Help Car Dock Issues

[dkt]

Just got my N1 car dock last night. Here's what I'm seeing.

Issue #1
Car home/Google Maps does not stay active and the screen times out. I use google maps with the traffic layer, I'd like to have it stay on while I am driving to work. Since I am plugged in, this should be possible somehow. Maybe there's a problem with keeping the phone on all the time? I don't see why - my desktop dock shows a slideshow or time for hours at a time.

Issue #2
When making a call from car dock, speakerphone doesn't automatically enable. Not sure why, seems like it should know this and you would always be in speakerphone mode when you are in the car dock. One more click then I should have to make.

Issue #3
No landscape mode for phone app. This is more of an annoyance than anything but seems like they should fix this.

Issue #4
If I want to make a call while driving, I have to click the power button on the top, unlock the phone, click voice search, and then it works. This is too many steps. Would be resolved if car home just stayed active while I am driving.

Issue #5
The dock falls off when attaching to the windshield. May be weather, moisture related. In any case, I've attached to the dash, which is more secure but less visible.

Issue #6
Launching Pandora or Google listen while driving is too difficult. I have to click to my home screen (which is always in portrait mode), flip to the right place, then launch. I'd rather be able to customize the car home screen and include a few more buttons for commonly used apps.

 

[inspiron41]

Issue #1 - i just changed my phone settings to remain on forever until i shut it off. which i kind of like now since i read news from my nexus a lot.

Issue #2 - agree

Issue #3 - agree

Issue #4 - agree, but you shouldnt be making calls while you're driving though

Issue #5 - actually i have problems attaching it to the dash board of my car. Windows never a problem with.

Issue #6 - agree, but i just rotate the car dock whenever i need to.

 

[cabinets]

Sounds like Google should have put MUCH more thought into this thing. And I'm still bewildered why they don't have voice-activated bluetooth dialing. What a waste and a shame!

 

[inspiron41]

Sounds like Google should have put MUCH more thought into this thing. And I'm still bewildered why they don't have voice-activated bluetooth dialing. What a waste and a shame!

i'm sure they're thinking of it. if they did, they probably would have to release another OS update. But Google's attempt to solve the issue by compartmentalizing each function into its own app would great help with minor issues like this.

for me, i would have like to see a block call function. but i use google voice to do that for me, which i love.

 

[DellyBelly]

Issue #1 - i just changed my phone settings to remain on forever until i shut it off. which i kind of like now since i read news from my nexus a lot.

Issue #2 - agree

Issue #3 - agree

Issue #4 - agree, but you shouldnt be making calls while you're driving though

Issue #5 - actually i have problems attaching it to the dash board of my car. Windows never a problem with.

Issue #6 - agree, but i just rotate the car dock whenever i need to.

Your phone doesn't DIM itself even with setting the screen to always on? Mine will stay on but will dim out after about 2 minutes no matter what settings i check.

Agree on all other points about the issues with the dock. Seems they didn't really prepare the device for the dock from the software perspective; would imagine the next updates would address this.

 

[hllwyh]

Another issue I have found is that it is difficult to set volume level while the N1 is in the car dock. It looks like the volume controls on the car dock do not align with the actual ones on the N1. In fact it appears they are on the wrong side of the car dock all together.

 

[DellyBelly]

Another issue I have found is that it is difficult to set volume level while the N1 is in the car dock. It looks like the volume controls on the car dock do not align with the actual ones on the N1. In fact it appears they are on the wrong side of the car dock all together.

Running to my car to check this right now! if thats the case it's going back

Edit: Buttons are indeed on the "wrong side" but they work just fine....had me worried for a second there.

 

[inspiron41]

Your phone doesn't DIM itself even with setting the screen to always on? Mine will stay on but will dim out after about 2 minutes no matter what settings i check.

Agree on all other points about the issues with the dock. Seems they didn't really prepare the device for the dock from the software perspective; would imagine the next updates would address this.

it doesnt dim out after 2 minutes. Actually i set the screen to never turn off/or dim through t-mobile application. its their "My Acccount" application.

My Device => Quick Tools ==> Display ==> Screen Timeout ==> Never timeout

hope that helps~

 

[DSaint1347]

Another issue I have found is that it is difficult to set volume level while the N1 is in the car dock. It looks like the volume controls on the car dock do not align with the actual ones on the N1. In fact it appears they are on the wrong side of the car dock all together.

It's really not at the wrong side. The volume control on the car dock doesn't make ant physical contact with the buttons on the Nexus, it's all internal.

 

[DellyBelly]

It's really not at the wrong side. The volume control on the car dock doesn't make ant physical contact with the buttons on the Nexus, it's all internal.

This is true; but it still weird to me.

Oh well; guess we have to accept that accessories are the easy(ish) part but the software is the challenge as it applies to multiple devices especially with their play to get rid of the fragmentation.

I just hope they stick with the same connection contacts like they have with the nexus one and don't go around changing them; that will surely = fragmentation on the accessories market too!

