The iPad's role in your car?

**Fiberoptic** · 03-18-2010, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by tripzero

It should also be noted that if you are using a decent receiver (ie a ublox-based or even some surf III's (bu-353 anyone?)) you probably get a fix just as fast as if it were assisted. There may be some hardware difference in cell phones that causes it to take ages to get a fix. Without a network connection, my n900 can take 3-4mins to get a fix. With Assisted on, it'll take about 10 seconds. My bu353 takes about 10 seconds as well. However, i have no idea if it takes longer in areas where I'm surrounded by huge buildings. In which case, AGPS is a must.

As for using the ipad in the car... The hardware should be just fine other than the "where do I put this" problem. The biggest issue I see is the same with dropping Android in the car: the UI is probably going to be more attention requiring than it otherwise should be for this environment. The lack of multi-tasking would be a slight annoyance as well, but probably not too bad.

I think you are experiencing the fast fix time due to a few things, 1. you have the antenna on the outside of the vehicle. 2. I believe there is a small electrical charge which holds the ephemeris data on the bu-353. The cold start time on this device is speced at 45 seconds. the iphone gives me a fast cellular fix before a gps fix is possible or if I am in a building.

**justchat_1** · 03-18-2010, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Fiberoptic

the iphone gives me a fast cellular fix before a gps fix is possible or if I am in a building.

yes and in a parking garage aGPS will enable a fix that a standalone GPS could never achieve (too many layers of concrete). However, cellular location is really only accurate to 1/4mile which makes the technology useless until a true GPS lock is obtained.

My opinion-> aGPS = excellent feature for a phone which is frequently indoors....useless in a car.

iPhone as a nav device just makes me laugh so ill save the commentary. openMobile could be ported to the ipad in about a week of development with monotouch-but I would never do it.

**ThunderStick** · 03-18-2010, 05:16 PM

Why is this even a debate,
How many of us use tablets for carpc's, Very few, now why is this any different other than the fact your are tied to iphone apps for software?
Here is a better question, rather two questions to solve one problem...
Would you use a tablet PC in your carpc install?
If so would you use an ipad?

**tripzero** · 03-18-2010, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by justchat_1

iPhone as a nav device just makes me laugh so ill save the commentary. openMobile could be ported to the ipad in about a week of development with monotouch-but I would never do it.

right. and monotouch would probably break your compatibility with windows wouldn't it? Monotouch actually looks pretty cool.

**justchat_1** · 03-18-2010, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by tripzero

right. and monotouch would probably break your compatibility with windows wouldn't it? Monotouch actually looks pretty cool.

Monotouch is really just a native compiler for c#. It maps the c# native functions to apple native functions and does a full static compilation.
openMobile is already designed to split out and map platform specific functions...so its really no different then adding linux or osx support was.
The big problem is that all the plugins would need to be compiled with monotouch, which at $400 is not a cheap task.

**VegasNate** · 03-18-2010, 05:59 PM

I'm going to be installing the Ipad as the "brain" of my in car multimedia while still having the in dash Ipod touch. My hope for the future is that once its jailbroken, an app like VNC can wirelessly control the Ipod. Since(for now) there is not alot of storage space on the ipad, I will utilize the space already being used on my Ipod. My other reason for using the Ipad in car is for apps like Dashcommand in full screen glory. I'm sure once you see it in action it will all make sense.

**optikalefx** · 03-19-2010, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by VegasNate

I'm going to be installing the Ipad as the "brain" of my in car multimedia while still having the in dash Ipod touch. My hope for the future is that once its jailbroken, an app like VNC can wirelessly control the Ipod. Since(for now) there is not alot of storage space on the ipad, I will utilize the space already being used on my Ipod. My other reason for using the Ipad in car is for apps like Dashcommand in full screen glory. I'm sure once you see it in action it will all make sense.

Can't wait to see some photos. How about running Rev too?

**VegasNate** · 03-19-2010, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by optikalefx

Can't wait to see some photos. How about running Rev too?

Rev App will be used too. The thing I like about the upcoming Dashcommand is user created skins will be able to be loaded onto the Ipad/pod/phone.

**how2man** · 03-19-2010, 07:53 PM

I think the ipad will be a great computer for the car, I have a iphone 3gs and it works great for me. I love all the different app it has, I think the only problem with the ipad is installing it and removing it, from the car.

**GizmoQ** · 03-20-2010, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by ThunderStick

Why is this even a debate,
How many of us use tablets for carpc's, Very few, now why is this any different other than the fact your are tied to iphone apps for software?
Here is a better question, rather two questions to solve one problem...
Would you use a tablet PC in your carpc install?
If so would you use an ipad?

Duh..... yeah!

Unfortunately, I gotta have fast real multitasking, so at this time - no IPad.

Originally Posted by how2man

I think the ipad will be a great computer for the car, I have a iphone 3gs and it works great for me. I love all the different app it has, I think the only problem with the ipad is installing it and removing it, from the car.

Tell you what. Send me your IPad and the desktop dock, tell me what car you want it in and I'll build you a car dock without any wiring exposed. I'll destroy the dock , but maintain all its functionality, especially lock and release.

I'm so confident, I'll even let you tell me exactly where you want the faceplate of the dock to be located, and build to spec.