Android Auto Thursday

[suchluke]

Happy Android Thursday everyone. I thought I would share what I am doing while the precious Android Auto integration is being implemented. For the time being I acquired carlinkit as per other forum members suggestions. T-Mobile has a specialty plan going on right now $10 (with autopay) for 30GB internet data after which it slows down to 600kbps. The plan is to use the sim card in the carlinkit and have a standalone google maps, waze, netflix etc. This should be pretty good and cost effective workaround.

Link to T-Mobile plan details

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[Genghis]

Happy Android Thursday everyone. I thought I would share what I am doing while the precious Android Auto integration is being implemented. For the time being I acquired carlinkit as per other forum members suggestions. T-Mobile has a specialty plan going on right now $10 (with autopay) for 30GB internet data after which it slows down to 600kbps. The plan is to use the sim card in the carlinkit and have a standalone google maps, waze, netflix etc. This should be pretty good and cost effective workaround.

Link to T-Mobile plan details

Disclaimer: Admins - If this post violates forum advertising rules please delete this post.

Great solution. Well, until next Thursday when AA lands

 

[xponents]

Great solution. Well, until next Thursday when AA lands

*next thanksgiving

 

[Volund]

Happy Android Thursday everyone. I thought I would share what I am doing while the precious Android Auto integration is being implemented. For the time being I acquired carlinkit as per other forum members suggestions. T-Mobile has a specialty plan going on right now $10 (with autopay) for 30GB internet data after which it slows down to 600kbps. The plan is to use the sim card in the carlinkit and have a standalone google maps, waze, netflix etc. This should be pretty good and cost effective workaround.

Link to T-Mobile plan details

Disclaimer: Admins - If this post violates forum advertising rules please delete this post.

I'd also like to note that even when Lucid gets AA
The carlinkit is superior as it has the ability to display or cast the entire screen. So therefore you can watch videos or movies or whatever.

If you have an iPad that's fine, but you still would need to Hotspot or share internet with it.

 

[suchluke]

I'd also like to note that even when Lucid gets AA
The carlinkit is superior as it has the ability to display or cast the entire screen. So therefore you can watch videos or movies or whatever.

If you have an iPad that's fine, but you still would need to Hotspot or share internet with it.

About the ability to display the entire screen. I am still trying to figure that out. Do you happen to have steps how to change the display settings to full screen. I understand that some of the menu items might be hidden.

 

[Volund]

About the ability to display the entire screen. I am still trying to figure that out. Do you happen to have steps how to change the display settings to full screen. I understand that some of the menu items might be hidden.

I've only seen others do it. I don't have the Carlinkit.
I've been pondering whether or not I should bite the bullet and get it or not for the last few weeks.

 

[magesh]

Happy Android Thursday everyone. I thought I would share what I am doing while the precious Android Auto integration is being implemented. For the time being I acquired carlinkit as per other forum members suggestions. T-Mobile has a specialty plan going on right now $10 (with autopay) for 30GB internet data after which it slows down to 600kbps. The plan is to use the sim card in the carlinkit and have a standalone google maps, waze, netflix etc. This should be pretty good and cost effective workaround.

Link to T-Mobile plan details

Disclaimer: Admins - If this post violates forum advertising rules please delete this post.

Can you share screenshots/photos/videos? Which specific Carlinkit did you get? There are three of them on Amazon.

And any cons on the unit? Startup time? Latency issues? Etc ...

TIA

 

[scal_air]

I must be in the minority. I’d like to have AA but I’m not sure how much I’d use it. I have an iPhone (and android too) but rarely use car play. The Lucid nav works 95% of the time for me but when you get that error, paraphrasing, “you can’t get there from here”, it’s irritating. Occasionally, I’ll double check the best route using Waze and throw that up using CarPlay if it differs from the Lucid nav…

 

[xponents]

I must be in the minority. I’d like to have AA but I’m not sure how much I’d use it. I have an iPhone (and android too) but rarely use car play. The Lucid nav works 95% of the time for me but when you get that error, paraphrasing, “you can’t get there from here”, it’s irritating. Occasionally, I’ll double check the best route using Waze and throw that up using CarPlay if it differs from the Lucid nav…

Shh it’s an online forum you have to complain

 

[magesh]

I purchased the Carlinkit (the Max model) and after a day of use, here is my take:
- Wasted screen space. This unit is better suited for cars that have a true rectangular screen, unlike the Lucid which tapers out.
- Every single time I got into the car, I had to restart the box, restart my BT & wait for a minute before connx establishes. (the box is plugged into the Type C outlet & IDK if it draws power even if the vehicle is locked. Maybe the 'session' is still active, IDK?)
- Wifi (on phone) needs to be off.
- Setup was not straight forward. I had to restart BT (phone) a couple of times.
- Android Auto has to be installed on the box. Its not pre-installed.

I'm most likely going to return it since it does not connect seamlessly without user interaction & also the wasted screen space. As is I was not nor am still a fan of the current layout when Lucid switched the shortcut buttons and wasted screen space. This box compresses that even further.

Sample screenshots attached.

 

[thegman82]

I purchased the Carlinkit (the Max model) and after a day of use, here is my take:
- Wasted screen space. This unit is better suited for cars that have a true rectangular screen, unlike the Lucid which tapers out.
- Every single time I got into the car, I had to restart the box, restart my BT & wait for a minute before connx establishes. (the box is plugged into the Type C outlet & IDK if it draws power even if the vehicle is locked. Maybe the 'session' is still active, IDK?)
- Wifi (on phone) needs to be off.
- Setup was not straight forward. I had to restart BT (phone) a couple of times.
- Android Auto has to be installed on the box. Its not pre-installed.

I'm most likely going to return it since it does not connect seamlessly without user interaction & also the wasted screen space. As is I was not nor am still a fan of the current layout when Lucid switched the shortcut buttons and wasted screen space. This box compresses that even further.

Sample screenshots attached.

I got one also. I'm gonna play with mine for a week before rendering a verdict. Plug and play worked in initial setup, but Monday morning will be interesting.

 

[dchesrown]

My experience with the carlink actually paring to my phone is hit and miss. Mostly a miss. Sometimes it pairs, most of the time I have to turn off and on my phones Bluetooth to get it to sync up. Sometimes get wifi password incorrect message. And most of the time if the phone is in the charging dock it just loses the connection. I have been keeping phone on my lap to keep the sync.

While working having waze is great. Just wish it was part of the car not a clunky add on that takes away from the luxury experience.

 

[thegman82]

Happy Android Thursday everyone. I thought I would share what I am doing while the precious Android Auto integration is being implemented. For the time being I acquired carlinkit as per other forum members suggestions. T-Mobile has a specialty plan going on right now $10 (with autopay) for 30GB internet data after which it slows down to 600kbps. The plan is to use the sim card in the carlinkit and have a standalone google maps, waze, netflix etc. This should be pretty good and cost effective workaround.

Link to T-Mobile plan details

Disclaimer: Admins - If this post violates forum advertising rules please delete this post.

So in this implementation, you are logging in to the various apps on the carlinkit directly (using the android OS) and your phone is just doing what it was doing before. You wouldn't be using android auto at all to talk with your phone -- you're just using the carlinkit to load things like Waze, youtube music, google maps, or other google apps that aren't natively supported on the Lucid. Is that right?

 

[suchluke]

So in this implementation, you are logging in to the various apps on the carlinkit directly (using the android OS) and your phone is just doing what it was doing before. You wouldn't be using android auto at all to talk with your phone -- you're just using the carlinkit to load things like Waze, youtube music, google maps, or other google apps that aren't natively supported on the Lucid. Is that right?

That is correct. From my initial testing its like having separate android phone but without the ability to make phone calls since T-Mobile is blocking voice feature on this particular plan. The only option is to use BT Phone app to connect with your phone. I tried configuring Google Voice and attempt to make phone calls through data only. The phone call was successful but I couldn't hear anything through car speakers. I gave app after trying for a while. I wish there would be an option to use carlinkit apps and still have phone connected through Lucid native phone app for voice. This is impossible because the phone app is connected through carplay. Some of the carlinkit apps are hard to navigate bacuse they are made for a phone and the screen is horizontal orientation. It is possible to run apps like YouTube and Netflix but I would advise against it while driving. I think my verdict is to stay with Android Auto connection through carlinkit. The android auto specifc apps have much better interface while driving.
While playing with carlinkit setting somewhere I found additional Bluetooth connection to share internet data. I am not sure if that is carlinkit trying to share date from phone or vice versa. I didn't have time to investigate more.

 

[Genghis]

I wish there would be an option to use carlinkit apps and still have phone connected through Lucid native phone app for voice.

I did pretty extensive testing with the CLK when I had it, and this was the primary reason I returned it. The phone app in the AA through CLK is just not good with too many call issues. Every other app (even with response delay) is tolerable, and I got the unit to boot connect and start AA seamlessly 8/10 times.

 

[msav2000]

So in this implementation, you are logging in to the various apps on the carlinkit directly (using the android OS) and your phone is just doing what it was doing before. You wouldn't be using android auto at all to talk with your phone -- you're just using the carlinkit to load things like Waze, youtube music, google maps, or other google apps that aren't natively supported on the Lucid. Is that right?

No, I do not. The CLK connects to the car as an Apple device. I wait for the logs copying to be over, press the Connect button on the screen, then the Android phone AA layer is activated and synced. All apps, including phone, work as they would with a AA enabled car radio. The only thing I activated on CLK is connected it to my building WiFi - I have no reception in the garage.

Important to have the phone unlocked while AA is syncing, otherwise I get a frozen screen and need to disconnect the CLK through the car menu to reboot it

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

GM Says It's Dropping Apple CarPlay And Android Auto Because They're Unsafe (Update)

The company thinks that the phone mirroring programs are so buggy that they still cause people to use their phones while driving

jalopnik.com

OMG, GM is giving up on AA and we are still waiting. Actually, good article: its all about the $$ in data and GM hopes to NOW get TENS OF BILLIONS in subscription dollars and selling data. - money that was going to Apple and Google.

 

[Bobby]

GM Says It's Dropping Apple CarPlay And Android Auto Because They're Unsafe (Update)

The company thinks that the phone mirroring programs are so buggy that they still cause people to use their phones while driving

jalopnik.com

OMG, GM is giving up on AA and we are still waiting. Actually, good article: its all about the $$ in data and GM hopes to NOW get TENS OF BILLIONS in subscription dollars and selling data. - money that was going to Apple and Google.

My prediction is people will rebel and GM will give in. Apple and android require zero additional subscription money to use in the car.

 

[DeaneG]

OMG, GM is giving up on AA and we are still waiting. Actually, good article:...

Native Google Maps and Assistant though.

 

[DeaneG]

And Waze and YouTube. No need for Android Auto, only Carplay. Completely unfounded rumor: could this be why we have CP and not AA?