Ultra-mobile pc...experience anyone?

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Ahsmo
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Ultra-mobile pc...experience anyone?

Post by Ahsmo »

This is what I am looking at:
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/type ... ramobilepc

Does anyone have any experience with these devices?


For those who are not familiar: Ultra mobile PCs are small hand held fully functional computers unlike PDAs which run on an inferior operating system. Ultra mobile pc runs on the full version.

What I would use it for: Basically, I would create a fiberglass holder for my car so this thing could control everything. I would not have to worry about format (mp3, ogg, acc, flac, etc). I could also possibly have a an external sound card which could control more and sound better than most decks. I would also have navigation.....the advantages of having a fully functional computer in my car are pretty self evident.

Especially important to me is the ability to display relevant information related to my Forced Injection setup: air to fuel ratio(wideband), knock, and whatever else I feel like.
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stipud
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Post by stipud »

Why not just a standard carpc setup then? The ultra mobile would be a huge bump in price with a decrease in performance.
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Ahsmo
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Post by Ahsmo »

stipud wrote:Why not just a standard carpc setup then? The ultra mobile would be a huge bump in price with a decrease in performance.
I've built my share of computers but after having a laptop where everything was designed to work together, life is good.

I can also pick this up and go. Its use would not be limited to just my car.
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Post by fuzzysnuggleduck »

I agree with Tom. Go for a mini-ITX system for cheap and then spend good money on the display and sound hardware. Integration also then has the possibility of being better because it's not a single device you have to drop in somewhere. You could place the system somewhere nice and protected and then just put the display in the best possible location.

Edit: Ah, I see it's not for integration, just in car use. I suppose my points are invalid then.
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Post by VW337 »

I would scratch the mini ITX option and go for the VIA nano ITX, it is far smaller and is free of moving parts by design, add to that a solid state drive and a Liliput monitor.....


If you want an all in one I would suggest a OQO as they have been making that little bastard for several years now and have it down to a science. Plus the option of a real docking station allows for setup at home or office.

http://www.oqo.com/store/shop.cgi/op/op_index.html
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Post by fuzzysnuggleduck »

VW337 wrote:I would scratch the mini ITX option and go for the VIA nano ITX, it is far smaller and is free of moving parts by design, add to that a solid state drive and a Liliput monitor.....


If you want an all in one I would suggest a OQO as they have been making that little bastard for several years now and have it down to a science. Plus the option of a real docking station allows for setup at home or office.

http://www.oqo.com/store/shop.cgi/op/op_index.html
There are a ton of fanless mini-ITX systems out there but if size is the issue, nano-ITX all the way.
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Post by Ahsmo »

I went to Fry's this weekend and played around with one of the Samsung ultra mobile things. It was sorta slow but not terrible. I think the idea is wonderful and the technology is coming along for a PC to be that small and fast(fast enough for those of us who count speed on how fast windows boots up and winamp loads)

I can build a system for hardly anything these days. The big problem is the size and power supplies but mp3 car has some nice solutions.

I know I have toyed with the car PC idea in the past and never gone anywhere with it, but the ultra mobile pc peaked my interest again because I could take the computer out the car for trips and things which I happen to go on pretty often. (6+ months at sea) The install of a PC in my Z would be easy but damn it I am tired of ripping the interior appart. I am ready to just be happy with what I have. I am right now but the itch to upgrade never goes away.


The 350 is starting to show its age and I think it may become a track car very soon.

So the car pc will probably go in my next car which will be a BMW 135i, a Pontiac G8, or whatever looks good in a year or 2.
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Post by Francious70 »

How about a Tablet PC, I think that may be a good idea for what you're needing.
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