5 ways Chrysler will help you go mobile
Chrysler recently announced their uconnect service, which will provide wireless technologies to users in and around their cars. I wrote previously about this likely trend in my post, Your car goes digital.
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Briefly, this is what Chrysler is making available to you with their uconnect service.
- uconnect phone
Bluetooth connectivity to your phone, allowing hands-free calls while driving. - uconnect tunes
Includes a 30-gigabyte hard drive for ripping up to 6,700 songs from CD or USB memory sticks. Photos can be uploaded to the same hard drive so you can personalize the systems home screen. Movies can also be played on the screen when the car is not moving. - uconnect gps
uconnect GPS will combine the features of uconnect phone and tunes with navigation and real-time traffic. Includes voice recognition. - uconnect studios
This feature offers optional SIRIUS Backseat TV, featuring three channels of family TV programming and optional SIRIUS Satellite Radio. - uconnect web
uconnect web gives you the ability to turn your car into a mobile hotspot. With faster 3G technology providing the connectivity and a WiFi network within the car, occupants will have internet access with any wireless device such as a laptop or phone. And you’ll be able to log on to your vehicle’s wireless network up to 100 feet away.
These are all technologies that Chrysler hopes peaks your interest in their cars. Road warriors will certainly benefit, with their car providing the connectivity they need back to the home office. Of course the access is only there if the uconnect system is within sight of a cell tower. You’re still not going to have a connection out in the middle of nowhere.
The hardware will be available in all 2009 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. What about the cost? The router module is $449, with dealer installation running $35-50. The wireless internet account will be $29 a month with a one-time $35 activation fee.
