It looks like every carmaker is into offering Android-powered head units these days. Malaysian Nissan distributor Tan Chong is the latest to join the pack with this 6.5” touch screen Android head unit offered as part of the Nissan Almera’s ’Navi with Internet Package’.
The package costs RM7,000, but doesn’t quite just consist of the head unit – it also includes leather seats and door cards plus Solar Gard Armorcoat tinting. The leather on its own costs RM1,800 while the tint is priced at RM1,400, so I suppose the head unit set is valued at RM3,800. The head unit also includes a reverse camera and GPS navigation.
When you start it up you’re greeted by a six icon screen. From here, you can pick the iGO GPS navigation software, Phone for hands-free calls, as well as Radio, Music and Photo & Video which are self-explanatory. There’s also something called Infogo App Garage, which is familiar – Infogo is the brand of a music store by Prodigium Mobile pre-installed on the Clarion AX1 Android head unit.
The 2-DIN head unit’s faceplate has no branding on it but we started to suspect it’s actually a Clarion AX1. This was confirmed when we opened the iGO app to check out the GPS navigation feature – the start-up screen clearly said Clarion AX1.
There’s no Google Play Store support by default on the AX1. So it
won’t be easy to get Waze onto this, although users of the Clarion AX1
have previously reported that it is certainly possible. The head unit is
loaded with an app to stream radio channels from around the world, as
well as an app that can access DLNA servers to play media. If you run a
DLNA server on your phone, the head unit will be able to play music,
photos and videos from there.The Infogo App Garage provides a way for you to install new apps, but only two apps are of interest so far – the Infogo Music Player for you to buy, download and play songs from Infogo’s music library, and a HyppTV app for you to watch TM’s HyppTV channels on the go.
The head unit can connect to a WiFi hotspot or use Bluetooth tethering for internet access. You can either run it off your phone’s internet connection or buy a device like Celcom’s 4G LTE PortaWiFi for a somewhat permanent internet connection in the car for the head unit.
Another feature that the head unit has over the normal non-Android head unit in the TCAT DVD Navi package (RM1,000 cheaper) is VAPS, which from what we understand is powered by Arkamys. You can tweak the sound stage using the VAPS menu and there’s even a Child Sleep option to reduce the volume at the seat where a child is asleep while keeping the volume higher for the other occupants.
