where did car panel go?

**spgiva** · 12-04-2011, 12:19 PM

So this is a little strange. I can not find the car panel app in my app drawer. When I do a search via the search bar it turns up and I can start it, but it does not show up in the app drawer (so I can not add it to my home screens) or in my recently used apps after it ha been launched from the search bar.

Any advice any one can offer would be appreciated.

Thanks
-spg

**dwaynewilliams#WN** · 12-04-2011, 05:26 PM

It may have to be docked.

Sent from my HTC Rezound

**spgiva** · 12-04-2011, 05:47 PM

I do not have a dock. On my htc incredible (admittedly an older version of both sence and android) it showed up like any other app in my app drawer and I could place it on a home screen.

**dwaynewilliams#WN** · 12-04-2011, 08:42 PM

You have me stumped. I have no idea why it can't be accessed through the app drawer.

Sent from my HTC Rezound

**twolastnames** · 12-05-2011, 01:19 AM

Mine is in my app drawer, not sure what's up with yours.

**dwaynewilliams#WN** · 12-05-2011, 05:13 AM

Mine is definitely not in the app drawer. I can see it when I go into settings then applications. I can search my device for it and see it. But I do not see an app icon anywhere.

Sent from my HTC Rezound

**MrSmith317** · 12-05-2011, 09:25 AM

The car dock is still there but as part of Sense is hidden and should only appear when in use. I'm not sure where the placement is on this phone but you should be able to grab a small magnet and place it against the back of the case to get car mode to appear.

**twolastnames** · 12-05-2011, 11:40 AM

Thread in here says no magnet in the car dock, so the magnet thing won't work. I did look, I can see the app in Go Launcher and ADW launcher, but not when Sense is the launcher.

**MrSmith317** · 12-05-2011, 12:04 PM

Makes sense, since Sense hides the app. Makes me wonder though if there's no magnet how it's making the switch.

**twolastnames** · 12-05-2011, 01:23 PM

Either the goofy USB connector, or possibly with the 2 holes by the beats logo on back? I don't have one (yet) but plan on buying one soon, so I can't say for sure

**MrSmith317** · 12-05-2011, 01:43 PM

I have an extended battery and the beats logo isn't on the back panel, so I'll go with USB..

**spgiva** · 12-05-2011, 02:56 PM

What is the reasoning behind hiding the car panel? Seems unnecessary. I often use my cars cup holder a my "dock". This is the only problem I am having with the phone so far. Otherwise I love it.

**MrSmith317** · 12-05-2011, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by spgiva

What is the reasoning behind hiding the car panel? Seems unnecessary. I often use my cars cup holder a my "dock". This is the only problem I am having with the phone so far. Otherwise I love it.

The reasoning is probably this. Most people aren't ever going to fire off "car panel" without it actually sitting in the dock. Why show an icon when the app is auto-executed sitting in the dock? Basically you'd have to switch launchers to get the viewed icon back. Unless someone can offer a way to create a shortcut for it.

**Anubis** · 12-05-2011, 03:48 PM

HOW TO MAKE A CAR PANEL ICON---I don't know how to make it show up in the app drawer but if you want an Icon on your homescreen or one of your other panels download a free app in the market call Any Cut open it and click NEW SHORTCUT-ACTIVITY- scroll down and click Car Panel, it will ask you if you want to rename it or just leave called Car Panel-click okay . You now have a Car Panel icon on your homescreen or what ever panel you put it on. Also when you click Activity it may take a second to populate.

You may notice it says Car Panel twice in the Activity list. They are the same except if you choose the first one when you are in the car panel and click menu-exit it jumps out to your main homescreen, if you chose the second Car Panel the difference is when you exit it goes back out to which ever panel the car panel icon is one.

EDIT- In addition to making a car panel icon you can make icons ofr other hidden ones the the Dock for the desktop cradle and pretty much any other app that is on the phone. I think you can make custom ones too but i haven't messed around with that yet

**spgiva** · 12-05-2011, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Anubis

HOW TO MAKE A CAR PANEL ICON---I don't know how to make it show up in the app drawer but if you want an Icon on your homescreen or one of your other panels download a free app in the market call Any Cut open it and click NEW SHORTCUT-ACTIVITY- scroll down and click Car Panel, it will ask you if you want to rename it or just leave called Car Panel-click okay . You now have a Car Panel icon on your homescreen or what ever panel you put it on. Also when you click Activity it may take a second to populate.

You may notice it says Car Panel twice in the Activity list. They are the same except if you choose the first one when you are in the car panel and click menu-exit it jumps out to your main homescreen, if you chose the second Car Panel the difference is when you exit it goes back out to which ever panel the car panel icon is one.

