Guys, I think I'm preety savy when it comes to car options and their operation and benefit but for the life of me I'm a bit stumped by the On Line Services deal. Of course I downloaded the AHA app on my Iphone and thought how kool and if not for the option would not enjoy all the benes.
Well low & behold in my 2010 BMW X3 DD I happened to plug an audio cord into the phone and when switched to the AUX setting of the radio..bingo all AHA functions are available. Why did I need the option??? and does it do anything else??????or did PCNA sneak $250 from me

 

I read somewhere the AHA app of course is eating away at your monthly data usage which sounds correct but I don't know how much. I have the app but have not tried it yet and I do have a 2012 X5 so I might try that as well.

 

Your BMW's Combox supports AHA as well. Likely part of one of your packages.

 

I thought online services was basically a little router that you can pay for cellular data services to feed the car. If you connect via Bluetooth or cable to a phone, then you don't need that. I don't have the online services as they didn't become available until after my car was configured but I do have a little Verizon Mifi which can feed 5 devices including iPads that I have mounts for behind the seats and any other devices needing WiFi.

 

That is the wireless hotspot option, or whatever it is.

Online services is more of an app.

 

Yup
Didn't know Porsche had a UFO on the option list.

 

Yes, you are correct. Online Services offers a direct interface with a customer's smart phone via the "AHA-Radio" app – available for iPhone(R) and Android(R) devices.

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The "Wireless internet access" option is what I had described.
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I haven't used AHA but I do use the Pandora radio app using bluetooth from my phone to the PCM (in addition to the phone also on bluetooth to PCM). Pandora is $35/year for unlimited and no 3d party ads.

 

I just went out and tried with the AHA app running on my iphone, and plugged into the USB, the functions play thru the radio. That's really no surprise as any audio app would work the same way. I don't know if the $250 option provides anything else over and above that. You can likely tell us. I would also think it would work thru bluetooth but didn't try that.

 

Well at least I get album art for my $250.
I thought I was getting a world of cyberspace... Not another radio app

 

no album art here. occasional small logo in top left center of screen with song name and artist, that's it.

 

A trick Someone posted a while ago....If you hit the info button on the PCM while AHA is used, a screen pops up that will say detail AHA. hit that button and a larger screen appears with album art in top left.
I may have messed up order...I'll double check tonite..

 

Album Art is available from iPod, USB stick, and Jukebox, regardless whether you have the optional AHA Online Service or not.

 

Yeah, thank you.. I knew I had album art from iphone and jukebox.
Just was expecting more sizzle from On Line Services other than an interface for AHA..which by the way is full of bugs big time

 

I don't use AHA much either, the only overseas radio station I listen to is not on AHA, so I usually just use AUX BT to stream it from my iPhone.