Wired Android Auto is about as plug-and-play as it gets. The moment you plug the USB cable into your phone, everything connects in less time than it takes your engine to warm up a little before you roll off. However, annoyingly, it always seems to turn on Bluetooth too, but why does that keep happening when you’re using wired Android Auto?
Android Auto is great and easy to use, especially in wireless mode. You hop in the car, the phone connects, and you're good to go. However, that doesn't help with all the settings, controls, playlist selection, and other things that distract you on the road or make you sit in the driveway for a few minutes before leaving. That's why I built a one-tap shortcut that changes everything at once.
“Can it run DOOM?” It’s the question people love to half-jokingly ask about every gadget with a screen. Android, of course, can run DOOM — but what about Android Auto? That’s an entirely different beast.
Android Auto's launcher can get crowded fast, and a cluttered screen is the last thing you want staring back at you while driving. Trimming it down to the essentials makes the whole experience faster, safer, and far less distracting.
I always find that Android Auto is at its best when you keep it as stripped back as possible. It's great for navigation and music, but throw a podcast app into the mix, and it can quickly start to complicate things again. You don't want to be browsing through hundreds of episodes or fiddling with complicated menus while driving.
Android Auto does a great job of putting the things you actually need behind your car’s screen, so you can leave your phone alone and focus on driving. But there are still plenty of moments when your phone is simply the easiest way to get something done. That becomes especially awkward when you’re driving with a passenger who wants to take over for a moment.
Every so often, I learn about a new Linux app that seems like it would be interesting and help streamline my work. It's never a bad idea to expand your software horizons. So I checked out an app called Albert to see if it could improve my workflow.
Wireless Android Auto is easy to use. You get in the car, and your phone connects on its own — which is what attracted me to it to begin with. However, as I started to use it more, I realized that the wired setup was actually worth all the hassle. I would rather have a phone that always works than the convenience of wireless.
Most people know texting while driving is dangerous, but they do it anyway. There is so much peer pressure to be considerate of those waiting for you, but the law is pretty clear. Distracted driving is one of those crimes that makes a lot of sense when you see the numbers, but you want to be considerate. Luckily, Google has already thought this through.
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