Samsung Galaxy SIII and CX-5 Bluetooth

I have an older phone (Samsung Focus) and while it works alright, it does some annoying things while driving (like not hanging up properly after someone texts me) Plus with my old speakerphone I could punch the call button and say "TEXT so and so" and then dictate my message. With the Mazda Bluetooth system I only appear to be able to say CALL as it doesn't recognize TEXT as a valid command.

Anyway, I want to hear from those of you using the Samsung Galaxy SIII (or is it S3) with their CX-5. How is your overall impression? Does it work well? Can you use voice control with it, or does Mazda hamper Android as well. Or would I be better going to and iDevice? My wife just picked up an iPhone5 so I'll have to test it with the Mazda.

I'm really looking to use the phone as a phone *gasp* but being able to listen and dictate text messages while driving is something I've come to appreciate as I seem to have people in my life that don't understand when I say "call me when I'm driving, don't text me....."

Thanks!

Well no one replied so they're either happy with their S3 or not using it in their car, but I will give some information to help others. My advice, if you want a phone that can work well with the Mazda CX-5, stay away from the S3 and get and iPhone 4 or 5 (although I think some 5 owners are having issues as well.) I just got an S3 on Friday, and while I am not having pairing issues like many, I can't not get it to do basic things. The S voice sucks and can't recognize any speech well, it won't download my entire phone book, rather only some entries (weird) and the Bluetooth audio is severely limited. I connected it to usb and the phone told me that it was connected as a media device, yet the USB button on the audio wouldn't light up, so my only option was the limited Bluetooth audio.

Very unhappy so far with how nicely it plays with the Mazda. It seems like a decent phone, but it just doesn't want to zoom zoom. My old Samsung Focus (Windows phone) actually seemed to work better, although it's Bluetooth audio was just as limited. My wife's iPhone seems to get along better.

Hopefully Mazda and Android will address these issues soon, but at this point I don't even know where to begin addressing the phone book issue. Off to Google search I guess...

**Update Oct 1*** I am able to transfer phone book entries one at a time to my vehicle phone book. But it stubbornly refuses to copy them all at once. No idea why -- this is a pain, but at least I can get my key contacts in. Trolling the internet has not yielded a satisfactory answer, but the general consensus is that it is either related to Samsung firmware, or possibly the Ice Cream Sandwich Android software. Hopefully a fix will come out at some point, but who (Mazda, Google, Samsung? Very frustrating!***

Interestingly enough, if I don't connect to the Mazda head unit and use an old Bluetooth speakerphone from a previous vehicle, I am able to perform all the desired controls (voice dialling, texting, etc.) just by punching the call button. I suspect that Mazda needs a firmware update as the system is currently limited to making/receiving phone calls only and takes draconian control over the phone, instead of serving as a conduit to facilitate phone use.

go to mymazda.com register, and file a complaint, thats the only way to get things accomplished

fyi, i dont think the bluetooth setup in our cars supports forwarding commands to the phone to do texting like you're thinking of, the bluetooth is limited to phone calls and media audio

its the phones bluetooth profiles. The mazda radio and iphone use older bluetooth profiles. The galaxy s2 and nexus are compatible.

Bcdad182 said:

Interestingly enough, if I don't connect to the Mazda head unit and use an old Bluetooth speakerphone from a previous vehicle, I am able to perform all the desired controls (voice dialling, texting, etc.) just by punching the call button

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just different bluetooth devices (your old speakerphone and the Mazda) with different features. It would be cool if the built-in one in the car could do more but its features are somewhat limited. One of the first things I did was check the manual to see if there were any other voice commands it would recognize but there really aren't.

Bcdad182 said:

I connected it to usb and the phone told me that it was connected as a media device, yet the USB button on the audio wouldn't light up, so my only option was the limited Bluetooth audio.

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It is my understanding that the only 'media device' that can connect up to it is an ipod/iphone. Other than that the USB connection can only connect to thumb drives or other players that can be seen as a drive. If you can set your phone to connect as a storage device rather than as a media device it may play music off of it but that is it.

stromdriver said:

go to mymazda.com register, and file a complaint, thats the only way to get things accomplished

Click to expand...

it may not make a difference but I'd also recommend writing it as a suggestion of features you'd like to have rather than an angry complaint. I think either way if they get enough people commenting on it they will look at upgrading the options. I wrote them early on saying I'd love to have an alarm that could just plug into the factory wiring and got a nice reply back saying they appreciate and consider all suggestions. It wasn't a "sure we'll make an alarm just for you" but I figure if I'm not the only one to suggest it they may eventually consider it. I'm sure they get plenty of 'suggestions' that read like "you idiots, why don't you make this right".
But if everyone that thought "it sure would be nice if..." wrote they'd have a lot more ideas of things to improve.

