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Google Car Home

Tonight Google released Car Home as an independent app in the market. It has a ton of improvements like assignable buttons and drag and drop icons. I can't get it to download with Cyanogen(Koush) nightly 09302010 but I know I can through ADB.
Let me know if you can get it to install through the market.

If u have root explorer just delete car home then install from market

I was able to get it to install from the market on Skyraider Vanilla 3.0 RC3. Works well except for the fact that you cannot assign shortcuts to the customisable buttons (e.g. direct dial shortcuts), only app and navigation shortcuts. Seems like a peculiar oversight.
Sent from my Droid Incredible using XDA app.

Anyone post the apk?

GMK83 said:
Anyone post the apk?
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Why? Its a free app.

tdavis42 said:
Why? Its a free app.
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I wouldn't ask you to post a paid app

I got Car Dock to install from the market after deleting the old car home apk but I cannot see an icon in my apps listing. I checked under Applications-Manage Apps and it is there. Any ideas?

EDIT: Nevermind. AppBrain allowed me to download it. To those who can't get it from the official Market, use AppBrain.

CyanogenMod CarHome Instructions
Car home contains two components, the activity (this is the app we're updating) and the launcher. The activity contains the guts of the program, but the Launcher allows it to show up in the app drawer.
If you're using CM6, you have CarHomeLauncher.apk already in system/app and just need to install the com.google.android.carhome-1.apk file. If you are not using CM6, then you may need to install both the Launcher and the carhome apk if the carhome app doesn't show up in the app drawer.
adb remount
adb shell
mv /system/app/CarHomeGoogle.apk CarHomeGoogle.apk.bak
install attached apks. Let me know if there's issues.
As an aside, both LauncherPro and ADW have the capabilities to create shortcuts for activities, bypassing the need of the Launcher, but it still will not show up in the drawer.

When I installed from the market it put com.google.android.carhome-1.apk in the /data/app folder, is this the correct location?
When I go to the app from appbrain it shows it as installed but the open button is grayed out.
Reading the app comments it looks like you can't launch it independently anymore but will launch when placed in the dock, I have yet to verify this.
Works, but has to be in the dock.

I'm running a Sense ROM (Virtuous 2.7) and I installed the Google Car Home using Appbrain. If you click on the Sense Car Panel App in your drawer, you're presented with a pop-up to choose which app you want to use: Sense Car Panel or Google Car Home. I just checked the "use as default" box and selected the Google Car Home. Now when I click the "Car Panel" icon in my app drawer the Google Car Home launches instead of the Sense Car Panel.

Where is the information that shows this is a product made by google?

If you're using ADW.Launcher, you can make a new Custom Shortcut, choosing ADW's Activity List, then selecting Car Home's main activity CarHome(.CarHome)
You can then launch it fine without any problems without needing a dock. Atleast it works for me...

tdiman said:
CyanogenMod CarHome Instructions
The key here is to leave the CarHomeLauncher.apk alone in system/app. This way it will show up in the app drawer.
adb remount
adb shell
mv /system/app/CarHomeGoogle.apk CarHomeGoogle.apk.bak
Thats in, now install Car Home from App Brain (don't know why it won't show up in the Market).
Alternatively, APK is attached, although unverified if this works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for posting the APP, it wasn't showing for me in AppBrain or the Market.

I hv installed Google Car Home app yesterday and cannot see it in app drawer, nor in the applications settings despite it is shown in downloads tab in the market app, but open button is inactive. How to run and use it? confused!
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

iLHaNroID said:
I hv installed Google Car Home app yesterday and cannot see it in app drawer, nor in the applications settings despite it is shown in downloads tab in the market app, but open button is inactive. How to run and use it? confused!
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I updated my post with a link to a Launcher APK. Install it and it should allow car home to show up in the app drawer. It is from CM6.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=8404454&postcount=9

Thank you so much tdiman.. it is now working... happy
just wondering why it is not working orginally and why google retrieved it from the market
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

I added the app from a link I found on droid-life. You don't need a home replacement as they state.....
I simply used BetterCut to place the "activity" of the car home on my screen. Once in I started customizing things like removing the Music Icon (since it doesn't work) and replaced it with Mixzing. I also removed the People Icon and Dialer as I can just use the Voice Search to do everything in the car so I don't need to look at the phone.
My only wishes for this: that you could add toggle widgets (such as Vlingo's Safereader) and that google would allow Bluetooth to initiate voice search instead of a call directly.

iLHaNroID said:
Thank you so much tdiman.. it is now working... happy
just wondering why it is not working orginally and why google retrieved it from the market
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome!
You can't install it in the first place because you can't update apps in system/app through the Marketplace. This is also probably why it doesn't show up in the Marketplace - Verizon doesn't sell any "google experience" phones so they disallow it on Verizon (this is just a theory).
The reason it didn't show up for you might be because whatever ROM you have installed (default HTC Incredible ROM?) doesn't have the Launcher built in.

