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Disappointed With Entune! How About Your Input On This Please?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Susan4ET, Oct 17, 2012.

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  1. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    I'm having some difficulty trying to figure out how to experience Entune for less. 'Less' being how to find a cell phone cheap that works well with Entune, doesn't cost much, and has prepaid service that is equally cheap where I can use it as needed (like my TracFone) and leave off/idle for months-on-end without losing the phone number or phone or service from lack of use?

    Why didn't Toyota offer Traffic from Sirius XM as an alternative/option?

    I get the feeling that Toyota's position on this is something like, "Hey, if you can't afford a $100 a month Verison cell phone why did you buy a Prius?"

    I suppose it would have helped a lot getting over this if all the Apps menu items could be un-selected so they didn't show every time I enter Apps to activate Maps? Maybe I can leave Maps always running and never turn the display off when not in use?

    Would love to here peoples experiences and thoughts about Toyota's Entune please?

    Thank you for the input.
     
    #1 Susan4ET, Oct 17, 2012
  2. benalexe

    benalexe Member

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    Don't waste your money entune sucks. The traffic thing is virtually useless.
     
    #2 benalexe, Oct 18, 2012
    ny_rob likes this.
  3. Electric Charge

    Electric Charge Active Member

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    The Advanced trim supports basic connectivity, so I'm guessing that's why. That said, I agree with benalexe, it's not worth the investment, unless you want to stream music from the internet.
     
    #3 Electric Charge, Oct 18, 2012
  4. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    They did. It's called the Advanced package. For a bargain price of $7000. :D
     
    #4 CharlesH, Oct 18, 2012
  5. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    Yes, I believe that--I see that!

    I tried XM's Traffic on my 2010 once and really didn't like it either.

    If I really wanted to do this 'problem' justice I think I will buy a Verizon mobile wi-fi hot spot outright; pay month to month as needed (data only); and use the iPad 3 (wi-fi only) I have to access Google Maps with their Traffic option (along with everything else it will be used for on the trip)! ...Thus leaving the cell phones--smart or otherwise--turned off and leaving Entune in the dust.

    I would use it ONLY while safely stopped and never while driving. I've driven way to many miles and years to know that even I can wobble in my lane sometimes doing any distracting act while driving!

    Any comments on Verizon's Mobile wi-fi hot spot?

    Thanks much!
     
    #5 Susan4ET, Oct 18, 2012
  6. slcMPG

    slcMPG Member

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    The best no contract deals I have seen are on Virgin Mobile. You can get an android phone pretty cheap and they have unlimited data plans for $35 a month with 300 talk minutes.

    I am looking at getting a 3rd gen soon and when I do I will probably just stick to bluetooth audio and skip the Entune. In other words i'll just play pandora on my phone and just stream the audio, that way I can also use Google Listen for podcasts and Google Music for my music.

    The traffic on the Android Google Maps is great and with google now I can quickly see how long it will take me to drive home at the end of the day.
     
    #6 slcMPG, Oct 18, 2012
  7. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    Agreed!
    It's total crapware....
     
    #7 ny_rob, Oct 18, 2012
  8. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    Anyone using Verizon's mobile wi-fi hot spot or similar and how is that working out for you?
     
    #8 Susan4ET, Oct 18, 2012
  9. terpsmandan

    terpsmandan Member

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    I hooked up my iphone to try out entune for about two minutes, decided it was something I will never use and disconnected it.
     
    #9 terpsmandan, Oct 18, 2012
  10. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    I ought to try this set-up, so far I stream Pandora at all times
     
    #10 mrbigh, Oct 18, 2012
  11. Rainking

    Rainking Member

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    I wish there was an ipad like device that controlled everything instead. A nice big 9 inch touch screen with free LTE built in. Now I'm really wishing.
     
