Question Using tablet as a screen for my phone

[Mike the Wino]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and am looking for some technical advice. I searched for a similar question here but didn't find one, so if this has been answered before please point me to any relevant posts.

I would like to use my android tablet for navigation in my work truck. I've paired my android phone to the tablet via bluetooth. I've used my phone for navigation in the past but would prefer a larger screen, so is there a way to have the tablet show the map from my phone via the bluetooth connection?

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

 

[SpookDroid]

Depends on which devices you have. If both are Samsung devices, you can do screen mirroring from the phone to the tablet through WiFi Direct. But the easiest way would be to just use the phone's hotspot and connect the tablet to it and use navigation from there. BT connection will not suffice for screen mirroring.

 

[VidJunky]

Welcome to Android Central forums. As SpookDroid alluded to, some of this will depend on the devices being used. In general, most tablets have GPS built in. If yours is one, no need to connect to the phone at all for navigation. Just open and use the Google Maps app stand alone on the tab.

If you really need to mirror here are some videos showing how-to. There are several on YouTube in case none of these methods work for you.

I tried to pick ones that weren't too old but there are several more if these don't work for you.

 

[Mike the Wino]

Thank you SpookDroid and VidJunky!

Full disclosure: I am only marginally technically literate, probably not as savvy as a 14 year old! If I come across as asking dumb questions, that is why.

My phone is moto g power 5G (2023 version) and the tablet I have is a Lenovo TB-8505F. After reviewing the videos above (and others), I'm guessing mirroring the phone to the tablet isn't what I really want to do because the Lenovo does have Google Maps and Location is turned on for it. But is that really GPS like the old Garmin or Magellan automotive GPS units, or just some type of mapping app? In order to be real-time, it requires an internet connection, correct? Since this setup would be for use in my vehicle, I couldn't connect it to wi-fi...it would have to use my phone's mobile data. Unfortunately, my cell service doesn't support a hotspot capability (it's an MVNO using Verizon towers) so does that mean there's no way the tablet can use the phone's internet connection?

 

[VidJunky]

Nope, it's real GPS just like, and probably better than, Garman and all of those. It would need to data to look up locations, get traffic updates, and stuff like that but it is a full blown GPS.

I found this short that may help. If not search YouTube for tethering without hotspot.

 

[SpookDroid]

For real time traffic and stuff, yes, you'd need some sort of data connection to the tablet. However, you can connect to WiFi at home and download offline map areas. You can still get directions and navigation (using the tablet's GPS) that way, but there will be no automatic re-routing due to real time traffic conditions. Better than nothing?

 

[Mike the Wino]

Yeah, in my case real-time navigation is preferred. Again, potentially dumb questions ahead:

I'm wondering, given how my cell plan doesn't provide hotspot support, if I could just link the phone and tablet with a USB data cable (which I'd need to purchase) and tether them that way. I looked at the settings on both devices (Network & Internet>>Hotspot & Tethering) but the setting for USB tethering is grayed out. Is that because I haven't connected a cable between them yet? If so, would doing so allow the tablet to use the phones cell data (from the video VidJunky linked above, it appears doable) ?

Also, if that were to work, could my phone be connected simultaneously to the vehicle's SYNC system via BT so I could utilize the hands-free phone functions I currently have?

 

[SpookDroid]

Depends on both devices, especially carrier-branded ones. If the option is on both the tablet and phone, then that's a step in the right direction. Yes, grayed out until you connect an USB. However, if your carrier blocks hotspot, they MAY also block ethernet/USB tethering.

There are 3rd party apps in the store (look for the term 'tethering') that claim to allow bypass of these restrictions, but can't speak for them as I've never tried them (and general discussion on bypassing security measures/carrier limitations is not allowed here).

 

[VidJunky]

Did you by chance look at the video I attached? It talks about not having a hot spot and how to tether with USB. And again, there are several videos on YouTube about this.

 

[Mike the Wino]

I did, as I mentioned in my last post ! Thank you VidJunky! Anyway, I tried it with my new data/charging cable and the tablet recognizes the phone but not vice versa. In other words, I can toggle on USB tethering on the tablet, but the setting for that is still grayed out on the phone. I assume this is because of what SpookDroid said above...my cell carrier probably blocks ethernet/USB tethering (as well as hotspot).

There are some mobile hotspot devices out there that would probably work (such as Simo's Solis pro 5G), but I'd need to do more research as some of them claim lifetime data that really isn't, etc. I would hardly use any per month as it would be for navigation only, but wouldn't want to risk running out on the monthly allotment some of those plans restrict users to.

Or, I might just keep my old Garmin GPS with lifetime updates and not worry about the bigger screen!

Happy Holidays!

 

[SpookDroid]

May not know how Garmins work anymore (last time I used one, Blackberry was still the king of the hill), but wouldn't that just do updates maps and navigation, but not real time traffic/re-routing? If that's the case, then downloading offline maps (while on WiFi at home or somewhere else) would still work. You'd have the map of the area you want, you'd get directions and navigation using the tablet's GPS, but you just wouldn't be re-routed because of real time traffic updates (that's the part that needs data while navigating).

 

[Mike the Wino]

Well, I am old(er) and comfortable with the Garmin (I actually only bought it about 8 years ago!) and how it works. I was just hoping to find a way to increase the screen size via the tablet, either from my phone or the Garmin itself. Unfortunately, the phone mirroring/tethering isn't going to work, and it can't be done from the Garmin either as it would need a video output port that it doesn't have.

BUT, this particular Garmin does have an embedded digital traffic receiver, using the included power cable which has an antenna to receive traffic data, so it will optimize or re-route on the fly if it encounters traffic delays. It's display is twice as large as the one in the truck (but only half that of the tablet) and it's still better than my phone so I'll just use it. And it doesn't need a cell plan!

Anyway, thanks to both you and VidJunky for trying to help! I really appreciate the ides and suggestions.

Happy New Year!