[Arcanox]

1) I found that only the original usb cable that came with my Samsung Galaxy S6 would have the Android Auto work. At first, I used a cable that came with an adapter / cable bought off of Amazon (a second "backup") and Android Auto would not work. The backsplash would change but none of the buttons were responsive. The phone did say to use the "original" cable that came with the phone but I obviously shrugged that off. It worked right away with the original cable and when I switched to the other one it again did not work. I don't know how the heck the system can distinguish the proper cable from the "impostor." Not really a question, I guess, but has anyone else had this happen?

2) After I plug my phone in and Android Auto is engaged, I cannot use my phone at all (hitting home button, swiping does nothing, just stays on the Android Auto screen). Again, is this normal? I mean I understand not using the phone while driving, but sometimes I need to access the phone and as of now, I have to pull the cable to use it. Is there a workaround?


Kev

Any decent cable should work. Chances are the cable you were trying to use at first was cheap and didn't have the data bandwidth for Android Auto.

If you hit the "recent apps" button and then the home button, it should return to your actual home screen. It does for me, at least. Otherwise you can just switch to another app using the recents menu and use it.

 

[firehawk72]

1) I found that only the original usb cable that came with my Samsung Galaxy S6 would have the Android Auto work. At first, I used a cable that came with an adapter / cable bought off of Amazon (a second "backup") and Android Auto would not work. The backsplash would change but none of the buttons were responsive. The phone did say to use the "original" cable that came with the phone but I obviously shrugged that off. It worked right away with the original cable and when I switched to the other one it again did not work. I don't know how the heck the system can distinguish the proper cable from the "impostor." Not really a question, I guess, but has anyone else had this happen?

2) After I plug my phone in and Android Auto is engaged, I cannot use my phone at all (hitting home button, swiping does nothing, just stays on the Android Auto screen). Again, is this normal? I mean I understand not using the phone while driving, but sometimes I need to access the phone and as of now, I have to pull the cable to use it. Is there a workaround?


Kev

#1 I have a Moto X Phone, not OEM cable, just a high quality off Amazon, no issues, works great

#2 It is kind of tricky, but yes, I can work my phone, but you must exit the app while plugged up. This is hard to explain without demonstrating it. I can still use the Navigation "google" screen while my wife uses the my Moto X phone. The "google" maps directions are still projected on the car's screen and directions are clearly given and spoken, and she can still use my phone to do anything else.

#3 You can't display everything on your phone onto the car's screen, it must be a compatible app and you can find that in the Google Play Store easy enough. Sending and receiving messages through Wattsapp, Messenger, and Telegram is a breeze. My link with Android Auto is setting the standard for others to follow here IMHO.

 

[Sean Nelson]

1) I found that only the original usb cable that came with my Samsung Galaxy S6 would have the Android Auto work.

USB cables that come with power adapters often have only the power wires and no wires to carry data back and forth. It makes the cables cheaper, but completely useless when trying to connect devices that actually need to communicate. When I find these kinds of cables I cut them in two and throw them in the trash. Life is too short to waste on useless cables, IMHO.

 

[okko]

Thanks for the tips.

I forgot to mention.......I do LOVE the Android Auto capability and it does work terrifically.

 

[heyeph]

#3 You can't display everything on your phone onto the car's screen, it must be a compatible app and you can find that in the Google Play Store easy enough. Sending and receiving messages through Wattsapp, Messenger, and Telegram is a breeze. My link with Android Auto is setting the standard for others to follow here IMHO.

What is the voice command to send a Messenger message?

 

[firehawk72]

What is the voice command to send a Messenger message?

As of this moment, I have never started a message to just send one. I would have to practice and see. We have all those apps and my daughters were having a blast sitting in the back seat sending messages to the car. It will announce and read the messages with no difficulties and then ask you if you want to respond back. Simply by saying "yes" you can send your message back. No issues, works great.

 

[okko]

Are we talking BBM?

Kev

 

[Arcanox]

What is the voice command to send a Messenger message?

You can usually say "Okay Google, send a message to <contact name> on <app name>"

For example, I've done both "Okay Google, send a message to <friend> on Hangouts" and "Okay Google, send a message to <friend> on Telegram" and it works with both. It'll ask you what the message is, let you change it if needed once you're done, and finally send it.

 

[TSquare]

With Android Auto running, the Talk button on the steering wheel becomes dual function. A short press will allow you to give commands to the car. A long press lets you access Google commands.

 

[ckl]

Android auto has a setting where you can just say "OK Google" instead of long pressing the steering wheel button. I think it may be turned on by default.

To gain access to my phone, I've learned that you can swipe down from the top to bring down the notification bar... which then brings up the navigation bar at the bottom - from there you can press the home button or the recent apps button. I don't need to unplug or quit android auto.

I use Whatsapp... so I usually just say "Ok Google", then wait for audible prompt, "Send whatsapp message to <contact name>".

"my daughters were having a blast sitting in the back seat sending messages to the car."

My kids were doing the same thing except they were using tons of different emoji's and the car would happily go and read them out, so I would be driving listening to Google read out "happy face happy face happy face sad face thumbs up thumbs up angry face angry face..." for about 30 seconds until to told them to stop.

 

[Arcanox]

Android auto has a setting where you can just say "OK Google" instead of long pressing the steering wheel button. I think it may be turned on by default.

To gain access to my phone, I've learned that you can swipe down from the top to bring down the notification bar... which then brings up the navigation bar at the bottom - from there you can press the home button or the recent apps button. I don't need to unplug or quit android auto.

I use Whatsapp... so I usually just say "Ok Google", then wait for audible prompt, "Send whatsapp message to <contact name>".



My kids were doing the same thing except they were using tons of different emoji's and the car would happily go and read them out, so I would be driving listening to Google read out "happy face happy face happy face sad face thumbs up thumbs up angry face angry face..." for about 30 seconds until to told them to stop.

My friends and I have a pretty large and chatty Facebook group, and one day I got bored so I tapped the notification to read the chat out loud with about 40 unread messages. We all have long stupid nicknames with emojis in them.

The thing went on for about 5 minutes and I was in tears from laughing so hard by the end of it...it can definitely be entertaining

 

[Sean Nelson]

I use Whatsapp... so I usually just say "Ok Google", then wait for audible prompt, "Send whatsapp message to <contact name>".

Somehow this reminds me of this Arlo and Janis comic strip...

 

[snic]

What is the voice command to send a Messenger message?

Long press on the Talk button on the steering wheel to get the phone to listen, then "Send a text to Jane," if Jane is in your contacts. Or you could substitute the phone number. Works also for "Call Jane" or "Call 555-555-1234".

 

[snic]

#1 I have a Moto X Phone

I also have a Moto X and had all kinds of problems until the Android Auto update a few months ago. The phone would spontaneously disconnect from the car, usually after receiving a text. Sometimes the phone just crashed when connected to the car (never happens otherwise). For a while that still happened occasionally, until I realized that it was due to notifications that Google was sending about traffic. Whenever I rebooted the phone I'd find a traffic notification waiting for me. So I turned those off and it hasn't crashed again. (Basically, Android Auto or not, I don't need Google telling me stuff unless I ask for it.)

 

[okko]

Yes, "okay Google" works great. Say "send a message" and after being asked "to Who" it asks what type of message to send "SMS or BBM" as examples (I believe based on the information in the phone for the contact you are messaging). Seems to remember which service you previously used when sending future messages. Awesome.


Kev