Thread: Scion xB '06, in-dash Atom 330, Lilliput 889GL; details, pictures, links. Index: pg 1

I use the thumbpad made for the PS3. I like, minus the fact that it doesn't have the Ctrl, Alt or Del keys...

Originally Posted by fusionrampage

Hi I have been watching your thread for a long time because I am trying to do almost the same setup with an Acer Aspire One or if possible with a HTC Touch Pro. I love what you have been doing.

I'm avidly watching the PC/phone interface work going on in other threads. I think that's likely to be the future of car computing, but it will be a while before it's easy.

It would be very interesting to use your Aspire One and the Touch Pro together, despite some redundancy. Eventually -- maybe even soon -- the Touch Pro could operate as your system. There's coverage of that goal in this thread. It may be close, but I haven't seen all the tools to do it yet.

For right now, it's okay with me to have a carPC and a phone that link up. Somewhere down the road, I bet the phone will handle everything.

Originally Posted by fusionrampage

. . . sorry to bring this up but I had a Q...

Does GMPC have live traffic data....If so can u let me know on how to activate it....

Thank You...

Our re-routing on the trip was simply because I read the warning on Georgia DOT's big overhead signboard.

I haven't seen live traffic data in GMPC. The Garmin website doesn't show it as available with Mobile PC, though it's available with other units as a subscription service.

But I don't figure it will be long before someone -- Google? -- brings that out as a service, or possibly even a free service. It would be interesting to have it available to travelers for an X-day service fee over a specific route, and also as an always-on feature in a local area. I'd pay for Atlanta traffic updates in a heartbeat.

Mobile PC is an interim program for me; I'll be moving to iGuidance once I have Centrafuse running full time. I've read that Centrafuse will have live traffic when it rolls to the next version. I'll keep an eye out for traffic service in both Mobile PC and Centrafuse, and I'll write about it here when I find it.

Originally Posted by fusionrampage

Anyway if you are waiting to buy the centrafuse it is the right time now. I got an email from Centrafuse today that they will be having a stimulus sale for 30days strating from yesterday I think. The navigation version is going for $125 & the standard for $65. Which seems to be a pretty good deal for me. If you are waiting to buy it, then go for it now. BTW the code is stimulus09 & I am not associated with Centrafuse in anyway just passing the info.

Well, we already own Centrafuse. Josh got his way back when it came with free upgrades for life; he gave me Centrafuse for Christmas, and it certainly was a merrie Christmas. I'll have to pay for upgrades.

It would be my expectation that the 50%-off price presages a new version, maybe even with live traffic in it. Woo-hoo!

CarPC Keyboard, Part 3

Originally Posted by freeflashstuff

I use the thumbpad made for the PS3. I like, minus the fact that it doesn't have the Ctrl, Alt or Del keys...

Yours is the MadCatz unit, I think. So others know what we're talking about, I found this picture at the MadKatz site:

It's almost exactly the same as the Mini-Key I have, which is pictured in post 458. These things are good for small amounts of text entry; they make for an interim solution. But, without Ctrl, Alt, Del or Windows keys, they don't qualify as something I can use to troubleshoot. That's what got me started on this quest for a better keyboard.

For a low-cost, tiny solution, that Mini Wireless 83-Key Bluetooth Keyboard I mentioned in post 461 seems to be the best value I've seen. It's this one:

It goes for about the same cost as the MadCatz unit -- under $30 -- but it has all the necessary keys, and is Bluetooth to boot. That's a pretty good deal.

I was unable to find a review of it anywhere, so I've ordered one to test. I don't consider it the final solution, but I'll try it out and provide a review.

Originally Posted by rdholtz

CarPC Keyboard, Part 3



Yours is the MadCatz unit, I think. So others know what we're talking about, I found this picture at the MadKatz site:

It's almost exactly the same as the Mini-Key I have, which is pictured in post 458. These things are good for small amounts of text entry; they make for an interim solution. But, without Ctrl, Alt, Del or Windows keys, they don't qualify as something I can use to troubleshoot. That's what got me started on this quest for a better keyboard.

For a low-cost, tiny solution, that Mini Wireless 83-Key Bluetooth Keyboard I mentioned in post 461 seems to be the best value I've seen. It's this one:

It goes for about the same cost as the MadCatz unit -- under $30 -- but it has all the necessary keys, and is Bluetooth to boot. That's a pretty good deal.

I was unable to find a review of it anywhere, so I've ordered one to test. I don't consider it the final solution, but I'll try it out and provide a review.

Thats why you should get the keyboard I posted a few posts up. It has every key, just like a standard keyboard. Its the same size as the second black one you pictured but with bigger keys.

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

That's why you should get the keyboard I posted a few posts up. It has every key, just like a standard keyboard. Its the same size as the second black one you pictured but with bigger keys.

I like the keyboard you posted; if they'd just make it in black, instead of white . . . and add a joystick or some other way to have mouse control.

The red arrow keys on the lower right corner of the Mini Wireless 83-Key Bluetooth Keyboard that I ordered (see the previous post) would be a good spot for some sort of mouse control. It might have that built in, but that information wasn't listed anywhere I looked. Even if it isn't built into this unit, it certainly means there's space in the design to add mouse control in a new version.

I believe it was Microsoft that had a clip-on trackball. It plugged into the serial port, as I remember. Something that simple would work, but it would have to be Bluetooth. Otherwise, a Bluetooth presenter mouse would do the job.

Hmmmm -- maybe that's an idea for a new product: a Bluetooth trackball add-on. Hmmmm.

CarPC Keyboard, Part 4

I printed a full-size picture of the Logitech diNovo Mini and took it out to the car; it would fit fine, physically. But I see three negatives to the diNovo Mini: (1) the keys are pretty small for my fingers, (2) I don't think I'd like that cover hanging around while I'm using it, and (3) it's expensive: list price is $150; Buy.com sells it for $133 shipped; buying a refurbished one on eBay only takes the price down to $83. As much as I like Logitech products -- I've never had a problem with any of them -- and no matter how good the diNovo Mini's reviews are, that's a lot of money for a keyboard I don't really need.

To fit the steering wheel, I had thought the ideal size would be somewhere in the area of 8 inches wide. But even at that size, the keys would still be still pretty small; the EeePC's keyboard is 9 inches wide, and the keys are smaller than I'd prefer. I've used the 10.2-inch screen EeePC's keyboard, and it's just fine, so 10 inches sounds pretty close to the best size for easy typing. Although a 10-inch keyboard hangs over the sides of the steering wheel, the keys would probably work for me.

Based on that calculation, I looked around some more. I found another keyboard that interests me: Brando's Wireless Multimedia Tiny Keyboard.

Click image to enlarge.

It's just over 10 inches long, though it appears that it has keys about the same size as the EeePC's. It's definitely small enough, it includes a trackball, it's wireless (although USB, not Bluetooth), and the price is decent at $48 plus $3 shipping from Hong Kong. This one probably has the best size and feature combination for the money. If I were buying this very minute, I think this keyboard would be my overall choice.