X

BMW Mog interface tour (photos)

CNET looked at how BMW has integrated the Mog online music service in its vehicles. With an iPhone running the Mog app, the driver can search for music or select from Mog's new releases or editors' pick lists.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
BMW_MOG_SS01.jpg
1 of 12 James Martin/CNET
Mog integration comes as part of the BMW Apps feature. CNET tested this interface in a 2012 650i, but BMW Apps is now available in most BMW models as part of its latest cabin technology. BMW Apps also includes Pandora and Google search.
BMW_MOG_SS02.jpg
2 of 12 James Martin/CNET
Currently, BMW Apps and Mog integration only work with the iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4S. Although we used an iPhone 4S plugged into the car's phone cradle, the service would also work using the white iPhone cable plugged into the car's USB port. The system requires that the Mog app be running on the iPhone, and logged into a user account with the music service. BMW is currently developing Android integration.
BMW_MOG_SS03.jpg
3 of 12 James Martin/CNET
With the iPhone plugged into the car, the Mog icon appears on the list of media devices available to the car's stereo. Select the Mog menu icon with the BMW's iDrive controller.
BMW_MOG_SS04.jpg
4 of 12 James Martin/CNET
The main play screen shows the artist and track name, the cover art for the album. The left side of the screen shows the Mog menu, which lets you do things such as mark a song as a favorite.
BMW_MOG_SS05.jpg
5 of 12 James Martin/CNET
The search function queries Mog's database of 14 million songs. You can search by artist, album, or track name, and the system saves recent searches.
BMW_MOG_SS06.jpg
6 of 12 James Martin/CNET
The search entry screen relies on the iDrive rotary controller. Entering long strings can be tedious with this controller, but the Mog interface brings up a list of suggested results with each new letter.
BMW_MOG_SS07.jpg
7 of 12 James Martin/CNET
A search on an artist name results in a list of albums, complete with thumbnails of the cover art.
BMW_MOG_SS08.jpg
8 of 12 James Martin/CNET
Once selected, the interface uses a Cover Flow-like paradigm, showing which tracks are ahead or behind on the playlist.
BMW_MOG_SS09.jpg
9 of 12 James Martin/CNET
Beyond searching for specific artists, the Mog interface includes links to its New Releases and Editors' Picks lists.
BMW_MOG_SS10.jpg
10 of 12 James Martin/CNET
The New Releases list is an easy way to keep up with the latest music, or find new stuff. But the minimal information in this view means you will have to select albums based on cover art and artist name.
BMW_MOG_SS11.jpg
11 of 12 James Martin/CNET
In the settings menu, the Mog interface lets you choose whether to restrict playback to the specific artist you selected, or have Mog throw in similar artists, creating more variety.
BMW_MOG_SS13.jpg
12 of 12 James Martin/CNET
As a bonus, BMW throws in this screen, which uses the iPhone's iPod-out function. This screen is actually powered by the iPhone, rather than having the iPhone merely feed data to an interface engine hosted by the car. The iPod-out screen is buried under the ConnectedDrive menu item, and seems more of an experiment by BMW at this stage.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos