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Audi's latest Q7 supports Android Auto and CarPlay
It seems Audi's Q7 is brand agnostic, at least in the Android vs. Apple battle: It hasn't yet chosen between Android Auto or CarPlay. The demos at CES this week are set shoulder to shoulder with Audi's HMI (Human Machine Interface) connected to either an Android device or an iPhone. Using the MMI knob -- if you've been in an Audi before -- is as intuitive as you remember, but instead of navigating through the factory system, you're now going to be using your phone interface. Once you've selected either CarPlay or Android Auto from the main menu, the phone's interface takes over. The steering wheel includes a button to activate Siri or Google Now for voice input and the wheel will scroll you through either system's menus. No surprises here as far as functionality, but the fact that the carmaker began to support both almost as quickly as heavyweights like Pioneer is an impressive feat. Look for this in Audi cars starting with the 2016 Q7 when it starts hitting showrooms this year. We look forward to couples everywhere finally settling the "Apple is better/Android is better in a car" question once and far all.
Volkswagen's connected cars have three displays and park themselves
Volkswagen's wading into the connected car space in a few different ways including more autonomous driving. First up is the Golf R Touch hatchback. It's sporting three displays on the dashboard, with two being touchscreens. A positively massive 12.8-inch main console rests above an 8-inch control center on the dash, while a 12.3-inch instrument cluster -- likely trickle-down tech from subsidiary Audi -- resides behind the steering wheel. The screens are all high-res (SlashGear reports the main screen is running at 2,560 x 1,700) and were designed to eliminate distractions and maximize customization. How's that? The stage demo included camera-based gesture control and drag-and-drop movement of key functions that looked pretty simple. There's a touch-strip below the main screen that tracks tactile input (and offers haptic feedback) for things like adjusting the radio volume as well.
Parrot's Android-powered car system also does Apple CarPlay
Parrot's car infotainment systems may not be as well-known as its drones and audio products, but here's one that's worth paying attention to. The yet-to-be-named "RNB6" is a two-DIN unit that comes with a gorgeous 7-inch 720p "IPS Pro" touchscreen, along with a 4 x 55-watt audio amplifier and a wired wide-angle 1080p dash cam (with "Super HDR"). The device runs on a slightly customized version of Android 5.0 that offers media playback, navigation, telephony, dash cam, air control, parking assistance and onboard diagnostics (for tire pressure, parking sensors, air conditioning and more); as well as voice control for some of these features. Depending on the type of phone you plug in, the RNB6 can also toggle Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to let you control your phone via its own touchscreen.
Soon you can start Hyundais with an Android Wear watch
Oh, you use an app on your phone to start your car? How passé. Hyundai's gearing up for CES by talking up an Android Wear app that'll let you remotely unlock, locate and start your car with a tap on the wrist. Naturally, if you just can't muster the energy to swipe on your smartwatch, you'll be able to issue voice commands to get the job done, too. Isn't the future grand?
Reuters: Google's 'Android M' will hook cars directly to the internet
If Reuters' rumors are true, then apparently the folks at Mountain View think the Android Auto overlays rolling out this year don't go far enough. Citing unnamed sources, it indicates that an Android 'M' able to embed directly into cars -- no smartphone necessary -- is set to roll out in about a year. The idea is to make Android the standard for controlling navigation and entertainment, no matter what phone the driver is holding. Some automakers, like Hyundai and Honda have already announced plans for systems that run their own custom flavors of Android, but it sounds like this could go much further -- if any automakers actually plug it into their vehicles. The Detroit Auto Show rolls around next month right after CES, if any such project is under way then those seem like excellent times to make an announcement, don't you think?
Next year's Hondas will have Tegra and Android inside
Curious as to just which Honda models you'd see Android pop up in first? If you had money on the 2015 Civic, Civic Tourer and CRV it's time to collect your prize from the pool. Google's mobile OS will appear as standard equipment in those vehicles with a little help from Nvidia, naturally, and as the GPU giant tells it, Honda Connect will be the first infotainment system to run embedded Android on a Tegra chipset. Nvidia says that Connect will sport a 7-inch customizable touch-screen display that acts a lot like what you'd expect from a smartphone or a slate. Naturally that means there are swipe, pinch and zoom gestures along with an app store for the Ice Cream Sandwich-based system. How this will all play with Android Auto, though, remains to be seen.
Engadget Daily: ditching social media, sharpshooting with HUD goggles and more!
Today, we review Garmin's new Forerunner 15 sports watch, learn how to escape social media, watch a sniper hit his target while looking in another direction and hear what our readers have to say about the new HTC One. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Weekends with Engadget: Google I/O 2014, Aereo loses and more!
This week, we went hands-on with Google's Android L developer preview and Android wear, watched the US Supreme Court rule against Aereo, learned how to escape the clutches of the internet and more! Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last seven days. Oh, and be sure to subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!
Google will have sole control over the interfaces of Android Auto, Wear and TV
You'd better get used to the interfaces you saw for Android Auto, Wear and TV at the Google I/O conference this past week -- you're going to be seeing them a lot. Google tells Ars Technica that it will maintain sole (official) control over the interface for all three new platforms, rather than give that power to manufacturers. While companies will be allowed branding and extra services, they won't get to modify the core experience. You won't see a Gear Live sequel with the Gear 2's front end, for example, or find your way around town with a Honda-exclusive take on Android Auto.
Living in a Google world: Why Android L means you'll never have to disconnect
The biggest news to come out of Google's developer-focused I/O conference isn't Android TV or even the several new Android Wear smartwatches; it's that Android is about to become much more than a mobile operating system. It's about to consume your life. With the introduction of the Android L platform (as the next version of that operating system's tentatively being called), Google wants to be a part of everything you do -- with technology, at least. Whether it's swiping through Google Now on your smartphone, dismissing notifications on your smartwatch, using voice search to find a movie on Android TV or searching for a cafe on your in-car display, Android will follow you everywhere. And while features like universal sync across devices and voice commands will likely make your life easier, Google's getting something pretty significant in return: access to nonstop streams of your personal data and search history. In short, it's pretty clear that the "L" stands for "Life."
