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Anyone got one of these ?
How do you rate it?
Are they any good?
Seen them for sale on ebay at a very good price considering what you get with them.
Powered PDA Mount for XDA III
FOR
XDA III aka XDA 2S
imate PDA2K
Included in all packages:
1 Powered PDA Mount Cradle
1 9" Windshield Swivel Pedestal
1 XDA III charging and data serial cable
1 3' Bluetooth GPS charging cable
More info here http://www.arkon.com/bluetoothgps.html#xdaiii-bt
if you dont already have a seperate GPS receiver then this one is good:
http://www.totalpda.com/Holux-Powered-GPS-PDA-Mount-for-XDA-Series-I-Mate-Q-Tec-2020.aspx
a friend has one and it works great. everything in one unit.
However i have had warning from someone saying the GPS signal is interupted if you have a heated windscreen, due to the wires. my mates works great tho.
HPJ
(i should get commission for the amount of time i've recommended this unit!!!!!!!)
The link you posted doesnt appear to be compatible with the blue angel series.
http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/viewprod.php?product_id=2545&max_cat_id=14&vt=grid
This product does support the blue angel, however, I've heard mixed reports about how well it operates while the phone is changing nodes.
Cheers
numanoids said:
The link you posted doesnt appear to be compatible with the blue angel series.
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Yes I thought that so i gave them a call to ask.......the person on the phone said it is compatible with blue angel.....however as in all similar situations always good to keep box and receipt if purchasing and advice is wrong..... :wink:
Fair enough!!
I stand happily corrected. they're in glasgow so might swing past today and pick one up!
cool...let us know how you get on if you do get one
HPJ
Anyone got one of these ?
How do you rate it?
Are they any good?
Seen them for sale on ebay at a very good price considering what you get with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am biased but ....
Have a look at www.brodit.com - find this product '849612'
Then find a bracket to mount this in your car.
May be more expensive but won't look out of place!
You can use your existing cable to charge the PDA in the car.
When I've finished developing my car kit connection cable, you can then have full hands free car kit including wired GPS, power, mic, sound of phone and nav through the car speakers - just plug my cable into the bottom of this holder and connect it to the car kit!
...Spence
hi s93ncer,
how you planning on getting sound from phone and nav out of your car speakers?
yes I agree, brodit is an excellent choice for cradles
Best Buy in the US sells an RF modulator that will take a standard audio in and transmit to an FM car radio. All you have to do is wire it into the bottom connector of the phone.
how you planning on getting sound from phone and nav out of your car speakers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm nearly there, just 1 little thing to sort out this morning.
I have tested it and it does work with phone and nav audio - just used the pin outs for speakers and connect pin 19 to ground through a 10K resistor
I'll post more information when I have finished testing.
...Spence
paulmc said:
Best Buy in the US sells an RF modulator that will take a standard audio in and transmit to an FM car radio. All you have to do is wire it into the bottom connector of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO, RF modulators are pretty crappy. The audio is mediocre at best and the frequency tends to drift so you're constantly needing to retune.
If you have a stereo that has a plug on the back for controlling a CD changer (most OEM stereos have this nowdays), you can most likely find an adapter that will let you add aux audio-in to your car stereo. I bought one from www.blitzsafe.com for my Toyota Celica. I used this to hook up the audio from a computer that I installed in the car.
This one is good, to ne honest the speaker on the XDA2s is loud enough and if using bluetooth (as most XDA 2 users do) then this mount may be better:
http://www.pdamods.com/products.asp?cat=23
Just ordered this:
http://www.totalpda.com/Holux-Powered-GPS-PDA-Mount-for-XDA-Series-I-Mate-Q-Tec-2020.aspx
Should be here next week......I'll let y'all know!
HPJ
There is so much wrong with this product I cant even begin..
1) The vent mounts are useless. They can barely support the weight of the unit on its own. Once the PDA is in it then you can forget trying to get it to face any direction other than down. It just rattles around. I have tried it in my merecedes, a VW golf and an Audi A4 so it's nothing to do with my vents either.
