Smartphones and Pandora. Help....

[Klayfish]

Considering I own a LEAF, the rest of my life technology wise is total stone age. I don't text, I don't use any form of social media, buy the cheapest laptop that I can find, and don't own a smartphone. Me caveman…hear me roar. :lol: So with that background, my current cell contract is up. My wife wants to switch carriers and get a smartphone. If she wants one for herself, cool. But I'm still not convinced I want one for myself. My dumbphone is small, so it fits in my pocket easily. Plus, I go 7 days before I even lose one energy bar…I could go 2 weeks without charging if I let it run dead. I think I average 50-60 minutes/month of cell use.

However, I am considering going to a smartphone. I know the LEAF has some kind of compatability with Pandora, but it's only with Apple. I have no idea how that works, given my lack of knowledge of how all this stuff works. I know what an app is, but since I don't have a smartphone or tablet, I have very little experience with them. We have Pandora on our fridge at home, it came with it, and I've found I kind of like it. So if I bought an Apple iPhone, how does the compatability work? What if I bought an android (?) phone? Can I still use Pandora in the LEAF?

Still not convinced I'm going to switch. The pros of my dumbphone for my purposes may outweigh any fun features a smartphone can offer. Sure, the ability to access CARWINGS from my phone is a neat parlor trick, but the reality is I work in front of a computer and have a laptop at home, so the times I'd use it would be few and far between.

 

[braineo]

Bluetooth is your friend.

Get two no contract phones from Virgin Mobile US - got mine for $49 in Best Buy during a sale (LG Optimus Elite), then get the $35 per month plan that includes 300 minutes and unlimited data and text. Then you can Pandora as much as you want. I do pay the $3.99 a month for commercial free and no limits for Pandora for up to 10 devices. There are other internet music streams but I like Pandora.

As a benefit, you can use your android phone for the Leaf Battery app created by Turbo3 to monitor and improve upon the Leaf battery information (search in mnl forums for it).

 

[Boourns]

If I were in your position I would go one of two routes:

If you are OK with signing a contract, wait until Sept. 10th when Apple releases the new iPhone. The iPhone 4S will likely be to free with contract (it's now $99). There are also rumors of a new, budget iPhone (the 5c), but no one knows exactly what the deal with that will be.

If you don't want to sign a K then I'd personally go with the Nexus 4, or if you want a month or so, see what the Nexus 5 has to offer. These are Google's own Android smartphones that you can buy for a reasonable prince without commitment. The Nexus 4 just dropped in price to $150. Note that if you go with the Nexus 4, it said it's 4G, but it's HSPA+, not LTE, so that could once in a while affect your streaming performance. The Nexus 5 will be 4G LTE. (If you have no idea what those last two sentences were talking about, this is a pretty good explanation: http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-hspa-and-vs-lte/

Nexus 4: http://www.google.com/nexus/4/

Apple: http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare-iphones/

 

[Klayfish]

If I go to Virgin Moble, can I keep my cell number? That's really important, as we teach our little kids our cell numbers for emergency contacts.

If I go with a contract through AT&T or whomever, I'm going to go with a free or nearly free phone. Since I'm not all that into the technology things, I don't have any interest in spending money on a phone. I believe AT&T is currently offering the iPhone4 or HTC for free with a new contract.

But I'm also wondering how these things work with the LEAF? What's the Pandora compatability Nissan advertises? Isn't it only for an iPhone? How would it work if I didn't have an iPhone?

 

[braineo]

You can transfer your cell number no problem.

I'd rather pay $35+tax for Virgin with no contract than $70-90 month for a free phone with ATT with a two year contract.

Note that you also gain the free Leaf Battery app made for Android.

My only regret at this time is that I want 4G speeds, and such a phone is over $100.

 

[Boourns]

If I go with a contract through AT&T or whomever, I'm going to go with a free or nearly free phone. Since I'm not all that into the technology things, I don't have any interest in spending money on a phone. I believe AT&T is currently offering the iPhone4 or HTC for free with a new contract.

Correct. If you wait 12 days the 4S will be free with contract. You should definitely at least do that.

But I'm also wondering how these things work with the LEAF? What's the Pandora compatability Nissan advertises? Isn't it only for an iPhone? How would it work if I didn't have an iPhone?

I haven't tried it yet but according to the manual (Navigation manual p. 4-17) it's compatible only with the iPhone. No matter what phone you have (iPhone or Android), you can always play music through Bluetooth, which is what I prefer. The only catch is you have to have music physically on your phone. With Pandora streaming, the car uses your cell phone's data connection to stream Pandora and you wouldn't need the music on your phone. Keep in mind Pandora uses up data, so make sure you have the data plan to support your Pandora usage.

 

[Klayfish]

Isn't Pandora an app? So even if I had an android phone, wouldn't it still "stream"? I guess I'll read through the owners manual and see if it makes sense regarding how the car is compatable with an iPhone. I know little about them, but from what I've seen I'm not an Apple fan. So I'd rather go with something else, but was hoping I could still use the app.

