[clug] Small Linux tablet machine for kitchen?

[Owen Cook]

> Hi all,
> 
> What I want is a small "tablet" machine - a touch screen computer that can
> either have an on-screen keyboard or a remote bluetooth keyboard and mouse -
> for the kitchen.  Aims are:
> 
> * Play music (into external powered speakers) from network
> * Display pictures from network (e.g. Samba share or DAPD or whatever)
> * Browse the web.
> 
> Requirements are:
> 
> * Runs Linux, not a proprietary operating system.
> * Integrated, single unit.
> * Low power.
> 
> I'd consider having a separate machine and display, because I can tuck the
> machine under the counter and just run leads up to the display.  But the
> whole thing has to be compact and require few peripherals to operate.
> 
> I've looked at Android tablets, but they suffer from not understanding the
> home network.  I've yet to find any app in the Android store that acts as a
> "picture frame" (i.e. picking random images from a directory) where the
> storage is on the local network.  As far as I can see, the last update to
> any of the Linux DAAP daemons was about four years ago, and the most
> maintained one I can find has bugs that prevent about a third of the songs
> from playing correctly (AFAICS it's a 32-bit integer representation issue)
> and it randomly locks up.  The standard Android music player recognises my
> Logitech SqueezeBox share but crashes when trying to load the full
> directory.  Etc. etc. etc.






I have a $100 Pendo 10" tablet from Office Works, it has wifi and bluetooth. I also also a WD network drive used for backup and all sorts of other things.

There is an Android app for the WD drive

While I don't use it in the kitchen, it is well used in bed with a $20 BT speaker from KMart that plays music via BT and can browse the web via wifi. 

It has an ssh app installed which allows me to administer my machines from under the blankets :-)

One machine is a server so I am able to get to it via chrome from the tablet.


Owen
ps. The KMart bt speaker is the first bt device I have had that *just worked* Wish all other bluetoothy things worked just as easily