[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] SirSparkles:
I've come across many threads related to the following issues, but it my perusing experience, it seems that some topics are only slightly covered, but each thread seems to create more questions.

So, I thought I'd take some time to aggregate the collection of knowledge out there for Car Integration with a GS3.

This thread is based on my personal experience with the Sprint GS3. I will note where I can with knowledge about different carriers and/or different models.

It's interesting to note that the Sprint website and Owner's Manual pdf for the GS3 does NOT have a 'Car Mode' or 'Driving Mode' listed when doing a search of the document.

I will update this thread with feedback from the community as some additional knowledge/specifics trickle in (and when I have more time). If this seems useful to you, let me know, and down the road I'll update this thread with some links to some of the other threads too. (I can't post outside links yet, new poster here, will do when obtained access).

Request to Sticky?

Please Give a 'Thanks' if this Help you. :)

Car Mode:

What is does - It is supposed to automatically open the default 'Car Home' app. Which could be anything that has this code tagging build into the app. In my case, it's the 'CarHome Ultra' app by TheSpinningHead. There are other general 'Car Home' apps in Google Play. Many of them are titled with the exact words 'Car Home' in them. Some examples are Car Home by Google, Samsung Car Home, Custom Car Home. All are 'Car Home' apps.

I'm under the impression that 'Car Mode' is only engaged via a properly programmed TecTile (or any NFC tag), or via a specific app (see Note #2 below)

The main app that many are using for programming their NFC tags is NFC Task Launcer (by Samsung). There are others out there in Google Play Apps

Some threads/people have wondered/noted that 'Car Mode' is the same as 'Driving Mode' in multiple threads. I'm under the impression that these are definitely NOT the same.

See below for more info related directly with NFC Task Launcher integrating 'Car Mode'.

Additional Note #1: There are some phones out there where a physical car dock will launch or engage things. One example of this is the Galaxy Nexus and it's official Google dock. I'm under the impression that this theoretically could be done with the Spring GS3, but to date, no dock exists that can automatically trigger Car Mode?

Addtional Note #2: There's an App or two in Google Play that can toggle Car Mode: 'Car Mode Control' and 'Car Mode On'/''Car Mode Off'

This might not be 100% correct here, after talking with the developer of NFC Task Launcher,. who mentioned that the Car Mode will launch S-Voice, by default, and then potentially be trumped by the install of a car app. See additional notes below in 2nd post

Driving Mode:

What it does - I'm under assumption it engages voice TTS services (text to speech), to read aloud who is calling, for voicemail, and for text messages notification.

Some carriers have toggling ability for this directly in their status bar pulldown menu options. An example of this presently is Verizon.

However, for Sprint, the only ways to turn this on/off presently are:

1) Toggling in Setting -> Language and Input -> Text-to-Speech Output -> Driving Mode

2) via S-Voice toggling, saying "Turn Driving Mode On" or "Turn Driving Mode" off.

I'm under the impression that there's no way to tell if one has this engaged or not except by deduction via one of the two above methods.

Lingering Questions related to Driving Mode:

1) There's a Google TTS service and a Samsung TTS service. Which one is used for what? and which one works with Driving Mode?

2) For the life of me, I can't get this function to work on my phone at all. I can engage driving mode via both methods. However, I can never get the phone to announce call, voicemail, or text message notifications. I'm under the impression that this might only work with other carriers or models right now. It appears that I'm not alone in this. If you've had this issue and have figured out how to get it to work, please list here. I'm under the impression Sprint has not engaged this functionality (hence, why Driving Mode does not appear in the Notifcation pulldown headers). So, waiting around for this on Sprint?

Home Mode or other:

As best I can tell, this is an erroneous term that has no basis, but has been added to some threads when peeps have been talking about all this stuff (I believe only outside of xda forums, haven't seen it here)

Bluetooth Integration:

There's a handfull of factors going on here that might affect bluetooth integration with your vehicle. I'll list the 'facts' that I'm familiar with...

Some cars have Bluetooth built into their car radio. Some of these radios use v2.0, some use v4.0

Some cars have a USB connection to their car radio. This allows some moder car docks to both use the battery charge and audio output via their usb connection on the GS3.

