Ask Slashdot: All-In-One PC For Kitchen?

New submitter brabq writes "Now that I have a couple of CableCard tuner devices in the house (including the network-based HDHomeRun Prime), I'm thinking of buying one of those all-in-one touchscreen PCs for our kitchen (yeah, something I've always sworn against for future repair reasons). The idea is that it would be used primarily for (1) watching TV, via the aforementioned Prime and WMC, and (2) light web surfing (recipes, some sort of video chat possibly). Does anyone have any experience with these types of devices in a kitchen-like setting (where I'd like to use a touchscreen over having a keyboard/mouse on a kitchen counter)? I keep hearing that Windows 8 is going to have some added benefits to this type of setup — is it worth waiting for its release? My end goal is it has to have a high WAF ... if my wife doesn't like its appearance on the counter or finds it useless, then the whole thing will be a waste."

Comments

Duh iPad...

[Anonymous Coward]

Just buy an iPad. I understand the tendency of us geeks to over engineer everything but honestly as much as I don't like apple, after having one I use my laptop strictly for working from home. I have Netflix and YouTube for video and it's touchscreen like your asking for. Plus you say if your wife doesn't like the appearance then it's all a waste so why not just get a small 10" screen that you can easily take anywhere?

Re:Duh iPad...

[Anonymous Coward]

there is of course the kindle fire which uses open source

saying 'buy an ipad' ignores other tablet choices. some of which use a lot less power. a kindle e-ink 10" tablet is nice and has a browser and music playback and runs at least 8 hours on a full charge with wifi enabled.

Re:I know you don't want to here this...

[aurispector]

No question. I don't even like really like ipads or tablets in general but this is the right answer. A little bracket to mount it on the wall and you're done.

A decent android tablet would fill the bill nicely, too.

Waterproof

[Immerman]

Forget the software, just make sure the hardware is waterproof. I remember hearing of at least one recently. Pretty much any tablet on the planet will be able to handle the meagre demands you're putting on it, and if it's Linux or at least non-Apple you'll be able to fine-tune it's behaviour. On the other hand the kitchen is probably one of the messiest rooms in the house, any regularly used surface/tool/etc that can't be easily cleaned will rapidly become either a pain in the ass or a disgusting mess, especially if it's something you'll inevitably want to touch with messy hands while in the middle of cooking. The ability to just wipe it down with a damp/soapy rag instead of carefully using special cleaners will make a world of difference.

Also - you probably want to consider a strategically placed mounting bracket - counter space is valuable real estate. I might consider something that folds down from under a cabinet somewhere and has power wired to it so you never have to worry about recharging. The refrigerator door is another likely candidate. Also pay attention to where she spends most of here time while in the kitchen. At the stove? Sink? Counter? Ideal placement will allow convenient video chatting or recipe access while working at her preferred station. Don't get too close to the stove though - hot oil vapors condense on all nearby surfaces and can be a real challenge to clean.

Just keep in mind that you're looking to install an appliance in an extremely electronic-hostile environment, not a gadget. The fundamental design trade-offs you want to make are very different.

Maybe I'm getting old

[BlackPignouf]

I used to get excited for every single tech gadget out there, and would run to Amazon or the next shop to get it ASAP.
Maybe I'm getting old or maybe I'm becoming more and more environmentally-conscious, but the bottom line is :
You don't need it.
Nobody needs an All-in-one PC in the kitchen, nobody needs a web-enabled washing machine, nobody needs a beta firmware on its dishwasher, and nobody needs an LCD display on the fridge.
Those stuff just get obsolete after 2 years, and become "broken" even though their main utility would still work perfectly fine without the added useless complexity.
I expect my fridge, my dishwasher and my washing machine to still work in 10 years.
Your gadget will wind up in the dump in a few years.

Re:Maybe I'm getting old

[thegarbz]

Nobody needs an All-in-one PC in the kitchen

Nobody needs a computer at all unless you use it to make money and by extension keep yourself alive and nourished.

A lot of people WANT an All-in-one PC in the kitchen. Control music, watch TV, keep track of shopping lists, read recipes, skype with a friend while cooking. I do all of these things in the kitchen. Currently I use various forms of getting up and going to some piece of technology, holding onto a phone, writing on bits of paper, and my personal favourite, going to the computer in the study to print a recipe I found on the internet.

Obsolete? You obviously don't understand the purpose of an appliance. This isn't something that needs to be perpetually upgraded. My shopping list won't be in 3D requiring DX10 or better to run in a few years. Skype may improve, but unless FTTH becomes the norm I think that'll take longer than 2 years at which point the device will still be capable of running it.

You have no imagination and I'm glad that there's not more people like you or those who modded you insightful otherwise we'd never have a computer to begin with (which at the time was thought as something that was useless and no-body needed it).

Re:Yeah go with a tablet - iPad is a good choice

[rtb61]

If if is going to be permanently in one location, than a goofy little partly functional device makes no sense at all.

You are really looking at something more along these lines http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Reviews/Home_Office/G3X2A9D4.

So an all in one computer mounted to say a cabinet door with a slide out and tilt forward keyboard mounted underneath that cabinet, mains powered.

If you can afford to spend more, why stuff about with a dinky little toy. Here's another http://www.pcworld.com/article/185061/windows_7_allinone_pcs_big_touchscreens_for_all_budgets.html. Basically what they are looking at, is what ever is left in the all in one PC with touch screen market, with a 20 inch or bigger screen.