has anyone had a laptop mounted on their mini?
something like this
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...9/Default.aspx

 

I've never used them to mount a laptop, but I've used a lot of RAM mounts over the years, and they're great. They have such a wide variety of components and adapters that you can pretty much use them to mount anything to anything else.

 

ah ok cool thanks. im just worried that if i get one it will take a lot of space from the passengers seat even though most of the time i drive by myself

 

I am not trying to discourage you from your project but i do wnat you to be aware.

It will take a lot of the room from the passenger seat as there is not a lot to begin with. As long as the laptop platform is easily removable when you have a passenger in your car then you will probably be okay.

If you really want to see how much room they do take up just go to your local police station and look in one of the cars you will see one in just about every police vehicle. the remember that the car you are looking in has a lot more room than the MINI.

Question. What are you trying to accomplish?

 

Several years ago, MINIUSA had a photo scavenger contest. One of the other contestants (the one who won, I think) had a MAC Mini permanently mounted in space below the a/c controls. I couldn't find the MINIUSA stuff, but I did find this:
http://www.macvroom.com/mini-mini-one-great-macd-ride/

 

Well a big gps screen (garmin pc) and in the future add internet

 

There's a similar thread in the 1st, started by someone who worked out of his car so he'd drive to a client and then take logs while parked, and such. I think he ended up going with an in seat laptop holder, it basically sits on the passenger seat itself, and held a bunch of papers inside, and had a desk surface for a netbook.

RAM mounts are big, and if you're ona roadtrip with a co driver it's not gonna be fun

Then there's the airbag issue, it's not a manual switch so it's not going to shut off if there is an obstruction, this means you passenger is going to eat a laptop or mount in the event of a collision (I know the good handling reduces these odds, but it still can and does happen) so you really should have something removable. if it's a full on mount in the front seat.

I know there's a 1st Gen MINI with a HP laptop strapped to the back of a rear seat, with power supply and wires run for a remote monitor, the screen was a small 7in-ish one installed on or in the dash, with wireless keyboard and mouse to be stored int he glove box and pulled out for websurfing at wifi hotspots when parked.

If you search here there's some carputer and laptop threads in 1st gen that mght provide a little more out of the box ideas tat you could adapt to 2nd Gen.

 

Here's a thread to my costly rabbit hole carputer install adventure. Of course, you probably already decided it's not worth the pain and simply want to mount a laptop somewhere which would provide all the same functions anyway. What laptop are you planning on using? If you're open to using a separate touch screen monitor, you will more flexible mounting options. I don't recommend my hack fabrication install unless you're a masochist. Hopefully a real double-din center console kit will be affordable and available soom.

 

Not sure about CA but here in MA if the cops see you with computer sitting on the front passenger seat or mounted and it is on, they will give you very hard time about it.

The law here states that there can be NO Video source or view for the front seats of the car unless there is a moving vehicle disable switch on it. I.E. if the car is moving any video must be disabled. The one exception to this law is the use of GPS Deivces (the type you see mounted to windscreens of cars).
Even the front seat passenger can not watch a video because the video may distract the driver.

I am not telling you what to do but just be warned that it could be trouble.

 

just get a netbook and be done with it

 

Looks like it would be illegal in California.

A Macintosh can play DVD movies and produce business applications. So, I think it would fall under the terms of this law.

 

The touchscreen seems like a good idea. Or what about a pc inthe trunk connected to the cars speakers, a wireless keyboard and the aceeen mounted in the front. Idk how to install these things so ok going to have to get it installed

 

Check out mp3car.com for lots of ideas. It is so cool to have XM radio, mp3s, videos (playing on a second headrest monitor for my kid), GPS, internet, traffic cameras, and more at your fingertips. My future plans include an OBD-II and TPMS interface.

Go for it! I would love to see another install.

 

The two largest used programs for Car PC's will limit the use of video and DVD play while the car is moving. Can it be gotten around yes, but that does not make it legal. All of the new dash mount double din radio, dvd, NAV, audio devices on the market have some sort of disableer for the DVD Video entertainment. Some have parking brake switches so when the parking brake is on the dvd or video can be played others use speed senosrs or ohter means of telling if the vehicle is moving or not able to. Of course all of these can be bypassed but that can get someone into trouble.

 

Hmm, from the sounds of it, an iPhone or Blackberry (or I suppose other phones that are capable of video playback) would be illegal to use in the front seat.

 

well ive spent a lot of tiem reading stuff at mp3player and im lost haha. i have no clue with cars. im going to have to find someone local to help me with all this stuff

 

Interesting point. Completely legal in the armrest, I would think, but perhaps not when connected to the Y-cable. If you were caught watching a movie on an iPhone they probably would nail you. Perhaps not as likely when being used as a phone or iPod.

 

in california if ur driving with a phone in ur hand u get a ticket. ever since they passed the new law for talking on phone through bluetooth only later on people started txting while driving

 

And txting while driving a train in S. California.

 

or a Trolley in Boston