2) The speaker on the powered unit picks up all kinds of crackles and noise. If I make or receive a phone call the noise it makes is unbelievable. Basically I have to keep the speaker turned to the lowest voulme (there is no off switch) the whole time and even then I can still hear a really annoying sound when I use the phone. (You know the sound I mean, it's the one you sometimes get if your phone is near unsheilded speakers just before it's about to ring).
3) The cable that connects the PDA headphone socket to the mount unit does not work. If is is fully plugged in there is no sound at all. If I pull it out slightly the sound works but then it cuts off the external microphone on my PDA so I cant use the voice command/voice dial options.
4) When I plug the charge cable into the bottom of the PDA the PDA tries to connect to a host via ActiveSync...there isn't one there of course so ActiveSync just hangs if I don't hit cancel in time. This does not happen if I use my normal charge cable.
Ozy...are you refering to the powered GPS mount that I have ordered (see above) from Holux, through Total PDA?? I hope not....
However it does sound as though maybe you've just got a faulty one...try sending it back...??
HPJ
No. I am refering to the original Arkon product in the title of the thread.
I suspect it may indeed be faulty but to an extent that ruins any confidence I may have had in Arkon's products. I will be sending it back and I will try to get a Brodit or something else instead.
Cheers.
Actually, I quite liked the look of that Holux but there is no indication if it works with the Blue Angel.
Looks like Holux do one for the Blue Angel available from HandNav :
http://www.handnav.co.uk/product_details.php?id=308
Only £99 inluding VAT and delivery.
Might give that a go.
The Arkon mount was never meant to be used with gsm phones, they just added a lead and hoped for the best when used with xda etc, it is an atrocious piece of kit, I launched mine out on the road when driving on the M5, if anybody in the factory had tested it they would have known right away that it wasnt fit for the purpose, regardless of that they are still selling it as compatable, it is also a great bulky lummox of a thing and looked much better bouncing down the hard shoulder.
ozymandias said:
Actually, I quite liked the look of that Holux but there is no indication if it works with the Blue Angel.
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Click to collapse
I thought that, and called them. It works fine apparently...I'll let u know when it arrives
HPJ
I don't really need a GPS but I thought it might be kinda interesting to get a cheap'n'cheerful unit and then probably the basic Microsoft streetmaps package for a bit of fun. I don't want to spend a lot, but obviously I would still like it to work! I've narrowed it down to one of two GPS units, and I wonder if anyone here has any comments on them?
BT-77 (£39.99 plus VAT from http://www.inter-activeinformation.com/uk/product_info.php?products_id=31)
8590 (£39.95 inc VAT from http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/8590.htm)
* They both have USB and in-car cigarette-lighter style chargers, which will allow me charge my MDA Vario in the car too, so that's useful.
* The 8590 uses the same Li-ion battery as my old Nokia phone, so that could give me an extra charged battery to keep in the car.
* The 8590 also has a USB port, as well as the Bluetooth connection, so I could connect it directly into my laptop if I wanted to - although I do have a bluetooth dongle for the laptop anyway, so that's not really a major factor.
* The BT-77 has 16 channels while the 8590 only has 12 - how much of a factor to consider is that?
* The BT-77 appears to have slightly better battery life, according to the comments I've seen.
* The BT-77 is a bit more expensive and has a two-week delivery wait at the moment (not critical, no real urgency).
So - does anyone have any experience with either of these units and might care to comment on which would be best, or anything else for me to bear in mind?
Regards,
Andre (very new to this whole GPS lark!)
I use a Fuzion Solar GPS which has a solar panel to keep it charged up. It was £59 from next Generation Sales on Ebay. After a little bit of a sweat trying to set it up with TomTom 5 I've been pretty impressed with it.
It apparently works for 30hours but I haven't had cause to check it as it's not used that long and I leave it by the window when not in use. It uses a Nok3650 replaceable battery so you could keep a spare in the unlikely event of it running flat.
