Apple teases Eyes Free, Siri car integration

Apple’s VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall just demoed Eyes Free, Siri’s new vehicle integration. The feature is being framed as a safety booster, letting you tap a steering wheel-mounted button to toggle Siri on your iOS device, rather than reaching around for your iPhone or iPad and taking precious seconds away from the road. This being Apple, there are already plenty of partners lined up — BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all said to be on board, with Siri support making its way to vehicles within the next 12 months. It’s certainly not the first example of smartphone/car integration we’ve seen, but it could soon end up being one of the most widely utilized, despite the years-long head-start competing technologies have enjoyed.

Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity

Back in February, General Motors debuted its MyLink smartphone integration for the Chevy Volt and Equinox on the Engadget Show, letting drivers control their iOS, Android, and BlackBerry smartphone apps via voice or touchscreen. The company announced today that it will be offering the same technology — albeit rebranded as the tongue-twisting IntelliLink — on several 2012 Buick and GMC models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Verano, and the GMC Terrain. IntelliLink offers up a fairly similar feature set as its Chevy counterpart — connecting to iPhones and Android handsets via Bluetooth or USB, and leveraging Nuance voice recognition and Gracenote databases to control the likes of Pandora and Stitcher Radio. Autoblog reports that IntelliLink will hit the Buick Verano first, followed by the LaCrosse and Regal, though you might be more interested in the Terrain — owners will also be able to control their vehicle’s rear-view camera with IntelliLink, and who doesn’t like manipulating megapixels in the name of pedestrian safety?

Jabra Freeway Bluetooth in-car speakerphone hands-on

Jabra was parading its Freeway in-car speakerphone last night at CTIA so we took a chance to watch the show. So what separates it from the myriad of like devices? Well, for one it sports 3 speakers for decent stereo audio quality — for a change — a couple mics to reduce ambient noise, a motion sensor that turns the set on automatically when you hop in the car, and voice control for just about every control on the device. Talk time is touted as 14 hours with 40 days standby time and retail pricing looks pinned at $129. Our demo included some music playback in a very noisy space, and while the high end sounded a bit harsh we were suitably impressed coming from a rather thin and light device. Follow on for a few more pics of the Jabra Freeway.

Jabra Freeway bluetooth in-car speakerphone hands-on

Transportation, Tablet PCs iPad 2 installed in Ford F-150 truck, does FaceTime while you roll over stuff (video)

SoundMan Car Audio’s done it again, and this time on day one — they’ve stuffed an iPad 2 into the dashboard of an unsuspecting vehicle, in this case a 2010 Ford F-150 pickup. While that doesn’t sound like the most exciting hack in the world, we have to give credit where it’s due — Doug and company now have a truck that can make FaceTime video calls, browse to world-class technology websites (we’re blushing) and play Pandora too. See the SoundMan crew show off the fruits of their labors in a video after the break.

Saab shows off Android-based IQon in-car infotainment system (video)

It may not be the first to produce an Android-based in-car infotainment system, but Saab is diving headlong into the fray with its new IQon platform that it’s just unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. It not only packs the usual navigation and entertainment features, but is tied into a network of sensors in the car that measure everything from vehicle speed to inside and outside temperatures to the position of the sun. While that’s fairly impressive on its own, Saab is also going the extra mile and making all of that information to third-party developers though an API, which they’ll be able to use to produce their own applications — which will (you guessed it) be made available through Saab’s own app store. Unfortunately, it’s not clear when the new system will actually be available to consumers, but Saab is already using it in a fleet of test cars, and it’s now showing it off in its new PhoeniX concept car in Geneva. Head on past the break for a brief teaser video.