Use your Pocket PC to diagnose your car

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.softwareforcars.com/ScanTool-WindowsCE.htm">http://www.softwareforcars.com/ScanTool-WindowsCE.htm</a><br /><br />Technicians can use their WIN CE/Pocket PC Scan Tool to quickly diagnose and fix vehicle problems. They can view live data in grid, graph or meter format in the palm of their hand. Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) can be viewed and cleared.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/obdscan.jpg" /><br /><br />Given this stuff starts at $495 excluding the Pocket PC, it isn't exactly for your backyard mechanic but could be very useful in your neighborhood garage.

[Foo Fighter]

Does this mean when my PocketPC crashes, it will crash my car as well? ;)

[JonnoB]

Does this mean when my PocketPC crashes, it will crash my car as well? ;)

If that were the case, us PPC users would quickly become extinct. Although much more stable now, mine (HP568) still crashes much too often.

[Ed Hansberry]

Does this mean when my PocketPC crashes, it will crash my car as well? ;)

Yeah, it is all about choice isn't it? :? Either suffer the occassional crash or be content with doing one thing at a time. Turn the windshield wipers on, the radio shuts off. Turn the radio on, the headlights turn off. :lol:

[JonnoB]

speaking of the hazards of a car. I think PDAs are becoming more hazardous than cell phones on the road. I saw someone clicking away at a PalmPilot while driving. At least with a phone, you can 'feel' your buttons to dial. A PDA is visual and I think as more portable devices become, the more we will see them used this way. Maybe this company can upgrade the car diagnostics to make the PDA drive for stupid humans.

[jlc, just jlc]

http://www.softwareforcars.com/ScanTool-WindowsCE.htm

Given this stuff starts at $495 excluding the Pocket PC, it isn't exactly for your backyard mechanic but could be very useful in your neighborhood garage.

I don't know about most backyard mechanics, but I know plenty who have well over 10x that invested in tools, and a $500 diagnostic device isn't that outrageous (especially compared to many OEM units).

[bbarker]

Bill Machrone discusses this in his PC Magazine column (see "Hack Your Car" at http://www.pcmag.com/article/0,2997,s=1493&a=26782,00.asp ). Sounds like he's found some cheaper ways to do this. He is talking about using a laptop, but he mentions PDAs at the end.