 

[DSaint1347]

This is true; but it still weird to me.

My guess is that they placed it there so that when you move it to landscape mode it rests on top instead of the bottom.

 

[hllwyh]

It's really not at the wrong side. The volume control on the car dock doesn't make ant physical contact with the buttons on the Nexus, it's all internal.

Well then mine seem to be dysfunctional. I need to investigate further. I thought they were simply engineered wrong. When I use them nothing happens. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Enndr]

I was extremely annoyed with car docking until I flashed my phone. Now I can view everything in landscape mode while driving. Including all my phone screens.

If you can stomach rooting your phone I'd definitely do this.

 

[opencube]

anyone using the car dock with an invisible shield fitted to their phone?

Before the official Google Car Dock was released i tried a generic version, but it was just too snug for the phone with the skin applied.

Id be interested to know what its like before purchasing?
thanks

 

[DellyBelly]

anyone using the car dock with an invisible shield fitted to their phone?

Before the official Google Car Dock was released i tried a generic version, but it was just too snug for the phone with the skin applied.

Id be interested to know what its like before purchasing?
thanks

Yes, i have a zagg skin on mine; it fits fine. Only thing that will likely give me issues eventually is the top portion of the skin since you have to "clip" the phone in, I can see this wearing that upper part off over time.

Otherwise it's fine.

 

[spongebobnopants]

I was on a 4 trip today with the n1 dock. Put the phone in a navigated. It was at 50%. got a phone call and after the call the battery was at 42%. phone was also very hot. Btw. Screen was at 100%. Im not sure if the charger can't keep up or the battery stops/slows charging if it get too hot. I could do the same plus set up wifi tethering on my old my touch 3G and it would charge still.

 

[DellyBelly]

I was on a 4 trip today with the n1 dock. Put the phone in a navigated. It was at 50%. got a phone call and after the call the battery was at 42%. phone was also very hot. Btw. Screen was at 100%. Im not sure if the charger can't keep up or the battery stops/slows charging if it get too hot. I could do the same plus set up wifi tethering on my old my touch 3G and it would charge still.

It seems very hit or miss to me; sometimes I will take a 25 minute trip and the phone will charge completely from around 70%; then other times ill take a 25 minute trip and it will charge to like 75% and be very hot.

I'm not sure whats going on with it; but it seems the charger doesn't always get a good charge; not sure if that has anything at all to do with the skin and the contacts; but seems odd.

 

[spongebobnopants]

Drove home last night and the brightness was lower and the phone was not getting hot at all. seemed to charge fine. Im thinking the sun on this thing triggers it to not charge or a slow charge as to not damage the battery. I think I'm going to find a new dash location for this thing.

 

[daffyduck]

Well then mine seem to be dysfunctional. I need to investigate further. I thought they were simply engineered wrong. When I use them nothing happens. Thanks for the feedback.

Bump....

My volume buttons don't seem to do anything either - anybody know why and whether it is a problem with the dock, or have I missed something?!?

Ta

 

[spongebobnopants]

Bump....

My volume buttons don't seem to do anything either - anybody know why and whether it is a problem with the dock, or have I missed something?!?

Ta

I just realized the other day that the car and desktop dock use Blue tooth. it must autopair. the volume buttons on the car dock will only work if you are using it to control media in your dock settings.

 

[Duffin]

I just realized the other day that the car and desktop dock use Blue tooth. it must autopair. the volume buttons on the car dock will only work if you are using it to control media in your dock settings.

Yeah, basically the buttons control the volume for the speaker on the car dock. This is very annoying because when its in the dock, the phone's volume settings are completely overridden. If you change them in the phone's settings, nothing happens. If i plug a 3.5mm jack for my FM transmitter in the phone, I can't modify any of the volume settings other than turning the knob on my car radio. This would normally be fine, but the Navigation voice is like twice as loud as the music volume and you can't change it. So I either have to have the nav voice screaming at me, muted, or have the music really quiet so I can barely hear it if I want to use both at once.

 

[loganss]

Issue1: I agree. I would also like an option to automatically keep the screen on when the car dock is in use.

Issue2: The car dock uses blutetooth and it is supposed to remember the settings to use bluetooth when the car dock is on.
When at car dock main screen press menu, then go to the audio settings and you can select for car dock to remember bluetooth speaker phone settings.
Problem is the option keeps being deselected.

Issue 3:agreed. Might be fixed with Froyo.

Issue 4: agreed.

Issue 5: Haven't experienced this yet. Try cleaning window and rubber surface on car dock. Always make sure you hear the click. I had to develop a little ritual to get the car dock positioned on the window so wire was out of the way and I could see the screen good.

Issue 6: Overall it'd be nice if everything could go to landscape. When I'm at a light and I want to check something it's a pain.

I also get irritated that the volume button does nothing sometimes. Even when it does modify the car dock volume there isn't always an indicator bar telling you what the volume is unless you are making a call.