‘Brilliant product that has made my life a lot easier’
Drivers who don’t have a fancy new car might be feeling left out by the proliferation of the likes of Apple CarPlay, with its interactive screen allowing full view of maps, music, messages and more while on the go. However, gadgets are available that allow drivers without built-in screens to use the software by mounting a device on the dashboard.
At Amazon, the Aonerex Wireless CarPlay Android Auto Screen, now £37.99 down from £49.99, is a dash-mounted touchscreen device compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing drivers to use the software even if their car doesn’t have it built in. It connects with a car charger plugged into the cigarette lighter, and allows users to connect their phones with Bluetooth and WiFi.
With CarPlay and Android Auto, drivers can navigate maps, music, phone calls and hands-free messaging, using Siri or Android smart voice assistant to handle commands while at the wheel. The Aonerex device is easy to install, with a secure external bracket that can be fixed to the windscreen or dashboard like a standard car phone holder, so it can be used in any car, van or lorry with a standard cigarette lighter.
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As an alternative, shoppers could look to Debenhams for the Ventryn 4K Touch Screen Car Stereo 10.26″ Wireless CarPlay Android Auto, which is now £57 down from £131.99. It has a 10.26″ 4K touch display, is compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto, and enables cable-free device connectivity, hands-free Bluetooth calling, access to music and navigation apps, and fixes straight onto the dashboard.
There is also the Road Angel RA-X622BT Car Stereo With 6.75″ Touch Screen Display, Bluetooth, Wireless Android Auto & Apple Car Play, which is on sale at £299.99 down from £399.99 at Road Angel. It boasts a 7″ display with a responsive touch screen, is compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto, and even integrates with factory steering wheel buttons for easy control while driving. However, this one does need to be installed in the dashboard.
The Aonerex Wireless CarPlay device has received an overall average rating of 4.2 out of five stars on Amazon. One shopper said: “Really handy for my 2010 Toyota AYGO. My car doesn’t have Bluetooth, and unfortunately, the AUX didn’t work, but I synced the CarPlay with the same radio frequency as the car, and it works perfectly! Audio is crisp and amazing! Great to play my Spotify and see my Google Maps and make hands-free calls! Easy to set up and not laggy at all!”
The Aonerex Wireless CarPlay device is available from Amazon
The site says it is 100% compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Another said: “Plug and play made easy. Bought this as an external unit, as all other units I’d fitted into my car just didn’t work. Very happy to say it worked first time, connected to AirPlay almost instantly, and has everything I need for my car journeys, such as Google Maps and music services linked to your phone. Definitely recommend.”
While a third added: “Brilliant product that has made my life a lot easier. Easy to install and use, connects to Apple Play automatically, and can be well-positioned for ease of use. Easy to fit and a good size.”
Others left some feedback, however, with this person saying: “Doesn’t have a chargeable battery, so it has to be plugged in all the time. Has to be plugged into the main 12v socket. It doesn’t work if you have a multi-socket adapter, so you can’t charge your phone while using it. However, it was easy to set up and, as a bigger screen for navigation, it does the job. Haven’t used it for hands-free calling yet, so can’t comment on that.”
Another said: “Bought this to replace an older unit that had started to fail (audio dropping out, screen flickering in cold weather). Simple to install, had the same mounting points on the back so I didn’t even have to remove the old bracket. FM transmission does work much better with their cable as they say, but if you’re only going to use it plugged into an AUX, then you can use a shorter USB-C cable if you have a higher output USB source.
“Knocking off one star simply as the hands-free audio is not great, better than the last one to be fair but lacking a little clarity. Fair to raise this, would probably be much improved if they provided a separate microphone.”
The Aonerex Wireless CarPlay device is available from Amazon.