BMW’s iDrive control system is incredibly complex and enabling. While it enables you to control virtually every aspect of your iDrive-equipped BMW through a series of twists and pushes on the iDrive controller-knob, the system’s inherent complexity has drawn the ire of almost every automotive reviewer on the planet. BMW knows tech, but they just don’t know how to make it simple to use. So, this latest rumor about BMW ditching iDrive in favor of an Apple-designed control interface makes a lot of sense. Apple is well known for designing the most intuitive interfaces that are still able to control fairly complex actions. Moreover, Apple is great at simplifying the most complex actions into a handful of intuitive control-gestures - exactly what BMW’s iDrive system needs. Wouldn’t it be amazing if your car’s media controls, environmental controls, communication settings, and even operational options (like pathway lighting and day-time running lights) could be controlled with the ease of an iPod (or iPhone)? The car is just about the most expensive and one of the more complex gadgets you’ll ever own, so it stands to reason that your car’s interface become almost, if not just as, easy to operate as an iPod. AutoSpies’s internal sources are indicating that BMW may very well implement an Apple-style control system soon - possibly with the next-gen 7-series. While BMW might not be integrating the iPhone into the car as Land Rover did with their LRX concept, an Apple-esque user interface ( it’s all about the UI ) would be a much welcomed change. We’ll keep an eye on BMW’s latest developments for you guys. Stay tuned. [Via: AutoSpies ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:No related posts

We’ve seen plenty of applications where the iPhone is used as a remote controller, of sorts. From sound engineering to your music collection , the iPhone’s capacitance-based multi-touch display is ideal for remote-control-use. Cinemar has announced that they’ll be brining iPhone and iPod Touch support for their Cinemar Mainlobby home-automation. Using an AJAX web-app, Mainlobby’s integrated web-server gives the iPhone complete control over everything in the home - lighting, security, home theater, thermostats, and movie/music collection. You’ll even be able to browse all the movies on your 400-disc DVD player or on an external hard-drive and check whether conditions. And, by the time Mainlobby goes commercial for the iPhone, we’re sure the guys at Cinemar will have built in even cooler features. iPhone support is still in its infancy, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on Cinemar’s development progress. Click on for a few more screenshots of Mainlobby on the iPhone. [Via: Engadget Mobile ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:Apple Patent Hints At Secret iPhone FeatureOrb set to support iPhone - remotely access your media with the iPhoneMake your own (paper) iPhone3G iPhone headed to Vodafone in Q1 2008?Anyone building an application that can control media center?

Now this is one interesting patent application. Sony Ericsson may be planning to up the ante on cameraphones if their newest patent application comes to fruition. High-end cameraphone offerings from the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson already boast impressive performance as far as point-and-shoot digi-cams are concerned, and Sony Ericsson seems to be brewing a unique feature for its cameraphone lineup. The USPTO has revealed a method by which simple hand-gestures could be used to control the cameraphone’s features - taking pictures, answering phone calls, and even controlling music playback with a not-so-proverbial flick of a finger. The patent involves the use of some clever software that would endow image-recognition powers to a Sony Ericsson cameraphone. The software would be used to recognize hand-gestures as a control-method for various phone features. As long as the phone is powered on and has a line-of-sight to your hand (from a table or a tripod), the user can issue a command to take a picture or start playing an MP3 track from afar. Furthermore, the phone can be connected to your DLNA home-network to control your TV, PC, audio system, etc. Imagine that - controlling your home-theater system by waving your hand through the air. As patent applications go, this one may or may not see the light of day, but we’re all crossing our fingers in hopes that it will make it into Sony Ericsson’s production line. [Via: Unwired View ] The ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:Sony Ericsson files for patent on programmable touchscreen keypadSony Ericsson to route phone calls through TV; Aims to rule your homeSony Ericsson's patent application for dual-sliding QWERTY-keyboard and numeric keypadSony Ericsson patents universal remoteApple files for second pressure-sensitive touch display patent

We already saw AT&T launch their parental-control service, Smart Limits , and now it seems Alltel is getting with the family-friendly game-plan. Alltel will be rolling out its “Parental Control” service in early 2008, giving parents control over what content their kids will be viewing online. Parents can set viewing filters to keep the mobile web browsing experience as safe as the locked-down desktop experience. And, Alltel will be offering up “Parental Control” sans a monthly fee. The fee-free model should be a hit with families. Alltel - soon to be family-friendly. [Via: Engadget Mobile ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:AT&T unveils Smart Limits for Wireless, web-based parental control serviceLG Flip Chocolate gets more colors on AlltelAlltel launches Jump MusicAlltel gets FCC approval for private acquisition deal worth $24.7 BillionAlltel launches City ID; Identification of the incoming calls just got easier