I saw a person using an Android tablet for directions a few days back. He was using the tablet in his lap while driving. I’m not a traffic cop but even I know that is a dangerous thing to do. I would never recommend using your tablet like that or in a way which possess serious danger to yourself and to anyone on road. If you promise yourself to be traffic law abiding citizen, go ahead and read the rest of the article to understand how you can turn your Android tablet as a car computer.
Android Tablet as Car PC
What You Need
Step 1: Finding the Dock
Here are some of the docks I found interesting: Satechi ST-TP01: This one comes with a suction cup which can be used to mount the dock on any dashboard. Although this may seem unsafe, reviews state the dock maintains a firm grip throughout the trip. This is a perfect dock for those who don’t want to ruin the looks of their car by drilling holes. Arkon Large Tablet Long Arm Windshield Suction Mount: The name says almost everything here. This particular dock sticks on your windshield. This maybe the best suction based docked because the cups tend to stick well on glass surfaces. This will give you a nice overhead view of your tablet as well. Arkon Truck: This one comes with screws. It is made for military type off road trucks so there will be a place to mount it with ease.
Step 2: Selecting a Charger
You will also need a car charger and a standard USB cable to charge your tablet while on the go. There are a lot of options available to choose from. Here are a few for the sake of your convenience. PowerGen 2.4Amps Omaker Intelligent 6.6A Anker [5-Pack] Premium Micro USB Cables Mediabridge USB 2.0
Step 3: Getting an AUX
For audio you may want to get an AUX cable and attach it with the car stereo. Every modern car comes with an AUX port these days and it makes everything simple. Otherwise you might need an additional amplifier to attach your Android tablet with the speaker system. And that is a real hassle to be honest. Here are some of the AUX readily available for you to use: Anker® 3.5mm Premium Auxiliary Mediabridge 3.5mm
Step 4: Assemble Everything
Now that you have ordered the dock for tablet size, you are ready to use Android tablet as car PC. Now place the dock in your car. Connect the car charger with the USB cable. Insert the tablet in the dock and connect the mini USB to it for charging. And there you go, you can now use Android tablet in car with ease. Don’t forget to connect the AUX cable from your tablet to the stereo and enjoy tunes being played from your tablet.
Conclusion:
Using Android tablet as Car PC turned out to be very easy. Combine the tablet with a good GPS navigation app to know directions or an offline GPS app if you have a WiFi only tablet. Install a dedicated tablet launcher to make things easier and get a good music app for all your musical needs. Most of all stay safe and don’t use the tablet while driving. Certainly don’t watch movies while driving. I know it’s tempting but I would prefer not to lose a reader.
