Official Car Dock

[levydvm]

I'm really missing this feature as well. I was hoping that this would be an option with the Bionic since I loved that on my OG it would just connect to my car and automatically turn on the car mode.

Hopefully this gets figured out.

You can launch the car dock app from a shortcut using AnyCut from the market (package name for car dock is called SmartMode). I use Tasker to automatically launch it when connected to my car's bluetooth.

 

[codered18]

It sometime not come up because it wasn't dock properly. Happen to me a few times. A little tug solves it all the time.

What I dislike about car dock is I have to manually plug in the aux. The Fascinate dock does it automatically.

 

[jimdibb]

If you go to the moto accessories site and get what's called the custom audio cable for $20 and12v USB charger plug, you no longer have to use the headphone plug and your aux stays connected all the time.
But the phone audio will not be routed there, it must come from the phone speaker. So close to perfect but not quite there.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[jimdibb]

Turns out the phone audio is routed there if you toggle speakerphone OFF.

Also, the output is a fixed level output so you don't have to fiddle with 2 volume controls. You just use your stereo's volume control.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[kbo]

I have been using the car dock for a couple weeks and am pretty disappointed with it. It only came with an insert to fit a Bionic with an extended battery, so the stock Bionic doesn't fit tight (same with the home dock). I have to be sure that the left side of the phone is sitting flush in the dock while I press down, otherwise I will not have audio out and the car dock app will not always launch.

I called Motorola and asked if they had an insert for the stock Bionic and they said they only had the insert that comes with the car dock.

 

[qnet]

So far, I love this dock. It's much better than the Magellan car kit I used with my Iphone (which is much more expensive). The Iphone dock would have trouble recognizing the device and, you had to keep adjusting it and pressing on it to make sure it would connect.

I use a black silicon case that I bought at Verizon and, it works well. I do have to give it a little extra push, to may sure it connects but, once connected; it stays connected.

The Seido case I've ordered, from what I've heard, will not work and, I'll just have to take it off when using the dock. What's cool about Seido caes are they are very durable and well made. You can take them on & off several times without much wear or bad effects .This is not that big of a deal to me because, I had to do that with my Nexus one car dock. This dock is probably the best dock I've had since the N1 dock.

I also agree with a previous poster who talked about being able to add apps to the car dock screen, that's a really nice feature. Something else I also missed is Google maps & navigation, it is much more accurate than the Magellan app I used with my Iphone.

 

[JackStorm]

Turns out the phone audio is routed there if you toggle speakerphone OFF.

Also, the output is a fixed level output so you don't have to fiddle with 2 volume controls. You just use your stereo's volume control.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

I can't seem to find this on the Moto site. Any chance you can provide a little link action? Thanks!

 

[VBGlacier]

Motorola Dock Power USB Cable : Chargers

 

[mikeffi]

Well I got the dock yesterday and was happy with the fit and finish. I bought it from the Moto site so it came with the Y cable which works well. So the only issue I am having with it is the forced landscape mode. I opened mine up last night ( 4 screws ) to see if I could find and remove a magnet ( like did for the dock of my OG Droid ) with no luck. Well, some bad luck actually. I managed to lose the little whisker spring on the power button. ( It seems to work without out it )

While I had it apart I tried various things to isolate what was causing the thing to jump into SmartMode and for a time I thought I had succeeded somehow, but once everything was back together it again put me in forced landscape mode.

So two questions:
1) Where's the magnet ?
2) Is there a software fix that can make orientation automatic again while in the dock?

 

[dhendriksen]

There is no magnet. It's the way the micro USB port is pinned out.

 

[mikeffi]

Ok. How do we mod it so we can rule our machine? I kind of like the audio cable feature, but even this has issues.

 

[dasverige]

I just got my car dock and for the first hour it worked great. However, now it does not pick up the sound through my car speakers even though everything is plugged in correctly. It also does not charge. But it does go into vehicle navigation mode. I does work when I plug aux cable straight into my phone when not in vehicle dock so there is nothing wrong with my phone or car connection. Any thoughs? Thanks.

