Why You And Your Car Deserve The Pioneer AVH-4100NEX: Full Review [Pictures]

Pioneer Electronics announced its second generation NEX head units at CES 2015 earlier this year. The biggest addition to the products was Android Auto compatibility. But Pioneer's latest and greatest head units offer more than just that.

Whether you are an Android or iOS user, Pioneer's second generation NEX devices has you covered. Want Apple CarPlay? You got it! Want Android Auto? You got it! Three of the five NEX head units announced at CES 2015 offer both technologies.

The AVIC-8100NEX is Pioneer's flagship head unit. The AVIC-8100NEX, along with the AVIC-7100NEX offers standalone GPS systems that do not require smartphone connectivity to work. But this also means these devices are significantly higher priced.

If you're on a budget but still want to have the latest in-car technology in your vehicle, the AVH-4100NEX maybe your best bet. Pioneer sent out a review unit to me a few weeks back and I have been testing it out since.

Let me tell you why you and your car deserve to have the best double-DIN head unit without breaking the bank. This is my full review of the device.

Aahead App Will Bring Android Auto To Your Tablet, No Root Required

Some might say tablets have the perfect screen size to be installed in a car's dashboard. Also, the tablet screen itself is way more responsive and sharp compared to OEM systems or aftermarket head units. Which means, using a car-friendly interface on a tablet would be a lot easier.

But getting car-friendly software onto a tablet often requires countless hours of coding. Take the iOS jailbreak tweak 'Ignition' for example. Ignition brings Apple CarPlay to your jailbroken iPhone or iPad and it works great.

On the Android front, Android Auto is relatively new compared to CarPlay. But it was only a matter of time before an Ignition-like tweak surfaced.

That's where a recently developed app called 'Aahead' comes in. Read along for more details.

JVC Kenwood's Android Auto + Apple CarPlay Head Units Are Still MIA

Back at CES 2015, aftermarket head unit manufacturer JVC Kenwood announced two new head units that would rival Pioneer's NEX receivers. Both the head units, the DDX9902S and DDX9702S, will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, thereby pitting them against Pioneer's AVH-4100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVIC-8100NEX.

Although no release date was mentioned back in January, a recent Facebook post offered a hint on a possible end of May release for the receivers. But the end of May has come and gone and there still isn't any news on a possible availability date.

If you are curious about these head units and especially how they might be priced, keep reading.

Android Auto Now Available For Samsung Galaxy S4 And S5 Users On Major U.S. Carriers

The Android Auto app has finally been updated to add support for the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5. After months of waiting, users of these two devices on the three major U.S. carriers will now be able to enjoy Android Auto in their compatible vehicles/head units.

Take A Spin With Apple CarPlay In A 2015 Ferrari California T [Video]

There are tons of Apple CarPlay demo videos out there and unless you live under a rock, the technology has been heard of by almost everyone these days. For those of you still contemplating on whether to jump on the CarPlay train or not, check out this demo taking place in a 2015 Ferrari California T.

Collision Avoidance Systems Should Be Standard On Cars Says NTSB

In a special report released on Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said collision avoidance systems should come standard in cars. The technology, if present, could have avoided a huge chunk of rear-end collisions.

More details are below.

Apple CarPlay In iOS 9 - All The Juicy Details From WWDC 2015

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote happened earlier today and there was plenty of new information for car enthusiasts to chew on. Apple announced improvements to CarPlay in its upcoming iOS 9, the biggest of all being wireless connectivity.

Other information from the event regarding CarPlay is after the page break. I have also included some of my thoughts on today's events below.

Take 2! Apple To Take Second Shot At Wireless CarPlay In iOS 9 [WWDC News]

After advertising wireless CarPlay functionality as one of the features in iOS 8.3, Apple failed to deliver. The feature was pulled at the last minute from the final release of iOS 8.3 without any real explanation as to why.

Now it seems like the Cupertino company is ready to try again at including the feature in the upcoming iOS 9. Apple made the announcement at today's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC 2015) keynote in San Francisco.

More details are below.

Volvo Will Soon Allow You To Control Your Car From Your Smartwatch

Whether you own an Apple Watch or Android Wear, it may be time to buy a new Volvo. In a press release, the Swedish automaker announced plans to integrate its Volvo On Call app with smartwatches.

More details from the press release are below the break.

Apple Renews Digital Maps Contract With TomTom

Apple has recently renewed its contract with TomTom. The news signaled Apple's support for the Dutch company and sent its shares to a six-year high. TomTom has been Apple's chief mapping data provider since 2012 when Google Maps was dropped as the in-built maps application in iOS devices.