Maker Faire: Putting a StreetDeck PC into your car

I'm not a car kinda' girl, but damn that stuff is hot.

Makers Faire equals good times.

ps...I would totally get into an accident within two hours of having that dashboard touch-screen in my car.

Hopefully the gesture based stuff is great for avoiding the accident... run your finger across it to change songs without even taking your eyes off the road... make a rough "N" to switch to Navigation mode...

I actually found it seemed easier and less distracting than fiddling with a 'normal' stereo. This may not have been a real do-it-yourself kind of demo, but it was easily the one I was the most excited about (and therefore had to get on camera) as I am pretty sure that when I get a new car, I'm going to go out and get a Street Deck unit installed. For around $1700 it seems like a great deal ... and there is an SDK coming so I can hack my own stuff!!!

Over the last couple years I've been oogling over computers and how I could get them into my ride.  I just don't have enough know how or time to get anything going.  This is seriously going to rock and I am so there!  Especially since it has an SDK so I can write my own stuff!

Even if you're not a software writer, with an SDK, what would you create if you could make anything for this device in your car?  The first thing that came to mind for me was mimicking what some cars already, which is bluetooth integration with phones so your car can "take over" for your phone when you sit in your car.  Other ideas?

could you ask him to develop a street legal interface for a moped?....


awesome

Avoiding the accident seems to be the biggest stigma StreetDeck will need to overcome.  Laura joked about it in the end, it was mentioned in the very first comment.  On their website they do say the "safest in-car computing experience in the world."  I'm actually surprised they didn't mention anything about voice commands to go along with the gestures.

man i am so intrested in this sweet!!

Oh, I'm sure it safe-plus with voice commands it sounds even better. They have definitely done their jobs to make it as safe as possible. Though, that doesn't account for me, or anyone else, being dumb and watching movies while driving. lol. As long as some features are available they may be used at the wrong times by the driver. 

ps...i was also joking about getting into an accident if i had that in my car.

I'd have to get Damien to comment, but I believe it limits what you can do while the car is moving... switches video display to the back seat if available or just off... etc...

From their site:

"All media files can be automatically updated based when the vehicle is within range of the user's home computer through WiFi networking"

Assuming you don't live in an apartment, this is wicked... pull into the garage or driveway ... go inside and rip a CD sometime that night... drive to work the next day and it is automatically there...

As I said before, I have to get this... and I already have plans for what I would build using the SDK.