Windows in-car computer boots up down under

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 03 December 2007 21:14

Opinion and Analysis

As the Infill G4 comes with three USB ports, one front mounted and two mounted on the back and by using an extension cable then fed into your globe box, a 4-port USB hub allows you to plug in a range of devices, including any webcam, allowing a stationary driver to make video calls or a passenger to make video calls while driving.

Attach an optional Bluetooth headset and an optional Bluetooth dongle, and both incoming and outgoing Skype/VoIP calls can be made while driving through a wireless headset.

The Infill G4 can also be controlled by the optional addition of voice recognition software from Command and Control, Inc, allowing the user to control the computer and issue commands by voice, something that’s pretty essential while driving and there’s no passenger to help you and/or you don’t want to stop driving.

Although an AM/FM tuner is included, any number of radio stations worldwide can be listened to on the Infill G4 thanks to the optional 3.5G wireless broadband connection from your choice of provider, with many stations these days offering streaming media of their live broadcast.

A DVD player-style remote control is included, while options include a USB Wi-Fi dongle to wirelessly transfer movies, music and other data from your home network, while a fold-up Bluetooth keyboard is also available as an optional extra for easier data entry, instead of relying solely on the otherwise useful on-screen touch keyboard.

So, while the Infill G4 isn’t yet a dual-core platform, nor does it have a graphics card that will make gaming addicts jealous, it still has more than enough processing grunt to perform a range of everyday tasks you’d associate with a PC while also being easy to use to start music.

In short, if you ever wished you could have a real PC in your car, without plonking a cheap laptop in the passenger’s seat with a 3G wireless broadband card, the Infill G4 is a solution that will deliver today, and no doubt get better and more powerful with each new release.

Additional features include a 44W x 4CH RCA with Subwoofer out and RCA Centre out and 5.1 Surround Sound out, 3xUSB ports, video playback from DVD, DVD±R/RW, VCD and DiVX, audio playback from CD, CD-R/RW, mp3 and WMA, an RCA video output and more, and comes pre-loaded with Windows XP.

The Infill G4 will retail, in its base configuration, for AUD $2,995, although optioned up with a 3.5G wireless broadband modem, a rear view camera, a USB Wi-Fi adaptor, a USB Bluetooth dongle, a Bluetooth headset, a webcam, a fold up Bluetooth keyboard, CoPilot GPS software and Command and Control, Inc, the price would cost, according to Gizmosis, around $4,233, while will cost approximately $400 to install.

Launched on Dec 1, 2007 in Australia and now available, with a Talkscape VoIP service due by February, the Gizmosis Infill G4 brings a true computing experience to the car, although at a price that could easily purchase one, two or even three notebooks, depending on their configuration.

If you’re a true road warrior that travels extensively, the Infill G4 will instantly appeal to you, while traditional computer users who struggle with their desktops or notebook PCs might prefer the simplicity of a regular car radio.

If you love your cars as much as your technology and as much as your inner/outer geek, or simply must have the most advanced in-car system developed, then you’ve probably already placed your order.

But for those that do need to take mobile computing to the next level, especially if they spend a lot of time in their car, the Infill G4 is a solution that, while pricey compared with a basic or mid-range car radio, matches and/or in many cases far exceeds the capabilities of traditional competitors whose own high-end systems likewise cost a pretty penny.