Along with the real-time news update pushed to the iDrive earlier this week, BMW is rolling out another feature to its navigation system. Geotagging, a geeky term seen across the web in the past year or so, comes to our BMWs. Geotagging adds geographical identification, such as latitude and longitude coordinates. Usually the implementation can be seen in GPS devices and GPS-enabled smartphones.
With the new iDrive update, the driver has the capability to share their current locations with their friends. A few clicks through the much improved iDrive knob, and you can email your location to anyone. If a route has been entered into the car’s navigation system, the destination will be sent in the same e-mail.
Since usability is important in any navigation system, BMW captures the five most recently used addresses that can be used when sending the email.
The recipient then receives an email with a link pointing to Google Maps, BMW’s partner in powering web Google Searches in their ConnectedDrive system.
While not a full blown social networking layer, the new capability certainly heads in the direction of the industry, location sharing, community building and social interaction. Will we see new updates in the future? We certainly hope so, can’t wait for the Twitter feature where the passengers can “tweet” away.
And NO, the driver should still focus on the road. Safety first, play time later!
[Source: TheDieselDriver ]
Author: Horatiu B.
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/03/20/bmw-a ... r-to-cars/