What it does in the car
Android Auto was a constraint from day one, not a feature bolted on afterwards. Once RadioShake appears in your car's audio app list, the dashboard shows a browse tree that opens on Favourites, Trending in your country, and Top Genres — the three lists you're most likely to want without typing anything. Tapping a station starts playback immediately through the car's audio system via the standard Android Auto media session, so play/pause, skip, and the now-playing artwork and track name all show up on the dashboard the same way they would for any other media app.
Setup steps
- Install RadioShake on your phone and open it at least once before getting in the car.
- Connect your phone to Android Auto, wired or wireless. RadioShake appears in the audio app list.
- Tap RadioShake on the dashboard. Favourites, Trending-in-your-country, and Top Genres sit at the top of the browse tree for one-tap navigation.
- Use the dashboard mic or your steering-wheel voice button to search by station name, genre, or country. Results come back to the dashboard list.
What varies by vehicle
Android Auto isn't one single experience — it exists in two forms. Phone-projection Android Auto mirrors a dashboard-optimised interface from your phone onto the car's screen; your phone does the actual work. Google Automotive OS runs Android natively inside the vehicle's own infotainment system instead. RadioShake's browse tree and voice search function under both, but the physical details — where the voice button sits, how large the touch targets are, whether there's a rotary controller instead of a touchscreen — are set by your car's manufacturer and head unit, not by the app. If something looks or behaves slightly differently from one car to the next, that's why.
Connectivity
Live radio needs a live connection. RadioShake streams stations over the internet in real time — typically your phone's mobile data or Wi-Fi — and there is no offline fallback for live streams. Drive into a dead zone and playback pauses until the connection comes back, the same as any other live-streaming app.
No ads, no account
Using RadioShake through Android Auto doesn't require signing in or creating an account, and there are no ads in the current build. See the no ads, no account page for the full picture of what the app does and doesn't collect.
Frequently asked
Does RadioShake work with Android Auto?
Yes. Android Auto support is built in, with a browse tree of Favourites, Trending-in-your-country and Top Genres, plus voice search from the dashboard mic or a steering-wheel button.
Do I need to set anything up before driving?
Install RadioShake and open it once on your phone first. After that, connecting to Android Auto (wired or wireless) is enough for it to appear in the car's audio app list.
Does Android Auto work the same way in every car?
No — see what varies by vehicle above. Phone-projection Android Auto and Google Automotive OS both work, but the physical controls are set by your car, not the app.
Does RadioShake use my mobile data when connected to Android Auto?
Yes, for live radio. There's no offline fallback for live streams, so a dropped connection drops playback.