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We test drive the Fiat 500 with its Windows-based Blue&Me system
This Fiat 500 has Windows Mobile built in, using a system called Blue & Me. It is controlled with buttons on the steering wheel and voice recognition.
The system is purely for entertainment and communication purposes, so it has no effect on the actual running of the car.
It works with iPods or any USB device with MP3 files. This is plugged in to the car, which then scans it for music. If a Windows Mobile device is set up to pair with Blue & Me automatically, it will do so when the car is started.
Visual cues are provided by a small display in the middle of the dashboard and can show information from the phones contact book, text messages and the media player. Alternatively, you can press the Windows button and say what you want to do, such as calling a contact.
Sadly, while it does a good job of recognising contact names, it isn't so easy to browse through music, and the small screen doesn't help.
What Blue & Me does it does very well, but we can't help but feel that the lack of voice recognition for music and small display sell it short. Hopefully the system will be expanded, and we hope that Microsoft will let users write their own software for the system.
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Totally Agree
I have a Fiat 500 and tried it out with my iPhone4. Bluetooth side works effortlessly but the "media browser" is very dangerous to use and have given up on using it and instead use the headphone socket adapter. The other problem with the steering wheel controls is that a passenger cannot control the music being played which is safer. One thing which the reviewer did not mention that if you do not have a mp3 player thats not a problem as blue and me can read files from a simple USB stick. It will read mp4 and mp3 files and will even understand windows media playlist files. This avoids having to use the dodgy menu based media browser as much.
Posted by Niall, 04 Jul 2011
Can or can´t voice browse usb - mp3
Could anyone tell me if is possible to voice browse throw the mp3 files? because manual says it can , but some review says it can´t be done, just button browse for mp3 files.... please, I have to decide between a c4 coupe or a punto and that point ...is crucial for me:)
Posted by David, 14 Sep 2011