If you are looking for a way to stream your favorite music on the road, the Spotify Thing US April Edition is the answer. Unlike other infotainment devices, however, it only works with Spotify Premium. You also need to have a Bluetooth-equipped smartphone in order to use it. Thankfully, it has a night mode, too.
Requires a smartphone with Bluetooth or aux cord
Bluetooth and a good pair of wireless headphones are the holy grail of audiophiles everywhere. They allow you to connect multiple devices and move around freely while maintaining an unbreakable connection. And as a bonus, you can get wireless charging in the process.
The best part is that you don’t even have to leave your house to enjoy the benefits of wireless connectivity. In fact, the iPhone can support up to four of these wireless peripherals simultaneously. This is a boon for busy professionals on the go.
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Despite the myriad options on the table, one is sure to meet your needs. Fortunately, a little research should turn up the nitty gritty in a hurry. For example, you can find a wide array of wired and wireless audio solutions from Cloom, a leader in audio cable assembly and deployment.
Works only with Spotify Premium
If you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber, you might be looking forward to the arrival of the company’s first ever hardware device. The Car Thing, which went on sale yesterday in the US, is a voice-controlled device that plugs into your car’s 12-volt port and gives you a big touchscreen to control your music.
However, the device has some limitations. Only US customers can buy it, and you’ll need a Premium subscription to use it. In addition, you’ll need to have Bluetooth enabled on your smartphone.
For now, you can’t add playlists to the device. You can only download songs as part of an album or playlist. There’s also no way to skip over ads. But if you’re a Premium subscriber, you’ll be able to delete songs from your playlist and reorder tracks on an album.
On top of that, you’ll also get a built-in voice assistant. This lets you control your music with a “Hey Spotify!” command.
You can also make your Car Thing more useful by downloading music from the Spotify web player. It’s available for Windows 10, Mac OS, and Xbox One.
Spotify is a proprietary company that uses digital rights management controls. You’ll need to sign up for a free trial or pay for a subscription to get the most out of your gadget.
Spotify’s first gadget landed in the hands of a small group of lucky early adopters. A total of two million people signed up for a waitlist. As a result, you may have seen test images of the device. These leaked photos showed that the device was far from what it’s become.
Spotify is betting that 140 million cars in the US alone could benefit from a device that replicates Android Auto. Moreover, it doesn’t want to sell the Car Thing at a loss. That’s why it’s pricing it at $90.
Still, you might be wondering whether the device is worth your money. At least, that’s what the company says. After all, you’ll have to shell out for shipping. Plus, you’ll have to wait two weeks before you can access new releases.
Has a Night Mode
Spotify Car Thing is an in-car entertainment system designed to make it easier for users to listen to music while they’re driving. It comes with a 4-inch touchscreen, a physical dial, and voice controls. This device will also allow users to manage playlists and queue up their favorite music.
In addition to Spotify, the Car Thing will support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, it’s not yet clear when these features will be available to Android users. Hopefully, they’ll come soon. The new update to the Car Thing will let users control media from other sources in the car, as well as answer incoming phone calls.
Spotify is also testing a new feature called Car Mode. This will let users search for content on their smartphone by saying “Hey Spotify.” Currently, they can only do this by clicking the Car Mode button on their phone. They can then choose to play, pause, or stop songs. If they want to switch back to the Spotify app, they can just tap the screen.
Another feature Spotify is working on is adding an “Add to Queue” command to their voice commands. When you say the command, the Car Thing will begin to queue up your next song.
Until now, the only way to add to the queue was by manually creating it. Now, you can use your voice to start playing your playlists, as well as to reach your favorite music or podcasts.
Additionally, Spotify is also adding a “dark mode” to the device. This will help people who are light sensitive or who suffer from poor eyesight. However, this mode won’t save battery life on OLED screens or older LCD ones.
One more feature Spotify is adding to the Car Thing is an “Add to Queue” voice command. This will let users create a queue of their favorite music or podcasts. Once they’ve added songs, they can easily skip to the next track or play them again.
If you’re interested in purchasing the device, you can check out Spotify’s website. You’ll have to be a Premium subscriber to take advantage of these features, though.
Doesn’t offer all the features of other infotainment devices
If you’re a fan of Spotify, you might have noticed that the music service has released its first-ever hardware device. This device is designed to give you a seamless, hands-free way to enjoy your music while driving.
The Spotify Car Thing is a dashboard-mounted device that provides a way to control the music app directly from your vehicle. You can use voice commands, swipes, or a dial to change between media. It’s also a great option if you don’t have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
The Spotify Car Thing is easy to use. But it lacks many of the features found in other in-car infotainment devices. In addition, you can only use it in the US. That’s not good news for international consumers.
The Spotify Car Thing is based on a small touchscreen and four customizable buttons. There are also voice commands, which allows you to play and skip songs, or even answer a call. You can also set your phone to “play” a specific playlist.
You can connect your Car Thing to your phone via Bluetooth. The phone can then be used as a remote control, with the large screen serving as a display.
The interface is simple to use and is a great feature for people who are familiar with AndroidAuto. However, if you don’t own an Android-based phone, you won’t have access to these features. Luckily, if you do own an Android-based smartphone, you can still stream Spotify using the Google Assistant.
Considering that the average car in the US lasts for 18 years, it’s a wonder that more consumers aren’t able to listen to their favorite music while driving. Although it’s still early days for the Car Thing, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
If you’re looking for a device that works well with your existing music-streaming app, there are a few things you should consider. First, stop for a search. Second, make sure you don’t fiddle with the device while driving. And third, you might want to wait until the Car Thing’s night mode is released.