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This thread is about Android Car Launcher apps that replace the Home screen on your cars' Android screen interface.
Since I recently replaced my factory COMAND screen with an aftermarket 12.3" Android screen, the supplied Android UI is okay but lacks multi-tasking functionality unless you run it in a split-screen mode (I don't care for split-screen myself). For example; I want a moving map, music controls, weather, shortcuts, etc., and the ability to customize everything on the home screen.
This led me to Car Launcher apps. I started with Car Launcher Pro (paid version), then moved to CarWebGuru (paid version), and have settled on FCC Car Launcher (paid version). For what I wanted, the integration with my chosen apps, and the deep customization available, FCC Car Launcher has almost everything I need and I'm very happy with it! I'm still tweaking things, which may never end, lol.
So for those of you with Android screens, have you dabbled into the Car Launcher app space? If you haven't and have hours to kill (lol), you should check them out.
If you are running an Android Car Launcher, share a screenshot!
i had in my f10 android unit with 4gb and id have some problems from time to time with it being laggy. But i seen some of the units now for sale with 8gb rams for w205, so if u say 6gb kinda ok, i think 8gb ones would be spot on.
i had in my f10 android unit with 4gb and id have some problems from time to time with it being laggy. But i seen some of the units now for sale with 8gb rams for w205, so if u say 6gb kinda ok, i think 8gb ones would be spot on.
Yeah, there are some times that there is a slight delay from selection to action but overall it's pretty good. And I have quite a few dynamic apps always running (while the car is on).
Agreed, I think 8GB would be helpful (or more efficient memory allocation). We ALWAYS need more RAM, lol.
I can't be the only crazy person doing this stuff here...
Or am I? lol
Wow I can't believe no one else is doing this.. Did you ever find a decent launcher for your device? I'm in the same boat.. I just upgraded my '14 e550 Cabriolet with a 12.3 Android head unit and the launcher is absolutely horrible. I splurged and got the 8 core - 8/128gb unit so the performance is great, it's just the UI sucks. I mean, not enough to return it.. I still like having the Andriod interface and the much larger screen.
I'm a software engineer of 30 yrs but have yet to dabble in the Android SDK realm, so this may very well be my entry point if I'm unable to find something.
Wow I can't believe no one else is doing this.. Did you ever find a decent launcher for your device? I'm in the same boat.. I just upgraded my '14 e550 Cabriolet with a 12.3 Android head unit and the launcher is absolutely horrible. I splurged and got the 8 core - 8/128gb unit so the performance is great, it's just the UI sucks. I mean, not enough to return it.. I still like having the Andriod interface and the much larger screen.
I'm a software engineer of 30 yrs but have yet to dabble in the Android SDK realm, so this may very well be my entry point if I'm unable to find something.
I know, right? There are plenty of people posting about buying these things and installing these things... but hardly anyone posting about using and living with these dang things.
Out of the car launchers available on the Play Store, I found FFC Car Launcher to be my personal pick for features, customization and extendibility. However, I grew weary of dealing with the quirks and bugs inherent in all of them. As an example, FCC would startup with location services (for maps, etc.) captured about 30% of the time, all the other times I would have to turn location off and back on again for it to capture my location. I'd rather not get in my car to go somewhere and have to turn location on and off before I can go. Just one example, but I just got tired of the glitches or lack of good mapping displays in all of them.
I finally settled on Android Auto and it just works. No problems for me. It doesn't give me all the added features of a full car launcher but it works well. For me, when it comes down to it I really just need a good readable moving map, and local & streaming music controls. AA is it for me.
@Keith66 yeah it does look good.. Hey quick question, are you still using Android Auto? If so, how are you getting past the "Android Auto is only available on car screens" (https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-...discontinued)? Also, I'm looking for a widget/plugin that will allow me to display an odometer. I know my unit is able to because the default launcher came with a "dashboard" that displays a speedo and odo (although the speedo only displays km/h and not mph, despite setting the Units to MPH in settings). I presume it's interacting via a canbus library installed within the launcher. The dashboard is hideous and un-customizable so I'm looking for alternatives.
@Keith66 yeah it does look good.. Hey quick question, are you still using Android Auto? If so, how are you getting past the "Android Auto is only available on car screens" (https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-...discontinued)? Also, I'm looking for a widget/plugin that will allow me to display an odometer. I know my unit is able to because the default launcher came with a "dashboard" that displays a speedo and odo (although the speedo only displays km/h and not mph, despite setting the Units to MPH in settings). I presume it's interacting via a canbus library installed within the launcher. The dashboard is hideous and un-customizable so I'm looking for alternatives.
Thanks dude. That article is referencing using AA directly on your phone without connecting to another device, like a car (which could be done previously). Now AA only works in a server-host configuration. The change in that article does not affect my type of configuration.
My screen has AA installed as the head unit "server" and when you connect a device (phone) with AA installed, the phone acts as the "host". Everything displayed on the car screen is coming from the host phone.
IIRC, FCC has an odometer widget. I can't check, as I uninstalled it.
To further clarify, when I'm streaming music using Pandora or playing "local" saved MP3's and the navigation, my car screen is playing Pandora, local MP3's and navigation from my phone, not coming from the car.
I installed FCC Launcher and man, it crashed like 3 times and my screen rebooted. Once it look like it will run, the main screen looked like it had nothing on it and ask me to install widgets. Well, I was looking for the main screen to look like it showed in the 2 picture examples but it still didn't work as expected. So yep, deleted it and maybe will try again later when I have time and maybe after the weather gets warm and when I install the last Ambient lighting in my front doors.
I installed FCC Launcher and man, it crashed like 3 times and my screen rebooted. Once it look like it will run, the main screen looked like it had nothing on it and ask me to install widgets. Well, I was looking for the main screen to look like it showed in the 2 picture examples but it still didn't work as expected. So yep, deleted it and maybe will try again later when I have time and maybe after the weather gets warm and when I install the last Ambient lighting in my front doors.
Yeah, it definitely takes a time commitment to get it built-up as you want it, but that's the fun of it if you're into customizing software apps. When setup how you like, they really are awesome, powerful and a huge advantage to be able to place and size things the way you want it. I ran FCC for about 6 months or so, I didn't have any fatal crashes but as I stated above, all of these "aftermarket" car launchers have their glitches and bugs. It may not even be the car launcher's code itself, but could be caused by the number of apps/widgets that can be added and may cause back-end conflicts. I got tired of the struggle, lol.
Hi, I am currently driving a 2024 CLA (C118) with latest MBUX. It supports Android Auto. I like how the various Android Auto Car Launcher looks but I am unable to get it to run on my Android Auto page in my car center display. The many Android Auto Car Launchers that I have installed works fine on my Android phone but when I view the apps page on my car Android Auto display, the Launcher icons does not appear. So far tried Agama and Nova Launchers. All without success.
I am beginning to think that such Android Auto Car Launcher apps will not work on the Mercedes factory fitted android auto but will only work on an aftermarket Android Auto head unit.
07-19-2022, 02:15 PM
