In-Dash DIN-form-factor Car PC

kraksmokr writes "Xenarc Technologies have introduced a cool new in-dash DIN-form-factor Car PC. It features built in hard drive, audio/video, and GPS, among other things. Estimated price will be about $1200. I can't even begin to list the possibilities for mobile computing bliss." I'm even more impressed that they can fit it into the dash than I am with in-dash CD changers. If you buy this thing, use it safely. None of us want auto PC users to end up in the same category as annoying cell phone users.

Great..

[neodymium]

.. so we'll finally get people watching DivX while doing 90mph on the freeway.

Divx on the Freeway

[eaglebtc]

Officer: "Driver's License and Registr.... say, is that Beverly Hills Cop you're watching there? Mind if I jump in?"

Another computer in cars

[Shiva_Khan]

Wow and from what I know about cars I thought they already had enough computers in them.

Road Rage!

[fuzzybunny]

Awesome. Now I can finally play Grand Theft Auto while cruising through the Ghetto.

A great movie to take along for the ride...

[eaglebtc]

'Bullitt.' A must-see for that long ride into the Vegas sunset. Then you have an excuse for the cop: "Sorry, officer? I was just practicing those stunts back there! I thought Bullitt was an educational film."

With apologies to Dom Joly

[chrisbtoo]

None of us want auto PC users to end up in the same category as annoying cell phone users.

<chrisbtoo> HELLO!
<chrisbtoo> I'M IN THE CAR!
<chrisbtoo> THE CAR!
<chrisbtoo> NO, IT'S SHIT!

Weapons of Mass Destruction

[TheMidget]

This PC even has two PCMCIA sockets good for wireless communication.

Hey, it's a wardriving machine!

Buy it now!!

[indiancowboy]

Early bird prices - Free portable computer that fits into hospital beds!!

Car computer

[bobthemuse]

I seem to remember some software being developed which emulated the OBD II car computer. It would be very interesting to load that software, this product, and a DA card to allow manual adjustments.

OTOH, some idiot will probably do this on an unstable OS, brining new meaning to 'system crash'.

I know I speak for everyone when I say..

[debilo]

In-Dash DIN-form-factor Car PC

...huh?

Page not done by a sales expert

[fireman sam]

Quote: "We are currently working on a version with faster processor speed. Please check back with us in a couple of months for more information."

In other words: Don't buy our current product. We will use the non-existant money we make from not selling version one to make version two.

Didn't other companies go broke due to similar statements?

looks great but..

[gfody]

why didn't they use a slotfeed dvd drive? unless... maybe the cd tray really does double as a cupholder

questionable design

[acxr is wasted]

Hrm... Doesn't the design seem sooo PC case-ish?

It looks like there should be a perfectly scale working model crt monitor, all boxy and grey sitting up on the dashboard, with a tiny, loud IBM ps2 keyboard.
Adorable, really...

Re:interface, interface, interface

[cubicledrone]

this is all very well but is a pc what you want in your car? keyboard, mouse, tiny icons due to running on a small LCD? unless someone's released "Windows XP Car edition" or similar I really don't see this as all that useful

Let me guess: You're the guy who sits in meetings and says "who would want to buy that?"

Traffic information:

[Spam.B.gone]

On the A2 there is a 12 kilometer beowulf cluster.

But where's the radio?

[Anonymous Coward]

ok, we are spending $1200 for this thing, and i think it's pretty neat, but sometimes, I just want to listen to my radio.

Carmacs

[RealBeanDip]

"If you buy this thing, use it safely. None of us want auto PC users to end up in the same category as annoying cell phone users."

How does one do a C-x-f safely while driving anyway?

Re:Road Rage!

[blues5150]

In the Ghetto Grand Theft Auto runs you!

Re:ESS Sound Chip?

[AndroidCat]

To be a safe hands-free design, it should use voice commands. However I see a problem with a voice controlled car stereo. "Lower the volume!" "WHUT?" "Turn it down!" "WHUT?"

Remote control

[kinnell]

This is slashdot. Simply being able to claim that your car runs linux is sufficient justification.

Re:Pr0n!

[Lispy]

Lol, reminds of the day a friend of mine got his videobeamer and I helped him installing it.

In lack of a proper display we used an old piece of sheet for testing. He lived in the 3rd floor of a huge building downtown and to check out the beamers performance we fired up some pron.

Everthing worked beautifully and then I left. When I was back on the street I found people hiding their kids and pedestrians being stunned by a 3x4m2 Pron-Projection on the building. The beast was transparent. That was really fun! ;-)

cu,
Lispy

Re:Not A Good Idea

[BiteMeFanboy]

I have this fantasy where I hang a bag of large round rocks on my handle bars and toss them backwards into the windshields of those idiots. No signals (one hand is occupied) and absolutely no conception of the traffic around them. They feel entitled to do whatever they want apparently.

It's bad enough that people pull out on me all the time (no sense of speed) without cell phones. But I seriously feel the urge to kill when they're using a phone, putting on make up, reading or doing something else equally inappropriate while driving.

Re:Pr0n!

[Rethcir]

I trust SOMEONE here has seen the "Bubb Rubb" and the whistle-tip video. I'd probably play that on my headrest. Woop WOOOOOOP!

Re:Physics

[BiteMeFanboy]

You don't think throwing a neavy [sic] object while driving a motorcycle might be dangerous?

Actually I'm counting on it. Which is why I'd toss them over my shoulder.