Install was a breeze thanks to various DIYs on the forums
screen is upgraded quite a bit resolution wise, but since the graphics are simple text and basic maps, this is not a big deal
it's a little better organized...there's a MEDIA button which you click to access your CD list/iPod playlists, 2xSDHC cards and your AUX input if you have one. All on one screen which is nice. RNSe 2005.5 required you to bounce around a couple of menus for this.
sound seems the same
SD card slots - this is the biggest improvement in my mind. The old one can take up to 4GB SD cards (if you can find them) but the new one has improved card reading hardware that will allow SDHC cards...thus you can have 2 x 32 GB SDHC cards for a massive quantity of your favourite music. I have just about everything I want on one 32 GB card...and I'll use the other slot for things I update i.e. top 40 charts that change etc. Not sure yet...I may actually just leave that job to my iPod and the playlists although I don't like not being able to see iPod song names.
traffic updates - North American cars didn't have this on the original RS4 RNSe so it's nice to have it on this upgraded unit. This is old hat for EU folks though
Overall its a nice thing to have in the car, and being able to control your music with the folder view and the thumb wheels on the steering wheel (if you have MFSW) is fantastic, now that those folders are massive (vs. my old 4GB cards). Sure beats the wireless and/or a blind view of iPod playlists.
For whatever reason the steering wheel (MFSW) has lost 1 function in NAV...used to be that if you pressed the volume wheel on the MFSW while in the midst of navigating somewhere, the NAV lady would speak the next direction to you. It was nice in case you missed it...or wanted to plan for it...or if you wanted to adjust her volume (once she was speaking, you could adjust the volume of her commands with the volume wheel while she spoke). I was wondering if anyone else put the new unit in an RS4 and noticed that this does not work anymore?
A few screen shots...although these had the screen protector still on as I was still installing it.
