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 enlarge | Author: Auri Rahimzadeh
Creator: Steve Wozniak
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $3.98
You Save: $26.01 (87%)
New (36) from $3.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 67276
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 455
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 0764578766
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.27
EAN: 9780764578762
ASIN: 0764578766
Publication Date: May 6, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: THIS BOOK IS NEW AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. SAME DAY SHIPPING WEEKDAYS BEFORE 3:00PM EST
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| Customer Reviews:
 Just the book I've been waiting for!!!! August 12, 2005
6 out of 12 found this review helpful
I have wanted to put a PC in my car for several years, but had not started the project because of the lack of information available. However, after discovering Geek My Ride at my local bookstore, I will finally feel comfortable adding a PC and much more to my car. I wish this book had been written 2 years ago!
Geek My Ride is full of great information, such as websites, product recommendations, how-to's, and much more. Mr. Rahimzadeh offers great detailed guides and photos for adding video displays, computers, game systems, DVD players, GPS units, etc. There is even an entire chapter on adding an interface between your car's built-in computer and your new Car PC! If there is an item that you want in your car, this book probably includes it!
Geek My Ride was the only tech book I've ever read that I was unable to put down. I read the entire book the first day and have re-read much of it in the last month. Each chapter is written independently, which allows the reader to jump to any chapter without reading about projects they may not be interested in first. This manner of organization also allows the book to be used as a handy reference guide, which is what I'll be doing now that I'm ready to start my project.
There are tons of helpful tips and tricks in this book that I would have never thought of on my own. Mr. Rahimzadeh's experience in car computers and electronics saved me a lot of time and money. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in adding electronics to their car.
Perfect Blend of Car Power, Information Power July 31, 2005
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
(...)
The car undergone a lot of changes from Henry Ford's day when he rolled the four-wheel monsters off the assembly line giving you any choice you wanted ... as long as it was black. Even back then people couldn't keep their hands off the stock modes of transportation as they gave their cars unique personalities.
Over the past 10-15 years the automobile, designers and engineers have added a little computer here and a little computer there. Today it is almost impossible for mere mortals to work on his or her cars. Even auto mechanics have become computer specialists. Race teams still have their wide assortment of wrenches, hammers and screwdrivers but computers have come to be a mainstay in the pit.
We always knew Auri Rahimzadeh we "heavy into" technology of all sorts but we never envisioned we just never thought of him as someone who prowled car shows to see what neat, cool technology people were modifying to meet their driving, riding and entertainment/information needs. But Geek My Ride gives mobile technology and communications a whole new meaning.
While it is obvious that Auri loves technology, he has done an outstanding job of explaining in words ordinary folks can understand how they can blend the latest technology into something they can use in and around town as well as on the open road. At the same time he covers a series of super cool projects that will entice geeks to get out of their darkened rooms and into the sunlight to blend the latest in technology with their vehicle.
Sure the drop-down DVD player and GPS are now available as standard options on most cars today but what about a gaming PC, internet access, videoconferencing and let's go all the way with a complete in-car network.
The great thing about Auri's approach is that the book isn't a running narrative about technology in a car. Instead it is a how-to guide on how you can carry out any number (actually he spells out 15) of technology solutions you can install in your car. Each project spells out the tools and skills you're going to need to attack the project. Then he gives you superbly clear step-by-step instructions on how to do the work yourself without having to call in a skilled (expensive) specialist.
While we're not as technoid as Auri and certainly don't know our way around a circuit board as well as Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple), his collaborator and advisor, we appreciated the fact that he gave us a solid mixture of projects we could do as well as projects we would probably need professional assistance to undertake. The idea of being able to wirelessly sync our MP3 player with our home music collection is worth the price of the book for anyone who likes to listen to distortion and commercial-free digital music. Combine that with his step-by-step guide to installing a single-source AV system and you are already way ahead of most of the offerings that come from the auto industry.
