So the GS2 won both the Readers’ Choice and Editor’s Pick in the 2011 Gizmodo Awards — but how does it stack up as a GPS replacement for the car? Giz reader Jason takes it for a test drive.
Have your own video review you’d like to share with the Giz community? Email us the link.
Marek
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 1:11 AMNice review mate :)
I have the same dock and i have found 1 problem with it.
I use the 3.5mm jack from the dock to connect to my stereo head unit.
So using the music player on the phone i can hear the sound coming through the car speakers, at this point its all working great.
Now comes the issue, when i take a call or make a call the audio to the headunit stops and the sound for the phone call then starts coming out from the GS2′s external loud speaker instead of getting sent to the headunit.
I have tried many different setting with no resolve, the only way i can make it work properly as it should is if i stick the 3.5mm plug into the phone itself and not the dock :(
Does your dock do the same thing? or anyone else reading this?
Harvz
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:39 AMyou need to answer the phone normally and not turn the speaker phone on
Troy
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:38 AMSame issue here. Apparently its a software limitation, I’ve been looking for a workaround but theres nothing. Im using a modified firmware (litening rom) and have been looking for another to support calls through the dock but no luck yet.
I’ve been using a SGS2 specific app called Dock Sound Redirector, it puts your music through the dock (apparently it does this anyway?), turns your media volume right up and can keep the screen on too. Very handy. Managed to deleted the stupid default vlingo car thing too, got sick of it coming up.
Marek
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 5:10 PMHow did you delete the voice app? i find it annoying how it auto runs when you dock the phone :(
daryl
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:12 AMI’m not too excited about using a phone as a GPS on the dashboard because my iPhone would shut down in the heat.
My Tomtom is designed to be stuck to the dashboard and won’t shutdown in the heat.
I can only speak for the iphone as I don’t know if the galaxy would fare any better.
Drew
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:58 AMI spend six weeks driving around America earlier in the year, using my HTC Desire as GPS and music player for the car. Had it plugged into the charger the whole time, no issues. It got warm but not hot.
Ash
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:42 AMLol @ iphone.
RooBoy
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 2:56 PMI’ve got a Ip4 and use it regularly as a GPS with Tomtom S/W, I haven’t noticed any problems with shutting down due to overheating, though it does get awfully warm, especially in a convertible in the summer sun, but its never shut down. If you’ve still got the phone it may be a H/W issue
abe
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 7:03 AMAll Android 2.2 and above comes standard Google Navigation. The synthesised voice are terrible though understandable, but most of the time it will get you though Sydney traffic faster than TomTom.
Having bluetooth sound system is a superb compliment, it can navigate and stream your music at the same time through your sound system. Been using Google Nav on HTC for over a year now, including my recent holiday in Japan. Loving it. Would not go back to TomTom.
Will road test Samsung GS2 this coming Christmas weekend…
Bigmac
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:27 AMI use one of the air vent mounts for my N1 (and will order one for my SGN when it arrives). In summer it is great because the air vents keep the unit cool. In winter, I just shut that vent off.
Chris
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:21 AMAndoird has issues, big issues with bluetooth and call handling.
Autoconnecting to the BT handsfree kit requires an app.
Voice commands barely work and in general Google needs to go back to scratch with the whole process.
I should be able to push the talk button on the BT device and have voice recognition start, nope it takes a long push, a long push should be last called number. I hate to say it but Apple has a far superior implementation here, that’s about the only good thing I can say though.
The GSII coming with Navigon is brilliant, I have the Samsung dock for it and it works well, the only issue is removing the phone from the dock. It’s so tightly held that the phone mount comes away from the base mount so you have to put it back together again, not good.
In general I would have to say a dedicated nav system other than built into the car is a dead market.
bri_cheese
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:36 AMChris, you are a giant stock in the mud. My SGS2 works perfectly with my Mazda MPS3 Bluetooth, no app required. If Bluetooth is on and my car is on, it connects for both music and calls. Two pressed on the button activate voice control. Yes, voice isn’t perfect but adequate.