Bcdad182 said:

**Update Oct 1*** I am able to transfer phone book entries one at a time to my vehicle phone book.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your post. Since I change from an iPhone to a Samsung Note 2, I am having the same problems. However, the control on Bluetooth audio (for example, seeking my entire library) is very limited. I have to use my phone's "Music Player" to change playlist or albums. My iPhone at least shows the playlist as different folders when connected via Bluetooth audio, and it displays my entire audio collections when connected via the USB cable.
BTW, how did you transfer the phone book entries one at a time?
And thank you for your answer in advance.

my wife and i both got s3's last week, hers is stock, mines rooted/rom'd and both of ours hooked up and worked fine, transferring the entire phonebooks
we haven't tried using the bluetooth audio since both of us use usb thumbdrives in each of our cx5's
but considering how limited the voice control is in the mazda i wouldn't even begin to think you can dictate texts or control the audio thru the voice control on the car, you'd have to do it directly to the phone i imagine

Wife has the Note 2 - All is playing nicely with her CX-5.

well i had to resync the phone today because of rom burning, and i noticed that apparently it didn't transfer the entire phone book, seems totally random as to what ones it ported over, tried it twice with the same results....
haven't had the wife double check her phonebook, it definitely put in the ones for the calls she makes most often

stromdriver said:

well i had to resync the phone today because of rom burning, and i noticed that apparently it didn't transfer the entire phone book, seems totally random as to what ones it ported over, tried it twice with the same results....
haven't had the wife double check her phonebook, it definitely put in the ones for the calls she makes most often

Click to expand...

it's
i've noticed issues with my BT as well. I have the samsung S2 LTE (aka Skyrocket in the states). the BT syncs on media audio, but it disconnects often on the phone side. i've noticed i have to manually add the phone connection on the bluetooth setting on my phone. EVERYTIME. it's annoying and takes the safety and convenience out of having BT for the phone. heck, i'm better off using my Garmin GPS with the BT. At least that one connnects consistently. Based on my complaining, i guess it's time to talk to the dealer.

I have had the Galaxy S3 for 2 months now, not one single drop or issue with BT connection. If I hit the BT button on the radio, it switches right over, if i hit call... it calls. Do you guys disable your BT when not in the car, then try and enable it after the car is running? I just leave mine on 24x7, and when I start the car it connects.

Issues with the phone book downloading, I'd export your Google contacts to a CSV and search for some garbage in the contacts. It's possible you have some old data in there that's not making it happy.

I have a windows phone, had had some issues until I figured out the set up on my phone. Now it reads my texts and allows me to voice respond, etc. There are no issues now and I am satisfied with all of the functions while driving.

ReManG said:

I have a windows phone, had had some issues until I figured out the set up on my phone. Now it reads my texts and allows me to voice respond, etc. There are no issues now and I am satisfied with all of the functions while driving.

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That's interesting - I didn't think the CX-5 was getting the updated unit until the 2014 MY.

First run CX-5's can't interact with text messaging, etc. (unless I've COMPLETELY missed something)

On my Nokia, the voice accessibility settings allows the phone to read messages and allow voice responses. The BT controls essentially work like the phone calls itself for these functions, so the phone functionality is allowing this, and BT just makes it hands free. Try looking in your phones settings for something similar, such as read messages when connected to Bluetooth.

The USB port does not charge my phone so I had to pick up a lighter port charger...... The only issue I have with it in the vehicle

ReManG said:

I have a windows phone, had had some issues until I figured out the set up on my phone. Now it reads my texts and allows me to voice respond, etc. There are no issues now and I am satisfied with all of the functions while driving.

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i'm going to have to call partial bs on this post without some proof (video of you doing these things you claim)

i can see how the system would announce texts thru the 'bluetooth' tab if you're using the phone for a music audio source
but the built in bluetooth controls in the head unit do not support sending you're voice commands directly to the phone, it interprets whats spoken then sends the digital commands for the included functions (dialing, avcrp audio controls) to the phone, so it shouldn't be able to send texts thru the headunit or otherwise control the phone outside of having phone dial contacts stored in the head unit or specific numbers (thats why the headunit has to download and store the contacts because it interprets and then it sends commands to phone, you dont interact with the phone directly)

i'm guessing that most likely i think your phone is hearing the commands you're speaking directly 'in air' rather than going thru the cars headunit/bluetooth module

Call what you want, believe what you want, that is freedom, I am not trying to stir the pot, just relaying information.

