[Allpar News System]

Years ago, Chrysler standardized on the QNX operating system for its award-winning UConnect system; meanwhile, Fiat, like Ford, chose Microsoft Windows Embedded for its own telematics systems. Both Ford and Fiat have come under heavy criticism for their user interface, but both have dug down and kept their commitment to the operating system. According to betanews.com, Fiat will be re-upping with Microsoft, creating a new version of “Blue & Me” (apparently a reference to Windows’ famed Blue Screens of Death.) The system will be used on 15 models “under the Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, and Chrysler brands,” and on commercial vehicles; this would be the first time a Chrysler or Dodge vehicle has used the system. While such systems are normally thought of as software only, in this case it seems to be a hardware/software package, the attraction being the smaller processor and requirement for less storage space...

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[MarineViper]

NOOOO!!! Keep the QNX based system, GE runs QNX on locomotives screens and they have half the problems Microsoft ran EMD screen....sad thing is the GE screens are also what control specific locomotive functions and provides a monitor, while all the EMD screens do is only supply a monitor for the different interfaces...

 

[Dave Z]

RVC said the MS system would only be used on smaller stereos, we should have some confirmation later

 

[lhsbrandon]

I have had a new 2013 Ram 1500 with the 8.4inch screen plus navigation for a little over a week now and the software has locked up twice on me. The first time the touch screen quit responding and the second time the screen actually went black. Both times an engine restart was needed to restore proper function. Another issue I am having that I think may be related is that Sirus XM plays horrible with constant loss of signal. Is anyone else having problems like this?

 

[Dave Z]

I've never had a problem with UConnect, but I also have never used the new UConnect 2 system. This is definitely a dealer issue, probably a bad physical connection.

 

[crouchta]

No issues with my 2011 Journey on the previous system. No issues to date on my 2013 Ram 1500.

 

[Boo Boo]

I have had a new 2013 Ram 1500 with the 8.4inch screen plus navigation for a little over a week now and the software has locked up twice on me. The first time the touch screen quit responding and the second time the screen actually went black. Both times an engine restart was needed to restore proper function. Another issue I am having that I think may be related is that Sirus XM plays horrible with constant loss of signal. Is anyone else having problems like this?

A TSB came out for this issue and involves a flash to the software of the radio. The dealership should be able to fix you up.

 

[jerseyjoe]

If QNX is good enough for NASA than its is good enough for me.

I have been using Microsoft products since 1987, windows 2.0 I think, since then there have been an untraceable amount of upgrades dragging its basic flaws along with the operating system then abandoning customers and moving on to the next flawed system. Vista and 7 have been basically stable and they gotta introduce the downgrade of 8, Make sure your next laptop has a CD or DVD player, no kidding a friend got an HP notebook & 8 with not even a bay to install the drive!!.Guess everything is going USB.

My vote is NO MICROSOFT.

 

[UN4GTBL]

I but every other OS from Microsoft. Was happy with XP Pro, and now with 7 Pro.

 

[Cornupenuria]

Having owned several vehicles with painted metal or hard plastic interiors but with radios that had good sensitivity and selectivity I'm not in the spirit for touch screens anyway. Pretty soon we Spartans, Vikings, Samurai, and Klingons will have to pay extra for simple.

If they use Microsoft software for the anti-lock brakes "Blue Screen of Death" could have a whole new meaning.

 

[AutoTechnician]

If QNX is good enough for NASA than its is good enough for me.



I have been using Microsoft products since 1987, windows 2.0 I think, since then there have been an untraceable amount of upgrades dragging its basic flaws along with the operating system then abandoning customers and moving on to the next flawed system. Vista and 7 have been basically stable and they gotta introduce the downgrade of 8, Make sure your next laptop has a CD or DVD player, no kidding a friend got an HP notebook & 8 with not even a bay to install the drive!!.Guess everything is going USB.

My vote is NO MICROSOFT.

