so you're looking to add angry auto or
apple carplay to your commute but you
don't want to buy a brand new 2016 model
well I've got just a thing here for you
it's a pioneer AVH 4100 NEX and it is a
in - multimedia receiver that handles
both Android auto and apple carplay when
you plug an iPhone into the 4100 next
the interface is taken over by apple
carplay and that gives you big icons for
your maps your music all of the basic
sort of Apple apps that you'd want to
use on the road and you get access to
theory so you can hold down a button
directions to the nearest coffee shop
and you get access to all of the series
I free voice commands for navigation for
incoming text messages and for
initiating hands-free calls now if
you're not an Apple user and you have an
Android smartphone you can plug that in
as well and you'll find that the
interface is then taken over by Android
auto now the functionality is similar
but the sort of interface is a little
bit different but you do still get
access to navigation using your phone
software a couple of audio apps and even
things like hands-free calling and
voicemail
and of course you can voice search
things here as well directions to San
Francisco International Airport San
Francisco International Airport is 21
minutes from your location by car and
moderate traffic here are your
directions now the feature sets for
Android idle an apple carplay are pretty
similar so it's just a matter of which
phone do you prefer to carry around and
if you happen to leave your phone at
home you have access to a full gamut of
digital audio sources including USB
connectivity and HD radio so it's got a
lot of basics covered right there like
the top-end 8100 the 4100 uses a
multi-touch touchscreen this is a 7-inch
unit the same size as the flagship the
only difference is the 8100 use of the
capacitive screen and this one uses a
resistive screen now if you didn't tell
me that this was a resistive unit I
wouldn't know it's very responsive
Pioneer tells us that this is a specific
version of resistive touchscreen
technology developed in concert with
Google just for this receiver one of the
things that's unique to the 4100 is that
it has a detachable faith plate if you
live in an area where securities are
concerning you don't
someone's stealing your stereo this is a
very nice feature to have and the 4100
the entry model is the only unit in the
next series that does this
now the 4100 isn't the flagship of
pioneers next model it's actually the
entry-level unit as an AVH unit it
doesn't have built-in GPS doesn't have
all the bells and whistles of our
current editor's choice 8100 next but in
a lot of ways that makes it a better
receiver for most users by skimming off
all of that stuff you basically get left
with a in-dash DVD player that has some
pretty good set of audio inputs and most
importantly Android auto and apple
carplay compatibility right out of the
box now what you don't get is the 8100
gigantic price tag at an MSRP of about
$700 you can save a lot of money by just
getting the features that you need with
this entry-level unit so that is the
Pioneer AVH 4100 next in a nutshell it's
my personal favorite unit in the next
line up and that it's the cheapest is a
nice bonus I'm an Aswang goon with
cnet.com and this is our first look at
it
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