For those with similar problems you need to search for the device in Bluetooth and accept the serial port option. In Windows Make sure blutooth is switched on then go to the CABLE settings in TomTom and set the Baud Rate to 38400. Then click done and go to other bluetooth gps device and in my case it was now available on com 6.
i bought the 8590 from mobilefun last week, it was a good little device but i found it a bit too slow to get a lock, especially in london, sometimes it never got a lock
I returned it and have now got a Holux GPSlim236, which was 70 notes, but you certainly get what you pay for. This device gets a lock a lot quicker and is more appears more precise than the 8590. It also has a usb charger, pairs with Tomtom no problems and is slighty smaller than the 8590.
Perhaps i could have lived with the cheaper device, but now i have the holux i dont think i would go back...
andrewilley said:
I don't really need a GPS but I thought it might be kinda interesting to get a cheap'n'cheerful unit and then probably the basic Microsoft streetmaps package for a bit of fun. I don't want to spend a lot, but obviously I would still like it to work! I've narrowed it down to one of two GPS units, and I wonder if anyone here has any comments on them?
BT-77 (£39.99 plus VAT from http://www.inter-activeinformation.com/uk/product_info.php?products_id=31)
8590 (£39.95 inc VAT from http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/8590.htm)
* They both have USB and in-car cigarette-lighter style chargers, which will allow me charge my MDA Vario in the car too, so that's useful.
* The 8590 uses the same Li-ion battery as my old Nokia phone, so that could give me an extra charged battery to keep in the car.
* The 8590 also has a USB port, as well as the Bluetooth connection, so I could connect it directly into my laptop if I wanted to - although I do have a bluetooth dongle for the laptop anyway, so that's not really a major factor.
* The BT-77 has 16 channels while the 8590 only has 12 - how much of a factor to consider is that?
* The BT-77 appears to have slightly better battery life, according to the comments I've seen.
* The BT-77 is a bit more expensive and has a two-week delivery wait at the moment (not critical, no real urgency).
So - does anyone have any experience with either of these units and might care to comment on which would be best, or anything else for me to bear in mind?
Regards,
Andre (very new to this whole GPS lark!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the GlobalSat BT-338 receiver which has 3rd generation SiFr processor, can lock 20 satelites. I use Destinator mapping software on my Wizard. Go to buyGPSnow.com for good prices and support. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice everyone, I've just bought a Holux 236 on eBay for £57 (plus import duties when it arrives from far off lands).
So if it doesn't work, I'll be coming after you Lyallb...
Andre
I second the Holux 236. I'm in Shanghai and consistently get a 10-bird lock within two minutes of turning it on. However, the first unit I bought had a bad bluetooth radio and had to be returned.
andrewilley said:
Thanks for the advice everyone, I've just bought a Holux 236 on eBay for £57 (plus import duties when it arrives from far off lands).
So if it doesn't work, I'll be coming after you Lyallb...
Andre
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Click to collapse
Ive heard the ones you get from overseas are a bit dodgy... :wink:
im confident i wont have to look over my shoulder....
BT-77
I have a BT GPS that is the same make as the BT-77 but branded under another name (Wonde-X BT GPS).
It sometimes takes ages to lock on, and this is with the plug in antenna.
Then on some days it takes 30 seconds, so I really don't know. There are better BT GPS out there, so I would give this one a miss if you have another option.
lyallb said:
Ive heard the ones you get from overseas are a bit dodgy... :wink:
im confident i wont have to look over my shoulder....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I'm in a bit of a Catch 22 situation then. If the GPS works fine, I won't need to find you... but if I can't get the GPS to work, I won't be able to find you!
Andre
gps
I have a polestar BT gps which I aquired from http://www.deluoelectronics.com. I like it a lot, it works well, about the size of a zippo cigarette lighter, and the 3 ni-mh AAA batteries last a long time (although after having it about 18 months I finally had to replace the ones that came with the unit, something about being left in my jeep and freezing in the winter and melting in the summer )
This unit is small enough to toss in your pocket, the batteries are placed on the bottom so if it sits on your dash its not top heavy. Even has some rubber feet so it doesnt slide all over. In my jeep (which I take off roads quite often) it has never fallen over which suprises me becuase a few times my jeep almost fell over
Solarius V3 Bluetooth GPS Receiver is great
I just bought Solarius V3 Bluetooth GPS Receiver with Tom Tom software - it is simply great. I'm using it my Cingular 8125 (HTC Wizard). The pairing was a breeze, getting Tom Tom to activate was another matter.
