Has anyone installed a LockPick for their navigation systems? I really would like to be able to update our destinations and POI while we are driving.

 

I've read that on Ford's first-generation navigation systems you couldn't enter a destination while driving. With the second-generation units like the 2010 has, it limits how much button pushing you can do while driving but you can choose destinations through voice commands, can't you?

 

I have had my '10 GB GT for two weeks so I don't know all the things it can do. The things I have wanted to do, destination/POI setting and sports information have not been accessable to me or my passenger when we wanted them. Having to pull of the road almost makes the very nice Nav/Sync thing worthless. My Garmin GPS does allow destination/POI changing while driving. I have only tried the voice commands a couple of times. Since I don't know the correct voice commands I have had limited success using it, about 50%. I'll refer to the SYNC manual and see what it says. I know my wife will not want to use the voice commands, but she doesn't mind pushing the buttons, she is good at text messaging our daughters. Looks like Ford is getting even more PC and trying to dumb down its owners.

 

There are a LOT of voice commands available for the navigation system. Not only can you tell it to find you a restaurant, for instance, you can specify what kind you want. You can give it the command "Find a pizza parlor" and it will find the ones in the area. Once you get the hang of it you probably won't miss pressing buttons.

Yes, it would be nice if the car could tell who is trying to push the navigation buttons and accept button presses from the passenger but not the driver. The technology is not there yet. And yes, the handheld GPS units can be operated by the driver while driving but that pretty unsafe, don't you think?

 

PC? What does designing a system to limit driver distraction have to do with political correctness? It's about safety and protecting me from this guy:



Let's face it, I don't care how unsafe another drive is until they come close to hitting me.

 

Now that my chrome pony is installed on the grille replacing that ugly black pony I'll spend some time researching SYNC. Opps, have to put my underhood lights on first, then SYNC research.

I don't believe inputing a destination on my Garmin is unsafe while the car is in drive. Either my wife does it or I have done it while waiting at a traffic light. Yes cruising down the road at 70 mph it could be a distraction, but no more and probably less than talking on the cellphone, 'dancing' to the music, and folks trying to make themselves 'beautiful'.

 

Haven't done it yet, but this one looks interesting... Pricey though...

http://www.coastaletech.com/synclockpick.htm

 

I was going to install this until I found out I can just tell Sync what i want (even while in route) and it makes the lock pick seem pretty pointless


see this video for an explanation on how to get sync to do what you want

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0DS_84OL1c

 

After RandyW's post I tried using SYNC's voice commands. Very nice way to do the navigation. All I had to do was read the screen for the correct words, it even let me speak the name of the place I was going and it gave the address. The weather in Travellink worked. When I tried the sports information all I got was that the informatin was not available. I did the sports info manually and got the scores and schedules so I believe will not give sports info while driving, I will recheck this today.

 

I'd do the lock pick if it allowed me to do two things;

- activate the rear view camera at any time (useful on track or when doing spirited driving)
- watch DVDs through the head unit on trips (for passenger obviously)

Otherwise, you may just be able to find the grounding point which is connected to the parking brake, and ground that to the chassis, so that the system itself (not the car, although I'm not 100% on this) thinks the car is parked. Most aftermarket nav/DVD playback systems do this for an override of the nannies.

 

Overboost;

The lockpick does allow both of your wanted items.