NEX 8201 Android Auto (opinion)

[mozga628]

i recently upgraded my nex8000 to an nex8201.  the price was just something i couldn't pass up and i really wanted android auto...  but now that i have it, i might be suffering some buyers remorse?

when i say, "OKAY GOOGLE" to start the app, not only does my NEX8201 respond, but so does my cell phone, my son's phone, my daughters phone..  and i suppose anyone else with an android phone in the car at the time also.  (please note, i have a samsung j7 as a dedicated hot spot in the car)

google doesn't do a good enough job to satisfy me when i want to hear music..  i say "Play Supertramp", android auto starts playing Pink Floyd, etc..  generally in the same music genre, but almost never exactly what i want to hear.

i wasn't thrilled at having to give up a usb port, and i knew this before i made the purchase, but i'm still gonna score this a thumbs down.

android auto and my echo dot (connected via the j7 mentioned above), do not play well together.  

maybe its just me, but music played through android auto never seems to have a constant volume..  one song might be too quiet and i turn up the volume, but then the next song blasts my ears out! - its an exaggeration, but it really underscores how much this annoys me.

no video, while driving..  okay i can respect that, its the law of the land and and technology is enforcing it..  but i get the same blasted "while driving" message even if i am on my lunch break and the car is parked!

 

bottom line is i ended up disconnecting the android auto (via usb), and connecting a 2nd thumb drive.

i guess the reason i am posting this (other than to share my generally negative experience), is to find out if i've missed anything that might sway me to reconnecting it?  or possibly if there is something i can do to correct any of the above.