OK, so it looks like I need to put something in the forums to compete for some of the prizes being offered at the AFK Fest Meetup. Unfortunately, I left my car at home cause it was much cheaper for me to fly - i.e. free! So what should I do. I know, I got it. My entry is the "Car PC in a bag."
Since I travel so much and I like having my Car PC available whether its within the U.S.A or abroad. I have developed a system that gives me most of the capabilities of my own vehicle but is transportable in a shoulder bag and can be used in a rental car, boat, train, plane or in a hotel room.
The Car PC in a bag consists of a Tablet PC
and several peripherals depending on where I'm going, and for how long. The main ingredients are an in home power supply with various adapters for overseas use. An automobile power supply with adapters for foreign and domestic vehicles.
A 3.5mm male to male cable for plugging my audio out into the vehicles aux-in port. My PCMCIA Cellular card for phone and internet usage. A USB GPS receiver for navigation.
A USB FM receiver for listening to local radio.
My trusty external DVD/RW
in case I run into someone with some great tunes I want to dump on my hard drive. My 8 Mg Pixel camera (that one day I'm going to figure out how to use it as a front recording camera ala Capture!)
And miscellaneous cables for the Camera, my Cellphone, USB jump drives,
bluetooth dongle, wireless IR keyboard, etc.
This may sound like a lot to tote around from jet to jet, airport to airport, but its actually quite compact and travel ready. I have adapted a special bag to house all the equipment (along with a change of clothes) that is an over the shoulder leather Amori Bag (with a lifetime guarantee) that is padded, insulated, and has plenty of pockets and zippered compartments for all my components, pieces, parts, wires, etc.
Unfortunately, when assembled in a vehicle, train, boat, plane, etc, I don't have the luxury of a stealth install. Wires are run wherever I can make them fit without being a hazard.
Peripherals have to be hot swapped on occasion to change functions, The tablet rarely mounts anywhere even closely resembling my home automobiles with their sleek docks and hidden wirings. Luckily, most rentals now come standard with a 3.5mm aux-in port and my GPS has a suction cup to attach it to the window. The hardest part to get used to is the touchscreen/pen. I always forget how spoiled I am having a 128 function joystick in my primary vehicles that I hardy ever touch the screen in those cars.
With the Car PC in a bag, I have to - bummer! And tapping on the screen while maneuvering the tablet around the gear shift to hold it in place just makes it that much more fun!
Needless to say, I know it is about as ghetto an install as they come, but at least it's there and fully functional, well functional, and its better than nothing. or else I never would make it to the AFK Fest Meetup !!!
P.S. Written at 41,000 feet, apx 365knts, using hard writing recognition on the "CarPC in a Bag" while listening to tunes through RideRunner!
And the Ice cream man heart attack machine.
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