The GPS unit has solar panel for backup power - supposedly lasting for as much as 30 hours between charges. Here's a link to where I got it from:
http://www.semsons.com/soblgpsspofa.html
jwzg said:
I second the Holux 236. I'm in Shanghai and consistently get a 10-bird lock within two minutes of turning it on.
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Click to collapse
Well that was pretty painless... The Holux 236 arrived this morning (Monday - and I only paid for it on eBay last Tuesday and it had to come from Taiwan to the UK!) Nothing extra to pay at the door either, which was good news.
First reaction: Gosh, it's tiny isn't it?!! I almost thought they'd forgotten to put the GPS unit in the box! For anyone who's not got one, it's far smaller than half the size of the Wizard.
Second reaction: Bluetooth connected perfectly, first time. Couldn't get GPS software to see the unit at first - until I remembered to create an outgoing COM port in the Bluetooth Config screen, after which it all worked straight away. My phone talked me all the way to work half an hour later, how cute is this technology?
Thanks to everyone for all the advice.
Andre
I've got a Holux GPSlim 236 for almost a year now and for me it the best ever. It worked with my Magician and now with my Wizard. When it has a lock it stays locked even when i'm in side my house. You can navigate to the toilet if you want!
It's lays in the back of my car in a closed compartment were it has a 12V connection. When i fire up TomTom it's up and running in 3 seconds.
So you understand by now that i recommend the Holux GPSlim 236.
marshall_teller said:
It's lays in the back of my car in a closed compartment were it has a 12V connection. When i fire up TomTom it's up and running in 3 seconds.
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Click to collapse
I was thinking of doing that too. Do you just leave it switched on all the time, and is it only supplied with power with the ignition switch? Using a permanent 12v supply seems a good idea, and would keep the internal battery trickle-charged, but I wondered whether it might run down the car battery if left parked for a while as the receiver & bluetooth would always be running? On the other hand, if it's on a switched power supply, the Li-ion battery will continue to drain and go flat overnight while the car is parked, and then start re-charging when you're driving, which as far as I know isn't ideal for Li-ion batteries.
Andre
marshall_teller said:
When it has a lock it stays locked even when i'm in side my house. You can navigate to the toilet if you want!
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Bloody hell, how big is your house.....!!!! :lol:
Anyone have experience with the i-Blue Receiver? I like the sleep mode...goes into super-low powermode until a paired device tries to access it again. You can get several weeks of usage on a charge this way. Reviews are good and the price isn't bad.
Anyone have experience with the i-Blue Receiver
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I have been using one of these for the last 6 months. It's great. Never seems to run out and locks on Sats very quickly too.
pewe said:
Anyone have experience with the i-Blue Receiver
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Click to collapse
I have been using one of these for the last 6 months. It's great. Never seems to run out and locks on Sats very quickly too.
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Excellent! I'm having a hard time keeping myself from buying one. Hell, I don't even have a car nor do I travel all that much and I know NYC like the back of my hand. I need an excuse to buy one so the girlfriend doesn't freak out! Maybe I'll get into geocaching...hmm..
guys i bought a iBlue and am trying to pair it with the wizard... no luck. I can see the device in BlueTooth settings but it will not catch a signal
Pocket Streets
Earthcomber
or GPSView will not show any location????
help any suggestions
rc said:
guys i bought a iBlue and am trying to pair it with the wizard... no luck. I can see the device in BlueTooth settings but it will not catch a signal
help any suggestions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you set up a new outgoing COM port in your bluetooth setup screen? (I set mine up for COM7, which was free) Everything worked fine after that.
Andre
Hi!
Hope you guys can help me.
I´m going out travelling next month and now i´m looking for some good travelling speakers for my Rhodium. I´ve been looking around, but the most i found are made for iPhone.
So now I´m asking if someone knows if it exists similiar for HTC?
And not the tiny ones with crappy sound?
Blutooth, usb, 3,5mm? Come with suggestions, please.
