Anyone have any experience with Audi cell phone package?

[flyingfish2626]

Just picked up a 2008 A4 avant Ibis/onyx/6-speed/sport with 50K miles and it has the cell phone package in the center arm rest. The owners manual says you need the correct cradle too add to the base that is mounted inside the armrest. There is a link to a Audi website that lets you pick your particular phone, but it says its only available for 2010 models of A4's. I am using a Droid X. Has anyone else used this cell phone cradle with success? Sorry if this is a newb question, new to the B7 world.

[CorneliusRox]

I have the same thing but I have never been able to find the cradle...

[JPT]

This is only to use the external antenna for better reception. These have been used for years overseas even going back to the mid 90's. It might charge the phone as well. But this does not interface it with any type of speaker phone.

Overseas, when you travel out of the major cities, you tend to loose reception with your cell phone providers, as they do not have the coverage we have across the US. So it does serve a useful purpose.

I doubt you will find the cradle for you driod, as our car is no longer made, and when I found the one for the iPhone 4 (from overseas) it was listed at the equivalent of $300.

Better off, just getting a charger for $30 and get a bluetooth module, and you will be far ahead of that cradle.

[audisline08]

Don't need the cradle, just go through ur phone and look for bluetooth devices while you have the car on, and buy a 12volt charger.....

[JPT]

Don't need the cradle, just go through ur phone and look for bluetooth devices while you have the car on, and buy a 12volt charger.....

That would be if he/she has the bluetooth module, as the cradle has nothing to do with speakerphone/conference phone functions.

[CorneliusRox]

I just wanted a better way to charge the phone up than my cable. oh well.

[JPT]

I just wanted a better way to charge the phone up than my cable. oh well.

Plus, if you use that, you have to us that handle, and it seems that if you ever use it... it will break. I never open that latch.

[funky_snowman]

you could hardwire a charging mount like proclip. the only problem is that it's not easy to remove on a whim in case you are worried about attracting theives.

[CorneliusRox]

I've actually never had an issue with mine. I keep stuff in it all the time.

[flyingfish2626]

So when I hit the button on the steering wheel, the car should find my phone?

[funky_snowman]

if you have oe bluetooth you have to pair it within a short window of time after you start the car. i think the bluetooth code is 1234 or 0123, something like that. anyway, at that point, once it is paired, it will download your list of contacts (can take a few mins). at that point you can press that button and it will bring up your list of contacts and let you make calls using the left scrolly wheel and the DIS display.

[flyingfish2626]

if you have oe bluetooth you have to pair it within a short window of time after you start the car. i think the bluetooth code is 1234 or 0123, something like that. anyway, at that point, once it is paired, it will download your list of contacts (can take a few mins). at that point you can press that button and it will bring up your list of contacts and let you make calls using the left scrolly wheel and the DIS display.

Thanks for the help!

[JPT]

Left button (Mode) will bring up contacts in the DIS display. The left wheel, will scroll through the contacts, and when pressed in will answer/hang up the phone.

The right button with the ((( will ask for voice commands, if you say "Dial Name", or "Dial Number" it will do exactly what it says. Dial Name will only dial names you have previously programmed, it does not use this to look in your phone book, you have to program yourself saying the name "Store Name", it will ask you to say the name twice, then the number one number at a time "Two" it will say the number "Two" then you say "one" it will repeat "one"... The problem I have here is, after the last number you have to say "store" to finalize it, I have gone back and forth yelling at the car because it will say "star" thinking I want to dial star, instead of store...

One might ask how useful dial number is... I have found this very useful, if I look up a number in the phones web browser, and the phone doesn't allow me to select it to dial (iphone). So instead of trying to remember the number, I can just read the number from the webpage. Some webpages put phone numbers as part of an image, instead of text so the phone can't select it to dial. (it is 2011, everyone uses smart phones, businesses need to realize this, and include contact info as text on the page).

You can say "help" after it says "Say a command.... (beep)" and it will say "possible commands are..."

I have recently learned, that when I talk loud (after owning the car for a little over a year), it does not recognize the name, so I just say the names now at a low volume, and it works 100% of the time. It also doesn't understand my curse words, after 5 cycles of it telling me the name can not be recognized and canceling... Sooooo glad I learned to talk quietly for it to work.

Once set up, the OE Bluetooth works exceptionally well. I am very impressed with it.

[mr shickadance]

the cradle is available in europe.....they did not bring it across the pond for some reason