Navigation Radios 2008 Toyota Tacoma

I have been reading on many in dash dbl din navigation radios. The pool of radios seems to be small. I have been reading on Alpine and Kenwood.


Anyone able to offer up any other models or brands? I like the ability for wifi and Pandora style apps.

Any help is appreciated

 

No ideas anyone? There has got to be someone with an idea or direction to go in.

 

I'm looking to get an appradio 3 to use my phone for navigation, audio, video, etc. Saw it in person today and the screen is impressive. I wasn't able to connect my phone, other than with Bluetooth(no cable for it). However, the Bluetooth was smooth and seemed to work well.

 

I just got an Stock looking Ottonavi unit.

I am not a huge stereo guy, and prefer the stock look. If you don't mind the aftermarket units they all make a double DIN unit that will work. The options are endless. Check out the audio/video forum.

I've had it 2 days and like it, except I don't know how to stream music yet.

 

I am trying to find a navigation radio with Android apps. WiFi, Downloadable content like YouTube etc. This day and age we have to have that by now. I just cant find it yet. I have seen WiFi and Pandora but wth who wants just Pandora. I want to add apps just like on our Android phones. I guess I will have to hold off until technology catches up or a manufacturer gets with it.

 

Looks nice but for the money I want more functionality and customizable app downloads

 

I would respectfully disagree. The market for my desires / requests is large. The issues lies in the fact that the average user does not know what is available to them. I will give an example although the age difference is huge.
Ex-Wife's parents are in their 70's and still quite spry. They wanted a new TV but were afraid to pull out the CC and pull that trigger. Why not? They just didn't know what they wanted or what was available. They eventually said we want to watch movies but hate Comcast. Well I can help you save money and improve your movie channel selection and even terminate the pay channels. With what I guided them towards and they are simply amazed about Netflix which know is old school to us in the NOW generation. But to them it is like seeing a color TV program after years of BW. Now the Ex-Wife's mother now wants a keyboard to use on the 70 inch Samsung they just bought along with a Bose surround system just so she pay Detroit Edison and FB. 5k later they are very happy and love me even more the ex-son in law again. ROFL.

 

I would normally agree but a tablet in the truck left over night is like asking for a broken window and it is something else not stock in my truck manage separately. IE another window mount bleck not what I wanted to do.

 

Are there headunits that exist out there that bluetooth our phones and tablets with 100% functionality? I was pretty surprised when I first shopped for my Tacoma and realized that the bluetooth compatibility was pretty limited. Why can't the head unit screen mirror my phone GPS software? My phone has all the apps and navigation I need, but why not have it something I can just keep in my pocket and control the nav from the headunit? Seems like this would be super easy to have happen.

 

I think there is plenty of demand for in-dash navigation units. I would be happy to lose the clutter of cords and mounts in my cars. Kenwood (Garmin software) and Alpine seem to be the best. I've been using Garmin for many years. I think they have the best overall software package for North America. I don't have any experience with the Alpine.

In many locations, a smartphone or tablet is good enough (or even better) than a standalone GPS, but the opposite is also true. Any area with poor cellular coverage (like in and around my hometown) is a good place for a dedicated GPS. The cellular data connection offers rich information that is unavailable through GPS. I use both, often at the same time. No single map provider has the most current maps in every area, so it helps to have access to more than one source.

Mike

 

After re-reading the OP's various desires, I can see that navigation is a small part of the desired solution. As far as I know, there is no general-purpose in-dash unit with all of this functionality.

I love the flexibility of an Android tablet, but it falls down on the most basic task (showing my personal bias here) of offline navigation, at least in the North American market. The only worthwhile offline navigation app that I have seen is from Garmin, and it is only for Apple's IOS. To make things worse, Garmin does not include their newest technology in the IOS apps or the Kenwood in-dash systems. They reserve their latest and greatest stuff for their own portable GPS units.

