Double Din Friendly Tablet

**prodigalsun** · 11-24-2010, 01:52 PM

Over time I've been warming up to the idea of replacing my car pc with a tablet. After seeing the various iPad installs etc, I'm always turned off when I see the amount of hacking required (ie. moving climate controls, building custome bezels etc) to fit the large iPad screen into the car. I've always thought... wouldn't it be better to find a tablet that just fits the car's cavity? As such I've been looking around for 7"ish tablets that will fit the double din space in most cars. I've been limiting my search to Andriod tablets that will fit the bill as there are many more dimensional options. As of the time of post this, there's only one high quality Android 7" tablet to speak about and that's the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Altough is a 7" tablet it's dimensions (7.48" x 4.74") are not double din (7" x 4") friendly. I'm starting this thread so people can post worthy options for double din fitment and maybe document how they plan on getting a clean oem looking install done.

For my purposes , I'd prefer a tablet were the Andriod market is enabled (ie. so can't be one of those Chinese hack up tablets), must have a GPS module and an SD(HC) card slot. I don't think 3G tablets are worth their premium as it's fairly easy (and cheaper) to share your smartphone's internet (eg. using mywi on iPhone or even the built in wifi tethering on Andriod). I'd actually like my tablet install to be more permanent. I really don't like the idea of removing a device everytime your leave the car (that's one of the reason's I installed a car pc). Since the tablet would be in sleep mode (running on it's battery), my plan is to just remote into it for any necessary changes.

I know there have been a few anouncements of major brand Andriod tablets coming in the near future but I also know there are some other decent ones made by smaller companies that don't get the same press. Either way please post links and/or share your ideas.

PS: Not trying to start a car pc vs tablet debate here, cuz lord knows there's a good wack a threads discussing that stuff already

**soundman98** · 11-24-2010, 08:01 PM

i don't know if anything is going to be 7x4 or under, so i kind of think that the galaxy is a pretty close match- even if you have to hack a extra 3/4" around the dash opening.

**RipplingHurst** · 11-25-2010, 12:15 AM

I agree with the above, if you can cut 3/4" it may be worth it!

I also like your attitude, leave the tablet in the car! I also don't like the idea of removing the tablet everytime I leave the car, although that's what I'm doing now.

I may be using my center console for the iPad, in a permanent solution (although the iPad would be removable, I would want it to look like it's not, building a bezel around it.). This is the thread where I'm trying to do this, but my console is huge, like most trucks.

In a car, I agree, I would use an Android tablet. There's the Blackberry tablet coming too, not Android, but it looks promising.

**DiGiTY** · 11-25-2010, 03:51 AM

I'd imagine the SD card slot, data/charging port, volume rocker, mic (?) and headphone jack could all be inaccessible if you hack it into a double din. Furthermore, we have two major hurdles with the whole tablet driven system: most apps don't scale to 7" properly or at all and on top of that no one's really developing car friendly apps. I bought a 7" Android tablet recently and the extra screen real estate was useless as mosts apps stayed small. I bought a ODB-II bluetooth scanner and was highly disappointed to learn there wasn't one semi-solid ODB-II Android app. That's a very strong indicator that developers are not interested in the tablet/car scene. Google Nav and the built-in music player may be great for the bare minimum as a infotainment system but I'd imagine paying $400 - $650 for a glorified PND won't sit well with most.

**HiJackZX1** · 11-25-2010, 11:05 AM

Have you looked into Android Tablets? I have been looking at them for a reservation guest book project at work. I see a lot with 7 inch screens. They also have things like USB ports and what not.

**prodigalsun** · 11-25-2010, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by DiGiTY

I'd imagine the SD card slot, data/charging port, volume rocker, mic (?) and headphone jack could all be inaccessible if you hack it into a double din.

In my case most of these things being inaccessible is not a big deal.
SD Card Slot - add one with a high storage capacity and never really has to be removed. Storage get's cheaper by the minute.
Data/Charge Port - this would wired so once the car starts it starts charging so no need to remove
Volume Rocker - just use the on screen volume control
Mic - I would think in most tablets you can extend the mic with a mic accesory cable. Yet to be confimed tho.
Headphone - would be tied into cars audio so not a big deal.

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

Have you looked into Android Tablets? I have been looking at them for a reservation guest book project at work. I see a lot with 7 inch screens. They also have things like USB ports and what not.

Not sure if you read my first post all the way through but yes I've pretty much limited my search to Android tablets.

**prodigalsun** · 11-25-2010, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by soundman98

i don't know if anything is going to be 7x4 or under, so i kind of think that the galaxy is a pretty close match- even if you have to hack a extra 3/4" around the dash opening.

Yeah but like many people on this forum I'm not into cutting into my car ...for resale... ya know. In addition, if the Galaxy Tab is used further clearance would be needed for the charger and headphone connections.

**prodigalsun** · 11-25-2010, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by DiGiTY

Furthermore, we have two major hurdles with the whole tablet driven system: most apps don't scale to 7" properly or at all and on top of that no one's really developing car friendly apps.

I guess right now things are a bit rough but vendors have only started making Android tablet within the last few months, so I'm confident we'll see more tablet-based apps shortly. In terms of car friendly apps I'm one of those people who's willing to sacrifice the ui for more fuctionality (in the short term). I trully think that car friendly apps will come to both the iPad and Andriod tablets, but we have to give a bit more time.

**RipplingHurst** · 11-25-2010, 05:32 PM

I just found out that the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab just not work with BT HID devices (like a keyboard)...not good. On the T-Mobile, there's a trick to do it, here.

I wonder how the AT&T one would work (the one I'd chose among these, AT&T here works better than the others).

I hate crippled devices. I wonder why people think only Apple does that...

**DiGiTY** · 11-26-2010, 03:19 AM

Well you're pushing that initial 3/4" overage to 1" or 1 1/4" with the cables permanently plugged in. That's asking a bit much. Furthermore, you're giving the Android development community too much credit. The verdict is still way out on Android tablets - developers are extremely hesitant to invest their time and resources in yet another strand of Android devices. Developer's ROI with Android apps is already dismal and the chances they'll put in new efforts for us, very tiny niche audience of tablet + car users, is bleek.

No, I'm not a hater. I'm just a mofo you had the same dream as you, wanted to make it happen, but realized the hopelessness. Plus I'm an Android developer and don't see semi-solid apps or solutions realistically being developed for this scene.