haven't in the 2. Looking in the armrest I'm not even sure they do one? It was fairly expensive for the 5 IIRC (given its plastic plus a few pence worth of connectors...) but it also sold quickly on eBay for a good price. I'm just using a USB cable now, and everything seems to connect okay... I never buy the snap-in adaptor from BMW. I always go to eBay and buy them. As you say, the prices are ridiculous. You can usually pick up the model you need for £50 on eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 On 8/11/2016 at 4:17 PM, Daz said: I now know why Mac bought a BMW https://ifttt.com/recipes/346212-receive-an-email-with-a-map-to-where-you-just-parked-your-bmw EH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 I love some of them for the sheer pointless nature. I don't know what the recipe developers are thinking when they write something that tells you when your fuel range is low - because that will always happen when you're in the car. Unless it is to tell you that the people that nicked it are almost out of fuel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 Isn't it so you know when to fill up Mrs NNMMs car? That's certainly the expectation it would set here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 So you can ring your wife and tell her to put some fuel in, so she doesn't wonder what the little orange light is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 That's just begging for her to blame you for not filling it up beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 16 hours ago, PeterS said: Isn't it so you know when to fill up Mrs NNMMs car? That's certainly the expectation it would set here Doesn't work in a Volvo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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