Project CarPC

It started as a joke, well, half of a joke maybe. My drive home is the only time during which I don't have a computer at my fingertips. To be consistent, I should throw a computer in my car! The idea sounded farther fetched than it actually was.

What would a CarPC bring to the driving experience?

Let me throw some acronyms at you: GPS, mp3, DVD, WiFi, and TV come to mind right off the bat. And with a dash mounted 7" LCD touch screen as a monitor, keyboard, and mouse replacement, I’d be able to take the “scenic route” a bit more often

I’ve seen it done before. You probably have as well. Each implementation is different, with the Geek d’ Jour grabbing up whatever gear can be found around the house, bending, folding, spindling –sometimes even mutilating the stuff—to get something resembling a computer between the doors. Some of the more esoteric additions have been rear view cameras, driver accessible on-board car diagnostics (OBD), games, Bluetooth phone integration, and security. Some setups have a head unit, some don't.

If it worked for them, it’ll work better for me. I’ll be documenting the research, configuration, and implementation of my own CarPC building experience from start to finish. You’ll see every nasty detail, every bruised knuckle, all the successes, and all the compromises. If you’ve been thinking about doing the same thing, it’s the least I can do for you. (Venting is good, I’m told.)

It’s not going to start happening tomorrow or even next week, but I assure you it will happen in the not too distant future. All you’ll need to do is keep your eye peeled to TechNudge Live. At the very least, it should be interesting.