The 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class rocks the PCMCIA

If the mere though of an iPod gives you the anti-Apple-fanboy heebie-jeebies, then you might be interested in the new PCMCIA slot going into the 2007 S-Class from Mercedes Benz. The slot sits right below the CD changer and allows you to bring whatever storage media strikes your fancy -- via an adapter of course -- so you can get some audio files in your car on the cheap and Apple free. Or you could just stow a bit of loose change with the StashCard, your call.

[kyle @ Jan 19th 2006 8:58PM]

i read somewhere that you can fit a 1.8" hdd into a pcmia slot and the computer would read the drive. is this true?

[Sam @ Jan 19th 2006 8:59PM]

So why PCMCIA and not USB?

[Erik @ Jan 19th 2006 9:06PM]

#1, sounds wrong. They make HDDs that fit PCMCIA slots, but they are expensive and they are terribly slow.

[tnkgrl @ Jan 19th 2006 9:07PM]

Nothing really new! The new Honda Civic, when equipped with navigation, also features a PC-card slot for playing MP3s and such...

[dirtyman @ Jan 19th 2006 9:09PM]

ok.. this is another stupid idea.
All I want is input jack so that I can use my mp3 player with
car speaker.

[iomatic @ Jan 19th 2006 9:16PM]

Um, yeah, PCMCIA is sooo 1996; I think you mean PC Card?

Anyway, yeah, a type II slot will fit a micro drive (Toshiba/IBM).

But, why, when you can have iPod integration instead with decabytes of storage, and no ridiculously manual file/copy management?

[Alex @ Jan 19th 2006 9:17PM]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&hs=Qv5&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=1.8+in+pcmcia+hard+drive&spell=1

[adam wyss @ Jan 19th 2006 9:19PM]

yes kyle, that is true, because they are the same size as a cf card, so it will fit in a cf slot, and work with any cf card reader, just like with my ipaq.

[SR @ Jan 19th 2006 9:23PM]

Really stupid. An SD slot would have fit the bill far better.

[tony @ Jan 19th 2006 9:49PM]

the main page w/ no pics??? is this permanent?! i'll be reading way less entries, sadly (due to my lack of knowledge with gadgets)

[Don Foley @ Jan 19th 2006 9:49PM]

Wow, that is sweet. I imagine that will be standard in all new cars with a hip 25-35 crowd. VW Jetta will probably be next. My best guess anyway.

Don

[taz @ Jan 19th 2006 10:05PM]

Benz or Lexus? Clicked the photo, pic has 'Lexus' in text on photo...

[KianTech @ Jan 19th 2006 10:09PM]

How about a fricken aux input, my friend's sentra has it, her iPod sounds great, just a cheap aux input!!!!

[Elias G. @ Jan 19th 2006 10:12PM]

Mercedes already offers iPod integration on the C-Class, CLK, CLS, E-Class, SLK, M-Class, and R-Class.
http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipodyourcar/

According to several sources, the 2007 S-Class is compatible with iPod as well.

[Jay @ Jan 19th 2006 10:13PM]

Ya like someone who spends over 100,000 is gonna wanna go cheap on a non-ipod piece of garbage! Get real. Those that don't buy iPods 'simply' cause it's an Apple product should get real and over their complexes and insecurities. Beat it to death, argue till ur nuts fall off, the iPod to this day remains the KING by a HUUUUUGE long shot and anyone who opts for anything else is simply screwing themselves..NO ONE else.

[Elias G. @ Jan 19th 2006 10:17PM]

Mercedes already offers iPod integration on the C-Class, CLK, CLS, E-Class, SLK, M-Class, and R-Class.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipodyourcar

According to several sources, the 2007 S-Class is compatible with iPod as well.

[Sean Montgomery @ Jan 19th 2006 10:33PM]

PCMCIA? What moron thought of that...let's try aux input for mp3 players, but most of all how about a USB plug? I could copy tunes to my thumb drive and bring 'em with me. So simple, but yet no one is doing it.

[Erik @ Jan 19th 2006 10:35PM]

#6, not all 1.8" drives fit PCMCIA slots, only those made in a PCMCIA case:

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100527&affiliate=pricegrabber

Thats a typical hitachi 1.8 used in many portable Sony notebooks and it won't fit in a PCMCIA slot by any means.

[toadvomit @ Jan 19th 2006 10:46PM]

I hope these morons used the ExpressCard spec.

[Amit Patel @ Jan 19th 2006 10:57PM]

Sean: Volkswagen is going to use USB. http://www.everythingusb.com/volkswagen_golf.html

[Marcus @ Jan 19th 2006 11:00PM]

If I'm not mistaking, the Facelifted Audi A4 offers PCMCIA slots as an option. So I dont really think this is impressive news.

