Cell phone in the car, without distractions: Android Auto is the new … – LA NACION (Argentina)

Changes the operation of the phone for ease of use; the interaction is minimized, and exploits the voice commands

Google introduced the version 2 of Android Auto, a free app that when activated, changes the operation of the phone to make it more user-friendly when the user is driving. The tool, which follows what they did on their own several companies (HTC and Motorola, among others) has a single objective: to facilitate and limit the interaction of the user with the smartphone to allow you to concentrate on driving.

And it is also a bet of the company as an alternative to Android Auto that comes preloaded on the latest models of cars 0 km (Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Gol in the country). Apple offers something similar with CarPlay (which is also present in the two models mentioned). What added to this application is that it allows you to access a similar way, in any car, to carry them hooked to the board (or on a scooter or a bike, eventually).

The operation is very simple: when you load the application changes the interface, and occupies the whole screen, showing a few buttons, and texts with large font, to minimize the attention required to manipulate the equipment and time that the user diverts the gaze of the way: everything is geared to a verbal interaction with the phone.

Android Auto has an initial view that shows some data cards (the state of the weather, the latest calls, for example). After offers three alternatives: the first is access to maps and guided navigation, very similar to how it works with the phone in its standard mode, but with some additions, like a green sign that appears over the entire screen when we approach a corner in which we have to bend or an exit of the motorway.

The second list of last dialled numbers and allows access to the keypad on the phone, see missed calls, voice mailbox. The third is the function of music, that list of the supported applications (the Android music player and what the user has installed that is compatible with this mode).

There are two additional elements. One is the microphone button on the top right, that allows you to activate the wizard Google Now to be able to give verbal commands and not have to manipulate the screen of the phone. You can say “send whatsapp to this contact with such a text”, for example, or going by steps.

If someone sends a chat message, it appears as a notification, and the user can do four things: hear the text converted to audio by Google, send an automatic reply (the default is “I’m driving”), mute a conversation while using the application, or reply to the message with a text dictation.

This application does not do magic. It works well in most of the cases, even though the arrival of quick multiple chat messages can desconcertarla. And succeeds in its purpose: to leave a minimum of functions on the screen and allow voice control. But it requires an occasional look at the screen of the phone or a couple of taps to interact with the content of the team; this involves deflecting the view of the street, so should be used with caution.