Develop Bugs

AutoMate - Android Auto replacement using a tablet

Since AutoMate (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bitspice.automate) has been released in its first stable version I'm thinking about making my car 'smart'.
Until now I don't have any navigation system or else in my car, just a radio. But this app might replace the need to have to buy an Android Auto unit for about 500 bucks or even more.
The way I'm thinking about implementing it would be by using a 7" tablet, anything slightly bigger might be okay as well.
But I'm not sure about how exactly I should start.
My problems:
I think I need a special LTE data plan for the tablet (sharing the data plan of my phone via hotspot is not very intuitive)
Which tablet? (SIM card slot ruins many reasonable ones)
The small things: how to charge the tablet, how to fix it in my car, how to connect audio so my car plays its music
Another very important question: how do I get my phone's notifications on the tablet?
Is there anybody of you already running such a start up?
Or is there anybody planning to do so? What are your approaches?
I want to get this started and with your help I hope I will do so!

you really don't need a data plan for your car. Unless you drive more than 10 hours a day.
My Setup is easy. My cell phone is with me all the time and the internet sharing via Bluetooth is always enabled.
The Android will connect to it using a free tool named BT auto connect whenever the screen is turned on.
So you will have nothing to do but just power your tablet when you start the car.
It will automatically connect and share your phone's internet. It is energy friendly with BT with decent speed for most application except video streaming. (200KB max)
Nexus 7 2013 was the best option for this implementation, and the most common set up involved a paid kernel.
Search (USB ROM Nexus 7 on google). However, I found my tablet drain a lot of battery without reasons.

GPS Tether

I often tether my Fire tablet to my phone's Hotspot Access Point. However sometimes I wanted to use it for navigation in the car, but alas, it has no built-in GPS!
So I developed GPS Tether that easily shares any Android phone's GPS location to the Fire tablet through the phone's Hotspot AP, simulating an actual built-in GPS in the Fire tablet. I originally developed and tested it for the HP Touchpad, but I found with a few tweaks it will work on almost any Android v4.2+. It works great for me and it's a pretty dependable and lightweight app, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Note: If the Play Store says it is not compatible with the Fire tablet, or you do not have access to the Play Store at all, you can download the APK here
EDIT: Big update posted to the Play Store. New features included Bluetooth functionality and NMEA sharing! Check it out!

It worked without any problem (HTC One M9 + Amazon Fire). Thanks for the great work

AlwaysLucky said:
I often tether my Fire tablet to my phone's Hotspot Access Point. However sometimes I wanted to use it for navigation in the car, but alas, it has no built-in GPS!
So I developed GPS Tether that easily shares any Android phone's GPS location to the Fire tablet through the phone's Hotspot AP, simulating an actual built-in GPS in the Fire tablet. I originally developed and tested it for the HP Touchpad, but I found with a few tweaks it will work on almost any Android v4.2+. It works great for me and it's a pretty dependable and lightweight app, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Note: If the Play Store says it is not compatible with the Fire tablet, or you do not have access to the Play Store at all, you can download the APK here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
great i have been looking for something like this , but can you please elaborate on how to use this?
does the app need to be installed on the fire and on your phone? or just on your fire tablet?
i want to use this with a iphone so am i SOL ?

gdroid666 said:
great i have been looking for something like this , but can you please elaborate on how to use this?
does the app need to be installed on the fire and on your phone? or just on your fire tablet?
i want to use this with a iphone so am i SOL ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It must be installed on both devices. I unable to make an iOS version because of the restrictions Apple has on it's access to what the app needs to function properly.

Probably a stupid question but does this app use data from my phone or just GPS?

