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Ford opens AppLink developer program, wants more apps with in-car voice control
Ford's SYNC AppLink technology for smartphone voice control while behind the wheel is currently only a feature of a handful of big-name apps. That may soon change, however, as here at CES, the motor company has announced a developer program to promote integration of its AppLink APIs into third-party software. Registration for the fledgling online community is open at the source link below, and interested devs will get access to an SDK, accompanying documents, and will qualify for technical guidance courtesy of Ford. As well as the dev program, a bunch of brand new and recent AppLink partnerships were reported with Chinese outfit Sina, WSJ, USA Today, Kaliki, Amazon Cloud Player, Aha Radio (pictured above), Rhapsody, Greater Media, Glympse, and BeCouply. Hit up the PR below or head to the source for more information. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Honda announces its HondaLink infotainment system, teams up with Aha Radio for the festivities
We've known about Honda's plans to bring Aha Radio along for the ride and the tech has already gotten cozy in Subaru and Acura autos. The company has officially outted its plan to partner with Harman to bring web radio, podcasts and both Facebook and Twitter audio news feeds to the in-dash systems of 2013 vehicles. Unlike what we saw in the BRZ, though, HondaLink will arrive with its own smartphone app in tow for pre-selecting content before hopping in the driver's seat. However, you'll still need a tethered smartphone in order to run things, the entire kit can be futzed with via steering wheel and on-dash controls. The system will also bundle Pandora and voice-to-text SMS messaging that has already made its way to some models. HondaLink will break from cover this fall in the 2013 Accord, but a peek at the preliminary interface awaits after the break.
Acura partners with Aha by Harman, 2013 RLX calls first dibs on next-gen infotainment
Subaru and Honda bit first, and now Acura has chosen the New York International Auto Show to reveal its newfangled tie-up with Harman. The cleverly-titled Aha infotainment platform -- which aims to "make web content safe for drivers" -- will soon be working its way into Acura motorcars, starting with the 2013 RLX. It'll be part of a revamped audio system, integrated via Bluetooth and able to provide drivers with access to "tens of thousands of audio stations, including web content like Internet radio, on-demand music, live news, podcasts, audio books, Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds, personalized points of interest information and much more." The Aha service is currently live in the US, Canada and Western Europe, and it sounds as if it's working hard to lure in other automakers in the near future. Pricing details are nowhere to be found, but go ahead and bank on needing that Technology package when it comes time to approach the dealership.
Harman, Rinspeed partner on Dock + Go dashboard concept
Harman is kicking off the Geneva Auto Show by unveiling its new dashboard concept for cars of the future. The Dock + Go system turns your dashboard into a "learning," Aha cloud-connected platform that'll try to eliminate traffic jams, or at least you're kept entertained in line. Your smartphone will connect over NFC and immediately the car will remember your preferred settings and social networks for access. The navigation will learn your driving habits and tweak the GPS settings accordingly and it'll even measure your alertness level and suggest you take a nap, or at least drive down a less busy street. It can recognize gestures and with a wave of the hand, it can start reading your new emails or tweets and, best of all, when driving past a store, the cloud system can show you vouchers and deals for your road-based impulse purchase needs -- after all, there's nothing better than being offered half-price meat while you're cruising down the freeway.
CES 2012: Automotive roundup
It's always a nice break from ultrabooks, smartphones and massive OLED TVs to catch a glimpse of the new auto tech that will be rolling out in the months to come. This year's focus at CES was infotainment and software add-ons for a handful of manufacturers and models. Sure, the plug-in Fusion was a highlight, but for the most part, the emphasis on on-board screens and content delivery while you're blazin' down Route 66. Read on for some highlights from the week that was.
Aha Radio in the Subaru BRZ hands-on (video)
Aha Radio announced this week that it'll be an optional extra in 2013 Subaru and Honda autos. Vehicles so equipped will have the ability to listen to thousands of web radio stations and apps -- like Slacker and MOG -- alongside the regular AM / FM and satellite radio rotation. A short jaunt from our trailer at CES, we grabbed a quick demo with a Subaru representative aboard the 2013 BRZ. Just like using Aha without the car, you'll need an iOS or Android device outfitted with the app, which uses that device's data connection to stream those audial bits. Once connected over USB or Bluetooth, however, the updated app now allows all of that content -- including stations you've previously pre-selected as favorites -- to be accessible via vehicle's built-in infotainment system. Setup was a breeze, but the only caveat is that data connection, which par for the course for CES, wouldn't play ball. Still, for the brief time we were able to connect, we streamed NPR and found the UI certainly workable. And before you ponder the ramifications of futzing with a touchscreen while driving, know that it's accessible via controls mounted on the steering wheel. This makes for a somewhat safer media selection-option as you cruise up and down the Vegas strip. A couple shots of it in action await below, followed by a video after the break.
Aha Radio partners with Subaru and Honda, brings social media to 2013 vehicles
At last year's CES, Aha Radio brought its hyper-connected social media ways to two high-end Pioneer head units. This year, however, the service is about to make a bigger splash by announcing it'll be built into select 2013 Subaru and Honda vehicles. Equipped autos will have access to "thousands of personalized, web-enabled stations" like MOG, Rhapsody and Slacker, appearing as a selectable source alongside more traditional AM, FM and satellite radio options. And naturally it'll integrate with Aha's iPhone and Android apps. If a new vehicle isn't to your liking, Kenwood will also start integrating the service into head units later in 2012. We'll get hands-on with the above system in a Subaru's new BRZ soon, but to tide you over, two PRs await the break.
Pioneer demos new iPhone-powered in-dash interface
We first heard about Pioneer's AVIC in-car units back at CES earlier this year, but earlier today, the company was kind enough to drive a Land Rover up to my curb here in Los Angeles, and I checked out the system in action. The main unit, as you can see in the picture above, is a pretty standard touchscreen in-dash interface -- you can use it to flip between any in-car audio or video controls you have, and of course, it has a built-in GPS unit and can do all of the usual navigation things, like give you a route or check traffic. But the interesting thing about this one is that it hooks up to your iPhone -- you can just barely see Pioneer's demo iPhone in the picture above, plugged into a dock cable that runs up through the glove compartment. And indeed, that's where your iPhone stays. The idea with this unit is that it works as an interface for your phone while driving, rather than replacing it completely.
Pioneer announces Aha Radio partnership, plans for app domination
If there's a trend at this year's CES in the infotainment world, a sort of new common denominator that's unifying all the players, it's having your social media read to you while you drive. Pioneer is playing along. New you'll also be able to listen to Facebook and Twitter updates, pull down NPR podcasts and RSS feeds, even get Yelp reviews read to you. And, yes, that Pandora integration too. Aha Radio from Harman is the provider here and initially will be supported in two of the company's higher-end models, the AVIC-Z130BT and AVIC-X930BT. Both look to be double-DIN units with large touchscreens and built-in navigation. That's just the beginning, though. More details after the break. %Gallery-112775%