By the way...Mercedes sux!!
Sorry, I'm just a BMW Fanboy.lol

[KissTheRing @ Jan 19th 2006 11:11PM]

My 2006 Civic with Nav has this but it's kind of a dumb feature seeing as how I have an iPod and the car comes standard with a aux input in the dash

[paul millerd @ Jan 19th 2006 11:19PM]

if you can afford a benz, cheap media probably doesnt matter

[Guesty McGuesters @ Jan 19th 2006 11:20PM]

PCMCIA...yawn, so 2005.

[fenix @ Jan 19th 2006 11:33PM]

uh...thats definately not a benz stereo system, especially not on the 2007 S-class...that's definately the Lexus IS.

[GadgetMike @ Jan 20th 2006 12:15AM]

I'd only want this feature if I could use it with my EVDO card....

[mike @ Jan 20th 2006 12:58AM]

Do you guys even READ these sites you link to anymore???

[DjSpin @ Jan 20th 2006 1:30AM]

Just a quick gripe in response to the person that suggested a SD slot would be more useful:

It really annoys me that everyone is opting to put SD slots in products where a CF slot will fit. I realize some products have size constraints...but take pda's for example. Most could accommodate a cf card slow w/ little or no increase in size. With a SD slot you're limited to sd cards, mmc cards, and maybe a wifi card...that's about it. CF cards are not only cheaper per mb, but you then have the option of all kinds of adapters to adapt a memory stick or sd card or xd card or whatever your media of choice is to the cf slot. On top of that, if we're talking about a pda, I've seen all kinds of accessories for the CF slot: microdrives, gps receivers, vga cards for presenting, barcode readers. These accessories don't apply to the car stereo obviously but I just wish more people would use CF slots in their products in favor of versatility.

[tiuk @ Jan 20th 2006 1:37AM]

I kind of thought PCMCIA would start being phased out soon. Don't know why, just seems like it's about time.

[Tech^Cellfish @ Jan 20th 2006 3:06AM]

dirtyman: The saab's got an input jack and a tray for most mp3/music players

[Peter McCaffrey @ Jan 20th 2006 4:30AM]

Like everyone else said... just put a USB port and an aux jack on them and be done with it...

Peter

[Tim @ Jan 20th 2006 6:42AM]

a pcmcia card with usb ports for external hard drives full of music maybe?

[Joe @ Jan 20th 2006 8:57AM]

think outside the box! This is great if you want to do a carPC using that slot and the nav screen! I have an AUX input, if works fine. I just burn mp3 cds and play those in my cd changer, it's a lot easier.

[Moonshine @ Jan 20th 2006 9:58AM]

Not a bad idea at all! You can use one of those 22-in-1 PCMCIA adapters and use any memory card format you desire. iPod integration will soon be available for the S-class, too. Also the CD-changer plays MP3-CDs and maybe even MP3-DVDs! Yeah, USB would have been nice, but I think this is as good as it currently gets...

[Shon @ Jan 20th 2006 10:05AM]

the mere "though" of a microsoft fanboy using spell check gives me the heebie-jeebies. And PCMCIA? How un-elegant is that? its like an idea kia would have...

[em-tv @ Jan 20th 2006 11:02AM]

Yeah, I'd like to see usb 2.0 support become standard in all car stereo systems. Hook up anything you want, especially as flash storage gets bigger and cheaper.

[Brett @ Jan 20th 2006 1:26PM]

I vote for USB v2.0:

Benefits:
1) Works with virtually all MP3 players using a single driver (UMS)

2) Can actually power and CHARGE several MP3 players

3) Digital Connection!!!

4) Standard Audio Controls via Steering Wheel, Center Console, Voice, etc.

5) Works with el Cheapo Memory Sticks!!!!

The list goes on, its a wonder it hasn't happen yet!

[trunksy @ Jan 20th 2006 4:11PM]

Did anyone notice the original article has a Lexus logo on it? Are they full of it?

[dumpsterdiver @ Jan 20th 2006 5:42PM]

PCMCIA? Suwheet! Now I can hook up the extra 56k PCMCIA modem card to my 2007 S Class! Nice work, MB!

I heard that BMW is putting ps/2 inputs into their 7 series so you can hook up a mouse to use their iDrive.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[ranron @ Jan 20th 2006 8:48PM]

First off, I can tell you guys that everybody has it wrong. If you go to the linked site and see the image full size, you can clearly see that it says "For picures go to LEXUS.com".

Its kind of obvious that's not a '07 S-Class then?

I guess we can agree with Brett that if Mercedes/Lexus were to include the card slot, then we can buy a USB card. =)

[San Diego Los Angeles Lexus Mercedes Benz Acura Orange County @ Aug 30th 2006 8:29PM]

I agree with kian a simple aux input jack would be great. It would be so simple and so inexpensive for mercedes benz to add. The SD slot is a good idea too. I'd have prefered cf though.

[Eleampr @ Jan 4th 2008 11:51AM]

Can anyone tell me what to buy or what we can do with the PCMCIA slot? I agree that there are more elegant solutions but I can't find anything on just what it *can* do. We'd like to use it like an iPod but hate to go out and buy something that is worthless.

Thank you for whatever insight anyone can offer.

Eleanor