Your car doesn’t have a modern sound/entertainment system, and yet you want to listen to your playlists with comfort and convenience? Spotify may have a solution. The streaming platform launched this Tuesday (13) its first gadget: the Car Thing, a smart player with touch screen and voice control, which can connect even with older models of cars.
For now, the device is limited to the North American market, and will be shipped free of charge to selected Spotify Premium subscribers based on a subscription on the company’s website . Spotify guarantees, however, that it won’t shift its focus to building hardware. “We developed Car Thing because we saw a need from our users, many of whom were missing out on an integrated, personalized in-car listening experience,” states the official note .
The device is a podcast and music player that can work via Bluetooth, AUX cable or USB, depending on how you usually connect the phone to your car stereo. Although more modern models are compatible with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto , Spotify points out that, on average, a car in the US is 11 years old – and the average lifespan of vehicles is 18 years. “No matter the year or model of your vehicle, we believe that everyone should have a superior listening experience”, completes the company.
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With four microphones on top, Car Thing understands voice commands even with music at full volume or windows open. The touch-sensitive screen and a physical dial-shaped button further help in controlling the functions.
The device comes with three types of brackets to be mounted almost anywhere on the dashboard of the car, plus a car charger and a USB-C cable. When it goes to market, the Car Thing will cost $80 – but there is no set date for that.
Via: TechCrunch