The main idea for a CarPC is to have a few set features. It usually consists of a Mini-ITX based computer and a touchscreen for easy navigation to at least a few basic features like Audio, Video, GPS/Navigation, Weather, and maybe a few more but those seem to be the most important ones out of the bunch. I almost bought a Mac Mini last year specifically for a CarPC but luckily enough… I bought an iPhone instead.

The iPhone is quite possibly the BEST platform for a CarPC. Not only does it have the features and services that you need but the multi-touch interface is incredible, its portable, and syncing is very easy. There are only a few advanced features of a CarPC that the iPhone can’t do right now and I am sure once the SDK comes out in February we won’t be lacking any iPhone apps. The stock iPhone actually comes with the basic set of features already and especially in the new firmware(1.1.3) with the update of Google Maps being able to pinpoint your location which will make Navizon obsolete also being able to save web clips to the front screen of your phone is going to help. That’s all fine and dandy but where will you truly get the most out of your little investment will be after you have JailBroken it.

Audio - iTunes

This is a super easy way to sync and keep all your audio organized. Not to mention coverflow is incredible for in car browsing of albums. Super EASY!

Video - iTunes/YouTube

With iTunes you can sync your podcasts, videos, and tv episodes from your iTunes Library very easily. It doesn’t support Xvid or DivX yet so I am still waiting…

Youtube for iPhone is fun whenever you and a buddy are talking about something funny one of you saw that was funny, you can simply pull out your phone and look it up!

Photo - Photo Gallery/PhotoBoard

The stock photo gallery is fine, it does what its supposed to, its reliable, its even got some cool features such as the multi-touch browsing but why not take it further?

Photoboard gives you a minority report type photo browser, you can group photos move them around, twist, turn, and zoom. It just gives it that little extra “oomph”!

GPS - Navizon/New Google Maps

I haven’t been able to test out the new Google Maps feature because theres now Jailbreak for 1.1.3 at the time of this writing and no way am I giving up my apps.

Navizon was the first one to actually do this. You sign up for an account, login, and it gives you your approximate location. I know some people have had problems but its gotten my location right within a few hundred yards every time I use it. I think its very impressive for just using cell phone towers to try and find where you’re at.

Streaming Radio - MobileScrobbler, iRadioInternet

MobileScrobbler is fantastic for you last.fm people. I never really got into it but just this application has me signing back into my account and searching for artists. You can scrobble over EDGE if you want and it leaves the option to turn it off.

iRadio just indexes a bunch of internet radio stations and organizes them into genres. You’re bound to find one you like, there are hundreds of choices. Very nice program for those who hate their local radio stations(me)

Browsing - Safari

Not much to say here that can’t be said by using it. Easily the best mobile web browsing experience you will ever have.

Handsfree Calls - umm… its actually a phone to begin with

I have my iPhone mounted above my radio for easy access and I can still read fairly small print on it. I have and AUX input in the back of my Pioneer headunit that allows a 3.5mm headphone jack. I just plug it in, listen to music etc… but the cool part is that when someone calles me the iPhone dims the music playing from iTunes and gives me the option to answer. Once I accept the call the speakers in my car act as the speaker and I simply talk as if someone is sitting next to me. Very useful especially in traffic. The iPhone does things very well that it wasn’t even supposed to do in the first place! I love it!

Wardriving - APLogger/Stumbler

Stumbler came along first with a very basic way to see networks around you and find out simple things like the SSID, MAC Address, Channel, WPA/WEP, and signal strength. Does exactly what its supposed to do, very useful.

APLogger is a about the same except that it can keep logs of networks its finds. Useful but not anything that out of this world.

Games - NES Emulator, GBA Emulator, TTR

There is no shortage of games for the iPhone either online or all the incredible native ones, especially emulators.

NES is of course a Nintendo emulator. Play all your favorite Mario, Zelda, etc… plus the controls are very user friendly and the iPhone makes a perfect controller you can fit in your hand.

gpSPhone is a GBA emulator, you will probably have to turn the sound off because it crackles and pops but playing Gameboy games on an iPhone is really a different experience! There is a Playstation emulator for the iPhone but I haven’t tried it simply because everyone else says the framerate is really slow and almost completely unplayable. I know that last sentence sounded bad but I really appreciate people like ZodTTD for putting forth the effort and time to do things like this. Without people like that this world would be very dull.

TTR(tap tap revolution) is also a very cool native app similar to Guitar Hero where you “tap” to songs. I like it because you can use your own library or download songs from their repository. BTW, the pic below is not the stock skin, it was created by Gyroxide on the MMI Forums. You can check it out here.

Weather - Weather(stock)

Not a whole lot of extra features within the Weather application but it does do what its supposed to do.

Traffic - Google Maps

The traffic view in Google Maps has come in very useful for me on many occasions. Good to check it before you leave to go anywhere just in case.