“Blue&MeTM”: The best for entertainment and satellite navigation
 

The Grande Punto MY 2008 is a vector of new technology in terms of the electronic systems it employs to ensure on-board comfort and wellbeing. The best example of this is the Blue&MeTM”, an innovative created as a result of a joint venture between Fiat Group Automobiles and Microsoft that changes the paradigms of in-car communication, information and entertainment to improve comfort and the quality of time spent on board.

More specifically, customers can purchase specific packs, according to the version, to gain access to all the potentials of “Blue&MeTM”: for example, the Dynamic and Fun specifications offer, as an option, the “Blue&Sound” pack – that includes the Blue&Me and system and radio with CD player – while Sport versions can be fitted with the “SportNav” pack made up of Blue&Me Nav, radio with MP3 and subwoofer. Customers who buy a Grande Punto MY 2008 Emotion, on the other hand, can enhance it with the “ConfortNav” pack that offers the Blue&Me Nav, radio with MP3 and parking sensors. It should be emphasized that the ‘Blue&MeTM Nav’pictogram navigation system allows access to a set of simple, useful on-line systems at the best price on the market.

The Blue&MeTM is also based on a system that is always able to keep pace with the times, with updatable, flexible and modular features. Fiat Group Automobiles and Microsoft, with the support of Magneti Marelli, also offer a platform that can be adapted to most mobile phones, music players or other personal services to replace the current costly and rigid hardware with the great benefit of being able to constantly keep pace with market innovations and maintain perfect integration with the car. All at a very accessible price. The Blue&MeTM system also ensures the greatest safety and ease of use. Because the voice control system is fully integration with keys on the steering wheel and information on the instrument panel display, customers equipped with a Bluetooth® mobile phone can use it even if it is in a jacket pocket or handbag without ever taking their hands off the steering wheel.
 

Not to mention the fact that ‘advanced voice recognition, allows immediate interactivity -no voice learning stage is required - and also allows incoming texts to be read out. By connecting the digital device to the USB port, it is possible to listen to hours and hours of digital music in MP3, WMA and WAV format recorded on mobile phones, MP3 players and USB pen drives.

Grande Punto MY 2008 customers can also choose to equip their car with Blue&MeTM Nav, and that includes a navigation kit consisting of a USB drive containing the stored maps and a backup CD that may be used to transfer the maps to personal MP3 players. In detail, the Nav key has a direct connection to the navigation menu, that may also be accessed by means of steering wheel controls and voice commands. When the USB key is inserted, navigation may be started. The destination may be entered by selecting the initial letters of the address using the steering wheel controls, which may be completed using voice commands.

Like the other information, navigation details are also available on the vehicle control panel: Address of the destination, pictograms of the direction to be followed, arrival information, points of interest together with conventional voice instructions providing information on the next turn-off through the car speakers. Unlike normal devices (that do not allow you to navigate and listen to music CDs at the same time unless a CD changer is fitted), with Blue&MeTM Nav it is possible to navigate and listen to music on your media player with the greatest ease while still remaining connected to your mobile phone.

By using the navigation program on a Personal Computer with the aid of the back up CD it is possible to save maps for several countries purchased after sale on a USB drive. In this case it is possible to select an entire country (for example Italy, France, Germany, etc.) or a predefined part (for example northern/central/southern Italy) or even a region that incorporate several maps belonging to different countries (for example Northern Italy and Switzerland, Austria and Southern Germany).