Eliminating in-car power issues, the VoomPC shatters car PC price barrier and
provides a versatile, low cost navigation and infotainment platform
Taipei, Taiwan, 30 September 2005 - VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading
innovator of PC platform solutions, and Mini-box.com, a subsidiary of
Ituner Networks Corp., today announced the VoomPC family of compact,
high performance yet affordable x86 car PC kits aimed at driving
telematics mainstream. Based on low power VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboards,
the x86 platform of choice for car PCs, the VoomPC is specifically
designed for the ultra power sensitive conditions of in-vehicle
applications.
With prices ranging from $299 to
$399, the VoomPC barebone platform is ideal for automotive enthusiasts
and vehicle manufacturers alike to integrate a wide range of GPS
navigation, communication, entertainment and information functionality
into private cars or vehicle-dependent professional service vehicles
such as law enforcement, rescue and commercial transport, where access
to data on the road is essential.
All the
critical power issues of car PC systems have been addressed. The VoomPC
integrates the intelligent Mini-box M1-ATX 12V power supply unit to
prevent system damage from power surges and eliminate car battery drain
by monitoring car battery levels, even when the car is turned off. The
energy efficient VIA C3 processor with its highly effective heat
dissipation enables the VoomPC to consume between 15-30 watts, less
than the dimmest car parking lights.
"Car PCs have
long been fraught with a multitude of power challenges. The VoomPC
platforms solve those issues in one complete, highly affordable
package," said Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing.
"Leveraging the ultra low power profile of the VIA C3 processor, the
VoomPC is a great example of how our VIA EPIA platforms are
facilitating fast-emerging applications such as car PCs and bringing
them within reach of a much wider market."
The
VoomPC also features advanced audio control, with 'anti-thump'
technology that keeps car amplifiers turned off while the PC starts,
eliminating annoying speaker thumps and pops, while the VIA Vinyl Audio
Six-TRAC audio codec enables stunning six-channel surround sound for a
more authentic listening experience with greater depth.
Compatible with all standard Linux or Microsoft Windows operating
systems and built within Mini-box's signature compact chassis of just
21cm x 25cm x 6.7cm, the VoomPC is equipped with rich peripheral
connectivity, multimedia and telematics options afforded by the
feature-packed VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard, including USB2.0, Firewire,
Ethernet, PCMCIA types I and II CardBus interface for GPRS/Wifi,
S-Video, VGA and six-channel audio.
"With the
VoomPC, I wanted to free telematics from proprietary applications by
creating a versatile, accessible car PC platform based on the standard
x86 architecture, and tackle the serious power issues that have
prevented the x86 platform from being more widely adopted for in-car
use," said Andrei Bulucea, president of Mini-box.com. "Our intuitive
M1-ATX power supply unit combined with VIA's low heat, power efficient
technologies opens the road for OEMs and system integrators to provide
best of breed applications regardless of operating system or customer
environment."
For more information about the VoomPC telematics platforms may be found at: http://www.mini-box.com, while images of the system may be found at: http://resources.mini-box.com/press/voomPC/.
Source: VIA Press Release
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