Infinite Skyz Skyzmatic W/no Cell Internet

[DailyLunatic]

I have been looking, but having very little luck finding information on the functions available to the Infinite Skyz Skyzmatic system if no cell internet is subscribed. Lots of things can be done with the system, and I'm not trying to slam it. Just that I am not going to add another monthly bill for service for the thing.

Below is a listing of the features available. Bearing in mind that my phone has Bluetooth and Hotspot, how many of these are still available if the system is paired to my phone rather than paying for a service just for my car?

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Connectivity:
Wi-Fi hotspot (Not needed. The phone is a hotspot.)
VOIP calling (integrated into car's sound system.) (Not needed. Have phone. No need for VOIP)
Internet radio (Not needed. Have radio)
GPS/NAV (does GPS even work w/o subscription?)
Bluetooth connectivity for iPad, iPhone and Apple watch connectivity to the car
The car will have some sort of cradle that can lock the iPad in place and charge it.

Sensors:
accelerometer
Front and rear radar/proximity sensors
Front and rear cameras
Left and right blind spot sensors
360 degree fish eye camera

Capabilities:
Cameras will record if accelerometer detects movement even if car is unattended - theft or crash
Cameras can be remotely accessed from web (Only w/subscription)
Lock or unlock remotely (Only with Subscription)
remote start (Only with Subscription)
read ambient temp remotely (Only with Subscription)
ability to set GPS fences, speed and time limits for children or employees. (???)
******************************

To me, w/o subscription, this looks like nothing more than a fancy camera system...

Thoughts? Have I got this right? Is Skyz required to get the backup camera?

-sterling

 

[Lawrence G.]

This system was introduced 2 years ago, it needs to drop in PRICE $$$$$.

 

[Sethodine]

Did you read somewhere about a subscription? I know this is how car tech stuff usually works, but I haven't read anywhere that Skyz will also be a subscription service. When you consider the sticker price, data might be included (perhaps with a monthly cap).

GPS/NAV (does GPS even work w/o subscription?)

GPS works without any sort of subscription: it is basically just an antenna picking up radio signals from satellites and triangulating the source in order to find your position. No data is transmitted either from the phone or from the satellite. (Think of it as counting seconds between a lightnight bolt and the thunder to tell how far away a thunderstorm is. All of the "data" is in your head, based on a widespread broadcast.)

Is Skyz required to get the backup camera?

In the past, Elio has said "No, you can get the backup camera seperately".

 

[Rob Croson]

Did you read somewhere about a subscription? I know this is how car tech stuff usually works, but I haven't read anywhere that Skyz will also be a subscription service. When you consider the sticker price, data might be included (perhaps with a monthly cap).

I would almost certainly expect the Skyzmatic system to have some form of subscription agreement. It may have something like "First year free", and some basic functionality without a subscription. But any kind of connectivity .... I'm thinking you can count on a subscription.

GPS works without any sort of subscription: it is basically just an antenna picking up radio signals from satellites and triangulating the source in order to find your position. No data is transmitted either from the phone or from the satellite.

While that is technically true, all GPS gives you is basic data, such as latitude, longitude/altitude. All the extra stuff, like the map and directions, are functions of the device. Whether or not the Skyz people would let you get that without a subscription, is up in the air.

For my money, don't bet on any kind of connected functionality from Skyzmaic without forking out the cash for a monthly subscription. If the situation was different you bet your ass they'd be all over the place telling you it was free for life. (Which it won't be.)

 

[DailyLunatic]

GPS works without any sort of subscription: it is basically just an antenna picking up radio signals from satellites and triangulating the source in order to find your position. No data is transmitted either from the phone or from the satellite. (Think of it as counting seconds between a lightnight bolt and the thunder to tell how far away a thunderstorm is. All of the "data" is in your head, based on a widespread broadcast.)

I'm good with how a GPS works. My question was directed more towards if it were to work in the manner of a Garmin or Tom Tom were you purchase upgrades, or a smart phone where maps are streamed.

On a phone if you loose internet (4G for example) you loose GPS also.

As for the term 'subscription'... you can read that as subscription, or having to purchase a phone number via third party cell provider, or any other non-pre-existing expense to make it work. Matters not to whom the cash register tolls.

-sterling

 

[Sethodine]

I'm good with how a GPS works. My question was directed more towards if it were to work in the manner of a Garmin or Tom Tom were you purchase upgrades, or a smart phone where maps are streamed.

On a phone if you loose internet (4G for example) you loose GPS also.

As for the term 'subscription'... you can read that as subscription, or having to purchase a phone number via third party cell provider, or any other non-pre-existing expense to make it work. Matters not to whom the cash register tolls.

-sterling

In that case, I'm pretty sure the "GPS" actually comes from the required tablet computing device, so whatever GPS app you are most fond of would be the answer. If your GPS app needs a network connection, then Skyz is that connection.

Skyz is not for the person who already uses their smart phone for navigation et al. I think it's more for the fuddy-duddies like myself, who would rather have a dedicated device that I didn't need to fiddle with too much

 

[bunchathrees]

I think it's more for the fuddy-duddies like myself, who would rather have a dedicated device that I didn't need to fiddle with too much

Hold on. Wait a second. Fuddy-duddy? You? "Ooooh, huh, yeah, um, I guess I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there." - Bill Lumbergh.

 

[Sethodine]

Hold on. Wait a second. Fuddy-duddy? You? "Ooooh, huh, yeah, um, I guess I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there." - Bill Lumbergh.

I really dislike multi-function devices that you gotta mess with all the time. My phone is a perfect example: it's great at being a multimedia device that can also take calls, but I hate using it for listening to music (either at home or in the car) and I hate using it for GPS. I'd rather have a Tom-Tom on the dash and a decent MP3 player plugged into the Aux jack of the head unit, or perhaps a tablet that will do both, than add another function to my smart phone.

I like devices that stay where they are, and are there when I need them, rather than lugging around a device that does everything. I resisted the switch to a smart phone for a long time, and only moved over because I could get cell service cheaper than with my existing dumb-phone. And to this day, I mostly think of the smart phone as a texting device that has some Swiss Army-like functionality in an emergency.

My Elio will have a cheap, dedicated Android tablet that I only remove when I need to copy files onto it from my home computer, or when I'm in a "bad neighborhood" and need to stow it out of sight.

 

[Marshall]

I miss my rotary dial telephones. But I'm still using that original phone number.
TU(Tuxedo) X-XXXX. Only the area code has changed.

 

[DailyLunatic]

In that case, I'm pretty sure the "GPS" actually comes from the required tablet computing device, so whatever GPS app you are most fond of would be the answer. If your GPS app needs a network connection, then Skyz is that connection.

Sounds like you have my question the wrong way round. I'm not wanting to connect my phone to Skyz, I'm wanting to connect Skyz to my phone. But I'm a little confused by your reply, so correct me if I'm wrong...

Also, we're all half guessing...

You are saying that Skyz most likely will require its own service connection (4G?) in order to work even as GPS, and cannot connect to other devices for this connection??

If Skyz could piggy its service connection off my phone (Bluetooth or Hotspot) I would be interested. Till then...

Looks like my E just got $1999 Cheaper!

-sterling