Your Car Is Reading Your Email

mjamil writes "The NYT is running an article about yet another case mod for your auto. This one, manufactured by a company called CarBot, lets you check mail wirelessly, and reads it to you, amongst other things. Amusing sidelines: note the /. reference in the images in the article, and check the fully featured CarBot Web site." Update: 09/10 00:29 GMT by H : This guy has also written "Mastering Internet Video: A Guide to Streaming and On-Demand Video".

Comments

Or...

[CommanderData]

You go buy an M100 with an ITPS for ignition control. Then you go download MediaEngine or another interface of your choice at MP3car.com. Finally, go buy your Lilliput 7" TFT touchscreen on eBay.

If you're into self installs and whatnot this gives you a lot more flexibility at less cost.

Re:Or...

[BLKMGK]

The Xenarc screens are supposed to be better than the Lilliput screens FWIW. I've purchased a 7inch version with vid capability as well as VGA for under $400 off of EBAY.

I've been looking into this in order to monitor what's going on with my car's standalone EFI system. Since that EFI system's software allows me to build "dashboards" I can do LOTS of interesting displays. I have been collecting URLs and you can see pics of other's progress and discussion here -> http://forum.aempower.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=9604

Some URLs I've collected in no distinct order or organization:

http://www.logisysus.com/catalog/product_info.php? cPath=74&products_id=189
http://logisysus.com/catalog/product_info.php?prod ucts_id=334
http://www.kingyoung.com.tw/s620.htm
http://littlepc.com/
http://www.diamondsystems.com/
http://www.viaarena.com/
http://www.media-car.fr.st/
http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/index/Griffi n_RadioSHARK_AM-FM_Radio.htm
http://www.xmradio.com/xmpcr/ (I bought one, have added optical output, and have purchased TimeTrax!)
http://www.hauppauge.com/html/wintvpvr usb_datashee t.htm> (have one on the way, thanks EBAY!)
http://store.karpc.com/cat-LCD-Touch-Screen--lcdmo nitor.htm
http://www.mp3car.com/
http://www.soundblaster.com/products/audigy2NX/
http://www.carbotpc.com/products/
http://www.powerstream.com/DC_PC.htm
http://www.powerstream.com/mini-itx.htm
http://www.media-car.fr.st/
http://drivesoft.net/
http://www.gnetcanada.com/
http://www.lighttek.com/talisman.htm
http://skylab.org/~chugga/mpegbox/MPBS1/
http://www.compucar.be.tf/
http://www.autonode.com/ig710specs.html?
http://www.trc12volt.com/
http://www.intraplexcorp.com/tx3.asp
http://www.sfftech.com/
http://www.mini-itx.com/store/
http://www.dashmatics.com/forum/faq.php

Hopefully some of those will be of help to others considering this sort of thing, I'd be interested in working with others to research this! My plans are to mock up something with the touchscreen and front-end software working with the WINTV, XM PCR, my MP3 collection, GPS mapping, the RLTC software, and my AEM datalogging software. IF it works well (or even halfway well) THEN I'll buy hardware to put IN the car. No sense spending the money if the interface turns out to suck or be too distracting while driving. I'll likely be able to play DVDs too but honestly that's pretty se

Re:Only 60GB?

[akeyes]

One of the two models includes a firewire port.

Big Deal

[Lumpy]

I had a Clarion AutoPC that did that in 1999.

it was expensive as hell as it used a special pager module to recieve the email and then you can send back canned responses (Like a 2 way pager)

the AutoPC has been discontinued for over 2 years now.

Re:Linux project?

[Chop]

Yep, search the software forum on Mp3car.com for linux and you should get at least two hits. Also you can check out the following sites:
thexcar.com or DashPC

Chop
"You must be new here."

Illegal in some states

[marco0009]

Some states (such as Texas, where I live) have laws against display devices being the the drivers field of view unless they are used to display driving information (such as speed, fuel, etc.) Check your state laws before you run out and mod yoru car (or pay to have it modded) as I was hasseled by my local police, even though my 7" screen displays driving information, but I happened to be running WinAmp with MilkDrop at the time I was pulled over.