(Sorry for bad english)
[Edit]Someone tried the Altec Lansing inMotion IM4?
You CAN get an adaptor lead from the micro USB to 3.5mm stereo, that should widen your options considerably
FWIW I picked up one at a local accessories stand in my local shopping centre yesterday which cost me less than five quid, and works well. You can't use the call button on the adaptor (not a dedicated HTC converter), but it still has the correct pinout for audio in and out.
If your local mobile phone accessory shops can't help, there's always online sources...
Here's a handy google search that highlights this for you
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=htc+USB+to+3.5mm+stereo&btnG=Search&meta=
Bluetooth! Simply the best ... ive got this one and works perfect ! Works on 3.5mm plug or bluetooth. Inside battery and good sound! http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/accessories/overview/mbs-100?cc=US&lc=en
try the x-mini speakers
super small yet very good sound
award-winning product
Thanks for your anwers but I went for the usb to 3,5mm plug and a pair of computer speakers. It will probably give me better sound than the tiny ones.
A late echo...
daniel_1983x said:
try the x-mini speakers
super small yet very good sound
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I know I'm (very) late to the party... -- but, for anyone else finding this thread, I have to agree.
I'm technically deaf; & yet these little critters (combined with my hearing aids -- & for those times when I'm not on my own: & therefore Bluetoothing(!?) the music straight to my aids...) belt out more than enough well-defined sound to entertain me -- ...& for all types of music.
They're extremely portable, as well: clipping together; & coming with their own carrying 'pouch', & all necessary cables.
NB: Get the pair, though... -- I'm not convinced that one would sound half as good on its own. [It'd be lonely, as well....]
I've been very happy with http://www.alteclansing.com/index.php?file=north_product_detail&iproduct_id=t515
You can pick up a pair on ebay for about $100.
Ok so car mounts I get it there are a thousand threads out there. So hopefully this will be a new one. Either way I've been looking at car mounts and have noticed that the universal biker mount seems to maybe, possibly, ok with a little retro fitting could possibly fit the stem on the rear view mirror of my truck (or any truck or car for that matter). So that being said I was wondering if anybody has tried these type of mounts on a bike, motorcycle (or even the stem of a cars rear view mirror for that matter)? If you have tried it on any of these moving vehicular objects how did the mount hold up, and most importantly how well did it hold your phone? Either way I am considering ordering it and giving it a whirl. This should give you the link.http://www.crocwireless.com/igrip-universal-biker-kit-for-samsung-vibrant-galaxy-s.html Thanks in advance for any thoughts, ideas, possible safety implications, or maybe even an idea on how to make this impromptu heads up display happen.
I've installed a Parrot Asteroid (digital media head unit with hands free calling) in my wife's VW Passat and think it might be one of the best purchases I've made this year. Install on the Passat (2001.5) was almost plug and play. The only change I had to make was switching Battery and ACC on harness. The antenna adapter (unpowered) is a standard item and was available from a local source.
With CM9 (nightly 0508 currently) USB and Bluetooth tethering work.
Contacts are shared with the Asteroid and voice dialing is accurate (the Parrot seems to grok what I am saying).
Music selection (media on SDHC card in Parrot) via voice is failrly accurate but I have noticed a few inaccurate responses.
Hands-free calling is crystal clear and the music quality is awesome.
Some have reported buggy or defective units, but I have had no trouble with it over the last week with my I777. We'll see what happens with my wife's iPhone...
I am considering same setup into my 2004 Passat. Thanks for posting the picture, that certainly clears my concerns about how does it look in the car as the console is same as yours.
How is sound compared to original VW radio you had before?
Do you mind if I ask you to share with us what components went into your install beside of course the Asteroid? Especially what adapter for the wiring harness you used.
I am using (primarily) Galaxy Nexus on CM9, so I'm pretty confident hooking the Asteroid to the phone shouldn't be a problem. Thanks in advance!
Edit: forgot to ask about button backlight - from what I see on the Internet it seems to be white, is it adjustable so it can be made to match the OEM backlight on the Passat (red)?
leobg said:
I am considering same setup into my 2004 Passat. Thanks for posting the picture, that certainly clears my concerns about how does it look in the car as the console is same as yours.
