Getting Android Auto working on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata

I recently purchased a 2015 Hyundai Sonata, Android Auto support was one of the many reasons for my choice. I downloaded Android Auto to my Nexus 6 and connected it to my car with a USB cable... but nothing happened.

I expected Android Auto to "just work" from the dealer but I quickly discovered that the audio system required an update before Android Auto would function. The update process was simple but painfully slow. An "Android Auto" icon appeared in the all items menu once the update was complete but the icon appeared to be disabled (gray and did not respond to touch).

After a lot of experimentation and research I discovered a forum post on Android Central about Android Auto on the 2015 Hynundai Sonata with a couple of suggestions for getting it to work:

1. Ensure Android Auto is enabled under the "connections" menu on the Hyundai Sonata.
I had paired my phone to the car with bluetooth immediately after purchase, any time I attempted to open the connections menu I received an error that it couldn't be configured while connected. I could only see the options once I disabled bluetooth on my phone (forcing a disconnect).

2. Enable USB debugging on the Android phone
This was an unexpected requirement but Android Auto started working almost immediately after enabling USB debugging!

The process for enabling USB debugging is documented in the Android Developer Documentation.

4G LTE Toggle?

I really wish there was a simple 4G LTE toggle widget for the Thunderbolt. There are a couple of apps in the Market which open the testing menu; however, it should be easier.

So, why isn't there one? Looks like there is not a predefined network connection type in the API: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/net/ConnectivityManager.html.

Normally I'd expect to see a ConnectivityManager.TYPE_LTE but that type doesn't exist yet. The signature for setNetworkPreference is int, so I may be be able to call getNetworkPreference to determine the LTE integer value, store it in a constant, and then reference it later. If the signature is really the enum, I may be out of luck.

Maybe I'll try this when I get home - if I have time. Maybe someone else has already tried it...

HTC Dream Accessories

Every Googler received an HTC Dream as their 2008 holiday bonus. Officially called the Android Dev 1, these devices are very similar to the T-Mobile G1 but without many of the boundaries. I was excited to finally own an Android device and wanted to protect my shiny new toy.

I started researching and speaking with co-workers about protection and cases. I quickly focused on Zagg's invisibleSHIELD and Naztech's Gladiator II case.

invisibleSHIELD

Zagg's invisibleSHIELD has become one of the best known protective methods for cell phones and other electronics. I purchased a whole body shield on Christmas day and it arrived twelve days later. I would normally be upset with a nearly two week delivery; however, this was bearable considering it was the holidays. I read the installation instructions and spent approximately an hour installing it on my Dream. My installation went well but I could not perfect the corners using the palm or thumb techniques. A couple of the corners never made full contact to the device; looking back I wish I had used a blow dryer as well. If the corners begin to peel away I may contact Zagg and request a replacement under their lifetime warranty.

The invisibleSHIELD gave my Dream a completely new texture. When I first installed the shield my phone bordered on tacky but after a few days I realized that it had subsided to a clean and barely noticeable feel. I really like having the whole body protection but I recommend the screen protection at a minimum. The shield does not impare the visibility of the screen and, like the body, it has a wonderful feel now that it has broken in.

A few days after installing my shield Zagg released a how-to video for installing on the G1. I did not realize how liberally I should use the installation spray until after installing mine and reviewing the videos. Considering the amount of spray that comes with the kit you can be extremely liberal as long as you avoid the open ports.

Gladiator II
I ordered a Naztech Gladiator II case from onlyg1 on the same day that I ordered my invisibleSHIELD. It took nearly a month for it to be delivered. I would be more understanding of the delay if the company had contacted me to inform me of a shortage, when the package actually shipped, or anything. They charged my credit card almost immediately after I purchased the case which is unacceptable considering it didn't ship for an additional 20 days. Around this time I contacted the company by phone to learn where my case was which was successful after approximately 25 minutes of being on hold. After a bit of digging I learned that OnlyG1 is part of the onlyphonenetwork, is associated to EliteXtreme, and has horrible consumer reviews overall. Thankfully my encounter with OnlyG1 has absolutely no reflection on the Naztech case.

The case is absolutely wonderful and I would suggest it to anyone. One of my coworkers, tgrey, originally suggested it to me and I am glad that I listened. This case is one of the most durable phone cases I have ever owned. The belt clip connections are metal which is a great improvement since I have destroyed many cases at that location. The case comes with two different belt clips as well, one for clipping inside a pocket and another for fastening around a belt. I use the clip that fastens around my belt and enjoy how secure it feels. Many people have suggested to avoid cases with magnets because it can cause problems with the Dream's compass; however, I rarely use that functionality and have not encountered a problem so far. This case may be a little bulky for some people but I'm glad to finally get my phone out of my front pocket.