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        Windows XP Embedded at heart of Intel CeBIT "digital car" demo

        Staff | Date: Mar 10, 2005 | Comments: 1


        One of the hottest exhibits in Intel's booth at the giant CeBIT technology show in Hannover, Germany this week is a prototype Mini Cooper S Capriolet prepared as a show car and fitted with an on-board infotainment PC, according to Inperio Systems, maker of the device.

        The Envader, which contains a Pentium M-powered embedded computer, is described by Inperio as an "industry standard compliant system offering an integrated infotainment, communitainment, and entertainment platform." Or, as Intel puts it, a "Car PC."


        View of the Mini Cooper's dashboard, showing display and Evader
        (Click above image to enlarge)


        (Click for larger view of the Envader II Car PC)

        Inperio's Envader, along with a Car PC software suite, turns the vehicle into a "mobile office car," according to Intel. The device implements navigation, audio/video, TV, radio, games, Internet, and email capabilities. It's packaged in an enclosure compatible with the automotive DIN form-factor, allowing it to be mounted within locations provided for normal car stereos.

        The following screenshots show some of the menus provided by the Car PC software suite. Click each image for a larger view . . .


        Three models

        Inperio currently makes three models of the device, designated Envader I, II, and III. Models I and II are similar in features, with the II being a newer version packaged specifically for car use. A newer version of the III, also packaged for cars, is in the offing, according to the company. Hardware specifications of the three are summarized in the following table.

        Envader hardware specs
        Envader I Envader II Envader III
        CPU Pentium III Celeron Pentium M or Celeron M
        CPU speed 300-700 MHz 400-650 MHz 600 Mhz to 1.8 Ghz
        SDRAM 256MB or 512MB 256MB or 512MB 512MB or 1GB
        Video interface CRT CRT, 2 LVDS CRT, DVI, TV, LVDS
        Dual-display support yes -- same image on both yes -- same image on both yes -- independent images
        Audio Line in/out Line in/out, mic in, aux in Line in/out
        SPDIF 5.5 out
        A/V in no yes no
        Serial ports 2 2 2
        USB ports 2 4 4
        Ethernet LAN 10/100-BaseT 10/100-BaseT 10/100-BaseT
        IEEE-1394 (firewire) 2 no 2
        PS2 keyboard/mouse 1 no 1
        Memory card options SD/MMC, CF, SM, MemoryStick same same
        PCMCIA (option) 1 no 1
        Bus expansion PCI-104 2 MiniPCI, PCI-104 PCI-104
        Mass storage options hard drive hard drive hard drive
        Flash drive Flash drive Flash drive
        DVD drive DVD drive DVD drive
        Power supply 9-32 VDC 9-32 VDC 9-32 VDC
        Typical power 20 Watts 20 Watts 23 Watts
        Operating temp. standard: 0-55 deg. C standard: 0-55 deg. C standard: 0-55 deg. C
        option: -30 to +80 deg. C option: -30 to +80 deg. C option: -30 to +80 deg. C
        Size DIN standard DIN standard DIN standard

        Inperio is a sister company of EEPD, which manufactures the single-board computer used within the Envader. A short video describing the Car PC solution developed by EEPD and Inperio for BMW is available for download here (5MB zipped wmv file).


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