GartimusPrime said:
Probably a stupid question but does this app use data from my phone or just GPS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a stupid question at all! In fact, I am going to include this information in the app description. :good:
To get your location, GPS Tether uses the global default location setting you have on the sharing device in the Settings/Location menu in Android. If you have it set to "Device Only" for instance, GPS Tether will only use the signal from GPS satellites. If you have it set to "High Accuracy" on the other hand, GPS Tether will use Google's "fused" location service. (This service uses a combination of your GPS signal, WiFi APs, and cell tower triangulation. This "fused" service uses very little-to-no data to obtain your location. For technical info on the "fused" service, check this out.)
The GPS Tether app itself does not use any data to share or receive the GPS location from one device to another. However, when opening the app GUI (not the background services) it will check for an app update on the play store in the background. If you have no data connection at all, it will simply ignore the update check. Checking for an update uses a tiny amount of data (under 8kb), and the check is only run when opening the GUI.
Summary: GPS Tether can be used with no data connection at all, and imposes no significant data usage.

HUGE THANKS FOR THIS! I was about to make a thread asking how I can use this tablet as a GPS and then at the last second I saw your thread. This works perfectly!
Nexus 6P + Amazon Fire Tablet 2015 ($50 model) Booth rooted! =)

AlwaysLucky said:
It must be installed on both devices. I unable to make an iOS version because of the restrictions Apple has on it's access to what the app needs to function properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It´s a pity to hear that is not possible to use an iPhone. Can you provide more details about the limitation? Do you think it would be possible in the future? I´m currently integrating my Fire in my car's dashboard and GPS availability would be great.

aguedob said:
It´s a pity to hear that is not possible to use an iPhone. Can you provide more details about the limitation? Do you think it would be possible in the future? I´m currently integrating my Fire in my car's dashboard and GPS availability would be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you bring up a good point. It would be possible to code it for iOS for location sharing only. And it sounds like even if it only had the sharing function, many people would use an iOS as the location sharing device. So I will explore that and see if I can code it in the near future. :good:
It will (most likely) never be possible to set the location manually in iOS (aka mock location). Android allows an app (with the given permission) to set a global mock location. This function was originally created for testing purposes, but they left it in for this kind of application. So iOS devices will never be able to be the receiver of the shared location.

AlwaysLucky said:
Well, you bring up a good point. It would be possible to code it for iOS for location sharing only. And it sounds like even if it only had the sharing function, many people would use an iOS as the location sharing device. So I will explore that and see if I can code it in the near future. :good:
It will (most likely) never be possible to set the location manually in iOS (aka mock location). Android allows an app (with the given permission) to set a global mock location. This function was originally created for testing purposes, but they left it in for this kind of application. So iOS devices will never be able to be the receiver of the shared location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android tablets like Fire are quite cheap compared to iOS devices so, I'm sure that there are more people like me interested in just location sharing from iOS to your Android tool. I have some experience developing for iOS, so feel to contact me if you need help with iOS side.

The link to your site doesn't load. Play store said it's incompatible.

Neffy27 said:
The link to your site doesn't load. Play store said it's incompatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The link seems to be working now for me. Right now its just a redirect to: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=52823
Is anyone else having issues with the link?

working now, thanks a lot!
Apk doesn't parse for me, downloaded three times.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2.4.15

Neffy27 said:
working now, thanks a lot!
Apk doesn't parse for me, downloaded three times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a common issue with Android 4.x on 3rd party devices. Many different solutions can be found here. The GPS Tether APK is good to go.

Has anyone found an apk for Nokia Here? The playstore version won't load on the NexusFire AOSP ROM.
Since we can share a gps signal it would be nice to have an offline map app too.

I can't seem to be able to connect the fire with my oneplus one. I really don't understand how the two devices speak to each other, as no data connection is necessary and this is probably the reason why it doesn't work for me.
Can anyone help me, please?
Inviato dal mio KFFOWI utilizzando Tapatalk