 

[Boourns]

I don't know why it says it's only compatible with the iPhone. My guess is that the car's navigation software was written to talk nicely with the iOS app and not android.

Now that I think about it, you may be able to run the Pandora app on your future Android phone, then connect your phone through Bluetooth to the car as an audio source and play it through your car speakers. It's essentially the same process as playing music through Bluetooth that's saved on your phone, just a different source for the music. I am not positive you can do that, though, since I have an iPhone and not an Android phone. But my guess is it would work.

The only thing you'd lose versus doing it the way outlined in the manual is maybe some sound quality (though it's Pandora, so that isn't that great to begin with) and the ability to charge your phone while you stream, since it isn't plugged in like it would be with the iPhone method in the manual.

 

[Rauv]

I use free Pandora streaming via Bluetooth from my Samsung GSII without any issues, in fact the last version of Pandora now displays the song title, band and album on the screen. Also, I found out by accident that you can skip the current song by toggling the left steering wheel control button down (up to six times per hour).

As I leave the car, I can pop in the headphones and continue listening seemlessly. I do not know what the iPhone can possible add (maybe color album graphics? lyrics? video? commercials? I do not know)

 

[swaltner]

But I'm also wondering how these things work with the LEAF? What's the Pandora compatability Nissan advertises? Isn't it only for an iPhone? How would it work if I didn't have an iPhone?

I use either Bluetooth or a USB connection to get music from my iPhone 4S into my 2013 Leaf SV.

You can connect any smartphone up to the radio using Bluetooth and stream music wirelessly. I suspect you can also use the USB connection on any smartphone, which will give better audio quality because it's a hardwired connection, but in reality, Bluetooth gives a good audio signal.

The Pandora mode on the 2013 Leaf SV navigation system gives you the ability to manage your Pandora account from the navigation screen. You can browse your existing stations, create new stations, rate songs up and down, etc... You can launch Pandora on the iPhone and use either Bluetooth or USB modes on the radio to listen to Pandora. You still get artist/track info, but you lose the Pandora-specific features outlined above. *IF* the Leaf's Pandora mode only supports iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch), you could still run Pandora on an Android phone, you would just need to select your music from the interface on the phone, not using the interface on the car's radio.

 

[davewill]

On the Nissan site (http://www.nissanusa.com/connect" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false they show the feature available for Android as well.


Anyway even without "connect", I use my Android phone for all my music listening in the LEAF. I either play music I've stored on the phone or use Pandora. I also sometimes listen to baseball games using the MLB AtBat app. Essentially anything you can listen to on the phone can be streamed. I just downloaded the new Pandora update, and I hope it enables title and artist display over bluetooth. It's been annoying not to have it.

 

[Klayfish]

OK, so if I'm understanding correctly, the difference between iPhone and android as far as Pandora compatability for the LEAF is: With iPhone I can control Pandora from the cars' touchscreen and with android I have to do it from the phone. Is that right?

 

[davewill]

OK, so if I'm understanding correctly, the difference between iPhone and android as far as Pandora compatability for the LEAF is: With iPhone I can control Pandora from the cars' touchscreen and with android I have to do it from the phone. Is that right?

As I noted above, it looks like they have Android support available as well.

http://www.nissanusa.com/connect" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Ivor]

Boourns wrote> If you don't want to sign a K then I'd personally go with the Nexus 4

That is my combo: Nexus 4 and 2013 Leaf but have 2 irritating problems.

1. Bluetooth pairing OK (I can talk and hear via Leaf speakers & mic) but Leaf not able to retrieve phone listing from phone even though I have acknowledged the request that I have seen a few time on the Nexus. So far, no hands free calling until I get this fixed.

2. No charging is happening from the USB port on the Nexus. It will charge my iPod Touch just fine. The phone says 'connected as media device' and the Leaf radio display says 'Check Device'. I don't see many USB options on the phone and zero options from the Leaf.

I obviously have software or personal ignorance issues! The Leaf seems to prefer Apple iOS but I do not. I dig the hell of the Nexus 4 and that's that. Anybody have a solution because I don't think the dealer will have one as the hardware USB port seems functional.

 

[Kleanhiker]

This is a good thread.

I'm now looking to jump over from iOS to the samsung note III which is an android system and I'm wondering the same question. What things will I lose by using the andriod system instead of the leaf.

Will I still be able to monitor my battery system? Can I still start the climate control, etc.?

I'll do more research and see if I can find an answer.

Matthew

Edit---looks like there is an app for nissan leaf in the google app store. Guess that answers one of my questions. Now to just decide if leaving the iOS is the right thing to do.

 

[jlv]

OK, so if I'm understanding correctly, the difference between iPhone and android as far as Pandora compatability for the LEAF is: With iPhone I can control Pandora from the cars' touchscreen and with android I have to do it from the phone. Is that right?

As I noted above, it looks like they have Android support available as well.

http://www.nissanusa.com/connect" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Except that page doesn't list the Leaf as having NISSAN Connect.