Simple Droid car PC?

**Arrowhead45x** · 04-12-2010, 10:29 AM

So what if I only want Mp3 playback and GPS (and phone of course)? Can a Droid handle this? I'm a smart phone newb so I'm not sure thier capabilities. I read a couple threads where people have taken the audio out and jacked into thier amp. That works for me.

**malcom2073** · 04-12-2010, 10:48 AM

I've used my Droid for mp3 playback while my carpc was out of commission, to be honest it's way too small and there aren't really any car-friendly apps out there to make it worth using full time.

**Tidder** · 04-12-2010, 11:20 AM

I'm with malcom on this one. It's not a fun device for a simple CarPC replacement. Navigating thru music on such a small screen while driving is sure to cause you some grief.

**justchat_1** · 04-12-2010, 12:26 PM

If you don't change music while driving it works ok (set a playlist before you go)...otherwise like everyone else said-you'll end up in a tree trying to change songs.

**upspace** · 04-16-2010, 08:48 AM

Go for Archos 5 Android. It has 5 inch good screen and can be mounted. Come with SD 32 GB or HD 500 GB. Enoough for 90% of CarPC usage (GPS, DVB-T add-on, FM Radio, all video format, also HD, all music etc.)

**Tidder** · 04-16-2010, 10:23 AM

It's not really the screen that's the issue. It's the interface itself. There aren't any good apps that are Car friendly to allow you to keep your attention on the road.

**colindunscombe** · 06-01-2010, 03:11 PM

There are now!
The Nexus One has a bespoke car mode that gives you music phone and gps, plus for a (fairly extortionate) fee you can buy the google car dock.
Still sticking to my macmini tho, but soon probably tehered thru the Nexus One instead of the dongle.

Colin

**justchat_1** · 06-01-2010, 04:27 PM

many android phones have a car mode....it is by no means even close to a front end replacement.

**Tidder** · 06-01-2010, 06:38 PM

Yeah, my Moto Droid does, and it's not good for really anything other than shortcuts to not-car-friendly apps.

**CraziFuzzy** · 06-01-2010, 07:32 PM

I still find the Google Maps w/ Navigation on my Droid to be superior to any PC based software out there. The only cons it has is the small screen, and the poor text to speech quality. I'm tempted to try running it in an android emulator just to get better nav on my carpc.

My wife uses the droid as her primary device in her car (uses it for Nav, Pandora, and iHeartRadio) in the motorola car dock. None of those features really require any interaction while driving, meaning the small screen is of not much consequence to her.