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Carsifi Wireless Android Auto Adapter review: A smooth ride for some single-vehicle families
It'll take a specific use case for this adapter to make sense
If you’ve purchased or rented a new car in the past five years or so, there’s a good chance it supports Android Auto, Google’s smartphone projection system that lets you put Google Maps and other Android apps up on your dashboard in a way that’s vastly superior to the infotainment systems found in most vehicles.
Carlinkit 5.0 review: Reliable wireless Android Auto with a catch
A solid Android Auto adapter — once you get it working
Today, many vehicles support Android Auto, letting you project Google Maps, YouTube Music, Spotify, or whatever other apps you want to hit the road on your in-vehicle display. However, while it's not hard to find a car that includes Android Auto, most still require you to plug your phone in with a USB cable; standard Bluetooth systems don't have the bandwidth to pull it off, so you either need a higher-end trim with built-in Wi-Fi or a wireless Android Auto adapter to bridge the gap. That's where the Carlinkit 5.0 comes in.
Carlinkit AI Box CarPlay Max review: Much more than an Android Auto adapter
This Android-powered car entertainment system might be overkill but it's fun
While automakers are constantly trying to improve their in-car navigation and infotainment systems, they have difficulty matching what the smartphone that's in your pocket can do for you. That's where Android Auto comes in, allowing you to bring all the power of your Android phone to your dashboard — from Google Maps to YouTube Music.
Upgrade your car to wireless Android Auto with these 2 big Prime Day deals
AAWireless or Motorola's MA1 dongle — the choice (and the savings) is yours
It's summertime, and you know what that means. Whether you're headed up to the lake house this weekend or taking a cross-country trip, it's time to hit the road for some much-earned vacation time. You'll need all sorts of things for a successful road trip — snacks first and foremost — but your phone is by far the most vital travel tool you can keep in your back pocket. Of course, you shouldn't (and legally can't) use your phone while driving, and that's where Android Auto comes in.
AAWireless is now available through Amazon for your wireless Android Auto convenience
You don't have to buy directly through the company's website anymore
For years, the dream of wireless Android Auto has been locked behind the hurdle of buying a new car that supports it — or, at the very least, upgrading your head unit with a new, much more expensive model. With dongles from Motorola and AAWireless, those requirements are a thing of the past. While the Motorola MA1 continues to face stock shortages as countless drivers seek to upgrade their head unit, AAWireless has been offering direct sales of its gadget for about a month now. Today, picking one up is even easier, as the device is now available through Amazon.
You can now just outright buy the crowdfunded AAWireless Android Auto adapter
The Android Auto dongle eliminates the need for a cable between your phone and car
Android Auto can really add a lot to your driving experience, but who wants to clutter up their car with a bunch of cables? Pretty much every modern Android smartphone (at least those supporting 5GHz Wi-Fi and running Android 11) is capable of running AA wireless now, so there's near-perfect compatibility from the mobile end. Any roadblock is more often on the car side, and that's where a handy little adapter comes in as a retrofit of sorts, allowing a perfect cable-free connection. Launched over a year back, AAWireless debuted as an Indiegogo-exclusive, but that's thankfully not the case anymore.
Motorola MA1 review: The best wireless Android Auto adapter
An effective way to add wireless Android Auto to your car
Android Auto has existed for years, and now most new vehicles support it. Some cars can even run Android Auto wirelessly—no plugging in your phone and tossing it awkwardly into a cup holder. Wireless AA is mostly limited to luxury vehicles and the higher trim levels of mid-range cars, but what if I told you wireless Android Auto can be yours in almost any vehicle for just $90? That's what it costs to get the Motorola MA1, the first wireless Auto dongle Google has seen fit to promote. I've been using the MA1 for the last few months, and I've barely had to use my USB cables. I was expecting to enumerate the bugs, frustrations, and shortcomings of this device in the review, but I'm here to tell you a very different story: the MA1 is great, and you should buy it... if you ever find it in stock.
