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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 F10 Technical Topics Navigation, iDrive, Audio, Video, Bluetooth, Phone, Coding Combox/BlackBerry
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      01-17-2011, 10:44 AM   #1
Tony Brentwood
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Combox/BlackBerry

I know there has already been a lot of talk about compatibilty between the Combox and phones but as I have waded through lots of posts without really getting far, plus there might be updates since some of the early Combox posts, I thought I'd resurrect the question.

I have a 5 series, post-Sept 2010, with Combox, I currently use an 8310, which connects and I can see the address book but no other Combox functions like email, text or Calendar.

I am now changing my work phone and it is the Calendar I really want, though email would be useful too.

I called my dealer who sent me to the website, alas I did not find this very helpful.

What I want to know, and I suspect a lot of Combox BMW owners want to know is:

(1) What currently available phones do what with Combox.

(2) Are any restrictions down to BMW or the phone manufacturers and what measures will be taken by either to give existing phones greater functionality.

(3) What phones are in the pipeline that give greater functionality.

(4) What software upgrages are currently available to car or phone to improve matters.

I am amazed that this is not all a LOT clearer. Both BMW and phone manufactirers must have spent a lot of money on bringing this functionality, yet information on what does what seems opaque.

I have also heard that it is not the phone that matters but the OS (BB OS6 has been mentioned) and also Message Access Profile (MAP), whatever that is. Question is, are these once and for all embedded in phones or can they be upgraded retrospectively. And indeed whether these have any relevance at all.

I would very much appreciate any comments by those who have got Combox functionality working... ideally those with BlackBerry as my new phone must be one due to work server compatibility.

Thanks
Tony Brentwood.
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      01-17-2011, 12:55 PM   #2
ghueser
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I recently...one week ago...upgrade to a BB Torch and can report that the e-mail portion of increased funtionality now works. I do believe this is indeed a result of the phone having the OS6.

As a result, I now can see all my e-mails I have on my BB, which is of course linked to my office computer. Whether driving or not, you can see what is new or opened via the envelope icon, and from whom the e-mail came. If stationairy, you can open any of the e-mails, scroll through them with the idrive wheel and read them. If driving however, you are not allowed to go beyond what is initially shown on the screen and instead have to press "play" in which the car "female" reads the text ...all of it... to you.

There is no other office functions available right now and am expecting that additional items such as the calenders, meetings, etc. will come with a software update this year. This has been alluded to from BMW.

I sent myself a "nasty" e-mail last week and was surprised that my car new all those bad words..........
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      01-17-2011, 01:27 PM   #3
Soon ExAudi Guy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Brentwood View Post
I know there has already been a lot of talk about compatibilty between the Combox and phones but as I have waded through lots of posts without really getting far, plus there might be updates since some of the early Combox posts, I thought I'd resurrect the question.

I have a 5 series, post-Sept 2010, with Combox, I currently use an 8310, which connects and I can see the address book but no other Combox functions like email, text or Calendar.

I am now changing my work phone and it is the Calendar I really want, though email would be useful too.

I called my dealer who sent me to the website, alas I did not find this very helpful.

What I want to know, and I suspect a lot of Combox BMW owners want to know is:

(1) What currently available phones do what with Combox.

(2) Are any restrictions down to BMW or the phone manufacturers and what measures will be taken by either to give existing phones greater functionality.

(3) What phones are in the pipeline that give greater functionality.

(4) What software upgrages are currently available to car or phone to improve matters.

I am amazed that this is not all a LOT clearer. Both BMW and phone manufactirers must have spent a lot of money on bringing this functionality, yet information on what does what seems opaque.

I have also heard that it is not the phone that matters but the OS (BB OS6 has been mentioned) and also Message Access Profile (MAP), whatever that is. Question is, are these once and for all embedded in phones or can they be upgraded retrospectively. And indeed whether these have any relevance at all.

I would very much appreciate any comments by those who have got Combox functionality working... ideally those with BlackBerry as my new phone must be one due to work server compatibility.

Thanks
Tony Brentwood.
I got my 5 series in October and might have been one of the first to get their vehicle with the Combox working with the Blackberry Torch. Here's the nuts and bolts of it:

1) MAP is what matters. At the moment, only OS6 Bberry phones have MAP as part of its Bluetooth functionality

2) Calendar, notes, etc. is all dependent on BMW's software onboard. I understand that this year, another update is coming that should open up more functionality.

This all said, I actually don't use the e-mail function that much. It's annoying that it has to read all of the header information (there should be an option to have the software skip the reading of header information), the reading occurs too slowly, and the pronounciations are quirky. Hopefully that part of the system will get better in the future as well.
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      01-18-2011, 10:11 AM   #4
Tony Brentwood
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Blackberry 9780 also has OS6 and MAP

My company is offering me a Blackberry 9780 which also has OS6 and MAP. Anyone have experience of this or know if it will connect with Combox?