Some cars have an audio input jack (3.5mm)

Some cars have an audio only integration potential in their car radio (for music only)

Some cars have audio + other goodies in their car radio (music plus contacts)

If your radio has no USB , but it does have an audio input jack, there are a few products on the market that allow a BT add-on product. (I personally use a Blackberry BT Stereo Gateway). I believe any product you get has to have the A2DP protocol (aka 'stack') built into it, or it will not work

Here's where more fun begins:

The GS3 uses Bluetooth protocol 4.0 (this is the most recent as of now).

The implementation of BT coding in the GS3 has some hiccups as noted by many threads. Some have found work arounds, some have not. Some of the workaround include clearing the BT connection history in the vehicle and then repairing with the device. Other workaround tweaks are out there also.

Many cars that have bluetooth integration (whether built in, or add-on), might have a car that uses BT v2.0

It's been noted that, even though your GS3 might have paired to the v2.0 BT, it may still not auto-connect. (I personally have 2 x BT 2.0 devices in my car and the GS3 only autoconnects to one of them, a Parrot phone integration).

It's a known issue (let's hope that Samsung has it high on their priority list)

Hopefully, a future update by Samsung and/or carrier patch will fix this. (This is probably the most frustrating thing I'm waiting to get 'fixed' with my GS3)

Tools/Apps to help Car Integration:

NFC Task Launcher App:

In this app, there's an 'action' called 'Car Dock' (and an equivalent 'Desk Dock')

When an NFC tag has this action embedded in it, to turn on 'Car Dock'... 'Car Mode' is enabled on the phone. (Isn't it great having all this confusing labelling? :) It's a Samsung app and Samsung phone. Why different?)

A 'Car mode' notification icon appears in the status bar (a steering wheel) and also remains as a full entry slot in the 'Ongoing' notifications until one presses the notification to turn 'Car Mode' off (or disables via a toggling function via 2nd tap of an NFC tag. The 'NFC Task Launcher' can set TecTiles (tags) to toggle functions on repeated taps).

It is supposed to automatically open the default 'Car Home' app. Which could be one of a handful of 'Car Home' apps, such as the 'CarHome Ultra' app.

Google has their own Car Home app too.

CarHome Ultra App:

This is one of the various general 'Car Home' apps available in Google Play. I can't talk to much here on a comparison versus other apps in the marketplace, but I'll highlight a few tidbits that seem to be nice, and might provide some insight as to what a 'Car Home' app can do for you. Features: Big Icons to easily press while in your vehicle, icons that are shortcuts to any app you want or system setting, custom color creation for both day and night modes, speed and weather info, location alerts, orientation lock or sensor based, media volume setting, and a coupling/decoupling setting to couple to the 'Car Mode' function discussed above (in case a dock does the launching by itself vs via the 'Car Mode' engaging from other methods).

Also, if one doesn't have any NFC tags, then this app can 'make up' for tag function with additional setting mods. The app can automatically turn on off both wifi, gps, AND bluetooth via setting ticks when launched. Good Stuff.

Car Mode Widget: If you want to only use local speakerphone while in 'Car Mode' (and coupled to your car stereo), then this might work to engage for incoming or outgoing calls. Just search the marketplace for it.

Car Mode Control App: As noted above in the 'Car Mode' section, this app is a simple launcher icon that can toggle Car Mode on/off.

Other System Settings (that might be important to you):

(settings that might affect how your device behaves for car integration)

These are all accessible in System Settings (aka Settings):

1) Language and Input -> Voice Commands for Apps (allows 4 separate topcis to recognize voice: calls, alarm, camera, music). Music and Calls, I assume, would be of best interest to use in an automobile

2) Dock -> Audio Output Mode This allows use of external speakers when device is docked.

With this 2nd item, how does the GS3 recognize it's in a 'dock'? Does it solely check that a usb connection is made? Does it check to see that it's connected to a 'modern' car stereo that has both usb power and audio input via usb too? Or other?

Thanks for any responses, and I'll integrate when I have time.