I can be listening to radio/usb/audio off, etc. and a text comes in when the PHONE, not the Mazda center unit, sends a bluetooth prompt that opens up my phone THROUGH the Mazda system (the Mazda system is NOT controling this, just acting as a conduit). As I said, it essentially allows the bluetooth version of what would be just speaker phone use of the voice commands on MY PHONE (more accurately, like a headset). I can tell the difference because I twist the knob on the center unit if I want to make it louder or more quiet (Bose trumps puny speaker on back of phone...). I was happy to find this out about my phone having this ability. I do not have, and have never used an android or iphone, so was just relaying what results I had on a smaller useage OS. I think that the system is not as good as it SHOULD be in the Mazda center unit. However, the phones that most people are listing here are more than likely better systems than the Mazda center unit, so I looked to my phone to see what alternatives I had. I am not someone that would ROM a phone or get into it at that technical level, just a user. The voice prompts on the Mazda center unit are still horrendous for making a call, but if I want to send a text via voice, call a contact, make a voice note, etc. , I pick up my PHONE and hit the voice command on my PHONE (one button), the phone does the bluetooth link and the center unit acts the same as a bluetooth headset, with much better voice quality than the speakerphone function on my phone.

On my Nokia 710 I went to: Settings>Speech>Checked Enable Speech Recognition>Checked Use Speech When Phone is Locked>Play audio confirmations ON-Bluetooth Only

Surely there are similar settings on iPhones, Samsung's and other phones. It may be the low tech way of doing this, but I am not going to get into bluetooth versions/protocols/connectivity versions, etc myself, so I found a KISS way to get it done. On my phone, there is a dedicated hardware button that you hold to get voice commands started, so I do not even have to take my eyes off the road......even easier than the phone function button on the center unit as the voice commands actually work on my phone (and probably every other phone since last century compared to the Mazda center unit). There is no need to download your phone book to call someone doing it this way.

i'm guessing that most likely i think your phone is hearing the commands you're speaking directly 'in air' rather than going thru the cars headunit/bluetooth module

Click to expand...

Since the phone is linked with bluetooth in a similar way as it would with a headset, the microphone and speaker on the phone are disconnected. So I doubt it was the phone picking it up, as it worked with the phone buried in the back in my luggage during a road trip after a zealous packing session.

The only issue is that some of the time when I am done with the call/text/voice function, the Mazda unit does not disconnect the Bluetooth, easily done from the steering controls via the
"hangup" key.

Due regards, and let us know if the other OS's have similar functions (not a stab at them, just my lack of familiarity with them)

I do think that everyone here should contact Mazda about our disappointment with the hands free system issues.....JMHO though

ok, your original post was somewhat misleading then because of lack of clarity on how/what you were doing

i'm still not completely sold on the non phone related voice input/commands going thru the car system (reading texts to you yes, i'll believe that, if you're connected/selected to the audio-bluetooth-for playing music from phone, it shouldn't do anything other than do calls if you are in radio/cd/usb)

i dont suppose you could video you using these other things? i'd very much like to see this in action
you may have to physically put the phone outside the car to make sure it isn't the phone picking up the voice 'over the air' as it were.

its not so much a matter of what the phone os is capable of supporting(they call can handle myriad voice commands) but what the mazda system does (i used to have a winmo phone and i liked the reading texts over bluetooth ability, android doesn't normally support that natively but thats neither here nor there, i can dictate texts to the phone though using built in functions)

unlike a BT headset, when you use the call button its doing the work in the head unit and just porting the audio thru the bluetooth connection with the phone (which is why when you adjust the volume on the headunit it doesn't change the volume on the phone), where with a bluetooth headset its just acting as a conduit to the phone sending everything for the phone to discern what to do with, ie adjusting volume on a headset actually changes the handsets volume levels (as seen on the screen)

otherwise the mazda doesn't support any sort of interaction thru the phone other than their established commands (notcool)

i do agree that the mazda voice control isn't as good as whats built into most phones but its better than the tomtom systems voice control

I'll believe it... WP7 right? I carried a Mango phone for a bit, and was impressed that it would open a bluetooth audio phone connection to play "notifications" in our Infiniti. Android and Apple haven't even begun to approach audio delivery that way.

I think the confusion was around the next generation headunit actually managing the read-aloud and voice translation, THEN handing that off to the phone.

PhoenixINX said:

I'll believe it... WP7 right? I carried a Mango phone for a bit, and was impressed that it would open a bluetooth audio phone connection to play "notifications" in our Infiniti. Android and Apple haven't even begun to approach audio delivery that way.

I think the confusion was around the next generation headunit actually managing the read-aloud and voice translation, THEN handing that off to the phone.

Click to expand...

someone else mentioned this 'next gen headunit', sauce?