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"Navigation works great! Bluetooth is not so hot. Service is a JOKE." on by tarnsturbo
Pros: POI is great. Nav input is easy, directions are clear. Have not had the same issues with the Nav feature as the other opinions indicate.
Cons: Bluetooth worked great with my Blackberry 8700. It was amazing! However, I changed to a Blackberry Curve 8310 and the unit will not Sync properly. Touch Screen buttons are slow to respond.
Summary: When I called Alpine to find out how to get the unit to sync properly with the Blackberry Curve I was told that it was not Alpine's issue. This is surprising since they charge a hell of a lot of money and claim how great the unit is and when one of the most popular phones does not sync they send me away!!!!!!!!! They tell me it is RIM's problem and/or my carrier's (AT&T). You can guess the rest, AT&T says it is RIM and Alpine's problem and has anyone ever been able to call RIM? I am now back to using my 8700 and my slick 8310 is sitting in it's original box. What a waste!! If you have a Curve DO NOT BUY THIS UNIT. Buyer be warned.
I use this unit in my car in the Alpine head unit. When I travel and rent a car I bring the Blackbird and adapter with me. This feature I like. I hate the lack of support however. It does not exist.
If Alpine had just helped me out and showed a little concern the rating would be much higher. -
"verdict: crap" on by leo080564
Pros: has a nice big button
Cons: at least six hundred dollars more than a good boat anchor should cost
Summary: Blackbird interface written by bargain basement Chinese software company. Product designed for use in Europe and China, doesn't work very well there, and then slap-dash jimmy-rigged to work in the U.S. Once you buy a Blackbird II, the only way to minimize the financial hit is to make sure not to get a littering fine when you throw it out the window.
Updated
The thing never got me where I was going one time without a major headache. You can get a top end Garmin with TTS that will actually navigate. -
"Not worth $50.00 really." on by fasco1
Pros: Works with the alpine head unit
Cons: Not accurate, Software has many "Bugs"
Summary: Unfortunetly, I bought the head unit first - I'm still getting rid of it. This is my fourth nav unit in about 8 years so I know what to expect. Miss an exit? rerouting will take always you back 5 miles to the original exit. I was told by the dealer that was an issue with the previous one and just to cancel the destination and restart it. Yeah, That,s why I paid so much for it.
It tells you to take a left at the next exit when the screen clearly shows a right turn.
You really have to be watching the screen as mostly all nav units today will alert you at every turn within a realistic distance to the turn. Not this one, have a couple of highway entrances close to each other. Take a guess. The more I use the more problems I find.
I had an old Navman from years ago, before navigation was popular. I thought I was upgrading. Wrong, even though the maps were outdated it was much better. I regret I gave it to my parents when I bought the new one.
Bluetooth, even when installed in the head unit, the sound quality is POOR on the other end. NOT even usable really. Everyone asks me what am I talking on? Way too much background noise.
I CHALLENGE SOMEONE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ALPINE TO GIVE A GOOD REVIEW!!!!!! -
"Junk! What a waste" on by 14232
Pros: Looks stylish
Cons: What a waste
Summary: The battery runs out quick. The software sucks. This GPS is not as accurate as I thought it would be for the price.
This Alpine oftens shows me the right street except being in the wrong part of town!!!!!This Gps gets confused between North , South, East, West. This would probably be best used in NY. East 35th st..... More like ariving on West 35th st.!!!!!! This Gps often hangs, and once in a while will not power up, with a full battery!!!!!!! -
"poor customer service" on by smokin_joe
Pros: very stylish unit, good integrated functions
Cons: poor rerouting after missed exits, price too high, unit only lasted few months before needing repair
Summary: I really wanted to give Alpine high marks for this unit, but i just can't. Buy a garmin instead.
I originally purchased an Alpine B100, and paid full price for it when it came out. I was thrilled at first, then noticed its lackluster performance. Many of the original issues were rectified, but the unit quickly devalued months after I bought it to half the price I paid. After 11 months of ownership, my B100 was stolen out of my rental car in St Louis. I pondered buying a different make, but when the insurance man told me about an upcoming Blackbird 2, with enhanced features, I was ecstatic, and waited patiently, (and waited, and waited) for its release and shipment. I finally got my new and improved version of the Blackbird.
Well, I also pondered getting the IVAw205 head unit to dock the BB into. Not only am I not buying the IVA W205, Im regretting seriously buying a second Blackbird, shame on me. After using my Blackbird B200 from Novemeber 2007 - February 2008, maybe, 3.5 months, my Blackbird's internal antenna fails to connect to satelites. It "sees" them, but does not connect. This problem developed while I ate dinner at a restauruant I used it to navigate me to. After dinner, it failed to be able to guide me back.
So, I now need service. Despite registering my product online with Alpine's website, it has taken me up to 9 or 10 phone calls to Alpine's support, to arrange a return for repair. I still do not have a confirmation number or a return box, evidence they have acknowleged my calls and problem. On two occaisions, I got a recording that stated their call volume was too high, and I was disconnected. On another call, I was told it was the support department's lunch hour, and to call back later. On the last 3 calls I made, the voice recording says that the wait time is......and the actual time turns out to be at least twice or three times that long!
As for the IVA-W205, priced at a whopping $900, paired with $750 for the Blackbird, that self reboots sometimes, has short battery life, and does not sound all that very well for a high end audio company like you expect Alpine car audio to be, the combined price is just too much to swallow. I shopped around at Christmas time to see if the $900 head unit would be on sale or discounted, it had been out for a year by then. No sales, no discounts. I was told, that to make the overall rice for the headunit and nav unit lower, Alpine was working on a display-less Blackbird to dock inside the W205 headunit, which would retail for around $400, enabling them to keep the head unit price point high.
I can deal with the Blackbird making some quirky mistakes. I will hope that Alpine will issue a firmware update to correct those.
I can deal with their attempt at keeping the price high on the head unit, "charge what the traffic will bear" is the old adage, if they can get it, they will.
What I cant deal with, is their ineffectual, slow, limited, and poor customer service. It should not take me 10 phone calls to affect a repair. If I registered the unit online like I did, with my first phone call, Alpine should know my name, my unit's serial number, when my unit was bought or registered, my address, and all of that, and have taken steps to correct my problem inside the first week, or even same day. Not spread out over a months time and 10 phone calls.
I travel for work, Im not always home, thats why I have a GPS in the first place. Alpine doesnt seem to care that much. They already have my money. But, they don't have yours yet! So if you are reading this, please listen, the Blackbird is stylish and sexy, and you are tempted to buy it. But heed the warnings of us dis-satisfied consumers, and buy another brand. If I disuaded 1 person from buying their product, I will feel better.
Joe
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