I wholeheartedly agree with saturn.

That dman wheel is impossible to work while on the road making it really dangerous. I was hoping that the display would show song info, without that this is just the same (assuming it somehow can be adapted to past models) as the other adapters, only more expensive.

It is good to see mazda coming up with new ideas besides different color paints.

 

Yea, I don't know how I've survived driving while scrolling with the ipod wheel ever since I've had my ipod. The time it takes to open the cup holder cover, get out my ipod, menu, scroll, pick the track I've been trying to find....many times I don't realize how long my eyes have been off the road.

 

Why can't you just leave your cup holder slid open? I always slide mine open to put my cell phone in just in case I REALLY need to use it for something. I never talk on my cell phone my car unless it is parked. I swear I must be the only one as 90% of all cars the people driving seem to be constantly on the phone!!!

Anyways, why wouldn't it work to just leave the lid open? It could cut down a little on some of that time.

 

I was excited to hear about this at first because I would love to have song info displayed. Now that the details are out it sounds like the AudioLink that I have does everything the OEM unit does and more (can still use the iPod interface as well as steering wheel and stereo controls).

 

Okay, looks like this thread's degenerating into an "I hate"/"I love" iPod thread, but I can't let this go. You don't think that browsing by Artist and Album are useful?!!! C'mon! I think you're in the 1% that products with mass appeal just can't please.

Phredd

 

I like Dell, Microsoft, Mountain Dew, and TV -- I embody conformity and mass appeal. It's not a question of what it has -- it's a question of the unbelievably obvious things it lacks.

I use the artist and album choices because that's really the only way I can. I'm not saying those choices aren't the most useful or powerful. I'm saying that it shouldn't be limited to ONLY those choices. It would probably take someone at Apple 28 seconds to alter the code to allow more powerful browsing options. They just don't because they want to force everyone to use their products in a particular way.

Customization is the keyword and the iPod sucks about as bad as you possibly can in that category. I don't care if Apple, Microsoft, or Winnie the Pooh makes the most configurable iPod-like device -- I just want something that I can use the way I want to use it.

 

It's probably more that their design philosophy is to make things simple enough to appeal to most people. You could certainly handle advanced browsing, but a lot of people would get confused, even if it was just an option that they could ignore.

Phredd

 

i see artist and album name isnt displayed... but is the TRACK name?

 

Use the iTunes Smart Playlist function.... Endless customization options there...

You can make an automatic playlist of Punk, post-modern, 3+ star rated, Christian bands, with green hairdoos...

 

This is good news and is long overdue. However, I'm going to pick up an Audio Link iPod Integration Kit instead.

Didn't your daddy teach you not to fiddle with your MP3 player while you're driving?

This is a bit off-topic, however....

I've had a dozen dedicated MP3 players since the original PMP300 (from iRiver, Sandisk, Apple, Rio, etc) and I've owned many Pocket PCs and Palm PDAs capable of media playback. I was also a BETA tester for RIO for both software and hardware. The Rio Karma was easily the most feature-rich player I owned (gapless playback, Flac/Ogg support, endless shuffle modes, LAN, integrated webserver, etc).

So after using so many advanced models, what have I settled on? The lowly iPod nano, mainly because of its scroll-wheel interface that you dismiss.

The iPod wheel is one of the most elegant consumer electronics interfaces ever created. It allows simple, intuitive, ergonomic, and fast one-handed operation and navigation (even through lists of hundreds of songs). That combined with the nano's superb size and form factor (my Rio Karma's thickness made it really uncomfortable in a pocket), excellent price for a flash player, easy and effective cross-platform management and playback, and overall responsiveness (there is no FFWD-RWD/navigation lag like you get with some hdd units) makes it an awesome little device.

 

Just as a related note, from the Mazda Media page...
http://www.media.mazda.com/photolibr...60804_002s.jpg

 

Anyone know when/if this will be available retail for existing RX-8's?

 

I'm pretty happy with my $225 PhatBox. This uses voice prompts to navigate your way around, the steering wheel controls work great, and it stays in the car, out of sight. If you can do a basic install yourself, you should consider it.

 

Where did you get it for $225?

 

^^^ ya... msrp is $749 + $45 install kit

 

I got it off ebay a few months ago. It was from a Chicago dealer and it was new in the box. They had quite a few of them.

 

Has anyone found anything new about this? The Japanese launch was supposed to be August 22nd. I'm dying to get my ipod in my car...

I found a couple of links via Google News:

http://www.duemotori.com/news/auto_n...Compatible.php

http://www.carpages.co.uk/mazda/mazd...8-06-09-06.asp

Looks like European Miatas are coming with these now. I wonder if the adapter will be the same across models.

 

Any info on more where/whether you can get these now? Will they be offered on the mazda site?

 

^^^Yeah ? I want this for my car.

 

Will it ever arrive?

 

Anybody hear anything?

I found this link:
http://accessories.mazdausa.com/comm...ehicleCode=CX7

Which lets you put one of these in your shopping cart for a 2007 CX-7. The part number is C236-79-CFZ

No price associated with it yet. It would make me so happy if this thing was relatively cheap and worked with my '04. I can't go another year without my ipod in my car.

 

IT IS HERE!

Rosenthal is getting the factory iPod kit on October 2nd.
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...03#post1550403

It is listed for $129.95.
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...X08C236-79-CFZ

I am curious about the installation and features. I have to install the 6 disc changer, I might be installing this along with it too.

 

How exactly does this work with your Ipod? Are you able to select by album, artist etc?

 

Oh hell. I am on vacation in Japan next week and was going to buy one, hoping for bragging rights. Oh well. In the Japan publication it was about $200....

 

Zune > Ipod