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Dozens of tech merchandise make their approach onto my reviewer’s desk yearly, however solely a choose few handle to have sufficient endurance to stay my on a regular basis carry. Final yr’s AAWireless Two was a type of rarities, and it someway simply obtained higher in two methods.
For one, AAWireless has launched the much-anticipated successor to the wi-fi Android Auto adapter, named the Two Plus. Whereas it is designed the identical because the earlier mannequin, that means it is nonetheless a plug-and-play affair, now you can use the system to run Apple’s CarPlay working system wirelessly. So, as an alternative of getting to wire your iPhone to an older automobile to run the iOS-based platform, you may merely pair it to the dongle.
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All the course of, together with the power to modify between Android Auto and CarPlay with the press of a button, works magically. For households with totally different cellphone manufacturers, tech lovers who swear by the duo-phone way of life, and customers who simply desire a dependable, useful, and pretty priced wi-fi automobile adapter, that is the one I’ve settled on — and suggest you do the identical. Here is why.
In case you’ve learn my assessment of final yr’s AAWireless Two, then it should not come as a shock that I nonetheless use it in my automobile (a Mazda CX-5) on daily basis. Since establishing the adapter final October, which concerned plugging the system into my automobile’s USB-A port, long-pressing the multifunctional button to provoke Bluetooth pairing, and confirming the pairing from my cellphone, the AAWireless Two has lived in my middle console all through the seasons.
The one friction got here once I was reviewing a brand new iPhone and located myself tapping into CarPlay extra typically than Android Auto, which required a wired connection since my Mazda did not assist wi-fi.
That was till a month in the past, once I changed the AAWireless Two with the Two Plus, eliminating the necessity to dig out a USB-C cable and wrestle to plug it into my cellphone in the course of the darkish, end-of-year days. Now, I merely begin the engine of my automobile, watch for 5 to eight seconds for the dongle to react and my cellphone to pair, and voilà: wi-fi automotive software program goodness.
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Whereas I can solely attest to the consistency and reliability of the wi-fi pairing with my 2023 CX-5, I additionally used the dongle on a weekend street journey not too long ago with an older 2019 Audi Q5. Apart from the one time, when long-pressing the multifunctional button did not immediate any pairing indicator (a pulsing mild ring surrounding the button), I did not have any points connecting my iPhone or Android to the automobile. Your mileage could fluctuate.
I’ve really discovered that the AAWireless Two Plus typically works time beyond regulation, as it’s going to nonetheless maintain an area Wi-Fi connection even after you flip off your automobile and stroll away. The idle state lasts for only some seconds, so it is nothing to fret about. Nevertheless, I typically discover the “pairing in course of” notification and second-guess whether or not I powered off my automobile.
Each the AAWireless Two and Two Plus share an identical app interface with customizable settings.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
I will add that the Bluetooth connection is powerful sufficient to set off my Spotify playlist (set to autoplay when paired with a automobile) even once I’m nonetheless inside the home and have solely began the automobile to heat it up. My solely qualm with this habits is that podcasts or different audio exhibits could begin enjoying forward with out you realizing it.
To take advantage of your AAWireless Two Plus, you may need to dial into the companion app. Inside settings, you can also make finer changes, resembling adjusting the DPI, enabling split-screen modes, and setting a pairing precedence chain for a number of related units.
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This setup is useful when you enter the automobile with a companion or member of the family. For instance, the adapter all the time pairs to my Android cellphone first, however robotically switches to my iPhone if the Android is not current.
Just like the earlier mannequin, you may nonetheless entry diagnostic and troubleshooting instruments from the cellular app, together with the choice to toggle pass-through mode for information switch, repair audio stutters, disable TTS sink for routing navigation audio, and extra.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Finally, the AAWireless Two Plus does what it is marketed to do, and it does it effectively. I nonetheless extremely suggest the older (and now cheaper) AAWireless Two for Android-only customers, because it does practically every little thing the identical, apart from not supporting Apple CarPlay. Nevertheless, for iPhone customers or these seeking to swap working programs, the Two Plus is the brand new best choice.
At $65, the AAWireless Two Plus is not essentially the most cost effective auto adapter. A fast Amazon search reveals listings that hover across the $40-$50 vary, with critiques that present promise. However I doubt these choices have the identical performance, software program assist, and in-app instruments because the AAWireless, which is why it is the adapter I will be recommending to most individuals going into the brand new yr.