    #11 Rainking, Oct 18, 2012
  12. benalexe

    benalexe Member

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    Waze is the best traffic app out there. Too bad entune doesn't have it
     
    #12 benalexe, Oct 18, 2012
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  13. slcMPG

    slcMPG Member

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    I can use my android phone as a wifi hotspot and hook a Nexus 7 tablet to it, but found in the car the phone is good enough.

    These guys have a tablet car mount. EXOGEAR ExoMount Tablet - Car Tablet Mount for iPad, Tablets, e-Readers
    The big Ipad looks ridiculous but a bit down the page they have a 7" tablet and it doesn't seem too bad. They have a nice phone mount and even use a prius in the video: EXOGEAR ExoMount 2 - World Best Universal Suction Technology Car Mount for iPhone, Smartphone, GPS

    I may go in between and get a Galaxy Note II phone.
     
    #13 slcMPG, Oct 18, 2012
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  14. devprius

    devprius /dev/geek

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    When the traffic app is working, I find it to be useful. I've also used the Fuel app and like that. I have an iPhone that I will either tether to the car (plug it into the USB port, and run the Entune App on the iPhone), or use the iPhone's hot-spot capability. While the car connects to the iPhone automatically for handsfree use, or for playing music on the phone, the data connection is not automatic. I usually have to manually start it by getting traffic info, and then set my destination. It's annoying, but I can live with it.
     
    #14 devprius, Oct 18, 2012
  15. Selzier

    Selzier Whee!

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    How in the world did you get your Prius to connect to your iPhone via the hotspot feature? This doesn't work for me (unless I'm using it wrong).

    I find entune mildly useful. I prefer streaming Pandora through it than my phone because of the easier "thumbs up and down" but it would be nice not to have to plug in my phone every single time.
     
    #15 Selzier, Oct 18, 2012
  16. Adam Leibovitch

    Adam Leibovitch Member

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    Entune is absolutely terrible. There must be some kind of change request log online. It really needs a lot feedback and improvements.

    I almost dislike it enough that I want to replace it with a 2011 MFD, and almost wouldn't recomend the car based on entune if someone relies heavily on the MFD, especially the navigation. Lucky for Toyota, Nissan has a crappy MFD as well. Never tried Ford or Chevy. But Toyota really needs to make some changes.

    Looking forward to the next update.
     
    #16 Adam Leibovitch, Oct 18, 2012
  17. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Are the rants here specific to the Base "Display Audio" version? I have the Advanced HDD package, and everything seems to work fine for me. Bluetooth to my Blackberry works fine for both the phone/message functionality (which has nothing to do with Entune), and the Pandora Entune app. The main complaint I have heard here about the Sirius/XM traffic is the real-time lag for incidents to show up.
     
    #17 CharlesH, Oct 18, 2012
  18. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    I think I'm finished with this thread. It originally centered around the Base PiP. Since you mentioned Sirius XM Traffic I will remind people that it isn't even available on the Base.

    I think I've come up with my best solutions to the entire topic for me for at least the near future--Toyota isn't going to listen to any of us unless we and a whole lot more behind us scream bloody murder.

    I'm going to use Verison's Mobile Hot Spot called Jetpack in the car (stationary) with my iPad. I much prefer hands-down Google's Traffic over XM's Traffic, which I tried a year or so ago.

    I wish I could disable all the Apps features except Maps!
     
    #18 Susan4ET, Oct 18, 2012
  19. raimix

    raimix Member

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    Using Pandora.
    Using Fuel Prices.
    Somewhat gave up on other features.
    Wish you can just connect your smartphone to your car as it is, and use car's display as if it was the phone.
     
    #19 raimix, Oct 18, 2012
  20. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    I don't think Entune is that bad. It's pretty pricey though. My work Blackberry doesn't allow data to connect through Entune so I'm completely out of luck on Entune. I tested Entune with my iPod Touch while in the driveway. It did traffic, Bing and Pandora quite nicely. But I don't see why I would pay $10 monthly for it once our free 36 month trial is over. Everything it does, any smart phone can do better. Why pay for it?
     
    #20 mmmodem, Oct 18, 2012
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