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golfguy · 03-27-2008, 04:19 PM

Well, opinions are like ***holes, everybody's got one, so I might as well chime in. Like NBB, having the front end fit into my car is more important to me than keeping the Mac OS X look, no matter how much I like it on my desktop. That said, what makes me like Mac over Windows is what Apple throws out. Windows and most Windows apps are busy and usually ugly. I don't necessarily agree with crimsonaudio that the NeonBoomBox graphic design is unattractive. I appreciate its simplicity. The fact that I can match the color to my car's red/orange instrument color is VERY important to me. I also like Front Row's more monochrome approach as well. I tend to find AMP hard to navigate in places.

Music is first and most important. It should be as easy or easier to navigate than an iPod. It should work well both on a touchscreen and rotary controller. Every button on the screen should have a key mapping, but since most rotary controllers don't have a lot of buttons, the choices should be minimized. Dragging to scroll while driving is awkward and distracting to me. Combining rotary and touch is ideal for me. Rotary control is one reason the iPod took over the market, since it just made sense. You don't have to reposition your finger to continue to scroll. Perhaps you can experiment with simulating an iPod touch wheel?
Music control should resume from where your computer went to sleep when you turn the car off. Sounds easy, but it's probably not.
GPS for me would be next, but I have limited experience with that so far, so I don't have much to suggest there other than launching another app.
Movies/TV/Video next, and should be navigated the same way as Music. Have on-screen controls pop up like the current Apple DVD Player while the video is playing. Touch once to get the controller, control with touch on the screen. Next touch off the margin of the controller hides it again.
OBD with vehicle specific trip computer and monitoring would be cool, but not essential.
I don't particularly car for applications skins, but others might.

03-27-2008, 04:19 PM	#57
golfguy Low Bitrate golfguy's CarPC Specs Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fort Worth, TX Vehicle: 2007 Mazdaspeed 6 Posts: 99 My Photos: ()	Well, opinions are like *holes, everybody's got one, so I might as well chime in. Like NBB, having the front end fit into my car is more important to me than keeping the Mac OS X look, no matter how much I like it on my desktop. That said, what makes me like Mac over Windows is what Apple throws out. Windows and most Windows apps are busy and usually ugly. I don't necessarily agree with crimsonaudio that the NeonBoomBox graphic design is unattractive. I appreciate its simplicity. The fact that I can match the color to my car's red/orange instrument color is VERY important to me. I also like Front Row's more monochrome approach as well. I tend to find AMP hard to navigate in places. Music is first and most important. It should be as easy or easier to navigate than an iPod. It should work well both on a touchscreen and rotary controller. Every button on the screen should have a key mapping, but since most rotary controllers don't have a lot of buttons, the choices should be minimized. Dragging to scroll while driving is awkward and distracting to me. Combining rotary and touch is ideal for me. Rotary control is one reason the iPod took over the market, since it just made sense. You don't have to reposition your finger to continue to scroll. Perhaps you can experiment with simulating an iPod touch wheel? Music control should resume from where your computer went to sleep when you turn the car off. Sounds easy, but it's probably not. GPS for me would be next, but I have limited experience with that so far, so I don't have much to suggest there other than launching another app. Movies/TV/Video next, and should be navigated the same way as Music. Have on-screen controls pop up like the current Apple DVD Player while the video is playing. Touch once to get the controller, control with touch on the screen. Next touch off the margin of the controller hides it again. OBD with vehicle specific trip computer and monitoring would be cool, but not essential. I don't particularly car for applications skins, but others might. __________________ Any day is a good day for golf. Mazdaspeed6 Carputer Progress: (Check Speedy's Install) Purchase [*] 100% Design [*] 100% Install [***] 99% (is it ever finished?)