Am I Not Speaking Clearly -

[Neil]

I love using the voice commands for my Sync system.  I use it for everything , like tuning the radio, setting the temperature, making phone calls, and setting the navigation destination.  Being able to 'chain' commands together is a real time saver and you get used to 'speaking sync' pretty fast.  For example, saying 'Navigation, Destination, Street Address' is a great short cut to entering your destination into the system.  The problem I have is no matter what I say, the system will not let me search for a POI by category.  It doesn't seem to understand me.  For example:

 

I say 'Navigation, Destination, POI' to get to the POI screen.  The next response to , 'Do you want to search by name or by category?' is where I can't seem to get Sync to understand.  If I say 'by category' it will list the categories on the screen and ask which one I want to search.  I have never been able to get past this screen.  No matter what category I  say, it says it didn't understand me.  For example, I have tried the 'Automotive' category repeatedly.  Never can get past it.  If I touch the screen, it cancels the whole operation.  

 

Has anyone successfully used the Search navigation by POI category while moving using voice commands?  What's the trick? 

[blars]

I don't remember off the top of my head, but aren't they numbered on the screen when the categories pop up?  Can you just say "one" or "option one"?

[howardbc]

I has taken me a long time to get comfortable with the Voice Commands. I can change the radio station very easily, and can also find an established destination (if it exists in SyncVille) okay. Thanks, Neil, for the tip about linking voice commands together. 

 

I have never been able to find anything using POI. And yes, I've tried selecting the number or option that comes up. Nothing has worked. It should be possible to just say something like "POI - Whole Foods grocery store on Mayo Boulevard at Scottsdale Road, Phoenix." It already knows my location. 

 

I guess I have gotten spoiled by the great voice tools on my iPad and on my Android phone. 'Sure wish my Windows 8 PC had something as good. It does have something but it's as difficult to use as a certain well-known "naturally-speaking" expensive product. 

 

I bought my 2013 FFE in April of 2013. Shouldn't there be an update for Navigation by now? Last time I checked I was told no. Also, when an update is available, what is the cost to load it? 

[Neil]

I don't remember off the top of my head, but aren't they numbered on the screen when the categories pop up?  Can you just say "one" or "option one"?

You would think they would be numbered,  like when you respond to a text message ('Phone', 'text messages', 'reply to message 1') - you get a list of potential canned responses numbered 1-15 (I think).  For the POI list it is just text.  You can scroll through the Categories by saying 'next' and 'back' but can't select one.  I even tried saying 'one' thinking maybe it would select the first category but it didn't work.  

[Neil]

....I bought my 2013 FFE in April of 2013. Shouldn't there be an update for Navigation by now? Last time I checked I was told no. Also, when an update is available, what is the cost to load it? 

I think I just got a letter from Ford saying a NAV update is available for my car (purchased August 2013).  As I recall, the update was $169, so I'll probably wait at least another year.  

[howardbc]

Thanks, Neil.

 

$169? Wow. I think I'll just start using my phone's map app instead. Even if I bought the new Nav version, it might be out-of-date (in many places) by the time I installed it. It's a shame the Nav system I paid for is almost obsolete, but roads, etc do change often. I go to a medical center that wasn't even built when I bought my car. It's on a road that didn't exist in 2013.

 

It should be so easy for Nav updates to be sent wirelessly to Sync. I'd consider paying a reasonable fee to have an option like that, but it would depend on the fee, because I can always use my phone's map app. 

[murphy]

I have the A5 card, which cost me about $50 on eBay, and the map is no improvement.  My house was built in 1957 and both the A4 and A5 maps do not know where it is.  I went to their website to enter a correction and the map on their website was correct.  They are selling old maps, that they know are not up to date, at ridiculuos prices.

[Hybridbear]

We have no issues selecting POI categories. However, I find the data to be mostly useless since there will often be a million POIs in the category and the one I want won't show up. For that reason I almost always search by POIs by name.

[FordIVTteam]

You would think they would be numbered,  like when you respond to a text message ('Phone', 'text messages', 'reply to message 1') - you get a list of potential canned responses numbered 1-15 (I think).  For the POI list it is just text.  You can scroll through the Categories by saying 'next' and 'back' but can't select one.  I even tried saying 'one' thinking maybe it would select the first category but it didn't work.  

 

Hi Neil, 

 

If you give the commands NAVIGATION > DESTINATION > POI > CATEGORY, the system should ask if you'd like to search nearby or in a city. It sounds like MyFord Touch is waiting for you to select one of those before it will accept a category (such as AUTOMOTIVE) as a command. Check this out the next time you're in the vehicle and let me know what you find. 

 

Thanks, Neil.

 

$169? Wow. I think I'll just start using my phone's map app instead. Even if I bought the new Nav version, it might be out-of-date (in many places) by the time I installed it. It's a shame the Nav system I paid for is almost obsolete, but roads, etc do change often. I go to a medical center that wasn't even built when I bought my car. It's on a road that didn't exist in 2013.

 

It should be so easy for Nav updates to be sent wirelessly to Sync. I'd consider paying a reasonable fee to have an option like that, but it would depend on the fee, because I can always use my phone's map app. 

 

Hello howardbc, 

 

Please provide the steps you take when attempting to pull up a POI. Where do you run in to trouble?

 

Navigation updates are provided by our software partner called HERE. The easiest way to check if a map update is available for your vehicle is by entering the car's information at: www.Support.Ford.com The website will also have current pricing information. 

 

Kim

[howardbc]

Thanks so much, Kim. I have saved the link to that site. I guess I need to do the updates and then try everything again. I have only done an update once in the 18+ months I've had the car. It would be nice if one could get reminders when/if an update is available. Is it possible to sign up for something like this?

 

Thanks again. 

[FordIVTteam]

Thanks so much, Kim. I have saved the link to that site. I guess I need to do the updates and then try everything again. I have only done an update once in the 18+ months I've had the car. It would be nice if one could get reminders when/if an update is available. Is it possible to sign up for something like this?

 

Thanks again. 

 

It's my pleasure! It is also a good idea to check your navigation software. See if any updates are available at: www.Support.Ford.com after logging in. 

Even with older maps, you should be able to pull up points of interest. Let me know what happens when you attempt to do this and I'll help troubleshoot. 

 

Kim

[openair]

Have you tried actually saying "point of interest" instead of p o i?

Edited October 30, 2014 at 11:58 PM by openair

[Neil]

Have you tried actually saying "point of interest" instead of p o i?

I get to the proper screen, and the POI categories are listed on the screen.  I can say 'next' to get advance to the next screen of POIs and 'back' to get to the previous list of POIs, but it just doesn't understand when I choose one like, 'automotive' for example.