06 Scion xB - Tablet in the box!

**breaker021** · 08-23-2006, 10:16 AM

I didn't get the tablet for $600!!!

I got the tablet AND THE DOCKING STATION for $600!!!! LOL!!!

All I can say is that.... Craigslist ( http://newyork.craigslist.org/ ) ... I think I love you... If I am to marry and divorce at least once, I would like for you to be my first... Pop my divorcing cherry... plz ppl? k tx!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!

As for mounting a laptop screen, you can easily do something like what I did. You just have to find a place on your dash that you can secure a "mount" onto or into. In my case, I had an area that people usually store CDs / sunglasses in. I thought the location was perfect and it is absolutely great. When the tablet is on it's mount, and i rest my elbow/forearm on the armrest, i can easily tap the buttons on the screen without like leaning fwd, or moving around like I got ants in my pants!

Before I even found the tablet for so cheap, which was like a needle in the ******* haystack situation, I was looking around for a high end laptop with a broken screen. Since laptops were made for durability, I figure it'd be perfect for an in-car solution. I was going to get a 8" touch screen from ebay for like $200... I can easily get an external power supply for the laptop and wire it to the ignition - just like most people do when they buy mini itx solutions... But a high end laptop would have everything built in (blue tooth, wireless nic, etc) and i wouldnt have to go broke buying those devices in USB form... It doesnt make sense to me... Why spend $500+ on a mini itx solutions THEN SPEND another hundred (or more) on USB devices? You can easily get a laptop with broken screen for like $300-500 which has everything already built into it!

/ rant
- sh00k

**Friedrice** · 08-23-2006, 11:32 AM

**breaker021** · 08-23-2006, 12:15 PM

Not to mention you can get a busted screen laptop that has a p4, large disk, and 512mb ram (or more) for $300-$500 (look @ craigslist)... Mini itx solutions DO get that high in specs too but also multiply the price by 2 or 3!!!
- sh00k

**breaker021** · 01-05-2007, 10:29 AM

I was @ a red light and had my tablet laptop on... This dude in a Porsche Cayanne pulls up, rolls down his window and says

"Wow, that's a huge screen you have there..."

And I replied with

"It's for navigation, holds my 2,000+ mp3 collection and I can even watch videos/movies on here."

His reply:

"Nice! Very Nice!"

l0l
In addition, I'm getting a nice model Logitech webcam today during my lunch break. I'm going to mount it in my back window and *TRY* to use it as a backup camera... I want to see how the quality is, if it's worth having in my car, etc. If it's good, I'll keep it mounted in the car permenently. If it's not good, I'll sell it on craigslist. haha...

It's a $129.99 camera but I'm getting it absolutely brand new for only $30. I love you, craigslist!
- sh00k

**khuongphihoang** · 01-07-2007, 08:54 PM

i want to do the same with my fujitsu tablet, but my car, an 04 altima, does not have short cd holder spot to make a sturdy hold. i already fashioned the holder, and im thinking of getting 2 of the plastic car vent mount thing and somehow pernamently attach them to my mount. but they dont look strong enough for a laptop. anyone have any suggestions? i really only want to use this once and awhile with the microsoft gps receiver i brought. so it doesnt need to be a perfect mount.
plastic vent mount:

picture of interior:

**breaker021** · 01-08-2007, 10:34 AM

You know - the spot on your center console - beneath the temp controls - looks like an ideal place to mount the tablet. the mount in the picture you posted seems like it would not hold the tablet well - depending where you put it. I think if you focus on creating something yourself in the space below the temp controls, you will find something that works. best of luck, playa.
- sh00k

**breaker021** · 01-08-2007, 04:07 PM

This past weekend, I bought a used Logitech webcam for only $30 from some dude on craigslist. The camera goes for $130 in stores and has a motor which moves the camera about. I always thought a webcam would make a good backup cam so i decided to give it a shot.

I temporarily mounted the camera by the headset of my rear seat - looking out the rear window of my xB. when i was backing up, i turned the camera on via my tablet and saw a pretty nice picture. the motion is pretty good and not choppy like old web cams. i have the orbit mp set to 4.0 megapixel so the colors, etc was pretty nice.

I am going to mount this permenentally in my xB, most likely on the ceiling and have it look out my back window and use it as a backup cam. It's not as slick as other solutions but for only $30 - im not complaining a single bit.

I would reccommend that anyone looking for one of those alternative $200+ backup cameras (and also have a carpc) seriously consider this. i will post pics once i permenently mount it.
- sh00k

**khuongphihoang** · 01-10-2007, 09:29 PM

sh00k, how did you hold the tablet onto the mount? you angle the holder in such a way till it holds on right?

ive been thinking of ways to mount my tablet, and i think ive done all i can on the planning stage, i just need to go out and buy the parts. my setup will not be as convenient to remove as yours, but i dont really plan on using it all the time, just when i go on trips or places i dont know very well.

the webcam as a back up camera sparked my interest as well, how does it look at night?? are you just going to leave it as it is and place it in the back or take it apart and only use the bare essentials that you need for the camera? hide it somehow?

"tablet in the box" has just been an idea, thanks for putting it into motion!

**breaker021** · 01-12-2007, 09:45 AM

First of all, thank you for diggin' my setup. Honestly, I think i was very lucky because I know it's such a pain in the *** to mount anything - let alone a 3.5 pound tablet. I was lucky that they made the cubby hole area in the xB because without that, i have no clue where/how i would have mounted this thing...

Secondly, On my mount, the space where I Insert the tablet is thinner than the tablet itself - thus, it pretty much "squeezes" or "clamps" onto the bottom of the tablet. luckily for me, that bottom piece is the tablet battery so there is nothing that can be damaged, etc. Although this is maybe 90% secure, I don't drive like a maniac/make sharp turns, so the tablet stays exactly in place. There is definitely some vibration on bumps and rough roads, but again, the tablet stays in place. I have never had the tablet fall or come close to falling or anything like that.

As for the camera, it's a little bulky. the quality at night was OK - definitely not as nice as one of those stand-alone $150 units... I honestly dont think im going to leave it in the car - i don't use it enough to justify having a camera in there. Instead, i'll just connect it to my computer @ home and monitor my place from work from time to time ;]

Since this mount that I use is "pretty good" - i have been lazy to created another mount for it. I'm going to make a mount almost like a "sleeve" that will let me "slide" the tablet into it from the top of the mount. I will draw up a rough diagram and post it when I have time... but still, im happy with what i have now ;] the looks that I get from having a 12" screen is nuts. my favorite time is at night - when you can't see the mount - all you see is a huge screen in the dash. ;]
- sh00k

**GizmoQ** · 01-12-2007, 08:12 PM

Good on ya.

I just went through the pain of building a stronger mount for my dock in my son's car. I took the original mounting bracket that I modified for his car to a friend who works in a metals shop and he fashioned a much stronger bracket for me out of 18 guage steel. Unfortunately, neither he nor I took exact measurements.

Guess what? Out of the 6 bends we put into the bracket only 2 were accurate. Can you imagine having to take a 10lb rubber mallet to this bracket in order to change the bends.

Everytime one angle got changed it affected at least two or three others.

After a week, I had something useable, but it was beat all to hell - not a straight line to be found. But with the dock mounted to the new bracket its much cleaner look whenever the Tablet is removed (the bracket virtually disappears and the dock seems to float against the dash).

I have also ordered some 90 degree connectors for the USB and Line out to reduce their footprint below the dock. I found an adjustable USB adapter that when modified leaves a 1/4 inch protrusion from the dock USB port. This is almost a perfect match for my new line-out plug. Should look abaout as clean as I can get it then.