Thanks
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      01-18-2011, 01:51 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Brentwood View Post
My company is offering me a Blackberry 9780 which also has OS6 and MAP. Anyone have experience of this or know if it will connect with Combox?


Thanks
Yes it will.
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      01-18-2011, 01:58 PM   #6
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+1 Indeed, it is very hard to find out this information. I have F10 550 Oct 2010 build, and a blackberry 9650 Bold, and I cannot get email, calendar or Pandora streaming music info up onto the i-drive display.

Anyone have any thoughts?
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      01-18-2011, 04:18 PM   #7
ghueser
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Autojack View Post
+1 Indeed, it is very hard to find out this information. I have F10 550 Oct 2010 build, and a blackberry 9650 Bold, and I cannot get email, calendar or Pandora streaming music info up onto the i-drive display.

Anyone have any thoughts?
BMW's website only references the Blackberry Pearl 9100 as being compatible for the Office Feature and Streaming Music. Based on some other forum members, (myself included) you can add the New BB Torch to that list...which has not shown up yet on BMW's website that references Office, but does show up on the video they have showing how to pair the phone with the car.

I don't believe anyone has the Calender feature yet due to needing a software update. BMW did indicate that there would be limited features right after the COMBOX switch. So as far as I know, just e-mail and streaming music are it for now.
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      01-18-2011, 11:04 PM   #8
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My thanks to ghueser.
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      03-03-2011, 12:07 PM   #9
gupe
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I have my F11 now for a week and have a Blackberry 9780 .
My office functions don't work , I see only ' contacts ' in the office menu .
What am I doing wrong ?

Thanks
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      03-03-2011, 12:34 PM   #10
ghueser
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gupe View Post
I have my F11 now for a week and have a Blackberry 9780 .
My office functions don't work , I see only ' contacts ' in the office menu .
What am I doing wrong ?

Thanks
Go into the Bluetooth Screen, highlight your phone with the box, then hit the "Options" switch on the i-drive. In the new screen, scroll down and you should see that there is an "Office" box that will need checkmarking. (highlight the box, press down on the i-drive knob) You should then be able to get your messages, both those in e-mail as well as text. Nothing else as we are waiting on software updates from BMW.

Good luck and let us know if this works.
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      03-03-2011, 01:11 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghueser View Post
Go into the Bluetooth Screen, highlight your phone with the box, then hit the "Options" switch on the i-drive. In the new screen, scroll down and you should see that there is an "Office" box that will need checkmarking. (highlight the box, press down on the i-drive knob) You should then be able to get your messages, both those in e-mail as well as text. Nothing else as we are waiting on software updates from BMW.

Good luck and let us know if this works.

IT WORKS

I have sent today two emails to BMW Belgium , they called me three times today ( actually good service from them ) and finally they told me that the BB 9780 is not compatible with the BMW office functions

Now still one issue , I took the Internet option but internet in the BMW is not working with a BB , also BMW told me this !
Maybe it's also a problem of the provider ?


Anyhow , many thanks for your help ! You made my evening
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      03-03-2011, 01:56 PM   #12
ghueser
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gupe View Post
IT WORKS

I have sent today two emails to BMW Belgium , they called me three times today ( actually good service from them ) and finally they told me that the BB 9780 is not compatible with the BMW office functions

Now still one issue , I took the Internet option but internet in the BMW is not working with a BB , also BMW told me this !
Maybe it's also a problem of the provider ?


Anyhow , many thanks for your help ! You made my evening
That's Great! Made my day for being able to help out.

It is amazing at how little information BMW is providing on this technology. They really have to catch up with the times or they are going to continue having disgruntled buyers.

As far as internet, you will have to check with fellow members in your area. As far as I know for the US, we do not yet have this capability and could take a while before we get it.

Keep the questions coming. This forum is a means to help one another!
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      03-17-2011, 07:30 AM   #13
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I have the same technology - F11, March 11 Model, and a BB Bold 9780, but it does NOT work to see emails.

I have checked and unchecked all possible boxes in the BMW that can be checked, but to no avail.

gupe - can you PLEASE PLEASE give me the software version of your Blackberry, and the provider ?

Apparently, this has sth. to do with the Bluetooth stack in the Blackberries, not in the BMW.

However, I am slightly pissed because the marketing material BMW is giving your BEFORE you buy the car gives the impression that you can connect with ANY Blackberry. And that's clearly not the case.

So: HELP ME PLEASE !
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      04-20-2011, 10:44 AM   #14
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I have a Blackberry Torch (Carrier is AT&T) and I can get text messages but no Emails on my F10. I can stream audio via Bluetooth, and get system and SMS Text messages, but NO EMAIL. I dont have the Navigation system option, but not sure if necessary. All boxes (Office) ticked on BMW and on Blackberry Torch. Any ideas?
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