We're not quite ready to install video conferencing or an in-car wireless PC yet but it's nice to know that it can be done. As soon as voice recognition software is more bullet proof we may consider the projects. No we won't undertake them ourselves but it is nice to know what to ask the professional before the installation begins to not only ensure the project is successful but also affordable.
If you spend a lot of time on the road and want to make your time more productive and profitable Geek My Ride is a great technology roadmap for you. If you simply want to have the coolest and most informed car in town, Auri helps you understand what you can do and how to carry out your projects without going into serious debt.
Auri gives automotive high tech a new meaning. He has also opened the door for mobile communications/entertainment companies to deliver more solutions and more value to the auto industry. But if you can't wait for your car company to take the hint...pick up a copy of Geek My Ride and choose the entertainment and communications technologies you can't live without.
Auri "almost" makes tech toys easy to work with. At least he makes them sound like a lot of fun!
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Exactly what I needed to know. June 6, 2005
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
I don't want all this stuff in my car. So why did I get this book? Because I want a lot of this stuff in my delivery vehicles.
I don't much care about a game console. Not true, I do care, I don't want it there. But a PC, a GPS, internet connection, and a printer make good sense. This would make a lot more sense than simply having people calling in all the time on their cell phones.
One I liked about this book, was that it had all the information I needed from the technology, through installation, through the actual use. While I'm not going to do the installation myself, now I have a feeling of what the technician has to go through and I'm a lot less likely to get snowed by what he says.
The first guy I talked to about doing this wanted to sell me an industrial grade PC for several thousand dollars. Instead the cases and other components discussed here tell me how to get the job done with a small fraction of the cost.
The other thing that I liked about this book is that each project or device is separate and free standing. I didn't need to read about the audio visual system to find out what I needed to know about putting the PC in the vehicle.
For me this book did exactly what I wanted. That's all you can ask of a book.
Great Book! For beginners and reference! June 5, 2005
6 out of 9 found this review helpful
This was the first book in a while that i have been able to pick up and read and be interested in. I just read it for like.. 3-4 hours today without noticing the time fly by.
Step by step Auri shows you how to put any electronic crap you could want in your car. It's so easy to understand, and even now im using the book for reference when im deciding on what things to buy, and planning things out, and to make sure not to forget to buy something that i'll need.
If you want to stick any electronical gizmos in your car, then get this book! Right now im planning a setup; a Car PC, video surveillance, and a nice 7" VGA monitor. I CANT WAIT!
Anyone who gives this book a bad review must be a guy trying to make a competing book or something!
Great step-by-step coverage May 25, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is a great guide to installing all sorts of cool technology in your vehicle. In particular, I was interested in integrating a game console into the back seat for those long trips out east, so the Game Cube example was what drew me to the book.
I have been pleasantly suprised to find all my questions answered here, and have come to realize that there is more than I was expecting in terms of getting the power requirements right. Regardless, it was all covered, and written in a very friendly and easy to understand manner.
I agree with another reviewer's comments about using velcro as one of the primary ways of securing things in the car, although that is certainly not the only method covered. For me, the use of velcro is a sound, inexpensive method for getting the job done, and I don't have to worry about ripping everything out when the time comes to sell the car, when we want to move the Xbox easily to and from the car and into the house, or if I simply want to move it to the trunk when I am parked somewhere where I dont necessarily want to "advertise" my high-tech gear.
The author does make some assumptions about potential readers, so if you have never built a PC before, you may want to tackle that before you dive into some of these projects. A little experience with basic wireless networking will help too, although the steps are outlined fairly well in the text.
All in all, this is a great solution for the do-it-yourself reader who wants to add these sorts of projects to his or her vehicle. I imagine there are certainly more ellaborate (and expensive) solutions, and if I wanted to go that way I would heed the author's advice to stick with the pros. Even if you don't like the author's particular example or method, he generally gives you the right approach to take if you are a little more adventurous and want to take things a step further.
Bottom line: If you have a screw driver, some extra time, and have always wanted to add these sorts of projects to your vehicle, this is the perfect guide.
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