BMW announces today a new enhancement to the ConnectedDrive system. The “Text-to-Speech” feature for Facebook and Twitter with their community news and comments (i.e. all Facebook and Twitter messages) now have an associated “play button” that allows those messages to be read to the driver using text-to-speech technology.
When a new messaged is received the driver can simply select the play button and have the message read to them through the vehicles audio system.
Another update was pushed for extended comparability to the iPhone Calendar. The new feature allows to view daily, weekly and monthly schedule appointments (including having them read back to you via text-to-speech functionality) through the BMW Connected app.
By accepting the free update to the BMW Connected app, via Apple’s app Store, customers will have access to these new features. The vehicles must be equipped with the optional BMW Apps (6NR) feature in order to have access to these enhancements.
BMW Connected app allows for listening to web radio, sending and receiving Facebook and Twitter posts. With the BMW Connected app, functions such as web radio, Facebook and Twitter can be shown on the car’s display and be operated by means of the iDrive Controller. If the iPhone is connected to the car via the USB socket or snap-in adapter, the content of the BMW Connected app appears on the display.
As with Facebook and Twitter, the web radio feature can also be operated via the Navigation display using the iDrive system.
