Hey guys!

I had a question about using a phone to play music, either through bluetooth or just using it for it's storage. (I'm currently just using a 16gb flash drive)

I'm about to get a new phone in the coming months, and have decided on an android based phone.

So my questions are:
#1 How easy would it be to just plug in an android phone and have the car play music from it? I don't think there's a non-ipod adapter, and most phones do not have native usb ports, so would I need a converter or some sort?

#2 Would using the phone as an mp3 player affect its bluetooth handsfree capabilities?

#3 Does the USB port charge the phone? If it does, would the phones battery be affected due to daily charging?

#4 Would I be able to play music through the bluetooth system in the car instead of plugging it in?

Thanks guys!

 

#1 I suppose it depends on the phone. I have a Captivate (Galaxy S phone) and the car can't see the flash drives (there are two) when plugged into the USB adapter. I doubt this applies to all Android phones, though.

#2 No. If you're playing something through Bluetooth and you get a call the phone will pause the media player and if you pickup the call you'll be talking to the other person. When you hang up, the phone will resume playback of your media.

#3 Yes. That's actually the only reason I plug my phone in, because I don't want to drain my phone while using Pandora or whatever.

#4 I think this is answered by the previous three answers, but yes. In my case, I only plug in for power, otherwise it's all through Bluetooth.

 

Thanks normally!

one last question, will constant charging of the phone prematurely wear out the battery? For example, in a normal day, I probably get in/out of my car at least 5 times, which means the phones battery would be charging at random % 5 times a day. I guess i'm used to letting the battery drain before i charge and do not know the long term effect of constantly charging the battery when unnecessary.

 

I'm pretty sure they are all using the same micro USB slot format for both charging and connection now so in most cases the cable that is included with the phone is usually a micro USB cable that also comes with an outlet (wall) adapter, so it will link right up to the car's USB port and home computer, etc no problem.

I don't see much reason why it would not play as a standard MP3 player but as mentioned, it probably depends on the phone. I have an HTC (EVO) and have no problems with anything.

As for charging off the car, most phones now use lithium ion and they say there is no issue with on and off again charging or topping it off (many say it's actually better for it) but there is a lot of debate on the matter. If you are really worried about frying the battery maybe just check that the volt and amp ratings are the same for the standard outlet adapter and the car's USB connection.

 

Just want to second the great connectivity with the Sprint EVO. Everything works perfectly.

 

I don't think there's any significant negative impact to charging more frequently. I plug my phone in before going to bed regardless of the current charge and I've been doing that for years with all my phones. When I'm in the car, I usually only plug it in if I'm going to be driving longer than 15 minutes and want to use it for music, that's mostly so I don't lose charge due to the phone being on for a long time and constantly accessing the network. You can always check Wikipedia if you want a technical explanation that doesn't make much sense to me.

And just to clarify, while you can plug your phone in through the USB port, you won't be PLAYING audio through that if initiated on your phone. If the phone is the play source, then you would have to use the AUX jack or Bluetooth to play through the car's system. Otherwise, you would be using the car's headunit as the play source and reading the data off the phone (which I haven't gotten to work yet). I hope that makes sense...

 

too much hassle to plug in/ unplug a phone every time you get in and out of the car

just keep a phone blue tooth paired w/ the car and use something like an iPod to play music -

 

Ok slight update. I did not get a new phone yet, but i have been messing with the blackberry's music player, and i found out that it also streams music through bluetooth!

The quality appears to be about the same, though my time with the bluetooth audio was brief. Volume is controlled both by the phone and the car, so i need to turn the volume up to about 60% on the phone to get "normal" volume.

Whats even better, is that i can use the steering wheel controls to change songs!

I'm going to try and see if it can still change songs when it is in shuffle mode. If it can, i may not upgrade for awhile. Time to get that 16gb microsd card!

 

If you are a critical listener, you will HEAR the sound is better through the USB connector. I noticed the difference. It is not a huge difference by any means, but I am always aware I am not getting the BEST sound through Bluetooth.

 

I'm a pretty critical listener, or i have sensitive hearing. I used to work in car audio (though with the TL, its good enough not to touch). Yea the quality doesn't appear to be as good.

Another thing is that with bluebooth, it doesn't display any information besides "bluetooth audio". I wish the TL's audio menu worked as fast as my blackberry. I hate the "loading" with the flash drive, it needs to reload everytime i get in/out of the car. Just doesn't really work with 100+ folders of mp3s. I guess i'll need to stick with flash drive since the bluetooth doesn't display the songs.