It is working but there are some bugs, which can be the reason why Google retrieved it back from market; I get FC when trying to set a custom background from gallery and also as soon as tap on the "android settings" option in the app settings menu.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

[Q] app to add to the homesceen?

I'm trying to customize the homescreen and i have a dock with a little "+" for add, but theres no app to assign to it that can open up the little box like when you press menu>> add or is there something I'm not seeing that i can assign that is like the menu>>add? or is there and app that can simulate the "add" thing where the box pops up showing widget, application, etc

okachowwa said:
I'm trying to customize the homescreen and i have a dock with a little "+" for add, but theres no app to assign to it that can open up the little box like when you press menu>> add or is there something I'm not seeing that i can assign that is like the menu>>add? or is there and app that can simulate the "add" thing where the box pops up showing widget, application, etc
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Click to collapse
Which launcher? I would try just dragging an app from the home screen onto the dock.

3rdstring said:
Which launcher? I would try just dragging an app from the home screen onto the dock.
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Click to collapse
I'm in launcher pro

okachowwa said:
I'm in launcher pro
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IIRC a long press on the + should give you what you want.
Sent from my XT720 using XDA Premium App

[Q] Sensation Dock Mode Application-

So-- you can't find this in your app drawer.
You can do a search from your search button, or go into applications and loot at all applications. It's called
Dock Mode
And it came on the sensation.
I'm trying to figure out how to add an icon to the desktop... can someone help??
****EDIT*** MY APOLOGIES--- MODS PLEASE MOVE TO Q&A

You have to plug your S4G to a dock to access it or use a dock simulator that's available on the market.

yellowpony2k2 said:
You have to plug your S4G to a dock to access it or use a dock simulator that's available on the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any dock that I have seen is simply a USB plug, and I don't see any dock pins on the sensation...
Oddly enough I was trying to use a desk dock app from the market when I stumbled on this dock app.

Wow, I've been wondering how to access this forever. It's so strange the app is missing but you can access it through search.

aNYthing24 said:
Wow, I've been wondering how to access this forever. It's so strange the app is missing but you can access it through search.
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Ya exactly.. and I guarantee you plugging your phone in via the charge port won't bring it up unless access the app and set it up...

pdxrealtor said:
Ya exactly.. and I guarantee you plugging your phone in via the charge port won't bring it up unless access the app and set it up...
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Click to collapse
It's just like how the HTC eBooks app is missing but the widget is still there. The voice recorder app as well. So strange.

Ya, I noticed there was an ereader widget but no app, and I just got a notification from HTC on the phone saying there was a voice recording widget available..
I just played around with my phone and here is what I've got going on.
I've had deskloader app from the market on the phone. In order for the sensation desk dock to activate when plugged in I have to set up this deskloader app to :
Enable Dock Manager
Set select dock type to desk clock
Boot on start
And - I choose to use the schedule
If I disable this deskloader, it's a no go on power plug in for the sensation app to load.

Use AnyCut to create a shortcut or download Dock Simulator. In anycut there are two options for DockMode one also will launch clock apps like Gentle Alarm.

Download anycut from the market. Create shortcut>activity > dock mode.
Edit : oops gorilla won the race to the "post reply" button
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

pdxrealtor said:
Ya, I noticed there was an ereader widget but no app, and I just got a notification from HTC on the phone saying there was a voice recording widget available..
I just played around with my phone and here is what I've got going on.
I've had deskloader app from the market on the phone. In order for the sensation desk dock to activate when plugged in I have to set up this deskloader app to :
Enable Dock Manager
Set select dock type to desk clock
Boot on start
And - I choose to use the schedule
If I disable this deskloader, it's a no go on power plug in for the sensation app to load.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gonna try that

GorillaPimp said:
Gonna try that
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Click to collapse
Let me know how it works for you...
Seems to work good for me. Only problem is it takes power to launch the dock, clock, or whatever app you want.
I was hoping to just use my spare charger and 3 batteries, fab up a quick "dock" or holder to place my phone in at night, and still use the dock.... the most desirable way by just hitting the dock button.
All these docks you plug your phone into are OK, but add any type of case and it's NO GO...

