There are a lot of nifty gadgets you can install in your car nowadays–and we’re not just talking regular old car stereos! Common installations in modern cars include DVD player built right into the dashboard to a handy GPS to a camera and even a backup camera for extra safety! If you’re like me, you love to take advantage of new, modern technology to make your car the best it can be. But there is one problem: as wonderful as all these gadgets are, it can be time consuming, expensive, and even battery consuming to install all of these gadgets on their own!
I used to assume the expenses—in more ways than one—were just something I’d have to live with. But then I saw an article online advertising Android car stereos. I knew Android from the phone—I’ve had a few great Android smart phones in my day—but I didn’t realize that they released car equipment as well. I did some digging and found out something pretty amazing: the Android car stereos are all of those “nifty gadgets” I mentioned above—built into one! One expense, one installation, and much better performance to battery ratios than anything else on the market.
Android Car Stereo Features
What, exactly, do Android car stereos have to offer? It can depend on what stereo you’re looking at, since certain models offer more features. Most basic Android car stereos will offer the following features:
- In Dash GPS navigation
- In Dash Camera (and possibly a backup camera!)
- Bluetooth connectivity and/or ports for your smartphones to connect so you can answer and make calls without picking up your phone
- Mp3 player or smart phone mp3 music connectivity functions
Personally, I need my Android car stereos to have at least In Dash GPS navigation, In Dash Camera, as well as the ability to connect hands-free to my smart phone and play music from my phone or an mp3 player. I personally don’t see the need for the built-in DVD player but I can understand why some people like to have them. The backup camera is another feature that I love, though I don’t consider it a complete necessity unless you have a larger car and you have more blind spots and trouble when backing up. If I upgrade to a bigger car, I will definitely consider the backup camera on my “must have” list.
Top 5 All in One Android in Dash Car
No 1. Pumpkin 7 Inch Android in Dash Touch Screen Radio
The Pumpkin Android car stereo is one of my favorite models because it’s actually based on the very latest in Android technology. This means it has more features, a faster processor, and is more up to date than similar Android car phones. It has a highly responsive 6.2 touch screen, Bluetooth capabilities, a built-in DVD player which can also play CDs, as well as a USB sport and micro SD card slot. IN many ways the ‘Pumpkin’ is like a mini computer on its own, which is why I recommend checking it out if you want a lot of processing power out of your Android car stereo.
No 2. Joying 10 Inch Android Touch Screen Car Stereo
The Joying Android car stereo is definitely hot right now. What I appreciated about the Joying stereo is its size: its 10.1″ big, which means you won’t have to fumble around with a stylus on the touch screen because your fingers aren’t the size of mini pencils! It runs on 1 GB ram, features 16 GB rom, and has everything from built-in Wi-Fi and 3G/4G capabilities to a built-in Bluetooth function and even the ability to buy from the Google Play Store. I didn’t personally use the Google Play capability while testing it out, but I’m sure there are people who would appreciate it.
No 3. XTRONS Android Car Stereo with DVD Player
The XTRONS Android car stereo really stood out to me because of its 64-bit CPU processor. It runs like a laptop, which is exactly what you want in a ‘smart’ stereo for your car! It features Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi and 3g capabilities, and a very high video quality that eliminates the possibility of not being able to read what’s on your stereo while driving—definitely a plus! It is more of a “basic” model, but it’s a high quality basic model that worked just right for me.
No 4. Yinuo Android In Dash Stereo with Build-in DVD Player GPS
The Yinuo Android car stereo is packed with functions! ‘Typical’ functions such as Bluetooth and wife capability worked perfectly, and the touch screen was very responsive for easy browsing when you’re using the GPS or if you’re fiddling with pictures or the internet when parked. I especially appreciated the ability to play music wirelessly, which cuts down the need for extra cords and tethering your phone to the stereo.
No 5. Naviskauto Android Touch Screen with Backup Camera Support
The Naviskauto Android car stereo was one of my favorites, and it’s definitely the stereo I would recommend to just about anyone. It runs on a Quad core processor, features a high resolution touch screen, high quality built in-Wi-Fi___33 AND a Wi-Fi___33 hotspot that runs from your phone network; it also has additional functions like a 8 GB GPS card for when you need maps to load lightning fast, as well as a backup camera for making backing up easier and safer than ever. The one downside is that there is no CD player or DVD player, so if you want to pump out your own tunes you’ll need to keep them on your phone or on an mp3 player.