Monday, September 23, 2013

2014 Toyota Corolla's touchscreen tricks

New features emulate the swipe and scroll functions of the latest portable devices – and show how they’re trickling down to less expensive cars.

2014 Toyota Corolla Entune system
The features on the touchscreens of the latest smartphones and tablets have begun to appear in cars, but typically only high-end vehicles. For example, the CUE infotainment system in the Cadillac XTS and ATS replicates the swipe, scroll and pinch-zoom capabilities of portable devices. CUE also allows customizing the screen with the icons and features that drivers use most.
Some of these have migrated from Cadillac CUE to the latest version of the MyLink system in the 2014 Chevy Impala. And similar smartphone-like features found in the Lexus Enform system now appear in the even less expensive 2014 Toyota Corolla.
These features include being able to rearrange icons on the touchscreen, scrolling through menu items and enlarging sections of the screen by just tapping them.
Ken Parkman, the multimedia operations manager for Toyota Entune, recently gave MSN Autos an overview of some of these features. In the video below, Parkman shows how a user can tap the screen to enlarge a section for, say, navigation, instead of having to wade through menus to switch between functions.
He also demonstrates how icons within the Entune App Suite can be scrolled through by swiping and rearranged to make it easy to find the ones used most frequently. Finally, he shows how radio station presets can be accessed with a scrolling motion familiar to iPhone users.
This demonstration took place in the flagship 2014 Corolla S model with the optional Entune Premium Audio with Navigation and App Suite system. The same system and features are also available as a $1,500 option in the Corolla LE and Eco models; the package also includes keyless entry and pushbutton start via Toyota's Smart Key System.
Some may not want these type of smartphone-like features in the dashboard at any price, and may feel that they're a distraction and can be difficult to use. But while automakers have struggled with adapting touchscreen technology found in consumer electronic products to their cars, these features are becoming available in more vehicles, even in entry-level cars like the Corolla.
In addition, the technology has become accepted in portable devices as a de facto standard and will only get better in cars. And there’s likely no going back to all those buttons and knobs anyway.
From:NJYTOUCH

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