Android Car Radios

KoolKid

Looking at these sweet things
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/android-car-radio
Anyone know if there is a 1 din version of these and anywhere over here that might stock them?

Senna

Whats the point of this? I'm all for gadgets but bar the GPS which can be bought on a headunit for half the price, whats the point? Use facebook as you drive?

KoolKid

I was looking at a video of them on YouTube . Some nice options for streaming music from numerous accounts and devices etc.

MuppetCheck

Senna wrote: »

Whats the point of this? I'm all for gadgets but bar the GPS which can be bought on a headunit for half the price, whats the point? Use facebook as you drive?

You could stream music via Google Play Music, Spotify, Tune in radio etc. You can use Google maps and get live updates. Handy to monitor fuel economy properly through fuel log apps. Different apps can give different interfaces for media players etc.

Great platform for a head unit if implemented properly.

Professey Chin

A lot of them look like they run on Gingerbread (Android 2.3) which I wouldnt recommend for anything really.
I can see a couple of 4.0 ones there but I wouldnt trust them much either. Probably laggy as hell to use

JHet

You'd be better off with a Nexus 7 and a carefully positioned dash mount to be honest.

Senna

MuppetCheck wrote: »

You could stream music via Google Play Music, Spotify, Tune in radio etc. You can use Google maps and get live updates. Handy to monitor fuel economy properly through fuel log apps. Different apps can give different interfaces for media players etc.

Great platform for a head unit if implemented properly.

Stream how?

Cienciano

I doubt there's many single din with all those features, just not enough room on the screen. Although, on some the screen pops out from inside the unit.
I don't think streaming through the 3g network would work. Just got a car stereo myself, I think the best thing to do is get something with a front usb input, make sure it supports ID3 tags, and get one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingston-Technology-DTMCK-64GB-Traveler/dp/B00C6GLF78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371163616&sr=8-1&keywords=64gb+micro+usb

MuppetCheck

Senna wrote: »

Stream how?

Just let your phone be a wireless hot spot. Some of them have a sim slot too. Most data plans would be more than adequate for that purpose.

Cienciano

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Just let your phone be a wireless hot spot. Some of them have a sim slot too. Most data plans would be more than adequate for that purpose.

I doubt the mobile phone network would be up to it

Foxhole Norman

Cienciano wrote: »

I doubt the mobile phone network would be up to it

Should be fine, I use my data plan to stream HD videos pretty often.

KoolKid

Cienciano wrote: »

I doubt the mobile phone network would be up to it

Using a wifi dongle works fine for me..

Cienciano

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

Should be fine, I use my data plan to stream HD videos pretty often.

Staying in one place, or moving around the country in a car?

MuppetCheck

Cienciano wrote: »

Staying in one place, or moving around the country in a car?

One streamed it stays on the device, so you won't be without music. Never really had a problem streaming when driving, the very odd time it might buffer a bit only.

keithclancy

Cienciano wrote: »

I doubt the mobile phone network would be up to it

Maybe not for streams over 128kb .. but for everything else (Spotify ,Pandora, Last FM) it works great.

I use it all the time with my Nexus 7 and my Samsung (Dutch Sim) or Nokia (German Sim) and the hotspot function.

Also handy for Google Navigation with live traffic, Flitsmeister for other Delays and safety alerts.

Use a Tunelink for the sound and a Brodit mount so there are no wires and its secured to the Dash.

Those Radios look cool, but my concern would be that a noname manufacturer would have zero support for these things and there would be no updates, plus with the relatively low ownership there wouldn't be the same level of developer activity with xda developers.

I short i'm happy with the Nexus 7 + Hotspot, also because I cross a border every day and its easier to have 2 phones + tablet rather than 1 tablet with 3g and swapping sims.

georgefalls

What about one of these.?

http://shop.vic-ltd.com/index.php?cPath=2854

djimi

JHet wrote: »

You'd be better off with a Nexus 7 and a carefully positioned dash mount to be honest.

Which is exactly what I do (with my S3). In reality (for me anyway) I wouldnt be using the radio for web browsing or watching video, and for anything else like radio streaming, podcasting etc my phone does the job perfectly. Only benefit might be the GPS, but not really worth the money just for that.

EGriff

georgefalls wrote: »

What about one of these.?

http://shop.vic-ltd.com/index.php?cPath=2854

Ah stop, those yokes are running windows XP, not the most touch friendly OS. Imagine trying to select stuff from the start menu on that tiny screen, you'll end up in the ditch.

I just have my phone mounted to the dash, those things are not worth the money for the sake of an extra 1.5 - 2 inches screen space.

MugMugs

Cienciano wrote: »

I doubt the mobile phone network would be up to it

I watch Rugby at my desk on my phone over a stream and Sky TV when on the move on the bus or train.

No issues.

KoolKid

I kinda found something in between here
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_875559_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

ironclaw

MugMugs wrote: »

I watch Rugby at my desk on my phone over a stream and Sky TV when on the move on the bus or train.

No issues.

3G and mobile data in general has a speed limit (i.e. It degrades performance wise) believe it or not due to wave propagation and fading. 120km/h is actually pretty close to it especially in rural areas with wide cell gaps.

KoolKid

I don't intend doing 120kph while playing with apps on my radio...;)

Cienciano

KoolKid wrote: »

I kinda found something in between here
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_875559_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

Mate was about to order one of them. He needs an adapter lead, so hasn't done it yet. I'll let you know how he gets on

ironclaw

KoolKid wrote: »

I don't intend doing 120kph while playing with apps on my radio...;)

Well the point would be if you planned on streaming on it. Ireland is patchy at best once you leave the major cities.

EGriff

I stream music 5 days a weeks at motorway speeds and it works great, no coverage issues at all.

KoolKid

I would imagine it would be fine most of the time.
Worst case scenario play something on the radio.;)

maddladd

Anyone have opinions on these- know it's not android but has sat-nav, bluetooth hands free and radio/usb/ipod..good buy or not???...£19

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/In-Car-CD-Stereo-Player-Bluetooth-GPS-Single-1DIN-USB-CD-Touch-Screen-ipod-usb-/271215009270

KoolKid

It looks very like the NavSure ones Halfords were doing.
It was impossible to get map updates for them.