elementau Posted August 7, 2009 Posted August 7, 2009 Has anyone found a way to transfer contacts to the ES350 Nav phone book on the iPhone? I just got the 2010 RX350 and it took my phonebook in a few seconds via bluetooth. I was wondering if anyone found a way to do it in the ES, or any other Lexus model besides the new RX. It makes me want to steal the RX from my wife.
1990LS400 Posted August 7, 2009 Posted August 7, 2009 I've seen a number of threads in which people have said to export the contact list from the iPhone/iTunes to a non-Apple Bluetooth phone that is highly compatible with the Lexus system and then to transfer the contact list from the compatible phone. Some have said that they have done it but provided no other details. Have you any Bluetooth non-Apple phones in your junk drawer? If you do, check the Lexus website to see if they are compatible. I don't even have an iPhone or Lexus with Bluetooth but this issue keeps catching me eye since I've been sort of a car phone geek for 20 years. If you are going to try it, I'd suggest finding a Nokia Bluetooth phone since you can connect it to your personal computer (without having to buy a cable) via a cheap USB Bluetooth dongle (< $5 on eBay) and use Nokia PC Suite (downloadable for free from the Nokia website) to import the contact list into the Nokia phone. I paid less than $10 for a USB Bluetooth dongle at a MicroCenter store about a year ago. I use Nokia PC Suite to maintain the contact list on the phones of elderly relatives. PC Suite can import contact lists in several formats including vcard. One thing to watch for is to match the correct version of Nokia PC Suite to the particular Nokia phone model. Anybody in the Kansas City Metro have an iPhone, a pre-2010 Lexus with Bluetooth and want me to help try this? I'm game for a little technical challenge.
elementau Posted August 7, 2009 Author Posted August 7, 2009 I've seen a number of threads in which people have said to export the contact list from the iPhone/iTunes to a non-Apple Bluetooth phone that is highly compatible with the Lexus system and then to transfer the contact list from the compatible phone. Some have said that they have done it but provided no other details.Have you any Bluetooth non-Apple phones in your junk drawer? If you do, check the Lexus website to see if they are compatible. I don't even have an iPhone or Lexus with Bluetooth but this issue keeps catching me eye since I've been sort of a car phone geek for 20 years. If you are going to try it, I'd suggest finding a Nokia Bluetooth phone since you can connect it to your personal computer (without having to buy a cable) via a cheap USB Bluetooth dongle (< $5 on eBay) and use Nokia PC Suite (downloadable for free from the Nokia website) to import the contact list into the Nokia phone. I paid less than $10 for a USB Bluetooth dongle at a MicroCenter store about a year ago. I use Nokia PC Suite to maintain the contact list on the phones of elderly relatives. PC Suite can import contact lists in several formats including vcard. One thing to watch for is to match the correct version of Nokia PC Suite to the particular Nokia phone model. Anybody in the Kansas City Metro have an iPhone, a pre-2010 Lexus with Bluetooth and want me to help try this? I'm game for a little technical challenge. I've been able to pair my MacBook to my ES, but it only recognizes the ES Bluetooth as a headset. I can transfer via BT with my old AT&T 8525, but it was only 1 contact at a time... Very tedious. I'm so jealous tha the 2010 RX just picked up the entire iPhone address book in 1 fell swoop in a few seconds. I hope the 2010 ES is similar, or an upgrade will be available.
1990LS400 Posted August 7, 2009 Posted August 7, 2009 I've been able to pair my MacBook to my ES, but it only recognizes the ES Bluetooth as a headset. I can transfer via BT with my old AT&T 8525, but it was only 1 contact at a time... Very tedious. I'm so jealous tha the 2010 RX just picked up the entire iPhone address book in 1 fell swoop in a few seconds. I hope the 2010 ES is similar, or an upgrade will be available. The ATT/HTC 8525 is not listed on the Lexus website as having been tested by Lexus. The similar AT&T/HTC 8125 has been tested by Lexus and is shown on the Lexus website as have no capability of transferring contacts to a handsfree system. I came close to getting the 8525 when it was available until I read about its problems. I'm a fan of Windows Mobile except for its tendency to lock up about as often as "Windows 3.1" and having an Internet browser that is not compatible with complex websites. OK, so you are jealous. Are you interested enough in getting your iPhone contacts list into your ES Bluetooth to try the workaround I provided? There are plenty of Bluetooth phones that are extremely compatible with the pre-2010 Lexus Bluetooth system -- surely you or a friend has one, or you can buy a cheap one on FleaBay or at a garage sale. Not surprised that you could pair your MacBook. I've found that I could pair anything, including non-phone PDA devices, to Bluetooth systems in rental cars even if they couldn't transfer any information to the car's handsfree systems. It is very doubtful that Toyota is going to provide an update to your pre-2010 ES that will allow your iPhone to work with it. If they did, it would be a first.
elementau Posted August 8, 2009 Author Posted August 8, 2009 OK, so you are jealous. Are you interested enough in getting your iPhone contacts list into your ES Bluetooth to try the workaround I provided? There are plenty of Bluetooth phones that are extremely compatible with the pre-2010 Lexus Bluetooth system -- surely you or a friend has one, or you can buy a cheap one on FeaBay or at a garage sale. I did the work around with other phone as well, not just my 8525. I did it with my old Motorola Razr and a Samsung something from Sprint. Same story. One contact at a time. The 8525 turned out to be the fastest. It connected just fine with my ES and I'd go as far as to say that the two are compatible. I'm still happy with my ES. I am very grateful that Lexus took a long hard look at how counterintuitive the old BlueTooth, Nav, and voice recognition was. They seemed to have fixed many things in the 2010 model. Anyhow, my contacts are now transfered, and as it goes, it took more time opening and discussing this thread than it did to just transfer the contacts one at a time.
elementau Posted August 9, 2009 Author Posted August 9, 2009 Here's the definitive answer. Seems like the iPhone is fully compatible, except for phone book and auto answer. I should have looked here first. http://lexusbluetooth.letstalk.com/product...mp;passedPaIds=
1990LS400 Posted August 9, 2009 Posted August 9, 2009 Here's the definitive answer. Seems like the iPhone is fully compatible, except for phone book and auto answer. I should have looked here first.http://lexusbluetooth.letstalk.com/product...mp;passedPaIds= The Bluetooth Functions are listed in order of importance (to most people) on the letstalk website. It is not that the iPhone has no compatibility with the pre-2010 Lexus Bluetooth system - it does have quite a bit of compatibility - but that it is not compatible in the "priority 3" function (Transfer single number phonebook entries) and "priority 4" function (Transfer multiple phonebook entries).
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