Found Footage: Subaru carputer

I admit it: I'm a sucker for car computers. The mini just makes so much sense for getting your Mac on while cruising down the highway. Sam Garfield has a beautiful take on the mini based carputer in his Subaru WRX. He's using a touch-sensitive 7" LCD with a Front Row like interface called AMP. It really is a professional looking mod; I think my family may need to keep me away from the car for a while so I don't tear it up.

[Via Powerpage]

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Source: http://gthing.net/carputer-5-final/

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Hardware Mods Mac mini

I admit it: I'm a sucker for car computers. The mini just makes so much sense for getting your Mac on while cruising down the highway....

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Bob

WRX's rule. I have the same model he does: 0-60 is less than 5 seconds.

Oh yeah, the Mac is nice too... :)

January 03 2007 at 12:09 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Marc Edwards

Never mind. I found it here: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=140

:)

January 02 2007 at 5:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Marc Edwards

Does anyone have any more info on the "Front Row like interface called AMP"???? Looks great.

January 02 2007 at 4:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

moshe

wow

check out this site!
http://web.mac.com/francoborgo/iWeb/MacMobile/MacMobile.html

January 02 2007 at 4:34 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

david

Hell yeah Refused! Never thought I'd see that in an apple post about a wrx. I love it!

January 02 2007 at 2:04 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sam

If you guys have any questions about it you want answered, go leave a comment on the post and I will do my best to answer them. As for:

@ALex: I use a specialized carnetix powersupply (p1900) which is a DC-DC power supply (No AC conversion - it goes straight into the mini). The power supply is wicked smart - it simulates button presses, manages the power while the car is running or off, monitors the car's battery to make sure it doesn't get drained, etc. It provides about ~500mA while the car is off so the mac could conceivably stay asleep for a few weeks without draining the car's battery.

@Flanagan, Hanson, Greenline: Yea, there's no super awesome GPS solutions for Mac, yet. I am currently using a promising-looking open source app called "turn here" and it works okay. Fortunately with parallels and coherence, lack of a decent OS X mapping app is not an issue, really.

@Benson: I'm not sure what has gotten a more positive reaction, the carputer or that refused video! :D

January 02 2007 at 1:53 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sam

streets and trips by microsoft comes with a GPS unit. dunno if its mac compatable tho

January 02 2007 at 12:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Benson

mmmm.... Refused

January 02 2007 at 12:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Greenline

I agree with Sean, everything is ready to be placed into a car with the OS X platform except a realiable GPS program/hardware. I think even software with a iGPS USB adapter (or something) for me to hook up to my MacBook and travel with wouldbe great. I'd pay for an OS X carputer without blinking an eye.

January 02 2007 at 11:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Chansen

Route 66 software isn't too terrible for OS X, I've used it for some OS X war driving/trips to our great northern neighbor...

January 02 2007 at 10:40 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply