Would it be possible to create an in-car audio/video solution using one of these as the storage back end, and a PDA to provide the GUI?

Thoughts anyone?

From the linked site

Quote:
Real Time Clock: You'll never disorder time even after being unplugged.

I hate it when I disorder time.

Really though, you'd still have a pda gui even if you did get it to work. I'd have safety concerns. I had a PDA gps I used for a while but looking at the screen to navigate the program was totally unsafe.

I think you'd have a good shot of finding software which could stream network shares. I guess how much you liked it depended on how well that software fit your tastes. I think you'd have a harder time finding a streamable Video app for a pda.

-Zeke

If GUI is the only limitation, it appears that for the latest PDA's, screen technology is improving (3.7" VGA 640*480), and voice recognition may be on its way.

Could this solution be a possible empeg replacement?

Well, you've got a storage backend, an interface component but your a/v solution seems to be missing the A.

Even once you've solved that you'll still be left with a PDA for input, which just doesn't work very well. It needs to be charged constantly, so it'll have to be in a cradle, which rarely look good suction cupped to the windshield. At that point, you've got four buttons and a touch screen for your UI. The touchscreen while driving can be used for maybe four buttons, but at least they could be dynamicaly labled.

Camelot was the next generation in car solution, it's a pitty it didn't make it any further than it did.

Matthew

Well, I have yet to see any audio player as capable as the empeg (that pesky small matter of software). I think a device that does play/pause/playlists/shuffle/unshuffle is doable, with the above mentioned limitations. However, to get an interface as polished and deep as the empeg seems a far possibility. However, if you don't use all those lovely features, and you're not looking for audiophile sound rendering, then I think there are any number of options open to the empeg. When you overlap interface, features, sound quality and sheer capacity in a ven diagram I still think you only have the empeg at that overlap. If you can relax your requirements I think the field of possible choices widens dramatically. Horses for courses.

-Zeke