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Want ANDROID AUTO ? .....email Toyota from this contact page !

Discussion in 'Prime Audio, Electronics, and Infotainment' started by GKL, Feb 25, 2020.

  1. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I don't know how those eBay and Amazon product really get to the market. I am sure there are many pirated copies out there. I tried pirated copies of Techstream knowingly, and wasted $20... x3. None worked on my application. But it was worth the try when the authentic software kit is over $1500.

    As for the map app, at least Google map is ads free for most part. But in many cases, our location information is the product they are selling to generate revenues. That's why I still like the idea of stand alone GPS unit like Garmin for our navi needs.
     
  2. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I'm not sure how closely ebay monitors the products sold there, but I would be surprised if Amazon allowed products to be sold that the seller did not have the right to sell as Amazon seems to want to maintain customer trust in their web site and the products sold there.
     
  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Well, if you have not ended up buying any counterfeited goods from Amazon vendors, then your are very lucky. It is rampant problem on eBay, Amazon, Walmart, or any other online shop sites you can think of. Although Amazon has very good return policy on items sold, they certainly do not take very good QC on items sold over their platform.
     
  4. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Wow, that is surprising to me, but even with Amazon I really research the customer reviews before buying and don't buy a product if I don't feel fairly confident about it, so far I have done really well, and Amazon does seem to watch out for their customers, they have replaced the very few products that stopped working correctly even months after buying them.
     
  5. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Well, time to get a start on my outdoor plug, I'll check back on this forum later !
     
  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Well, problem with Amazon is that reviews are often rigged. And even if the authentic item is being sold, they do not have centralized distribution network for all the items. The item that fits the same description can often come from multiple third party vendors. Most of them are good and have authentic item in stock, but there are few bad ones mixed in. Amazon have been lackluster in screening who is good and who isn't. I once ended up ordering an item from a fraudulent vendor that did not really exist, even though it was sold on amazon.com. I got my money back in the end, but that was enough experience to think the Amazon as not so trusty shop.

    Amazon Scams On The Rise As Fraudulent Sellers Run Amok And Profit Big
     
  7. Jon Bloom

    Jon Bloom Member

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    I don't worry too much about the map when driving locally. I know where I'm going and how to get there!

    But for road trips, nav is good to have. I've never updated the maps in my 2017 Prime, and during a recent trrip to Florida it wanted to route me through a town when there had clearly been a bypass built since the map was made. I took the bypass, which was weird since my nav showed me driving through open country, then tried to route me onto every road the bypass crossed over to get back to what it thought was the route.

    But even with up-to-date maps, the built-in nav isn't as good as a good mobile nav app like Waze. For one thing, its traffic data doesn't seem to be as good. And of course it doesn't have the crowd-sourced data such as road hazards and speed traps. So what I usually do is have both the built-in nav and a mobile app running. I like having the built-in showing me the upcoming exits, and I like the mobile app for traffic and road information.
     
  8. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I'm not doubting you as no system is foolproof, but as far as the dependability of reviews, if reviews are being rigged then it makes you wonder why all the reviews are not 4 stars and up. Anyhow, at least Amazon has been very good about making things right when problems do occur. Thanks for the heads-up though, I'll know to be even more alert than I was before !
     
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  9. Clint3200

    Clint3200 Junior Member

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    I added my feedback/request.
    Figured it can't hurt to try.
     
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  10. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Hey, if enough people keep asking we can hope it will make a difference if it hasn't already and they just have not made it public yet.
     
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  11. MrBugMan

    MrBugMan Junior Member

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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    any news from toy?
     
  13. Matthew007b

    Matthew007b Junior Member

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    I asked if there was any release date information or android auto in the 2021 modeling coming up... and I got the following e-mail back..

    Dear Mr. xxxxxx


    Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.



    We appreciate your interest in the Prius Prime


    Prius Prime Brochure


    We apologize as information on a 2021 model is currently unavailable. Toyota will release information such as styling, specifications, features and options closer to the launch date. We currently do not have a tentative release date.


    We certainly appreciate your inquiry and interest. You can sign up for the latest updates with our RSS Feed and/or receive email alerts when new information is posted in the Toyota USA Newsroom.


    Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.


    Sincerely,



    xxxx

    Toyota Customer Experience Center
    ------------------------------------------------------------------


    I tried *shrugs* been lurking here and I am looking into the Prius Prime.. but I really use Android/Google a lot more around the house for calendar and house lighting ect.. nothing against apple folks but would be nice to use the Android feature in the car.
     
  14. MrBugMan

    MrBugMan Junior Member

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    Toyota's reply to my inquires about an firmware/software update for older Prii and the Rav4 Prime (since I'm actually in the market)...


    "While Toyota strives to innovate and look for ways to include new technology in our vehicles, Toyota has not announced an Android Auto® retrofit strategy at this time.
    We are also excited to learn of your interest in the upcoming 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime!
    We apologize as information on the 2021 RAV4 Prime is currently unavailable. Toyota will release information such as styling, specifications, features and options closer to the launch date. We currently do not have a tentative release date."
     
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  15. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Well, at least they are keeping the door open for Android Auto on the Prime as a later possibility when they included the words "at this time" -

    .....Toyota has not announced an Android Auto® retrofit strategy at this time.
     
  16. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Well, after recently getting our 2020 Prime XLE (and still learning more of what all it can do) so far I am pretty satisfied with what Alexa can do so I am not sure if Android Auto would add anything we would use that Alexa doesn't supply.

    Sure, I still would like an update to include Android Auto, just not sure what additional features it would give me.

    Our android phones connect to the Prime and we can view our address books and I can say "Alexa, call...…." (from my address book) and it will call without me having to push any buttons.

    I'm not sure why Toyota stopped allowing Alexa in the house from accessing info from the car like it used to (gas tank level, electric level) and remotely turning on the car or the A/C and checking the charge progress when charging, but hopefully they'll bring all that bak.
     
  17. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Just to clarify, the remote A/C and remote charge that use to be available on pre-2019 PRIME Advanced trim only were not Toyota+Alexa. AFAIK, Toyota+Alexa is a new app only compatible with Entune 3.0 equipped car which none of pre-2019 PRIME were.
     
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  18. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Okay, thanks, so much info to keep up on :D

    I would think that Toyota could likely be able to enable Alexa to do those things though, but who knows if the idea even occurred to them ?
     
  19. Ovals49

    Ovals49 Junior Member

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    Today’s auto reply on the Android Auto retrofit possibility:

    Thank you for taking time to contact Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and we appreciate the opportunity to address your inquiry regarding the inclusion of Android Auto® in our vehicles.

    While Toyota strives to innovate and look for ways to include new technology in our vehicles, Toyota has not announced an Android Auto® retrofit strategy at this time. We certainly appreciate your inquiry and interest.”

    Are we making any progress or is Toyota just finding slightly different words to repeat themselves?
     
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  20. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks for checking with them !

    .....different words at least gives the impression that they are noticing each inquiry :rolleyes::LOL:

    I guess on the positive side that is better than if they said something like "An Android Auto retrofit on the Prime is not possible" :D