fmc000 said:
I can't seem to be able to connect the fire with my oneplus one. I really don't understand how the two devices speak to each other, as no data connection is necessary and this is probably the reason why it doesn't work for me.
Can anyone help me, please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be more specific, no internet connection is required. To share the GPS signal from your OnePlus One to your Fire:
- Make sure the location is enabled on your OnePlus One and that it is set to "High Accuracy" or "Device Only".
- Install GPS Tether on both devices. Use the APK download if you are unable to download GPS Tether to your Fire from the Play Store.
- Enable the Location Sharing on your OnePlus One in the GPS Tether app.
- Enable your WiFi hotspot on your OnePlus One.
- Enable Location Receiving on your Fire tablet in the GPS Tether app.
- Connect your Fire tablet wifi to your OnePlus One's hotspot.
And it should connect almost immediately... and done! Lemme know if you need further assistance.
EDIT: It should prompt you to enable Mock Locations on your Fire tablet when enabling the GPS Tether receiver for the first time. GPS Tether will attempt to guide you in doing this and this has to be done first.

It works just perfectly now, thanks. I had missed the "Portable hotspot" part.
Inviato dal mio KFFOWI utilizzando Tapatalk

Great idea
I'm going to test the apk
Thanks
Enviado desde mi KFFOWI mediante Tapatalk

Thanks you very much!

Bluetooth, easy shift between 2 phones?

Hi. Have a JY mtcb head unit with Maylaysk rom and 4.4.4 android. Find it tricky to shift between the 2 phones i have conected in the bluetooth app on my head unit. First i have to mark the active phone and then deselect it. Then i can mark the next phone in the list and connest it. Is there a easy way to do this with just a short cut or a another app that will do it more easy?

I do not know a shortcut but maybe I can do even better
Buy an android compatible Bluetooth dongle and pair both (cost me $4 incl shipping from China), I did that with my OBD device and phone but see know issue why 2 phones shouldn`t work as well.
The only thing that could be a (small) problem is which it would dial a number with.
Just a suggestion of course

Tasker?

Scubacruiser said:
Tasker?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What functions would you be using in Tasker?

I was just thinking that Tasker could possibly be used to automate bluetooth switching. I'm not sure HOW to set it up though.

I use the app Trigger. I use it to turn on my phone's Hotspot when it connects to my headunits Bluetooth connection and when it disconnects it turns off the Hotspot and turn on my wifi. It is very easy to use compared to Tasker. Tasker is good as it has a lot of functions but I don't quite know how to use it yet.

bsavoir22 said:
I use the app Trigger. I use it to turn on my phone's Hotspot when it connects to my headunits Bluetooth connection and when it disconnects it turns off the Hotspot and turn on my wifi. It is very easy to use compared to Tasker. Tasker is good as it has a lot of functions but I don't quite know how to use it yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was using Tasker for a few of these things, but actually the Smart Connect on my phone does all these things well.
I think what this thread is about though, which I would like to know two is that if you have two phones connected to the head unit, it connects to one, but even though the other is stored as a bluetooth connection it will only autoconnect to the last connected phone. This means you have to manually hit the connect on the head unit for it to work if you weren't the last one in the car!
It would be better if you could tell the head unit to have a "preference" to connect to phone A over phone B, but if phone A isn't present, then connect to phone B.

Well the headunit is very limited, but if you are very knowledgeable in Tasker you set something like that up on the headunit. I think trigger can let it do the same thing by using restrictions,
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk

USB GPS?

Anyone using a USB pluggable external GPS on the Pixel C?
How well is it working out for you and which model did you go with?

I don't use USB, but Bluetooth from my phone. Works great.

daveid said:
I don't use USB, but Bluetooth from my phone. Works great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How are sending the phone's GPS data to the tablet over Bluetooth? What app(s) are you using to make it work?

Thank you for responding.
So I tried using a USB-GPS unit with a Nexus 9 once. The N9 has it's own built in GPS just like cellphones.
And I found it was difficult to get the phone to use the USB-GPS. I kept having to fiddle with it. It just never really worked seamlessly.
What was your experience with the Bluetooth GPS? Was it a set-it-and-forget-it kind of deal or did you have to turn it on all the time, etc?

