2007 Infiniti G35 set to rip it up
The upcoming 2007 Infiniti G35 looks like it will arrive equipped with an internal CD player packing
ripping...er...downloading audio capability. Other details (such as audio format) remain scant, though the
unit comes with a CompactFlash slot as well as the hard-drive to augment the high-end Bose system.
More
information on the rest of the glorified G sports sedan can be found here.
(Tipster nod: Alex)
[Sources: Gizmodo, Edmunds via TGDaily via Anything But iPod via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Billy 5:46PM (4/19/2006)
Why does it take so long for automakers to catch up to consumer electronics? I mean, good lord, how long have mp3 players been the rage and we are just now getting factory ipod integration and this type of thing? Great work I guess...
I'm serious - does anyone know? Can't really blame it on the American makers, they are all substandard in this regard.
Reply
Woody 6:35PM (4/19/2006)
"Why does it take so long for automakers to catch up to consumer electronics? "
My best guess would be because of the costs of buying technology that is cutting edge to put into a car would be too expensive. When it gets cheap enough then it goes into the car.
Reply
L3 6:36PM (4/19/2006)
I know what you mean about the lag. Sometimes I feel like my Treo 650 is more advanced than some cars!
In reality, though, I think there has to be a time-frame for what is going to 'stick' in the marketplace.
Get into a 20 year old 'top of the line' Lincoln, Cadillac, or even a Nissan 300Z, and the highest-tech digital displays and computers look like something out of TRON.
I even wonder how the Navigation system in my 350Z will 'age' or update five years down the road...
Reply
Gregor 6:40PM (4/19/2006)
The new Chrysler radio will have similar features, and a 20g harddrive with usb port. Its all on allpar
http://www.allpar.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=75914
Reply
DJ 7:09PM (4/19/2006)
#3-I even wonder how the Navigation system in my 350Z will 'age' or update five years down the road...
I know the $2000 Nav in my 04 Pacifica has nowhere near the capabilities of brand new $600 Tom Tom or Garmin system. Not only that, but it costs nearly $200 each time I want to update it.
Now, back to the G35. I'm just wondering how well that hard drive will hold up in areas with extreme weather conditions - high heat/very cold/high humidity, etc. Seems that 4 USB 2.0 ports for flash drives (at 4GB or more each) would have been cheaper and offered the owner more flexibility.
Reply
Nick 2:36AM (4/20/2006)
The reason why this taks a while(and this is coming from me, a person who used to work in the auto industry) is twofold- first these devices have to survive in the hellish environment (from -30 degrees to 150 degrees) inside a car day after day for at least 3 years without failing... name a consumer electronics product that has a 3 year warranty AND is designed to last inside a car.
The second reason is that many aspects of the design of a car are frozen years in advance of the release, as a car is a complex product which spends a long time in the prototype phase. The design for vehicle informatics systems is generally frozen during this phase, so there's a natural lag as these can at best be a couple years out of date by the time of release. Also, keep in mind that buyers expect a certain degree of integration between these players and the vehicles themselves, more so than you'd expect from an ipod with an adapter. This adds more complexity.
There are also other concerns... a digital music player assumes a certain amount of computer literacy which you can't necessarily expect from the average luxury car buyer. You have to at least know how to get music from yoru computer onto a storage card and into your car. This is a nightmare for dealers to deal with as they don't have the computer expertise to be really effective here.
Reply
Source1 7:23AM (4/20/2006)
Yeah, but its my next car. I'm excited.
Reply