Folks, am I being stupid? I've checked the manuals for both the car and columbus. However I cannot find a way to do what was possible on the previous Mk II - that is to browse the phonebook using maxidot and dial numbers from it directly using the controls on the steering wheel.

 

On the MKIII, all I can get from maxidot for the phone is a list of previously dialled or received calls, I cannot see whether it's possible to access the phonebook itself.

 

To dial a fresh number, you have to use the main infotainment screen.

 

This is using an iPhone 5s. This was possible even on the Rapid I just has as a loan from the dealership.

 

Any help welcome!

I've got an iPhone 6s. My maxidot also only lists received/made calls. Voice control works quite well, though. "Telephone Fred Smith" will dial the number if it's been stored in the infotainment, or you get the response "Do you want to telephone the contact Smith, Fred" if it's just in your iPhone contacts.

Not everything is coming up smelling of roses with the new Columbus system, like the apparent inability to enter post codes. Fortunately most of these don't impact me personally. I found scrolling through so many contacts on the maxidot too distracting and always preferred to use voice control.

While voice control could be hit and miss in the Superb II it does seem to have improved greatly in the Superb III. Plus it's now more polite and pleasant, unlike the previous teutonic school ma'am.

One feature I love on the new Columbus that the old RNS 510 couldn't do is use the phone's contacts addresses for navigation. Unfortunately I only discovered that after I spent a good hour or more manually entering all the destinations I had stored in my old car SatNav.

 

One of my worst in-car conversations with the old Columbus...

"Navigate to Hotel Constance" (it was stored as a destination)

"Do you wish to delete all contacts?"

"No."

"All contacts have been deleted."

"You stupid b!@ch."

"Pardon?"

My passenger almost wet himself laughing. It took me a lot longer to see the funny side.

Thanks - much appreciate the info! I was concerned about postcodes - but they are there - but not obvious. On the new destination screen, there's a postcode entry button at the bottom.

And thank you. I've now found the postcode button - when I tapped the "City" field.