Although, I once told my phone ‘drive to Highpoint’ and it set a course to Highpoint, Virginia. The route took 59 days, included ferries, via Japan. But it parsed my voice properly…
Chris
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:40 AMBri if you knew what you were talking about. Look it up, there are lots of problems with Android connecting automatically to BT devices. It’s not reliable.
Yes at times it does. It could very well be that your BT system actively pushes the connection and that’s why you get a good response.
Have you noticed that when you activate voice control the music continues ? This causes the voice recognition to fail.
So before you make dumb arse acusations and attack people think that you may just be very wrong or not have all the information even if you think you are perfect.
Drew
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:56 AMI think he knows that he is talking about because it sounds like he actually does it himself rather than just reading others bullshit.
Antonia
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:57 AMI’m with Bri on this. My SGS2 works just fine in my car. Better than my Tom Tom ever did.
bri_cheese
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:26 PMChris, I know about my car + my phone. I was not saying your car + your phone = entire OS fail, like you did. And my car + my phone does not need an extra app.
And mate, a stick in the mud is an observation my grandma would make. Please don’t read any other user comments on giz if you feel personally attacked by that ultra mild comment, your eyes will burn out.
Chris
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:52 PMAnd I know my car and phones.
I have a Gs2 and a Galaxy tab 7 and both have the same issue. I and many others need to use bluetooth reconnector to get things working.
Bri you have a go at me (and yes you were attacking but really you are so nothing) saying I know nothing when I was talking about my experience, you have a go at me essentually saying you and your car are perfect.
I am very happy for you that you have no problems, that’s brilliant but it is not the case for me and I know for many others, instead of replying with your good experience you put others down to make yourself feel better than anyone else. Your comments later are sad at best, I could not care a crap about what people say on here but I do care about sticking up for myself.
The comment about the police later was a joke as well, such a sad stupid response 51kbe
Chris
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:23 AMOh and it looks like this was filmed with only one person in the car. This then is evidence as it is illegal to operate devices such as cameras whilst driving.
Watch out the poice don’t come knocking.
51kbee
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:24 AMoohh now stop it Chris, or you will go blind ;)
Drew
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:31 AMI used CoPilot with my HTC Desire in America for six weeks this year.
It was awesome! The best thing is that it was only $5 to buy, played music from my phone through the car stereo and calls…
I will never buy a normal GPS again
bri_cheese
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:40 AMAnd, great review Jason.
Your beard gets 9/10 as well, very.impressive.
Ash
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:48 AMThe worst thing that mobile GPS lacks (whether its Google Maps or Navigon), is that they dont tell you about approaching speed/red light/safety cameras whereas a dedicated GPS does. For me this is a big gripe which I hope they add in soon. Its particularly useful when driving in unfamiliar areas.
Troy
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:40 AMI have an odd issue. When using the navigation, it will randomly starting reading out website links, I think its a code for the maps or something. It will read it to the end, wait, then start again. It blocks out most of my navigation commands, and can only be stopped when i actually close the app. I dunno if its the navigation app, vlingo (the car voice thing which i’ve now deleted and replaced) or my custom firmware (litening rom 6).
Thoughts anyone?
Husky
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:11 PMWhat are the legal aspects of doing this. I thought of using my phone as a GPS, but a Traffic officer from Vic police told me that using a phone for anything other than phone calls through a hands free kit was fineable.
bri_cheese
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:29 PMAs far as I know, in Vic, it’s just no touching the phone unless it’s in a dedicated mount, no matter what you’re using it for. Sorry can’t be bothered looking for a link…
smurfydog
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:23 PMThat used to be the case, but now it is allowed to use your phone’s GPS if it is in a commercially sold mount as bri said.
To use as a phone or music player, it must also be able to be operated by the driver without the driver touching the phone (not even a button press to activate voice commands.)
smurfydog
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:25 PMShould add – mount must be fixed to the car, and phone must not be resting on driver’s body. And note it is to be a commercially sold mount, so no blu-tack or rubber band hacks.
the_wastelander
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 11:55 PMPure curiosity… which app is that headset icon near bottom right corner in Car Dock Home? What is that for?