EDIT- In addition to making a car panel icon you can make icons ofr other hidden ones the the Dock for the desktop cradle and pretty much any other app that is on the phone. I think you can make custom ones too but i haven't messed around with that yet

Thanks, this is exactly what I needed.
-spg

**Anubis** · 12-05-2011, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by spgiva

Thanks, this is exactly what I needed.
-spg

Glad I could help. I never really used the car panel but I actually am finding it usefull in the car, which i guess it shouldn't be a shock lol. They shouldn't have hide it if you ask me. I bet most use their phone in the car to some extend but most probably don't have the car mount

**spgiva** · 12-06-2011, 06:22 AM

So the only issue now (and it is a pretty minor one) is that the icon that shows up when I make the shortcut through "Any Cut" is really fuzzy and odd. It looks like a very low res version of the map in the car panel icon without the little speedometer that is usually there.

I do not understand HTC's logic in making this a hidden icon. I use my cup holder as my car dock (every dock I have gotten has broken or not held on to my windshield).

It also makes me wonder what other "hidden apps" are on my phone.

As a side note I was also ablt ot use any cut to make a nice little shortcut to the network settings page so I can turn my 4G on an off faster, so thanks again for that app.

-spg

**Anubis** · 12-06-2011, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by spgiva

So the only issue now (and it is a pretty minor one) is that the icon that shows up when I make the shortcut through "Any Cut" is really fuzzy and odd. It looks like a very low res version of the map in the car panel icon without the little speedometer that is usually there.

I do not understand HTC's logic in making this a hidden icon. I use my cup holder as my car dock (every dock I have gotten has broken or not held on to my windshield).

It also makes me wonder what other "hidden apps" are on my phone.

As a side note I was also ablt ot use any cut to make a nice little shortcut to the network settings page so I can turn my 4G on an off faster, so thanks again for that app.

-spg

So you have a short cut to the car panel on one your panels but the icon looks a little blurry? Hold the power button down on your Rezound for a few seconds and choose Restart when it ask again ,click Restart, after your phone reboots is the icon better? I'm guessing it probably will be. Post back and let me know if its better after a reboot.

Also i'm sure you know how to restart your Rezound i just put those steps in there just on that off chance some brand new smart phone use comes along now knowing anything. Which you may not think but I've had more than one person where I work come ask me how to restart of shutdown/star up there phone lol.

**acmorris** · 12-06-2011, 06:42 PM

Hey here is another alternative. I just got thru experimenting with. If you use es file explorer, there is a tooll bar up top. 1. There is an icon to the right is a gears icon, select it and it changes the toolbar icon menu again. 2. Choose the icon with 4 boxes in it and will allow access to all system apps. 3 Go to dockmode and long press on dockmode or carpanel and select create shortcut.

Now you will have a nice hiDef icon for car dockmode on your homescreen. Now for my next experiment is to find out if I can get the old CarHome.apk and CarHomlauncher.apk from the orginal Nexus to work. This will allow any app to be used with a shortcut with car/dock mode. Just hope I can get it to work with Sense 3.5.

**spgiva** · 12-06-2011, 08:23 PM

Anubis; the restart worked, thank you again.

acmxenon; in do not currently use es file explorer. If/when I do start using it I will give it a try.

**Anubis** · 12-07-2011, 04:08 AM

ES file explorer does work and it does not need a reboot. I only posted any cut because for the purpose of creating a shortcut I find in more direct/faster to that end.

I'm curious as to why some of the shortcuts made by anycut need a rebot to display properly. I've noticed this on some apps that are side loaded also. It's weird for sure but never bothered me since the phone restarts pretty fast.

**kim..** · 01-16-2012, 07:37 PM

Mine disappeared to... strange thing is, sometimes I see it but most of the time I don't. I don't have a dock either so I'm not sure why its there sometimes.

**major payne** · 01-17-2012, 07:31 AM

Guy i'm no sure it has been answered but i think what you are looking for is what i have found by just playing around.

Step 1 Be at main screen
Step 2 Click on the clock
Step 3 click Desk Clock
Step 4 Click on the Dock Icon

this is a way you can get to it without having a dock

sometimes it pays being an android noob

**Robisan** · 05-09-2012, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Anubis

HOW TO MAKE A CAR PANEL ICON---I don't know how to make it show up in the app drawer but if you want an Icon on your homescreen or one of your other panels download a free app in the market call Any Cut open it and click NEW SHORTCUT-ACTIVITY- scroll down and click Car Panel, it will ask you if you want to rename it or just leave called Car Panel-click okay . You now have a Car Panel icon on your homescreen or what ever panel you put it on. Also when you click Activity it may take a second to populate.

Just want to add that when I did this the Activity screen would not fully populate until I pressed the Menu button, which called up the keyboard for searching. Once I entered letters to search for "car panel" the Activity list fully populated and the instructions worked as described above.

Thanks for the tip. It's a mystery why they bury this feature...