Driving with the HTC One X
HTC One X, posted: 12-Jun-2012 12:53
Things have come a long way from just a few years ago, when stand-alone GPS systems were the norm. Now it seems that phones and Google maps are taking over. I managed to get the HTC One X into my car with a universal car holder for $10 from Trademe, as the cheapest official one I could find was roughly $80.
You put the HTC One X into Car mode by selecting the aptly chosen “Car” icon. This brings up several larger buttons, making it look similar to a standard car navigation unit. It uses Google Navigator by default and it works very well, if you input the address via keyboard. The voice - on the other hand - doesn’t work quite so well, especially with Maori street names, meaning almost every time you’ll be forced to type it in by hand.
In testing, it managed to achieve 1.8m of accuracy, compared to over 6m for the Galaxy S2. This meant that while driving, I was actually driving on the road almost all the time, compared to the Galaxy S2, according to which I would randomly appear to be driving on roads a block over from where I actually was. The HTC One X has one of the most accurate tracking systems I’ve used on any phone.
Using the phone to call someone while I was driving was very simple, with a list of recent callers, followed by the contact list. It also managed to connect, and be controlled by both my Parrot, and Aircast Bluetooth speakers.
Music was a breeze to play through the stereo, by using the Music button. However, none of my playlists had their album art. Tune-In is another great feature of the Car menu. It means if your car radio runs out of reception, you can use internet radio to play your favourite station. However, if you lose 3G also, then you are out of luck.
I’d definitely consider the HTC One X a replacement for an in-car GPS system. As it’s faster to obtain a lock compared to conventional GPS, it’s updated faster than most other navigation systems, and it has more features than a conventional GPS.
Very impressive.
About the author
I am Vincent Garcia: an ICT Specialist by day; technology geek and DIY handyman by night. I enjoy playing with gadgets, old and new. Taking most of them through the paces, and to within an inch of their lives! I also enjoy tinkering with things; spending most of my weekends repairing my motorcycles, or renovating my house. I live in the windy city of Wellington, with my lovely wife Nicola, and my cat Morange. When I was offered the opportunity to review the new HTC One X series, I jumped at the chance. The short aeroplane trip to Auckland was all part of the fun! If you want to ask any questions, please add a comment below, or email telecomtech@vincentgarcia.net
Other related posts:
HTC One X: Bring on the Games!
You've got mail
HTC One X Movie Editor
You put the HTC One X into Car mode by selecting the aptly chosen “Car” icon. This brings up several larger buttons, making it look similar to a standard car navigation unit. It uses Google Navigator by default and it works very well, if you input the address via keyboard. The voice - on the other hand - doesn’t work quite so well, especially with Maori street names, meaning almost every time you’ll be forced to type it in by hand.
In testing, it managed to achieve 1.8m of accuracy, compared to over 6m for the Galaxy S2. This meant that while driving, I was actually driving on the road almost all the time, compared to the Galaxy S2, according to which I would randomly appear to be driving on roads a block over from where I actually was. The HTC One X has one of the most accurate tracking systems I’ve used on any phone.
Using the phone to call someone while I was driving was very simple, with a list of recent callers, followed by the contact list. It also managed to connect, and be controlled by both my Parrot, and Aircast Bluetooth speakers.
Music was a breeze to play through the stereo, by using the Music button. However, none of my playlists had their album art. Tune-In is another great feature of the Car menu. It means if your car radio runs out of reception, you can use internet radio to play your favourite station. However, if you lose 3G also, then you are out of luck.
I’d definitely consider the HTC One X a replacement for an in-car GPS system. As it’s faster to obtain a lock compared to conventional GPS, it’s updated faster than most other navigation systems, and it has more features than a conventional GPS.
Very impressive.
About the author
I am Vincent Garcia: an ICT Specialist by day; technology geek and DIY handyman by night. I enjoy playing with gadgets, old and new. Taking most of them through the paces, and to within an inch of their lives! I also enjoy tinkering with things; spending most of my weekends repairing my motorcycles, or renovating my house. I live in the windy city of Wellington, with my lovely wife Nicola, and my cat Morange. When I was offered the opportunity to review the new HTC One X series, I jumped at the chance. The short aeroplane trip to Auckland was all part of the fun! If you want to ask any questions, please add a comment below, or email telecomtech@vincentgarcia.netOther related posts:
HTC One X: Bring on the Games!
You've got mail
HTC One X Movie Editor
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