Clarion, a renowned Japanese car audio, navigation and communication system manufacturer under the Hitachi group, has launched the Clarion AX1, an Android based connected car infotainment system. It claims to have in store an exciting experience for all tech enthusiasts and novices alike.
The Clarion AX1 has a 6.5 inch WVGA TFT LCD display with an automotive grade capacitive multi-touch panel and houses a 800 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor with 1 GB RAM. It runs on Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread), customized for simplicity in an automotive environment.
The device is Wi-Fi enabled and can access the internet via your phone or any Wi-Fi hotspot. This allows you to browse the internet on the go and also do a host of other things about which you can read in the next few lines.
The device houses a built-in navigation called iGo and it also has voice guidance. The device also has Clarion’s technology partner InfoGo which provides an easy access to music and apps. The online music portal has a catalog of more than 25 million DRM free songs.
To raise the entertainment quotient even further, they have also tied up with T-Series which will allow Indians to listen to a wide range of Hindi songs. One can even sync music to up to 10 connected devices be it Android, iOS and Blackberry. Firmware updates can be downloaded directly to the device to keep the experience fresh and bug free.
You can even install specially curated automotive-safe applications to your AX1. The device is also Bluetooth compatible, HDMI support, AUX input, DLNA compatible and iOS compatible. The device also sports a micro SD card which can be expanded upto 16 GB.
The navigation system uses Nokia’s HERE Maps. The Clarion AX1 also has Virtual Acoustic Positioning System (VAPS) for sound staging and music enhancement (OEM customers). It also has two USB slots to read your pen drives. It can even play videos in 1080p resolution, without any lag.
The user interface is fairly simple and would seem just like any Android phone. If you still feel a bit uncomfortable with the controls, you can easily refer to the in-built user manual. The device has been priced at Rs 55,990 and would be manufactured in Malaysia.
