Had an '05TL; just leased an '09TL/Tech
Old car had a simple 50 number input system
You said the name, & then said dial or call, & that was it.
This new system downloads my entire BlackBerry phonebook, but you have to "tag", up to 20,(only)numbers for automatic dialing, without taking your eyes off the road.
I understand if you use the jog wheel, you can call anyone in your phonebook.
But, it's time consuming, & detrimental to focusing on the road.
Also, it seems that my BlackBerry Curve 8320, keeps prompting me to be in discovery mode, everytime, I re-enter the vehicle.

 

Yeah, I hear ya! I just filled out another survey questionnaire for Acura and blasted them for this mistake along with the obvious other ones. We had it good in the 05' TL. Hit voice dial and say, "dial 555-1212" then bang, it dials. Now we only got 20 speed dials and voice tags? Pretty F'in sad I tell you. I had problems with my blackberry syncing to my 05 TL?, but at least you can use the Datalink, iPhone users cannot at this time. Here in Cali, we have a no text while driving law, how ironic is that?

 

Strange; my BlackBerry Curve 8320; TMobile, will NOT permit datalink. Actually, once the 20 numbers are tagged, the process is similar to the '05TL.The problem is all the other numbers, divert your attention from driving, unless you know them from memory.

 

The more I deal with the 4G HFL the more I hate this it is horrible. Besides the other issues today I realized if you get in the car and are already on the phone once the bluetooth recognizes the call it still won;t let you transfer to the HFL. The 3G woudl virtually do it automatically for you, they need to rethink the 4G HFL, clearly the most frustrating thing in the car! Really takes my mind off the exterior styling ;-)

 

Do you have a data plan with the blackberry, as you need this for the tethering to work?

 

Not to worry Keith, in a year you'll be in a 2010 TL...

 

I wish, but I did a 39 month lease so I figure I'm in it for a while. I do love driving the thing, really best riding car I have ever owned. If they fix the HFL it is real sweet.

 

You guys think there will be a chance for a SOFTWARE update to resolve this? I was wondering about this as well, and not having a 05 TL i didn't know about the previous features

 

Given that any complicated electronics need firmware updates, I'd hope Acura made a provision for software updates via the DVD drive. It would be a shame if they did not offer bug fixes or minor improvements, even if it wasn't free. Denon charged $100 for some nifty receiver firmware features, and issues free bug fixes on a regular basis.

 

Dang, a $100 bucks for a Denon firmware upgrade? That sucks, for which receiver?

I think it's essential for Acura to address this with a firm/software update. If they make the change in the next model, they will surely piss off a lot of current 4G owners, including me.

 

My phone switches to "Hands Free Link" when i start the car and I'm on the phone, but it clearly doesnt output on the car speakers, the radio just keeps playing....i have to switch back to phone, and wait a few seconds and hit HFL again on my handset...same problem if I dial a number from my phone...my phone automatically outputs to "HFL", but the car doesnt switch, i have to toggle back and forth on my handset a few times for it to actually work...it works flawless if i dial everything from the car though....but annoying. I have an iPhone 3G

 

I like the fact that I can simple say a number, digit by digit, and then call or send with my 3g TL, but hate the phonebook interaction. I don't want to program all the numbers and names, especially since the basic structure doesn't match my phone's directory.

It sounds like the 4g is missing the same key Bluetooth feature the 3g lacks - plain old headset mode. My phone is already voice actuated, and it already has my entire phonebook. I want the choice of just pushing a button like I can tap my bluetooth headset and then interact directly with the phone. In other works, I want the HFL to get out of the way!!!

 

Using the Motorola headset from my iPhone in the 4G is a simple press of a button on the iPhone, which bypasses the TL HFL completely?

 

I have had my AWD/TECH for a short time and I completely agree with you. Acura really butchered a great feature.

However, the HFL in a 4G w/o tech works much like it did in the 3G.

