Seagate: The Hard Disk Car

Until know I only knew Seagate as a manufacturer of hard disks. Now they seem to enhance their core competence to pimping cars.

Hard-drive manufacturer Seagate tricked out this particular model with a total of 60GB of hard drive storage space. In addition to an Xbox incorporating is own 20 gig drive, the xB is fitted with a separate 40GB hard drive, a car PC running Windows XP, a wireless Internet connection (via EV-DO), a 7-inch touch screen, two headrest screens, and an HD plasma monitor for gaming.



Four screens, including a 23-inch plasma, demand plenty of juice, so the xB's engine has to be kept running to power all the gadgets. As the car is essentially a wireless Internet hub, thanks to a Verizon EV-DO connection, gamers can play Xbox Live online while riding in the backseats.



The xB's 40GB of storage is used for digital music video and photo libraries, GPS navigation maps, office applications, and Web browsing. According to Seagate, the EE25 hard drives designed for auto installation are more robust than those found in notebooks or desktop computers and are able to withstand greater extremes of hot and cold temperatures. A USB port below the head unit allows drivers to upload media files while on the move.



To show off the capabilities of its hard drive-enabled Scion, Seagate partnered with in-car software provider Streetdeck. Via the touch screen, users can use Streetdeck's applications to access music picture and video files stored on the hard drive. There is also an interface for GPS navigation (with maps of the United States stored on the drive rather than on a DVD), and for other Web-based programs, such as Google weather and Google Points of Interest Service.

GPS Update service, music uploads, video capabilites and web browsing are further features of this nice pimp. So it has more or lesse everything - more or less. Because it can not play standard DVDs.

Related news: Foursprung, P4MR, Seagate, Scion

Source: C.NET

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