On the phone I use Bluetooth GPS Output (paid, after testing with the free version) by Meowsbox. On my tablet I use Bluetooth GPS by GG Moblab. Once paired and connected through the two apps (you have to enable a mock location server on the tablet, but the app walks you through it, I use the widgets to first start the server on my phone, than the client on my tablet. This setup works flawlessly for me.
Server - https://play.google.com/store/apps/...put&pcampaignid=APPU_1_XKp9V9jAFMaq-AG2xo3QDQ
Client - https://play.google.com/store/apps/...put&pcampaignid=APPU_1_XKp9V9jAFMaq-AG2xo3QDQ

daveid said:
On the phone I use Bluetooth GPS Output (paid, after testing with the free version) by Meowsbox. On my tablet I use Bluetooth GPS by GG Moblab. Once paired and connected through the two apps (you have to enable a mock location server on the tablet, but the app walks you through it, I use the widgets to first start the server on my phone, than the client on my tablet. This setup works flawlessly for me.
Server - https://play.google.com/store/apps/...put&pcampaignid=APPU_1_XKp9V9jAFMaq-AG2xo3QDQ
Client - https://play.google.com/store/apps/...put&pcampaignid=APPU_1_XKp9V9jAFMaq-AG2xo3QDQ
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This combo works pefectly.

Native support for WiFi direct sharing

So I wanted to share some files with a friend of mine and I connected our phones through WiFi direct but the share button displayed no WiFi direct option either in solid Explorer or the built in file explorer. Is there a way to use WiFi direct without using apps?

I'm not sure if it works because it's 1:15 am and I don't have another device close to test, but if you enter the WiFi menu and click the 3 dot menu you'll find the Wi-Fi direct pairing UI. Once both devices are paired an option to share via Wi-Fi should appear, I'll confirm later on when I have another device to test it

DeadPotato said:
I'm not sure if it works because it's 1:15 am and I don't have another device close to test, but if you enter the WiFi menu and click the 3 dot menu you'll find the Wi-Fi direct pairing UI. Once both devices are paired an option to share via Wi-Fi should appear, I'll confirm later on when I have another device to test it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I tried. But didn't work. I am using viper though so maybe that affects something? Please test and share results. Thanks

jhadsfi said:
This is what I tried. But didn't work. I am using viper though so maybe that affects something? Please test and share results. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, it doesn't work, I tried with my friend's OnePlus 3 and they paired but there was no option to share on any phone. I usually have superbeam installed and some of my friends have too so I didn't bother about the native support.
After some research looks like android provides the protocol but has no native app to share via this method (like the android beam one which appeared in Lollipop if I recall right) in the past I used oem options like S-Beam for Samsung or Smart Share for LG devices but ironically and despite it being an open protocol, they worked fine just between phones of the same manufacturer (s beam or the Wifi Direct option working fine between Samsung devices only and smart share between LG devices) I don't know if that changed so far, I could try with my GF S7 to see if that changed but I don't think it would add to the topic.
Superbeam is like the general solution for me, but requires to be installed on both devices sadly

DeadPotato said:
You're right, it doesn't work, I tried with my friend's OnePlus 3 and they paired but there was no option to share on any phone. I usually have superbeam installed and some of my friends have too so I didn't bother about the native support.
After some research looks like android provides the protocol but has no native app to share via this method (like the android beam one which appeared in Lollipop if I recall right) in the past I used oem options like S-Beam for Samsung or Smart Share for LG devices but ironically and despite it being an open protocol, they worked fine just between phones of the same manufacturer (s beam or the Wifi Direct option working fine between Samsung devices only and smart share between LG devices) I don't know if that changed so far, I could try with my GF S7 to see if that changed but I don't think it would add to the topic.
Superbeam is like the general solution for me, but requires to be installed on both devices sadly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha I would've preferred native support because having the same app is generally too much of a hassle for instant sharing. I wish they would've implemented it in the share functionality on the file explorer but oh well. Really crimps the power of WiFi direct. Thanks a lot for checking though.