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New Launches: German tuning company Brabus have decided to update its iBusiness multimedia system on all the Mercedes’ S-Class vehicles to version 2.0, following the launch of the iPad2. Available on any current S-Class model from the S350 to the S65, the iBusiness 2.0 system will see one or two iPad2 tablets in the rear compartment that are connected via Wifi to an internet-connected Mac mini placed in the trunk. The iPad 2 is used to control on-board entertainment system as well as the functions of the S-Class COMAND system including the radio, navigation and phone, all from the cushy comforts of the rear seat. The two iPad’s too, sit regally on custom-tailored version of the Brabus table set against the backrest of the front seats. The electrically-deployed and adjustable leather-covered tabletop also provides recesses for your iPad and Apple’s bluetooth keyboard. A 15.2-inch 16:9 TFT display can be found on the roof of the cabin that serves as an auxiliary monitor for the iPad, while screens have been placed on the back of the front seats too. You can also connect your digital camera to the Mac mini via their USB 2.0 ports, while music is provided by a 64 GB iPod touch.
The iPad 2 also allows for video conferencing capabilities, clearly converting your vehicle into a stunning and extremely efficient ‘on-the-go’ office!

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What HiFi: The world of in-car audio is serious business and after a look at the brand new Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG system inside the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, it’s clear the Danish high-end audio and design experts are going to do things properly.

While the car boasts some serious wow factor, the sound system might just steal the show, with eleven speakers, 1000 watts of power and some ingenious in-car audio engineering. If you’ve got the money for such a car, then upgrading to the BeoSound AMG system must be a complete no-brainer.

After a whistle-stop visit to Bang & Olufsen’s HQ in Struer, we’re still digesting the technology inside Mercedes’ latest head-turner. After a tour of the B&O factory, some workshops with the audio engineers and even a quick spin in the car, it’s impossible not to be impressed by what we’ve seen.

Corner-cutting clearly isn’t a term with which David Lewis, the hugely influential Bang & Olufsen designer, or any of the company’s staff, are too familiar. Racing around the factory looking at machines designed and built solely to manufacture intricate components for specific B&O kit, and seeing examples of the countless parts that come together to make the company’s products rolling off the production line, there’s much to admire and absorb.

The importance of quality materials, attention to detail and absolute quality control are clearly paramount, with aluminium – and, whisper it, steel – parts being machined and milled to exacting standards. It’s no surprise that the company has been asked to make the odd unbranded part for other companies on the quiet over the years. Much of what is made here simply could not be made anywhere else.

But we’re not allowed to get too distracted by the speaker and TV components with which we’re most familiar, we’re here to learn about the BeoSound AMG sound system for the Mercedez-Benz SLS AMG.

The system boasts 11 speakers including two subwoofers, and two hefty amplifiers. We’re told that while ‘one amp is the brains of the operation, the other provides the horse-power’.

And some horse-power there is. The ICEPower amplifier (pictured below) – ‘Intelligent, Compact, Efficient’ – delivers 750 watts of power over five channels. Converting 93% of the energy fed to it into output power compared to a conventional car amp that would manage around 30%, it’s far more efficient, producing far less heat as a result.

The ICEPower delivers four channels of 125 watts and one channel of 250 watts, while the DSP (digital sound processor) amplifier offers up five 50 watt channels of power. This digital amplifier does the all-important ‘maths’ with the signal, converting a stereo sound or a Dolby Digital 5.1 sound to something the 11 speakers can deliver.

The location and characteristics of the speakers work together with the meticulously tuned DSP to ensure the music reaches the ears of those in the car sounding just as it should, with each speaker set to different delays to compensate for the position in the car.

You needn’t worry about that SLS AMG engine drowing out your sound either: the DSP analyses all outside sounds and adjusts the volume accordingly to ensure you can still hear your music while you enjoy the sound of the engine purring in to life. And these adjustments don’t just affect the system as a whole: speakers are adjusted individually, as are distinct sound frequencies.

Style and design are every bit as important, with materials and finishes to match the car’s interior alongside individual signature touches – such as white LEDs on the tiny ‘acoustic lens’ tweeters – adding to the high-end appeal of the BeoSound AMG system.

Smitten? We wouldn’t blame you but you better start saving: the BeoSound AMG system will set you back around 7000 euros, but you’ll of course need a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG to house it. And that’s the wrong side of £150,000. You get what you pay for, eh?

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NewLaunches: LG Display has struck a deal worth millions of dollars with Continental AG for the supply of 30,000 sheets of LG Display’s 5.8 inch and 7.3 inch LCD panels on a monthly basis to Mercedes Benz which will be used for new E-class sedans.

The exact amount of the deal is unknown because officials declined to state it but it is estimated around 46 million dollars. That is good news especially during these tough financial times.

The panels provided by LG Display are high-end products with light-emitting diode backlight bulbs. The 5.8-inch model will be used in low-end models of the E-class, while the 7.3-inch panels will be attached to premium models.

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Engadget: Anyone’s who’s bought a car with a built-in nav system knows the pain of seeing their expensive accessory totally eclipsed by even the cheapest external GPS units just a year or two later — everything from UI to multimedia integration progresses so fast it’s almost not worth it.

That might change soon, though — Harman and Mercedes are working on a “hybrid” nav system that combines the easy replaceability of an external PND with the integration and sleek looks of a built-in system.

The goal is to build a standard design that can upgraded quickly so the screen and controls will be mounted on the dash in a cradle, while a second hidden “processing box” will handle the actual GPS system, music storage and playback, and Bluetooth connectivity.

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NaviGadget: It looks like people at Google were working with just more than BMW in Germany to make their service available in high-end vehicles.

Mercedes introduced a service called “Search & Send” that lets drivers search for a destination in Google Maps or Yahoo Local Maps and send this directly to their vehicles.

However it is not going to work on every Mercedes – only on 07 S-Class, CL-Class, and 08 C-Class with the Multimedia Package and Navigation System so far. And the part that actually send this information to your car from your PC is called Mercedes-Benz Tele Aid System which is complimentary for first year’s subscription.

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Intomobile: Samsung and Mercedes-Benz teamed up to launch a new campaign for the stylish, thin SCH-C220 slider, also known as Samsung Miniskirt.

Under the deal, Mercedes will include the Miniskirt phone as a part of the standard equipment in select high-end vehicles sold in South Korea, including the S-Class, SL-Class, SLK-Class, E-Class, AMG and Roadster models.

The Miniskirt phone is able to automatically connect with Mercedes’ telematics system via Bluetooth connection, allowing drivers to talk on the phone using an onboard microphone and speakers.

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