Whether your road trip soundtracks consist of music, news, entertainment, or talk, Spotify's Car Thing has you covered. The new smart player, currently available to select users in the US, puts your audio library just a voice command, tap, turn, or swipe away.
"Car Thing enables you to play your favorite audio faster, so you're already listening to that hit song or the latest podcast episode before you've even pulled out of the driveway," according to a Spotify blog announcement. "Switching between your favorite audio is effortless, allowing you to shift gears to something else as soon as the mood strikes."
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You will need a Spotify Premium account to use Car Thing, but setup is simple: plug the device into a 12-volt power outlet, sync it with your smartphone (iOS 14 and Android 8 or above), and connect your phone to the vehicle's stereo. It's up to you whether to attach the included magnetic mount to your CD player, dashboard, or air vent.
Once configured, just say "Hey Spotify" and ask for a song, album, artist, playlist, station, or podcast. If you're stopped at a red light or in park, try using the four-inch touch screen or dial to browse, select, play, pause, and discover content; four preset buttons along the top also act as easy shortcuts.
"We developed Car Thing because we saw a need from our users, many of whom were missing out on a seamless and personalized in-car listening experience," the firm said. "No matter the year or model of your vehicle, we feel everyone should have a superior listening experience. With Car Thing, we'll now be bringing our entire catalogue of music and podcasts to a wider range of users across an even wider range of vehicles."
The device, expected to retail for $79.99, is available to Premium customers for free (plus $6.99 shipping). There's no word on how long the "limited" sales will last, or whether folks can expect a wider Car Thing release. Spotify did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.