Motorola's wireless Android Auto dongle is currently sold out, but it won't be for long
Another chance to ditch your USB-C cables
Motorola managed to be the first company to burst onto the scene with a certified wireless dongle for Android Auto, and to our surprise, it's actually pretty fantastic. Aside from some expected battery concerns, turning your existing dashboard into a wireless receiver is pretty great, with plenty of drivers excited to ditch those old USB-C cables. Unfortunately, it's pretty tough to find the dongle right now — though it might not remain that way for long.
One of America's favorite cars is getting a wireless Android Auto option
The 2022 Honda Civic comes with wired Android Auto standard, wireless available as an upgrade
The Honda Civic is one of the most popular vehicles on the planet, and especially in the US and Canada, thanks to its low price, reliability, and immanent practicality. It's also, starting next year, one of the most accessible ways to get wireless Android Auto in a new car. The redesigned 11th-generation model will add wireless Android Auto capability to its upgraded entertainment system.
Android Auto is finally coming to some cars you'll never afford
You can stop walking out of the Porsche dealership upset with the lack of Google connectivity
Android Auto has been around long enough to be adopted by all major car manufacturers, with the final holdout — BMW — having taken the plunge late last year. That still leaves out a few specialized car companies refusing to support Google's car-friendly service. You can scratch Porsche off that list, as the 2022 911 models will be the carmaker's first vehicles to include Android Auto.
BMW is finally rolling out the Android Auto update over the air
It'll start reaching the US in around two weeks
BMW was one of the last automakers to add Android Auto to its vehicles, and owners with compatible cars still have to go to the dealer to get the update. That's changing soon, though; BMW has just announced that an over-the-air update will start rolling out "over the coming weeks."
AAWireless adapter that brings wireless to any Android Auto unit blows through crowdfunding goal
The Indiegogo campaign for AAWireless just started
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While compatibility with wireless Android Auto is expanding on phones, there are still many in-car head units and media players that are stuck using tethered connections. That's where a device called 'AAWireless' comes in, which aims to add wireless support to as many Android Auto units as possible.
Wireless Android Auto will work on every phone with Android 11 and 5GHz Wi-Fi
Devices in the EU will have to get approval for 5GHz
Android Auto has traditionally required connecting your phone to a car with a USB cable, but a wireless mode was introduced in 2018 for some Pixel phones. Samsung devices were later added to the compatibility list, and starting with Android 11, every Android phone that supports 5GHz Wi-Fi should be capable of running wireless Android Auto.
Android Auto expands wireless compatibility to most supported countries
Only Japan and Russia are excluded
Some cars and head units are capable of displaying Android Auto from your phone wirelessly, but there are additional restrictions to the functionality — other than owning a compatible handset, you also need to live in one of the regions where the wireless connection is available. Luckily, the list of supported countries is expanding, and now you can use wireless Android Auto in almost all locations where the wired version is available, with only two exceptions: Japan and Russia.
Android Auto is handy to have in your car, but one of its main caveats is the requirement to have your phone plugged in at all times. Wireless Android Auto aims to solve that problem, and JVC and KENWOOD have collectively announced seven units that support it. KENWOOD's five units, all of which are understandably pretty pricey, are now shipping in the US.
We knew it was coming but it's now official: JVCKENWOOD has debuted 7 new car head units under its JVC and Kenwood brands with support for Wireless Android Auto. This means no more fussing with the USB cable and plugging your phone in every time you get in the car: the Auto interface will work wirelessly. This will be great for short trips, but you're still better off charging your phone during long drives, especially if you're using GPS for navigation, lest the battery die prematurely.
Android Auto makes the in-car experience a lot nicer (at least when it's not bugging out), but it's tedious to have to plug your phone in every time you get in the car just to use it. We've been hoping for a wireless solution for some time now, and it seems like it's finally becoming a reality. JVCKENWOOD will have two receivers capable of wireless Android Auto on display at CES 2018.