aNYthing24 said:
It's just like how the HTC eBooks app is missing but the widget is still there. The voice recorder app as well. So strange.
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Click to collapse
Is there a voice recorder app on the phone? I did not find one doing a search.

bobsbbq said:
Is there a voice recorder app on the phone? I did not find one doing a search.
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Click to collapse
Nope.. that's the weird thing about HTC notifying me that there was a new voice recorder widget.. LOL...

pdxrealtor said:
Nope.. that's the weird thing about HTC notifying me that there was a new voice recorder widget.. LOL...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sign into HTC hub.
you have to download it.

bobsbbq said:
Is there a voice recorder app on the phone? I did not find one doing a search.
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Click to collapse
Tmobile took it out. see my sig for the full list of things they took out
sent from HTC Sensation

Mainspring said:
sign into HTC hub.
you have to download it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only app I see available is Linkd IN..

pdxrealtor said:
The only app I see available is Linkd IN..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
look under widgets.

bobsbbq said:
Is there a voice recorder app on the phone? I did not find one doing a search.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is one the international version. The T-Mobile US version doesn't have it for whatever reason.

If you install adw or another launcher the dock mode app is available.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA Premium App

You don't need a new launcher to access it. Apps Organizer or Folder Organizer from the Market will let you create custom folders for your apps, and dock mode shows up in it's list of apps, it's not a direct shortcut, but will let you place it in a home screen folder for easy access.

How to get voice search icon back

Apparently HTC in their infinite wisdom decided to remove the voice search icon.
Install shortcut, then run it and it will allow you to start the voice search app using whatever method you wish. Then pull the notification bar down and create your shortcut. Dragged mine down to the dock and all is right with the world again.
Anyone notice that the voice search sucks in comparison with CB? It worked much better on my old ATRIX 2.
Sent from DEFCON Brown.

What do you mean install shortcut? It's not on my launcher drawer, and when I go to Google Play and search for it the "Open" and "Uninstall" buttons are missing..
any ideas?

use a root explorer app and delete it from /system/app . install new version from play store

Awesome tip, I added it to my notification toggles, perfection
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[email protected] said:
Awesome tip, I added it to my notification toggles, perfection
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
How did you do that? Do you have to be rooted?

sniffs said:
What do you mean install shortcut? It's not on my launcher drawer, and when I go to Google Play and search for it the "Open" and "Uninstall" buttons are missing..
any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just dug around a little, found it.
Add to homescreen --> Shortcuts --> Activities --> Voice Search --> Recognition Activity
Surely you found it by now, so this is for posterity, for other people who stumble upon this page like I did.

Great tip thank you..

bjrapp said:
Just dug around a little, found it.
Add to homescreen --> Shortcuts --> Activities --> Voice Search --> Recognition Activity
Surely you found it by now, so this is for posterity, for other people who stumble upon this page like I did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went to Shortcuts, but the first one that pops up is Bookmarks. Is there no other simple way? I can't download and install it because it's already installed...

Alternate Solution
For those who can't make the above solution work, try this: (OK, I'm not permitted to include a link because I'm a "Noob") Go to AndroidCentral and search for "Missing the Voice Search button? Here's the fix!!". It will also refer you to an app on Google Play called "QuickShortcutMaker".

[Q] Customize Long Press Home?

I've noticed that if I long press the home button, a small circle appears surrounding the left corner of the screen. On the circle is a link to Google Search which is displayed as the word Google. My question is whether I can customize app links that come up on that circle and how to do that.

glopact said:
I've noticed that if I long press the home button, a small circle appears surrounding the left corner of the screen. On the circle is a link to Google Search which is displayed as the word Google. My question is whether I can customize app links that come up on that circle and how to do that.
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Click to collapse
no its pre-installed and only open Google now.. Google now is a search tool not a bookmark..

txtmikhail said:
no its pre-installed and only open Google now.. Google now is a search tool not a bookmark..QUOTE]
Is there a mod that allows that to change? I know some developers have been working on a mod to change the app choices in the quick launch menu that comes up when the S-pen is removed. Is anyone aware of a similar mod for adding new choices to the long press on home?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Nova Launcher lets you change it. (It doesn't - silly me)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher

schnurrbidurr said:
Nova Launcher lets you change it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher
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Click to collapse
No it doesn't.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app

Thanks for pointing it out - amended my post.