Carputer Part One
...would you want to put a computer in your car?
Most people would just hook up an iPod and be done. But you see, I like my Podcasts. Daily. It was getting to be a pain to bring my iPod inside every day, find the cable, get new podcasts on the computer, and sync them. Much more elegant to leave something in the car that can automatically connect to the house's wireless network and get new podcasts. Thus was born the project Carputer.
I bought an old iBook in South San Jose for $100. I also made some substantial modifications to the BlueCabbie carputer software. It wakes up every morning at 6 and gets new podcasts. It also turns itself on and off when the car turns on and off. Finally, it plays all this plus my iTunes music library through the car's sound system. I control it with a little keypad.
PICTURES!!
The keypad I control the whole thing from
iBook under the front passenger seat
Wireless (very important)
It's powered by a Kensington notebook power adapter, and currently connects to the stereo system with a cassette adapter. Of course a new audio system is coming in the mail on Wednesday which has two auxiliary inputs, so the wiring will get a bit neater at that time.
For budgetary and parental reasons, the system does not currently have a screen that is visible while driving. If I find that I really need one I'll look into it.
But, for $220 I have a system that will always have the latest podcasts waiting for me in the car. No more realizing I left the iPod inside in the mornings, or that it hasn't been updated... I just turn the key, push play, and there they are :-)