Hey ya'll... Just emailed MINIUSA on this issue, and wanted to know if they had heard anything about it. This is what they replied...


We too have heard the rumors that the PDA is U.S. bound but as of yet
we haven't received any official news from MINI USA. We're keeping our
fingers crossed too and will post the latest updates on the website.
We'll also notify our dealer network via bulletin if the PDA becomes
available in the U.S. Since the dealers are independently owned and
operated, the pricing will be up to them. If they become available, I would
suggest shopping around for the best deal for you. The 2003 MINI's are
equipped with an auxiliary input jack that would allow the use of the
PDA or iPod among other things. The dealer network will be notified
once the adaptor for this is available. I would also suggest that you
sign up to "Become An Insider" under the "Get In The Loop" section of the
website. This will allow us to automatically email you with the latest
MINI news, including any future options. Let us know if you have any
more questions and feel free to also check back with us in the upcoming
months for the latest update we have.

LET'S MOTOR.
Jen Schuelke
MINI Division
Customer Relations


This sounds like a cool little item. Can't wait!

 

this is the option im most excited about as well. MINI has been vauge, if that on if and when its coming to the US. As a mini dealer you can bet Ill post on its availability the second I get something about its arrival. Lets keep our fingers crossed. Then I dont need that third party ipaq mount anymore.

 

Hey there Meenee Coopah. Catch me up on this one. What does it do. I have a handspring prism that is part of my life. My mini is an '03 (as you know) what does this do????

 

The biggest feature of the Compaq PDA is its ability to act as a NAV system for those of us who don't have that feature. They haven't released many details on its other functions. I do know that you will be able to use it to look for restaurants, and other retail areas, gas stations, etc. There is also rumors that it will connect into the MINI computer and be able to provide information above and beyond what the trip computer already provides. What that information is, I'm not sure. I think the best thing about this, is that it's removable. There will be a bracket that sits above the Central Speedo position, (on the dash) and the PDA will lay horizontal. When you leave the vehicle, you can take the PDA with you, and use it as you normally would. From what I have heard, this option will only be available to the 2003 models and on, due to the auxillary jack. I'm not sure if the 2002 has that jack or not.

 

DChamp - check out the MINI.com site and click the links for PDA - it's got a good interactive demo. I too have been waiting for this option. I'm really interested in the hands free phone part of the PDA (at least they show that as included in the MINI.com site) as Oregon is trying to pass a law against driving while talking on a non-hands free phone.

I also heard you can use your own iPAQ and have your dealer install the software for you, but again, yet to be determined. Unforutnately I'lll have ot get rid of my $700 Casio but I love gadgets so why not? :smile:

 

i just got fed up and got a third party mini mount for my ipaq. If this comes in though I will be sure to get it, i loves me my ipaq!

 

Where can I locate the information regarding the Compaq IPAQ information on the http://www.miniusa.com website?

 

no mini.com

 

Did anybody else notice the part about the iPod in Meenee.Cooper's original post?

>The 2003 MINI's are
>equipped with an auxiliary input jack that would allow the use of the
>PDA or iPod among other things.

Since the iPod only has a headphone jack + a firewire port, I can only assume this means you will be able to plug the stereo output into the MINI's aux port. They couldn't mean the Firewire port, could they?

Anybody have more information? More speculation?

- MCObsessed

 

What you could do is connecr rhe ipods heaphone jacl to the aux port using a connector that either has female connector or male connector on both ends. Cant remember which. Radio shack has it.

 

I'm very confused here, please bear with me as I know nothing about pda's.
An ipaq is a brand of palm pilot right? So what is it that MINI is going to offer exactly? It's more than just a mount and hook-up to the car, right, it also includes some kind of mini specific software that you'd install in your ipaq? Would I have to buy the ipaq from mini? Also would it HAVE to be mounted on the dash like that? The animation on the website was cool, but I don't feel that it explained everything. Could some please shed some light on this for me?

_________________

Coop' du jour: VR/B,1, 2 & 3, profile leather, chrome, xenon, HK, anthracite, r87's. Sailing on the Jingu Maru. Status 194, all aboard!!!!!

 

Just bumping this back up so I can get sdome answers, please!?

 

that would be an awesome feature! now an excuse to get an IPaq! just hope mine has the jack, i have an early model 2003 (no alum pedals)

how much is this accesory gonna cost? can u use it as a phone too? or then u have to pay service fees, etc....

_________________
2003 Mini Cooper S. Dark Silver. Black Top. Lapis Blue Leather Interior. Premium, Sport, Cold Weather.

Let's Not Overcompensate for Other Shortcomings.
Let's Motor

 

Just moving this up again I would like to know more as well.

 

>>I'm very confused here, please bear with me as I know nothing about pda's.
>>An ipaq is a brand of palm pilot right? So what is it that MINI is going to offer exactly? It's more than just a mount and hook-up to the car, right, it also includes some kind of mini specific software that you'd install in your ipaq? Would I have to buy the ipaq from mini? Also would it HAVE to be mounted on the dash like that? The animation on the website was cool, but I don't feel that it explained everything. Could some please shed some light on this for me?
>>
>>_________________
>>
>>Coop' du jour: VR/B,1, 2 & 3, profile leather, chrome, xenon, HK, anthracite, r87's. Sailing on the Jingu Maru. Status 194, all aboard!!!!!

an ipaq is a pocket pc, calling an ipaq a palm would be like calling the MINI a Ford Escort! Basically the Pocket PC can do a lot more than the palm. It has windows media player on it to watch movies and mp3's you can surf the net wirelessly, play games like Doom and Quake, and it runs on a Windows OS not the Palm OS.. The setup from MINI is that you can either buy an ipaq from them, as well as the mount and hook up, or just the latter. Then you would install the MINI software to your ipaq (or have it already installed if you bought the ipaq from them). This software would allow you to make phone calls, get traffic info and make reservations (or so they say). As far as availabilty it is in Germany right now, with plans for a release soon in the UK. As far as the US first they said March now they say they dont even know if it will be coming to the US. I guess youll have to keep bugging 1 800 askmini to keep you posted. I sure hope it does, but for now I have a third party mount. Hope this helps.