Android Auto is far from being a novelty in the market, since the system for cars – and also to stereos in cars – there was announced with Android Lollipop, but this reality is still far from the Brazilian. The first cars that accept the system from Google, which were launched in Brazil, reached the middle of 2015 here and we got one of them, Fox Track 2016 Volkswagen. With it, I could first test Android Auto and my system prints, you find in the lines below.
Yes, I have enough to buy an imported car and make everything work perfectly, but Google’s system finally arrived users more easily landing upon a vehicle that is far from luxury, or that costs a fortune. The cars cost still expensive in Brazil, but a Fox almost R $ 50,000 is a lot cheaper than a Bentley, Dodge or even a Chrysler. Was with him, the Fox, who came from friend Renato Maia (who writes for the Speaking car), I put my hands on an Android Auto, for the first time.
What it does ?
the cars were already coming up with smarter systems on the island, which has GPS, Bluetooth music and some even with 3G / 4G connection, but the interface was never friendly and also never They were fast. Touch screens take time to respond and the maps are updated less frequently than a Google Maps of life, for example. Android Auto enough just to replace this system and deliver all that is processed by the smartphone. The result is that the system loads and responds much faster, has more modern and intelligent features -. Android Auto improved in all points, errors that automakers continue sending in heavy interfaces and unfriendly
All Android Auto smartphone wheel, which only needs to be plugged into the USB port that the car already has to get music on a flash drive, it boots – different from CarPlay, Apple, you need to download the application from within the Google Play and this application is not yet available in the Play Store tupiniquim. Once plugged in, the interface is changed and closely resembles what you see on Google Now. Here, the first screen appears, which is the middle (in the selection screen), you will find all your cards appointments and routes, which already in your Google now. This same interface that is on the phone makes the learning curve is very positive, since there are few new features that you need to learn or identify.
There are five screens , the first of which is the navigation screen and uses only Google Maps for this. There is still no support for other navigation apps give the guys out there, such as Waze and even Here – the latter would be amazing since it allows you to download maps and do research on maps offline without internet connection. This Google Maps screen is exactly the same screen you will see the lie of the smartphone Maps and let the guidance change the display for viewing in landscape. The buttons and icons are the same and are in the same place. – Until the voice that will guide you is the same Google
The second screen displays information about the phone, with the option to find a contact and call him. Everything is done by touch or by voice command that can be triggered by the steering wheel button (if your car has one) or the virtual button in the upper right corner. The next screen is the Google Now and then it, you find one that matches the music apps that are compatible with Android Auto, in which case there is more than one option. It is possible to listen to your music stored on your smartphone or so songs that are in a streaming service, like Google Play Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Deezer, Pandora and Stitcher – just touch the music icon and choose the app you want play the song
the last button is only one key to car information and, when there is this data, it returns to the original vehicle interface. – where, for example, you can tune in a station local radio and do everything that your car is already without the need for any Android. You can even choose the radio and then open the Android Auto, so that the station will continue playing even with Google’s system over which is only paused when someone calls you when you receive or send a message and when you choose an app Android to listen to music.
is it practical?
You may find that the number of applications that can run on the Android Auto is small, but remember you’re in a car and it is not safe to be playing Candy Crush with the console screen, or watch a YouTube video and even Netflix. How the driver’s attention needs to be on the highway, the system only displays something that can help and entertain without disturbing. All messages, which can be messaging or even third-party app like Telegram, Messenger, ICQ and Skype, are read by the Android Auto and nothing is displayed on the screen (again, the driver’s attention needs to be on the road and not on the screen island). The answers to these messages can also be written by voice command and no keyboard. Oh, speaking on keyboard, the only way to use a keyboard is parking the car and opening the search Google Maps address – if you are driving and want to trace the route to the neighboring town, or to the home of her boyfriend, only can do this with the voice command – which works very well, by the way
in addition, the voice command also allows the issues you already do with Google now, like asking if it will rain tomorrow. or what their commitments to the afternoon. He responds in kind, but does not display information on the screen.
I liked being able to choose the application you want to send the message (needed just say “send message by Telegram,” for Android Auto understand the message should not be sent through Hangouts, Skype or any other messaging app than Telegram) but I missed being able to choose the maps application that I want to use. Waze has traffic information that Google Maps does not have, and be updated with this data with more speed. The Here you can download everything and let the program access without requiring any internet connection.
The phone is unusable while with Android Auto running and the screen goes black, with the program name displayed (you can turn off the screen if you wish). This means that if you want to open a picture and show who’s in the passenger seat, you must remove the USB port of the device, open the photo show and then plug in again to use the system.
Conclusion
This embedded system is far more intelligent than any other created and used by any car company – they assemble cars, are good at it and only it. Separating an interface made by someone who already understands very well the software, made it appear a very smart and fast way. Android Auto can remove (if you do not listen to FM radio or AM) everything bad that is in the interface, but still does not allow any third party apps maps appear – is a matter of time for Google to release it, as he did with the songs that may come from other apps that do not play music, like Spotify and TuneIn.
the arrival of a car that costs far less than $ 100,000 and comes with a system that allows you to run Android Auto is good news. The Fox Track 2016 is sold, in this version, for something close to R $ 46,000 and the screen with Android Auto costs extra and makes everything in R $ 50,000. It is still expensive, but it is less expensive than it was last year.
And, yes, it is a much better investment than any GPS device you consider buying. Yes, Android Auto very worthwhile and today is much more advanced and with more features than CarPlay Apple (you can read my review about Apple’s system by clicking here) and it can also work on this car . Oh, you need a smartphone with Android 5.0 or higher, to have the Android Auto running -. The tests, we used a Galaxy S6 and also the Nexus 5
Text by André Fogaça (andre @ tudocelular.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment