Filed under: Hardware, Mods, Mac mini
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.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ALex said 10:42PM on 1-08-2007
How does he power it?
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Sean Flanagan said 10:30AM on 1-02-2007
The only thing keeping me from doing this in my Si Sedan is the absolute lack of decent mapping software for OS X, Google Earth notwithstanding. If I'm going to put this much money and effort into replacing the factory HU, the result better have navigation.
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Chris Hansen said 11:14AM on 1-02-2007
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...
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Greenline said 11:18AM on 1-02-2007
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.
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Benson said 12:02PM on 1-02-2007
mmmm.... Refused
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Sam said 12:18PM on 1-02-2007
streets and trips by microsoft comes with a GPS unit. dunno if its mac compatable tho
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Sam said 1:54PM on 1-02-2007
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
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david said 2:04PM on 1-02-2007
Hell yeah Refused! Never thought I'd see that in an apple post about a wrx. I love it!
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moshe said 4:37PM on 1-02-2007
wow
check out this site!
http://web.mac.com/francoborgo/iWeb/MacMobile/MacMobile.html
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Marc Edwards said 5:09PM on 1-02-2007
Does anyone have any more info on the "Front Row like interface called AMP"???? Looks great.
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Marc Edwards said 8:03PM on 1-02-2007
Never mind. I found it here: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=140
:)
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Bob said 12:09AM on 1-03-2007
WRX's rule. I have the same model he does: 0-60 is less than 5 seconds.
Oh yeah, the Mac is nice too... :)
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