Alpine announced their first car head unit with Siri Eyes Free mode, MirrorLink, Aha Radio and connectivity options to several cloud-based content sources. The Double-DIN sized ICS-X7HD in-dash app receiver provides a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen, built-in HD Radio receiver and advanced Bluetooth Plus with advanced audio streaming. It works with iPhone or Android smartphones, and puts your smartphone’s screen into your car’s dash, allowing you to control all your apps — even hands free. The ICS-X7HD’s most notable features include:
- Eyes Free Mode – Apple integrates Siri, the intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking, and the much-anticipated Eyes Free Mode into the ICS-X7HD. Through the ICS-X7HD system, customers with a compatible iPhone running iOS 6 can direct Siri to perform a number of tasks while they safely keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. To further minimize distraction, Siri takes hands-free functionality even further with an Eyes Free mode which enables you to interact with your iPhone® using nothing more than your voice while keeping your device’s screen from lighting up.
- Aha radio – Aha by HARMAN can be launched through the iPhone on the ICS-X7HD. Aha aggregates thousands of apps, giving drivers access to everything from web-based music, news, social media, podcasts, audio books and live weather information, to a customizable “Hungry” and “Hotel” station of nearby restaurants and hotels. Users simply install the free Aha App on their iPhone to access the Aha content. When the iPhone is connected to the ICS-X7HD via USB, the driver can store the phone and enjoy and control Aha directly from the ICS-X7HD.
- MirrorLink – MirrorLink takes the content from compatible smartphones and “mirrors” this information onto the ICS-X7HD’s 7-inch screen. At this point, the phone’s functions are transferred to the ICS-X7HD, for easy control from the dash and allowing the phone to be safely stored away. Phone functions that can be used via MirrorLink include navigation, music streaming and hands-free phone calls. MirrorLink is an automotive standard developed by the Car Connectivity Consortium; additional phone models will be compatible with the MirrorLink standard in the future.The ICS-X7HD has a smartphone-like user interface. Familiar operations such as “drag and drop” to move icons on the screen, swipe and slide control of on-screen functions, and animated transitions between functions make it easy to grasp the use of the product. Favorite apps can be quickly accessed with a short press of the Home key, or a press and hold of the Home key brings up all available functions of the ICS-X7HD.
Additional entertainment and information sources accessible on the ICS-X7HD include Pandora internet radio control, SiriusXM compatibility (requires tuner and subscription, sold separately), full music control from an iPod or iPhone, and the App Direct mode for basic control and operation of iPhone apps.
Price and Availability
The Alpine ICS-X7HD will be available March 2013 for $599.95.
Specifications
- AV system with 7-inch screen
- MirrorLink
- Siri Eyes Free Mode
- Aha infotainment through iPhone
- HD Radio receiver built-in
- Pandora internet radio control via an iPhone or Android smartphone
- Made for iPod and iPhone
- SiriusXM-Ready (requires SXV200 and SiriusXM subscription, sold separately)
- BT Plus Bluetooth wireless technology with audio streaming
