In this review, I look at the new Kalos K2 Wireless Android Auto and Video Media Playback Adapter. You can buy and save on the cost of this adapter during its Kickstarter campaign for $79 (that’s some 47%-OFF!).
TLDR: The Kalos K2 is a wireless Android Auto adapter that also allows video streaming through Android Auto. It’s a compact device that connects quickly to Android Auto. The video streaming experience is decent, with access to services like YouTube, Disney+, and Hulu, but has some limitations like not fully integrating with some apps and this causes issues when logging into service accounts. Overall, it’s a good option for those wanting both wireless Android Auto and video streaming, but its video experience aspect could use some refinement.
The Android Auto platform hasn’t had much love from adapter and accessory makers over the last few years. Recently, we’ve seen the odd Android Auto-based AI Boxes and dedicated wireless adapters slowly released as R&D developers become more comfortable with Google’s infotainment platform.
I heard from Zjinnova about their Kalos K2 adapter, which raised my interest. The adapter not only supports Android Auto, but it also brings a few video streaming services into the same Android Auto platform for seamless and easy video watching within the same Android Auto environment.
In the box, you get the tiny Kalos K2 adapter, a small QR code card to download the Kalos app, a paper instruction manual, and two USB cables to power the adapter.
Looking at the adapter, it is a very small adapter, making it easy to stow in the car interior. It’s white coloured casing and cables will make it stand out in a dark car interior, but it is a non-issue if you can close this compartment away. It is something worth considering if your CarPlay port is exposed. There is just one USB-C port to power the adapter, a small status light alongside it, and a reset hole should things make a turn for the worst.
Booting up into its main menu interface takes 16 seconds. It takes a little less than most AI Boxes. On the main menu, you have access to return to the car system, view the BT profile ID to connect to wireless Android Auto, and a QR code to scan with your Google phone to download the required Kalos app in order to view its suite of available media services.
Soon after connecting my Google Pixel 5 to its BT profile, wireless Android Auto connected in around 23 seconds. A total of 39 seconds from boot-up to wireless Android Auto. This time can vary greatly depending on your car system boot timeand how quickly your Android device discovers and pairs with the Kalos K2 adapter.
Once in Android Auto, the experience is pretty decent. The experience is not to the same level as the most recent fast and dedicated and 2-in-1 Android Auto adapters, but it is good enough to be happy with how it performs. Sadly, there is no pinch and zoom in Google Maps for AA, so that makes me think the whole system is working off a similar AI Box platform to allow the media streaming side to function- but that’s my layman guess on how this magic box works. Audio playback and sync is quite rapid and calling quality and delay is a pass across the board.
Connecting to the adapter over Wi-Fi and launching the Kalos app offers a few little config options. These options includesetting language, updating the firmware, reporting errors, setting display quality, Wi-Fi channel and region. It is all pretty basic compared to CarPlay adapter options, but you should only really jump in here to fix issues with your car system compatibility.
With the Kalos app installed and connected to Android Auto, you will also see the app displayed in the Android Auto apps section of the platform. Tapping will display 10 media streaming and news services, including YouTube, Disney+, Twitch, PrimeVideo, TikTok, IMDb, DailyMotion, Kwai, HBO and Hulu. Sadly, Netflix didn’t make the line-up, but there’s hope its maker adds more in time.
The whole experience appears to run within a browser-like framework and ushers you over to the mobile app for text entry during search and logging in. So in a way, each service is launched and viewed via its own website. This is acceptable for services like YouTube, Twitch, DailyMotion and IMDb, but for more dedicated app services like Disney+, HBO, Hulu and TikTok, the experience just doesn’t quite match the same level of reliability as accessing it via a native app.
Hulu oddly launches a Hulu Press website rather than their own hulu.com. HBO uses the umbrella service website Crave.ca and PrimeVideo opens Amazon.com, leaving a concern for anyone logging in to PrimeVideo outside of the US. Even logging into my YouTube account became impossible due to Google security check on the browser being used within its Kalos app, however, since updating the Kalos app to v1.1.5 this issue has now been fixed and I am now able to sign into my YouTube account and browse my saved videos and playlists.
Personally, I think offering a secure browser and letting users access any web-based service for video streaming would have been a more global and generally accepted way for people to get their video fix over Apple CarPlay.
The Kalos K2 adapter is a decent package for those seeking both wireless Android Auto and an easy way to stream video through Android Auto without switching out into an Android OS like many other AI Boxes seem to do. I hope the Zjinnova R&D team further enhances this experience and offers other platforms for users to stream from, such as the more desirable Netflix. The execution needs some extra work to comply with all the restrictions that the platform and each service operates under in order to make it a true seamless and recommended experience.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Brief overview
0:44 – Unboxing
1:13 – Features & Design
1:59 – Installation & Main Menu
3:09 – Wireless Android Auto
4:22 – Media Streaming
4:32 – Kalos App
4:50 – Media Services
5:25 – DailyMotion
5:39 – IMDb
6:11 – TikTok
6:32 – PrimeVideo
7:01 – Twitch
7:12 – Disney+
7:23 – YouTube
8:15 – Audio Sync Test
9:41 – My Impressions
11:01 – Discounts on Kickstarter
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