"The ability to bring your entire MP3 and video library everywhere you go is great.
Rounding out the gadget lineup is a Belkin TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter that pipes his audio through the Jeep's sound system. If he wants to take advantage of free Wi-Fi hot spots, he uses a Hawking Technology HWL1 802.11b/g WiFi Locator to find them and connect via Windows.įor software, he relies upon Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 speech-recognition software for voice commands, the Click-N-Type virtual keyboard if he needs it and Verizon VZAccess Manager for broadband access. download.Ĭlick the play button for a tour of Bill's rideįor hands-free operation, he relies upon a Jabra BT200 Bluetooth headset that lets him answer voice-over-IP calls through his laptop, and in combination with speech-to-text software, lets him control car computer applications. His connection speeds vary, but he estimates he averages about 1Mbit/sec. When not using the touch screen or voice-activation, he operates the computer with a Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000, which fits nicely on his center console between the seats.įor Internet access, he connects his BlackBerry 8703e, which provides Verizon broadband services. With some creativity, a couple hours and a six-pack of beer, I was 100% installed. Finding wires long enough to run from the front of the car to the back, and hiding them, were problems as well. Other people might not be so quick to drill mounting holes in their cars. "My Jeep has a nice flat spot on the dashboard that worked really well. "Finding a good place to mount the touch screen is a problem," Rigby said. Rigby has routed his cables underneath the carpeting and used plastic wire covers and ties to hide everything from view, including a video cable that goes up through the dashboard to his Lilliput 7-inch VGA touch-screen monitor. The laptop is mounted in a docking station that feeds cables to the system, including a USB cable connected to an IOGEAR 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub that in turn feeds various devices. "I'd like to run an application that could monitor gas consumption, horsepower and give me error codes when my Jeep is breaking down so I can figure out what's really going on when the engine light comes on."įor the record, Rigby has mounted a Dell Latitude D520 laptop at the rear of the Jeep, powered by a Monster Power MCPI-300 power supply unit that readily accepts the power cord of the laptop. "This might sound crazy, but I want to connect to the diagnostics computer in my Jeep," Rigby said. Always seeking the cutting edge, Rigby has voice-activated functionality, speech-to-text, GPS, broadband or Wi-Fi Internet access, and automatic synchronization with his home network.
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