[Nexus 4 Accessories] nyvram1:
UPDATE1 All Android/Nexus 4 integration points I've listed in BLUE below to make it easier to avoid my rambling and see the actual integration touch points.

UPDATE2 2/1/2013 - Pioneer just released (as of 1/29/2013) a new Bluetooth AVRCP firmware update. My stereo was firmware version HW04-SW01.07.23 and the new update from Pioneer is HW05-SW01.27.20. I went ahead & flashed my radio today. Unfortunately this doesn't appear to have added any new functionality for android.

What it looks like during update...and update complete

Ok, while not strictly a 'Nexus 4' accessory, I'm tired of all the car stereo reviews for iPhone only. I've installed this unit in my 1998 4Runner and wanted to provide a review strictly for Android integration and in particular, our beautiful Nexus 4.

First, I purchased this off Amazon for around $130. The price bounces up and down quite a bit, its $169 today, but it generally stays in the realm of $125-$150. A great deal as this unit retails for $279.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-DEH-P...F8&qid=1359043082&sr=8-1&keywords=deh-p9400bh

This is a fairly new unit, released in 2012 and is near the top model of the Pioneer head units.

Side note--I wouldn't waste time with the $100 "feature rich" no-name car stereos on Amazon..they're mostly crap. You want a good PIONEER or ALPINE, and feature for feature..this Pioneer DELIVERS.

Features (these blew me away..haven't had a new car stereo in ages..however i'm going to focus primarily on the android/nexus 4 integration.

AM/FM Tuner/HD Radio - Wow..who knew there were like 10 more stations on the FM dial that have CD quality and are all digital that I can now pick up on my radio?

XM/SIRIUS Satellite Radio Support - Don't know, don't care. It requires buying an add-on doodad for this radio and paying a monthly fee so I'm not interested.

Remote control - Kinda useless but could be handy if you're sitting on the tailgate of your car or something and need to quickly mute the radio.

CD/MP3 Player - It will play regular CDs as well as MP3 data CDs.

Bluetooth - OH MY, we'll get to this below.

AUX - Has 2 auxillary audio imput ports..I can't imagine needing to use these so I turned them off.

LED Multicolor display - you'll notice this in my pics below..i set it to 'random' so the color of the buttons and display are constantly changing.

USB - super cool! 2 USB ports (rear) that can handle USB sticks, charge your phone or allow the kids to plug in stuff. I ran one cord to the rear seats so the kids can get access to it, and the other one I drilled a 3/4" hole in my glovebox and bought a $10 USB adapter so I have a clean hidden install and at the moment have a 32GB USB stick plugged in with the majority of my music collection. BONUS, you can get firmware updates for your car stereo and flash it via this USB connection..cool!!

http://www.amazon.com/PAC-Cable-Mounting-Bracket-USBCBL/dp/B002MW6HRO/ref=pd_sim_e_4

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Ok on to the meat of the review! The Android/Nexus 4 Bluetooth integration.

Bluetooth - supports up to 3 devices so I've actually paired this with my Nexus, my fiance's iPhone and my kid's LG MyTouch android phone. Very slick. You can see it showing "NEXUS 4", my Nexus battery %, BT signal strength and length of time connected all on the screen (below).

GPS - The voice-guided navigation comes through the speakers while music is playing..it fades the music down and the voice is loud and crisp. My phone can be off and sitting on the seat and I'm still getting my navigation instructions. So cool.

Music/Pandora - The radio supports Pandora or any music player app on your Nexus and its amazing! Pandora plays as soon as you start the car and the radio comes on (if its running in the background) and stops when you turn the car off. I don't have to touch my phone or anything. Very nice the way this works.

In addition, you can hit the down lever (or the control on my cheap $20 Pioneer IR steering wheel control) to move to the next Pandora song. UPDATE Just discovered I can also do the following from the head unit or my steering wheel control.

Next Track - Push lever down on head unit or click RIGHT ARROW on steering wheel control

Pause - Push silver button twice, or hit FUNCTION on steering remote and hit forward arrow

Resume Playback - Push BAND button on head unit or hit BAND button on steering wheel control

Of course muting the audio, etc. still work.

Also if you're using a different music player, you can do the following from your radio (or steering control) that work on the Nexus 4

Tap lever down (jump to next track)

Hold lever down (fast forward the song playing)

Tap lever up (jump to previous track)

Hold lever up (fast rewind the song playing)

Push down on the big silver knob (pause/play)

Android Phone - One of the slickest things! There's a little microphone that you mount on the back of your steering column. Super clear, everyone I've called says they can't tell I'm not talking on my phone! Not a single person can tell they're on speakerphone. You can also adjust the sensitivity of this microphone for the person on the other end on the fly by clicking the little lever up or down on the radio itself (or steering wheel control). I've never had to do this; the default sensitivity works great for me.

The person's voice you're talking to comes out of your car speakers and you can adjust the volume.

When you first pair your Nexus, it will download your phonebook...

...the last 50 dialed calls

...the last 50 missed calls

..and the last 50 recieved calls

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You can then scroll to any of these screens to select a person to call (will show you the phonebook)

Making calls

Simply use the radio (or steering wheel) control to find the person you want to call and click the big silver dial.

This is what the screen looks like when you're on a call.

In addition to muting any Pandora/music playing when making or recieving a phone call, the phone works whether you've selected the radio, CD, USB stick, auxillary or bluetooth! So no matter what you're listening to, when you need to make or recieve a phone call, the radio will pause (or mute) whatever music is playing and allow you to answer the phone.

From the head unit itself, it will control these things on your phone

Caller ID appears on the screen

tap big silver button Answer a call

hit little phone icon button Ignore a call

tap big silver button call waiting (switch to incoming call)

hit little phone icon button Cancel call waiting

hit the 'band' button on radio quickly switch the call off bluetooth and back to your phone (for private calls)

In addition you can set the head unit to automatically answer calls coming in and/or disable the ring tone coming from the car speakers.

In short, this cheap little Pioneer head unit is a very capable android-enabled radio! Its not perfect (no song tracks sent from android to the radio display for instance) but I think the android integration for a $100-ish radio is very good.

Oh, and this is a PIONEER..meaning on top of all the android stuff it is an AMAZINGLY GOOD SOUNDING RADIO.

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PS One final thought; I will point out ALL differences between "full" iPhone/Pandora support vs. Android/Nexus 4 Pandora support as it pertains to the radio head unit itself.

iPhone/Pandora - displays song title, 'thumb up/down', length of song on display Nexus 4 (see above) just displays "bluetooth"

iPhone/Pandora radio controls (play, pause, next track, 'select thumb up or thumb down', change pandora station) Nexus 4 (play, pause, next track)

That's about it. Not a huge deal for me, the main thing I would want to do with Pandora is skip tracks anyway. The 'switch stations' would have been a nice feature but I can live with doing that on my phone as I normally pick a station and stay on it while driving.

So don't be fooled into thinking the iPhone has alot more Pandora integration than Android. Those bonus features for iPhone are more gimmicky than useful (except displaying track name)