Subaru also toyed with a purpose-built in-dash GPS mount, but didn't put enough flexibility in the design to accommodate the wide variety of sizes in various GPS units. There seems to be a market for this, at least at the wholesale level. Scosche made a half-hearted Subaru-only attempt at an iPad-only tablet mount, but quickly retreated. I'm guessing that the market can't support the prices they would have to charge to make money at it. Customizers charge serious money for fabricating one-off iPad mounts.

DoorDing points out one of the most basic problems with the current in-dash units, which is that they are "fixed in time" with respect to the integration of emerging technology, and (thus far) cannot be upgraded to include new features as they become available. My wife's 2011 Prius has the Toyota in-dash nav system. It sucks. Purchasing map updates at the dealer retail price is equivalent to buying a brand new standalone Garmin every other year and throwing the two-year-old unit straight into the trash. I like to stay pretty close to the leading edge of the technology, so I typically replace my phone and tablets about every two years, and my computers every 3-4 years. The cost and complexity of in-dash units makes this a very expensive strategy.

The ultimate solution, which would satisfy everyone's desires, is probably a general-purpose computer mounted in the car. People have been playing with this for many years, and the OEMs are rumored to be headed down this road. When we will get there is anyone's guess, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I have an iPhone and an iPad Mini, both on Verizon, and the newest Garmin GPS. They are a royal pain to use in my Taco because of the power cords and the lack of good mounting locations. They are targets for theft. I'm ready for what the OP is asking for, but I don't want to pay $3000 for it every two years. I would love to have a reasonably-priced iPad mount (and the back-end modules to integrate it properly into the car) to replace the factory radio, but they just aren't here yet.

Way more than my two cents,
Mike

 

I actually want the GPS only. The Android extras are just extras. I agree with you 100% every word. Like you said the radio is so expensive it may as well have the toys built in IMO. Android would suffice for navigation or the incredibly clunky Garmin’s or any brand for that matter. Again as you said all the cords are way too much even with clever and time consuming routing. I work in the technology field and I am a serious tech junkie. I build and repair Apple, Asus computers "heavy Asus hardware fan" of course the builds are for gamers and FPS games like Battlefield 3 and 4. I do not build computers for a living "only for fun and friends" I work in a Datacenter for the corporate side used to be in the trenches I accepted a promotion recently. Currently I own all the newest toys Ipads, Ipods, Laptops, Desktops, Android phones S4, Galaxy Note 2 "8 months old". I actually am or used to be impressed with the navigation in all my Androids until Google got their hands on the code. They have simply ruined my love for the navigation app. My feeling is if I am going to put money into a radio it may as well have what I want. Sadly as others are pointing out and I have found with research the requests I have simply do not exist. I will most likely wait for the tech to catch up.
As for Ipads, Minis or Phones for navigation they work fine enough for me but installation and a clean look are hard to come by. Toyota as you pointed out has limited options and who the heck wants to mount an Android or Mini in the glove compartment how lame is that. Not failing to mention theft and a sign that says break my windows. We need another option.

In the last 3 months.

CAI K&N.
Steel Craft 5 in running boards.
Katzkins Leather 2 tone interior.
MB Vortec 16 in wheels.
GoodYear Wrangler Duratrac 265/70/16.

 

All I want is bluetooth, navigation and Sirius/XM. I am looking at the OttoNavi unit and hope that provides what I need. It seems to fit the best.

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer...iver/8874425.p?id=1218924795011&skuId=8874425

Pioneer AppRadio is the closest thing I can think of... It pretty much works like a computer monitor where your phone/tablet is the computer.

 

that is the biggest pile of shit

 

I like my app radio. I have the app radio 2 and it works great

 

bought one for my wife's corolla, was ok, but its slow and basically only good for playing songs on pandora or that are on your iphone/ipod. ill sell you it for 100 shipped, we took it out. its the app radio 2.

 

I have a Kenwood DNX 6960 and really like it. I have come to appreciate the backup camera. One of my best mods.
The garmin gps is good, and the map updates are free if you download them. Plus you don't have to stop the car to make changes on the GPS.

I do agree about buying a integrated GPS and being "locked in time".

Shawn.

 

Probably answering my own question but!!!!
In order to use Pandora and such these apps must your phone internet right?