Abandoning customers? Are you kidding me? Microsoft will continue to support Windows XP until 2014, Vista until 2017, and 7 until 2020. They will still be supporting an operating system released over 13 years ago. Apple has already stopped supporting OSX 10.5 which was released just 6 years ago, and 10.6 - released just 4 years only receives security updates. While I don't necessarily agree with everything Microsoft does, or love all of their software; abandoning customers is not something they do.

As far as UConnect 2 goes, there have been quite a few complaints over on the various Ram forums. Including more than one report of complete radio failure which prevents any of the "hard" controls from working at all. Other complaints range from random cut-outs to not turning off and radios staying on killing the battery over night. More than one person has gotten a new truck because the radios are on back order with no ETA from Chrysler.

 

[MoparNorm]

I but every other OS from Microsoft. Was happy with XP Pro, and now with 7 Pro.

Wait until you get 8, that happiness will fade...

 

[JRS200x]

Yes, there are definitely some issues currently with the new UConnect system.. not to mention it has gotten much laggier. That being said, it seems to mostly be affecting Rams and not the Grand Cherokee which is odd.

Wait until you get 8, that happiness will fade...

I like Windows 8. It is much faster and completely stable. Just add a start bar widget or whatever you want to call it and its the best operating system MS has ever released.

 

[UN4GTBL]

Wait until you get 8, that happiness will fade...

I plan on skipping 8, and getting the next one. That seems to be how Microsoft works. (Windows ME = garbage, XP = Good, Vista = Meh, 7 = Good, 8 = ?)

Yes, there are definitely some issues currently with the new UConnect system.. not to mention it has gotten much laggier. That being said, it seems to mostly be affecting Rams and not the Grand Cherokee which is odd.



I like Windows 8. It is much faster and completely stable. Just add a start bar widget or whatever you want to call it and its the best operating system MS has ever released.

Good to hear that the GC is ok, too bad about the Rams though.

 

[MoparNorm]

I like Windows 8. It is much faster and completely stable. Just add a start bar widget or whatever you want to call it and its the best operating system MS has ever released.

It may indeed be the best MS system ever, which sadly tells us how bad MS systems are.
They tried to copy Safari and came up with a system that is neither PC, or Apple, it's a mess.
If one has to suffer through Microsoft trying to be Apple, one is better off just getting an Apple operating system.

 

[JRS200x]

How is Windows 8 at all like an Apple OS?

 

[AutoTechnician]

How is Windows 8 at all like an Apple OS?

It's not, it's more or less a re-imaging of their mobile operating system interface they've been trying for the last few years onto the desktop/notebook market. Android is very similar to iOS, Windows Mobile has a pretty much completely different interface. Unfortunately, not every desktop/notebook has a touchscreen, and Windows 8 can be a real drag on those systems without them.

 

[suzq044]

Noooooooooooo!!!

 

[MoparNorm]

It's not, it's more or less a re-imaging of their mobile operating system interface they've been trying for the last few years onto the desktop/notebook market. Android is very similar to iOS, Windows Mobile has a pretty much completely different interface. Unfortunately, not every desktop/notebook has a touchscreen, and Windows 8 can be a real drag on those systems without them.

Exactly.
The operating system is not the same, the "look" is emulated, unfortunately the feel and reality is not. They made it worse by trying to make it work on older systems and non-touch screen hardware. They should have jumped all in or all out and not tried to do both.
They just did the same thing by trying to make Outlook, emulate iOS and thereby ticked off a lot of hotmail and msn users who were sucked into a system they had previously rejected.
It reminds me of when AOL took over Netscape and screwed it up, AOL was a false front for the Internet, win 8 is a false front for iOS.

 

[JRS200x]

Again, if you get a simple add on for a start button you never see that home screen again unless you want.

My computer with Windows 8 boots directly to the normal desktop and has a start button etc. Functions identically to Windows 7 but boots up faster and is even more stable.