How is sound compared to original VW radio you had before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion (these things being subjective), the sound is excellent. Like most Android devices, the Asteroid has a built in equalizer and other sound tweaks. Much better than stock.
Do you mind if I ask you to share with us what components went into your install beside of course the Asteroid? Especially what adapter for the wiring harness you used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe all B5.5 Passats use a ISO connector for the stock stereo. The included Parrot wiring harness adapter works out of the box. I only had to flip Battery and Switched Power (ACC). The Parrot adapter is designed to allow quick changes to these leads and this is documented in the included instructions. The only thing I had to buy was the antenna adapter. I picked that up for about $15 US. I used the unpowered version.
I am using (primarily) Galaxy Nexus on CM9, so I'm pretty confident hooking the Asteroid to the phone shouldn't be a problem. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CM9 works quite nicely with the Parrot with one caveat. Bluetooth audio was great (both music and hands free calling). No problems with pairing so far. I tried connecting my SGS2 USB storage to the Parrot but it is not recognizing the SGS2 mass storage (micro SD card). This is not a show stopper for me as I have a 32GB SDHC card installed in the Asteroid.
Edit: forgot to ask about button backlight - from what I see on the Internet it seems to be white, is it adjustable so it can be made to match the OEM backlight on the Passat (red)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No such luck from what I have seen. You have have a choice of white, white, or white. You can adjust the intensity of control backlight and LCD backlight for 'Day' and 'Night' modes. 'Day' and 'Night' modes are toggled by a long press on the 'Parrot' button.
The Asteroid is not perfect but it seems to be the only device of its kind at the moment. I am surprised that more car stereo companies are not leveraging Android into their equipment lineup. Both OEM and aftermarket vendors seem to be utterly clueless when it comes to emerging technologies. Who uses CD (or for that matter DVD's) anymore?
When we bought our Passat I was shocked and appalled that the head unit had a CASSETTE deck! There was a CD changer in the trunk but that meant pulling over to change CD's. Clueless, utterly clueless...
In any case, good luck. The install is pretty easy. Do some research on some of the issues some seem to experience with the Asteroid. I have not seen any major problems on firmware 1.5 as yet but your mileage may vary.
*Edit: One other thing -- the Asteroid does not fit flush with the dash like the stock head unit. It sticks out approximately 1/4 inch. Aside from doing major work to modify the dash, I could not think of any way to make the Parrot fit flush. It does not bother me, but it may pose aesthetic issues for you. I actually have grown to like it. It makes finding controls easy without taking my eyes off the road.
Oh -- and one last thing. This 38 second video is priceless for removing the stock head unit.
http://youtu.be/KNSYBSGzUuQ
One last edit -- here is the antenna adapter. $7 through Amazon.
http://goo.gl/39rIO
Thanks a bunch!! So your 2001.5 came with the singe DIN unit. B5.5's 2002 onward ship with double DIN unit, so I would need to find a tray to place in (and fill up the gap) which will be very handy as I could keep the phone (or other junk in there. I've heard Parrot is coming up with a double din unit with slightly extended functionality: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/parrot-asteroid-ck-asteroid-nav-asteroid-2din-infotainment-sys/. They mention late 2012 availability, wondering if I want to hold my horses for that one. Since it doesn't have physical buttons to require backlight, there won't be an issue with the look, but I like the buttons and especially the rotary ones, so this (for me) is as disadvantage as much as advantage. And probably the cost will double. Though integrated Google maps navigation would be terrific! Decisions, decisions...!
Yeah. The stock unit was single DIN. I believe you can buy the pocket if you have a double DIN OEM head unit and want to install a single DIN.
I like having physical controls -- perhaps I am getting old. The lack of apps does not particularly distress me.
I'd like to use the Parrot UNIKA steering controls interface but it does not look like B5.5 Passat is supported yet.
By the way, I'm listening to one of your (Canadian) exports today -- a band by the name of Elliott Brood from Toronto. Not bad for Canadian hacks. ;-)
http://www.elliottbrood.ca/
All the best,
Edward