 

[jimdibb]

Make sure you didn't mute it. The volume is fixed except if it's muted.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[captainhoek]

Does the car dock with the cable allow bionic functions such as "usb tethering" through a laptop usb?? I am a mobile repair service and tired of plugging in all the time to tether and charge every time I get in/out.......

 

[theoriginalmdp]

Is there any way to have the dock audio connection override bluetooth for audio output? What I'm trying to get at is when I connect from my stereo's aux input to the headphone jack on my Bionic and also connect my bluetooth headset to the Bionic, music and other audio such as nav directions output to my stereo while calls go through my bluetooth headset. However, when I have the Bionic in the car dock it will only output to one or the other, i.e. if bluetooth is enabled it will only output audio over bluetooth... I have to turn BT off to get sound over my car stereo. Does anyone know if the dock can split it similar to not having it in the dock?

 

[dfgalletta]

Captainhoek, I have one of these docks with my Bionic, and it does not allow USB to communicate with my 2012 Chevy Volt. If I set aside the dock and plug in directly to the phone, I can access the music on the SD drive with names of songs displaying on my car's large screen. Unfortunately, the phone is then sitting on the passenger seat rather than in the dock.

Does this reflect the way it is wired in? I've exited the car software but still cannot access the SD storage through the car interface.

If it isn't wiring, then maybe somebody has a workaround...

 

[BBSeattle]

I have had the car dock for a little over a week now. I was disappointed with a few things;
- Will not hold a stock Bionic securely (just silly).
The insert allows it to work with the extended batter (no case).
Without the insert it was designed specifically for the Verizon case VZ Bionic case
And any other case that happens to fit. The Verizon case will work with stock and extended battery.

I purchased the case and extended battery, problem solved.

I came from a DX2 and liked the dock program better. It allowed me turn off the dock program at any time where as the Bionic dock program does not (or if it does I have not found it).
The DX2 dock program had more options, like adding direct dial icons. The Bionic offers "Favorites" but I have not been able to program specific names in, recently called pop up but that's it.
I do not like having to scroll, type or search for a contact while driving.
To fix this I froze the car dock app (need to be rooted) in TB. Now when I plug in I get the standard Bionic homepage (Go Launcher for me). I created a specific car dock page with direct dial icons and anything I need while driving (Pandora, Nav, voice search, etc.).

With the changes made I am back to digging the car dock scenario.

 

[fdisker]

I have had the car dock for a little over a week now. I was disappointed with a few things;
- Will not hold a stock Bionic securely (just silly).
...snip...

That simply isn't true. The official car dock holds a stock Bionic perfectly secure providing you use the included insert.

 

[csimme01]

I have had the car dock for a little over a week now. I was disappointed with a few things;
- Will not hold a stock Bionic securely (just silly).
The insert allows it to work with the extended batter (no case).
Without the insert it was designed specifically for the Verizon case VZ Bionic case
And any other case that happens to fit. The Verizon case will work with stock and extended battery.

I purchased the case and extended battery, problem solved.

I came from a DX2 and liked the dock program better. It allowed me turn off the dock program at any time where as the Bionic dock program does not (or if it does I have not found it).
The DX2 dock program had more options, like adding direct dial icons. The Bionic offers "Favorites" but I have not been able to program specific names in, recently called pop up but that's it.
I do not like having to scroll, type or search for a contact while driving.
To fix this I froze the car dock app (need to be rooted) in TB. Now when I plug in I get the standard Bionic homepage (Go Launcher for me). I created a specific car dock page with direct dial icons and anything I need while driving (Pandora, Nav, voice search, etc.).

With the changes made I am back to digging the car dock scenario.

Try Car Home Ultra from the market. It has a way better layout, way more functions like speedometer, location, local weather.
Add to that drive safe.ly to speak incoming text and email. I did talk to the handcent people and they say they are working on a car mode for handcent.

 

[ToxicSkier]

I have a Bionic without a case. I am using the Verizon Car Dock with the insert. The Car Home screen seems to come up at odd times. I use a security code. If the code is entered, the power is on to the dock, when I insert the phone the Car Home screen comes on.

I can also get to the car home screen by pressing Home once the phone is inserted.