Back in the early '90s, several companies tried to make a go at marketing a PC for the car - and they all failed miserably. But judging from the number of powerful car PCs introduced earlier this year, the time seems ripe for them to reclaim their place in the dash. At least that's what Jensen is hoping with its ICNAVDINPC ($1,700; www.jensenaccessories.com).
They call it a (take a breath) "DVD/CD/hard drive/USB/navigation/Bluetooth-ready PC for your car." It boasts such PC-like features as a 40-gig hard drive, DVD-ROM drive, mini-ITX motherboard with a 1-gig processor, and 512 MB of memory. For checking e-mail on the go, a USB Bluetooth dongle is included, and, to get you to that important meeting on time, the PC comes with Microsoft Streets and Trips navigation software. You'll also need to buy a monitor that can work with the unit, such as Jensen's in-dash IC7TSTF 7-inch touchscreen (also $1,700), which connects via USB to the ICNAVDINPC. And you'll also need an extra slot in your dash for the single-DIN PC head unit. Soon enough, you'll be ready to run computer programs, surf the Net, and check e-mail - just not while driving, please.
