Fanless Compact Computers – Good Choice for Carputing?

March 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Stealth Computer's LPC-450FS

Stealth Computer's LPC-450FS

Check out this fanless PC built on a small form factor from Stealth Computers. Let’s see, small, rugged, fanless, 12 volts…. seems like good platform for in car computing to me!

Stealth Computers offers a lot of specialized and small form factor computers, but this one really seems to be a good choice for automotive applications.

The fanless feature is nice because you don’t have to worry about the cooling fan pulling in those dust bunnies that tend to breed under the seat and other nooks and crannies of a car.

The extruded aluminum chassis and the shock mounted 2 1/2″ hard drive is no doubt a rugged package. If you want it even more shock resistant you can get a solid state drive and have no moving parts!

I have not used or reviewed this PC but it looks promising to me. Here is a link so you can read more about the LPC-450FS unit and I have included some of the specs below:

  • 12 VDC Operation, ideal for mobile/field
  • Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
  • 3D Graphics with 16×9 Capability
  • Built-in Gigabit LAN, USB 2.0,
  • 1394a Firewire, Audio, Serial and Video Ports
  • Low Profile Rugged Aluminum Chassis 6.1″(W) x 10.0″(D) x 2.17″(H)
  • Slim Slot Loading Optical Drives
  • Solid State Hard Drives (SSD) optional
  • Windows Vista & XP Pro Compatible,
  • Intel Celeron M440, 1.86GHz Processor
  • 1MB Cache, 533MHz FSB
  • 80 Gig HDD SATA (2.5″)
  • DVD/CD-RW Drive
  • 1GB RAM SO-DIMM
  • On-board Video & Audio
  • Standard Price: $1095
Filed Under: Car Tech, Digital Technology Tagged With: , ,

Formula 1 McLaren Driven by a BlackBerry Storm

March 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment

This site is about digital technology and cars so when I came across this video on YouTube, I just had to post it.

As the story goes, Simon and Steve develop an application for their BlackBerry Storm to steer a modified remote control car. They set up a make shift race track in their office and turn “another day at the office” into a RC car extravaganza. I am OK with the video so far.

Now, Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren Formula 1 team contacts Simon and Steve about their BlackBerry application. This is where I start to question if this is a fake or not.  I doubt that this car is actually being driven by the BlackBerry, but how? Maybe a midget laying on the floorboard? Maybe a real remote control, likely laptop based, sitting off camera? You watch the video and see what you think.

Filed Under: Car Tech, Digital Technology Tagged With: , ,

What Will Transportation Look Like in 2088?

March 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Mobility 2088 - Part of Honda's Power the Dream Series

Mobility 2088 - Part of Honda's Power the Dream Series

Honda produced a neat documentary where the question was, “What will transportation look like in 80 years? This film is part of their “Dream the Impossible” documentary series. No doubt that digital technology will be a major player.

Honda’s “Dream the Impossible” project is a series of well produced (high dollar) documentaries that are thought provoking. You can view all  the documentaries in the highest available quality at this link.

Dream The Impossible
Documentary Series

Honda is a company founded by a dreamer. And we are a company that believes in the Power of Dreams.

Honda has a rich history of making impossible dreams come to fruition. And because the lessons of the past help guide our future, there is a simple humanity found in even our most complex products.

We wanted to document our advancement as a company through film to give you a better understanding of the people behind our products. Please join us as we uncover Honda through the candid approach of the documentary film process.

View “Mobility 2088″ in the highest quality from Honda’s site

YouTube Preview Image
Filed Under: Car Tech, Digital Technology, Education / Training Tagged With: , , , ,

Move Over Microsoft and Make Room For Genivi

March 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Genivi Logo

Genivi Logo

Open source software is reaching beyond the computer and is now about to emerge onto the automotive scene. A new alliance amongst automakers and technology providers called Genivi is promoting an open source Linux based In-Vehicle-Infotainment (IVI) platform. Genivi will find competition from Microsoft who just released version 4.0 of its own automotive platform. This is the platform that powers Ford’s Sync and Fiat’s Blue & Me systems.

Here is a link to a full article on this topic over on the CarTech Blog.

Filed Under: Car Tech Tagged With: , ,

iPhone, Hughes Telematics and Cars

February 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Looks like everybody wants to get into the phone-car convergence game including Hughes Telematics an OEM technology supplier to Chrysler and Mercedes. By 2010, Hughes Telematics will debut its  next-generation technology, which would allow drivers to install software in their cars, just as iPhones let users download applications to their handsets.

Some of the expected features are:

  • An application that could track your peregrinations and estimate your total carbon emissions.
  • Remotely starting a car
  • Resetting its alarm with an iPhone
  • Unlocking the doors with an iPhone (commands could be sent to the car over the Internet)
  • Cars equipped with blind-spot-detection video cameras could be programmed to take a picture of anyone near the car during a break-in and then e-mail it directly to a cellphone or computer.

Here is an article on this at the New York Times

Filed Under: Car Tech, Digital Technology Tagged With: , ,
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