Photo: Indiegogo
Android Auto is becoming a more common thing in modern cars, as the adoption of both the wired and the wireless versions is currently on the rise.
But on the other hand, not everybody is necessarily impressed with what it can do. And one of the biggest shortcomings, at least as far as these people are concerned, is the limited support for apps.
By design, Android Auto doesn’t allow apps like Netflix and YouTube because of obvious reasons, but it goes without saying such services would make a lot of sense when the vehicle is parked. Google doesn’t seem to be willing to unlock such capabilities, for now, so only car-optimized apps are currently allowed on Android Auto.
Users who want the full Android experience in their cars are now provided with a new option that comes in the form of a small dongle called CarPC AADongle.
As its name suggests, this is a dongle that must be plugged into the USB port of the car to upgrade standard Android Auto to full Android (keep in mind that Android Auto support is a must, so unless your car can run the wired version, AADongle won’t support it).
The device runs Android 9, so it doesn’t necessarily come with the latest Android experience, but for most people out there, it should still be good enough to run the majority of apps anyway. It can be fitted with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space and depending on the chosen version, it can support 4G LTE support, dual-mics, and so on.
It works as straightforwardly as you’d expect it to work, as the device only requires to be plugged into the USB port of the car. Once you do that, tapping the Android Auto icon on the screen should launch the full Android experience, with several popular apps, such as YouTube, coming pre-installed. The Google Play Store is also available if you want to install other apps.
Posted on Indiegogo, the device comes in multiple versions. The basic version can be had with a $119 donation, while the Pro model can be purchased for $149. The shipping should begin in May.
By design, Android Auto doesn’t allow apps like Netflix and YouTube because of obvious reasons, but it goes without saying such services would make a lot of sense when the vehicle is parked. Google doesn’t seem to be willing to unlock such capabilities, for now, so only car-optimized apps are currently allowed on Android Auto.
Users who want the full Android experience in their cars are now provided with a new option that comes in the form of a small dongle called CarPC AADongle.
As its name suggests, this is a dongle that must be plugged into the USB port of the car to upgrade standard Android Auto to full Android (keep in mind that Android Auto support is a must, so unless your car can run the wired version, AADongle won’t support it).
The device runs Android 9, so it doesn’t necessarily come with the latest Android experience, but for most people out there, it should still be good enough to run the majority of apps anyway. It can be fitted with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space and depending on the chosen version, it can support 4G LTE support, dual-mics, and so on.
It works as straightforwardly as you’d expect it to work, as the device only requires to be plugged into the USB port of the car. Once you do that, tapping the Android Auto icon on the screen should launch the full Android experience, with several popular apps, such as YouTube, coming pre-installed. The Google Play Store is also available if you want to install other apps.
Posted on Indiegogo, the device comes in multiple versions. The basic version can be had with a $119 donation, while the Pro model can be purchased for $149. The shipping should begin in May.
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