Using the Anker Roav Bolt in Canada
It was only a few short years ago where the Google Assistant was only available on Google Pixel phones. But now, the Google Assistant can be found in soundbars, TVs and now in your car with devices like Anker’s Roav Bolt.
Even though the Roav Bolt by Anker isn’t officially available in Canada, the device works without any issues.
Setup
To get started with the Roav Bolt, you’ll need an Android or iOS (currently in beta) phone. Then plug in the Bolt to your car’s 12V socket and start the vehicle.
The Bolt’s lights will light up in a similar fashion to plugging in a Google Home device. After it boots up, it’s time to pair the Bolt to your smartphone via Bluetooth.
Once the Bolt is paired, on Android, you’ll see a prompt to start setting up the Google Assistant and update firmware if needed. Updating the firmware on the Bolt may take a few minutes and it’s recommended you download over Wi-Fi than mobile data.
Setting up the Bolt with an iPhone works in a similar fashion but instead of getting a prompt, you’ll need to download the Google Assistant app do setup the Bolt.
Since the Roav Bolt has a 3.5mm audio jack, you can connect the Bolt to your car via an AUX cable instead of Bluetooth. You’ll just have to make sure to set your vehicle to AUX mode when using the Bolt.
After that’s all done, the Bolt is ready to go.
Using the Roav Bolt
The Roav Bolt has 2 far-field microphones to talk to the Google Assistant and there’s also Acoustic Echo Cancellation, Audio DSP for noise cancellation and it works even when your phone is locked.
The bottom of the Roav Bolt has 2 USB Type-A ports with Anker’s PowerIQ technology. On the front of the Bolt are the RGB lights to indicate the Google Assistant is listening and a Google Assistant button.
Pressing the button will trigger the Google Assistant, so you can ask questions like “What’s the weather?” or directions to the nearest Starbucks. The Bolt is helpful for replying to text while driving or even controlling music playback.
When you ask for directions on the Bolt, it will automatically open up the directions on Google Maps on your phone (at least on Android).
Just like a Google Home, the Roav Bolt supports “Hey, Google” and “Ok, Google” hands-free voice commands.
When using the Bolt, it was easily able to pick up voice commands but sometimes there would be a delay when asking for information or directions.
In Summary
In the US, the Roav Bolt is available from Anker’s website and Best Buy. In Canada, even though the Roav Bolt isn’t officially available for purchase here, it’s available from Wantboard.
In summary, the Roav Bolt is a great way to add Google Home functionality to your car in a way that works well.
Canadian Compatibility: All the features of the Roav Bolt work in Canada without issue.
Where to Buy: