Spotify just launched an in-car entertainment system called the “Car Thing“. This is a device that you can mount on your dash and flip through your playlists with ease or hands-free. We recently heard about their “Hey Spotify” feature and now they’re getting into the hardware device game.
This device is for Spotify Premium subscribers and is being offered for free plus shipping for a limited time. They’re not necessarily going to become a device company. They want to focus on the short-term goal of listening for its users. The touchscreen device is equipped with a big knob to navigate. You also get voice control features and four preset buttons at the top. They denote favorite music, podcasts, playlists, and an item of your choice.
This seems similar to Apple’s CarPlay or Android Auto, but they pointed out that cars eventually grow old. How will you continue to listen to music without an infotainment system? Perhaps this device is also good for older models of cars that still need analog hookups. They want to provide a more seamless and personalized in-car listening experience.
A Look Into Its Details
It is a lightweight music and podcast player weighing in at 3.4 ounces. It is also thin at 4.6″ x 2.5″ x 0.7″. Choose how you want to set up the device either via Bluetooth, AUX, or USB cable. It’s got it all and retails for $80 but may not be put into mass production. They want to compete with SiriusXM but with a more enhanced add-on experience. As mentioned before, it is mountable and comes with three different types of dash and vent mounts. Lastly, it includes the car charger and USB-C cable. We don’t know how far out the knob sticks out but hopefully, it’s not too bothersome. They state it lets you move quickly through choices versus touching the screen.
What’s more, is the device features four microphones so that it can respond to your voice commands even when the music is blasting or the windows are down. The “Hey Spotify” feature is also compatible with this. Safety is the focus and goal here. So, use the knob with caution while driving. Hopefully, this becomes a fun thing for road trips. Even though it collects voice data, Spotify claims that is the only thing they collect in addition to what their app collects.
We’ll see how this goes for any users that joined the list, which you can do here.
Source: TechCrunch