I hope that they fix this and allow you to say 'transfer' to transfer from the phone to HFL and HFL back to the phone. Also, the ability to hit one button and say 'Dial 123-4567' or 'Redial' without jumping through hoops is no longer available. This functionality is sorely missed.

Is Acura corporate aware of the issue?

 

bmode,

I have a Blckberry Bold with data service, AT&T is my service provider and I have not been able to tether to Acura link to save my life... Any suggestions or settings to try? By the way... I agree, HFL really sucks from the 3G model... You have to go through like four hoops to make a call... All this at 70 mph makes it a little dangerous...

 

This still works in the 09 TL

 

The more I deal with the 4G HFL, the more I wish I had Ford Sync. For that all you had to do was import you phone book, and say the name you wanted to dial. None of this out dated tagging technology.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobi...torials.mspx#4

I could say some of the most complicated names and it would automatically understand and pick up the right person. Plus I didn't have to tag just one number, so I could say "Call {wifes name} at home" or Call {wifes name} on mobile" and it honestly wouldn't care either way.

This current HFL is about 4 years behind the game, very disapointing.

 

With TECH or without?

I agree it works on the 4G without TECH, but I don't think it works on the 4G with TECH.

I will give it another try, but I thought during my 'testing' yesterday that it did not work.

:-)

 

With TECH. I go on to the phone screen, hit the Talk button and then say Dial 555-1234" and it dials it with out a problem.

 

Well it does work, but not in the way my previous 3G did, and that's our point nberardi. What we have to do now is get to the dial screen, then hit the talk button, speak out your desired #, then say dial and it will dial. Before in the 3G, you could hit and hold the voice button and say dial number and it would go through without navigating to other screens.

 

Exactly! I cannot believe they changed this. The car is awesome so far, except for this issue!

 

Really because I just go to the phone screen which is annoying but easily put up with. And I just say "Call 555-555-1234" or "Dial 555-555-1234" (I forget which) and it connects me. Maybe you are saying the command backwards by saying the number first and then dial.

 

No. Our point is that this feature is no longer available by pushing the Phone button, regardless of what screen the navigation button is on, to either dial a number or transfer the bluetooth connection.

Yes, you are 100 percent correct, that if you push 'Info' and then 'Cellular Phone', you can do have it dial a number or push the transfer button to initiate a transfer to/from the headset. :-)

I would love to know why the designers decided to go this route. I would bet it was intentional, because obviously they knew exactly how it worked in the 3g and in the 4g without the TECH package.

 

Not even that complicated, I push the phone button to bring up the phone screen and then the talk button. This could be more optimized, but I think you guys are over complicating the process.

 

It is quite possible we are over complicating the process. :-)

However, each of us previously owned/leased a 3g and were used to the simplicity of that HFL version. The new HFL version adds two steps: INFO and CELLULAR PHONE to get to the same level that the previous version required no additional steps.

However, I do see your point. Perhaps using it some more will reduce my frustration. Other than this change, I really like this car!

 

Should be an easy software update, and since this thing is based on a hard drive the software is very easy to update now. So Acura really has no excuse. I honestly could care less about the Phone, I just want them to fix that women that feels it necessary to interrupt my listening of my iPod every quarter of a mile approaching a turn.

 

LOL!! Amen, brother!

 

You might be over complicating the issue nberardi...LOL JK Just turn the bitch off, end of story. Keep in mind that the reason that things went south is that they changed vendors, from Alpine to Pioneer, so the software mostly likely was brand new. Anyone have anymore insight on this one?

 

I would love to just turn off the navigation voice. Because if I turn the voice off it disables all the feed back for the voice commands.

 

Hmm, I'm not sure what your preferences are, but I like where mine are at. The only time I hear the chick is during a preset destination on the Nav. I don't care to hear anything else. So I guess you just gotta choose your poison? It would be sweet if you could have vocal options on any specific area of the system.