How Android Read My Text When Im Driving
The only thing worse than a driver distracted past a phone call is when their eyes aren't on the road and both hands aren't on the wheel.
We run across it almost every twenty-four hour period now – someone beside yous on the road is texting, emailing or instant messaging, all the while driving a four,000-pound vehicle.
While prophylactic experts agree the best thing to do is to simply wait until y'all're not behind the wheel, many are turning to technology to remain productive while commuting to and from the part.
In fact, there are a few means you tin hear your messages in a human being-similar voice, and in many cases these tools allow you to reply using your vox.
(Congenital-in infotainment systems are getting more advanced, merely they sound far from human, nor will most permit yous verbally respond to a text bulletin).
I've tested many third-party options over the past two weeks, and then the post-obit is a look at a few different suggestions, with pros and cons for each.
Again, I want to exist clear: The best thing to practise is focus solely on driving and check your letters when yous're non. Merely for those tempted to option upward their phone to read and reply to messages, at the very to the lowest degree utilise one of these safer options instead.
More:'Practice Not Disturb While Driving' is really getting people to put downward their phones
CarPlay, Android Auto
While automakers still offering their own infotainment system, many are allowing drivers to use what they're already most comfy with: their smartphone.
With Apple tree's CarPlay, plug in your iPhone and put it away as it's charging upwardly. Now your vehicle'southward dashboard will resemble your familiar iOS dwelling screen, displaying many supported first-party apps – such as Phone, Messages, Maps and Music – and a growing choice of third-political party apps, likewise.
When it comes to hearing messages, press the push-to-talk push button on the steering wheel to actuate Siri, your personal assistant that resides on your phone, and requite a command such as "Read me my texts" or "Read me my email." With the former, you can hear the messages through your automobile'south speakers and respond using your voice. You can also initiate a message such as "Tell Susan Smith I'll exist in that location in 20 minutes."
But when it comes to email, you lot'll be notified how many messages you accept in your inbox and the subject line for each, simply the contents of the electronic mail won't be read to you lot, nor can you dictate your respond through CarPlay.
The process is like with Android Auto: First connect your Android smartphone, and when you lot desire to admission something, press the button on the steering bike, which activates Google Assistant, and and then ask a question or give a command. You'll have admission to all your contacts, messages, music, maps and other info – while keeping your eyes on the road and easily upon the wheel, every bit the tardily Jim Morrison in one case famously sang.
Android Auto will let y'all hear messages – such as texts and WhatsApp and Facebook messages – and you can reply with your vocalization. Google Assistant will read it dorsum to you to ensure your dictated message sounds accurate before you ship it. You can also initiate a bulletin, such as saying "text John Jones what practise you desire for lunch." Equally with Apple CarPlay, you need to say punctuation, such as "period," "comma," "assertion mark" or "question mark," plus you tin also say emojis such as "smiley face up."
Be aware, still, Android Machine will not read your electronic mail to you without a third-political party app (meet below).
Speaking of personal assistants, it's worth noting Toyota and Lexus have simply shipped their showtime 2019 vehicles with full support for Amazon Alexa. While other automakers offer some limited Alexa functionality – such every bit bones in-vehicle commands or starting your vehicle remotely – with these new models you can ask everything from music and audiobooks to directions and recommended destinations to atmospheric condition and sports scores to even decision-making your smart abode devices while on the road (such equally asking Alexa to adjust the air conditioner or turn on the lights).
Prices for the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback commencement at just under $20,000, while the 2019 Avalon starts at about $35,000. The 2019 Lexus ES 350 starts at $39,500. Yous need an Android telephone for this Alexa functionality, but iOS volition exist supported by year-end.
More:These hands-free phone tricks tin forestall distracted driving
Third-party apps
I tested a bunch of complimentary and paid apps, and here are two of the best – though both had some shortcomings.
messageLOUD (free for text messages, $0.99/calendar month for all other platforms)
This clever app reads your text letters, emails (Gmail, Yahoo, IMAP, Microsoft Exchange and many others) and instant messages from all major platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, WeChat, Slack, Snapchat and others. The app also supports multiple languages. After I choose a comfy playback speed, how much of a message to read and desired voice (based on my phone's oral communication options, Google or Samsung), I prepare the app to initiate when it detects my vehicle's Bluetooth connectedness. It worked equally promised: messageLOUD will first announce whom the bulletin is from, and what platform, such every bit Facebook Messenger, electronic mail or a text bulletin. There are two things I didn't like, however: You cannot reply using your voice (the app maker claims information technology'southward non advisable for safe reasons), and you need to tap the screen to skip messages, which, curiously, is supposed to exist safer, messageLOUD says, though vox commands will be added soon. The app works with iPhone but not for reading electronic mail.
Speaking Email (gratuitous, with in-app purchases)
This is a highly recommended app, specifically designed for reading email letters, on both iPhone and Android devices. Equally the name suggests, Speaking Email reads your latest emails out loud from your inbox, i by one, to aid you manage your messages while on the become (to aid get you lot to that elusive "Inbox Zero" past the time you hit the office). Using taps, swipes, the "skip" buttons on a steering wheel or your voice, you can play, pause and delete your e-mail – with back up for multiple services and servers, including Gmail, Microsoft Outlook/Office 365/Exchange, IAMP, POP, iCloud, Yahoo and others. The basic account is free, simply for $ii a month you lot can unlock many features, including replying to letters, different voices, skip promotional emails and more. The downside? The app doesn't handle text messages, so you may desire to utilize CarPlay or Android Machine for that.
Both messageLOUD and Speaking Email accept first-class client support, based on my experience.
More:Are you prepare to upgrade your iPhone?
More than:12 texting tricks you didn't know the iPhone could practise
Assorted tips
A few added suggestions to remain safe (and productive) while on the road:
- Set up your phone to "automobile answer" before you bulldoze so if a call comes in you don't need to bear on anything to accept it. Go into the Settings or Options for your telephone (any brand and model) to enable this.
- iPhone has a "Do Not Disturb" option. Enabling this in the Settings stops all notifications, alerts and calls from making any dissonance, vibration or lighting up the phone screen when the screen is locked. You lot tin can also schedule specific times of the 24-hour interval or dark for this mode.
- For when y'all demand to glance at your smartphone for, say, maps and directions, exist sure to secure the device to your air vent, windshield or dashboard. You lot tin can pick upwards a decent mount from your local dollar store, in fact.
- Using your phone for directions or music streaming will swallow upwardly bombardment life, so be sure to plug your phone into the vehicle, which uses the car's battery to keep your device topped up. If your car doesn't have a USB port, you can use the 12V ("lighter") port.
- Fifty-fifty if it's at a cherry-red light, resist sending even a quick text. It's not worth information technology. If y'all demand to type, safely pull over and put the motorcar in park.
- Remember, online services you lot may use on your phone while in the car could incur data charges, therefore ensure you have a decent "bucket" of monthly information you can utilize from your provider.
Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. Electronic mail him at tech@marcsaltzman.com
Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2018/08/08/how-have-your-emails-texts-read-you-car/926421002/
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