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

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

[Tyler Eaves]

But just buy a fucking iPad.

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

[Immostlyharmless]

If he had already "here'd" it, he wouldn't have to buy one ;-)

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.

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

[Anonymous Coward]

But just buy a fucking iPad.

The Honeywell 316 is a much better choice, it was build as if the OP's needs were its specs.

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

[rwa2]

If you're a cheapskate like me, I'd recommend the ~$300 ViewSonic G-Tablet running VeganTab (based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread).
Overclocks to 1.4Ghz, and breezes through Netflix, YouTube, even random websites with Adobe Flash videos. I like WinAmp for streaming radio. It has built-in stereo speakers, but for the kitchen you'll probably want to plug it in to bigger speakers. It also has a USB jack so you can plug in a real keyboard for whatever reason.

Plus, these tablet things probably wipe down cleaner than whatever All-in-one PC you might find.

There's also a pretty good Android 4 ICS port done by TeamDRH which is in beta right now, but VegaTab still works better/faster/more stable at the moment. Multitasking is a bit nicer, but the memory footprint is too high for the G-Tablet to multitask well.

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

[Anonymous Coward]

A little bracket to mount it on the wall and you're done.

You can buy magnetic iPad mounts so that you can stick it to your fridge (e.g.FridgePad; I'm sure there are other options). You can also buy protective coverings or sleeves that still let you operate the touchscreen (e.g. Chef Sleeve), though in practice we've found that it's not really a problem (a touschscreen is pretty easy to wipe clean).

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

[hairyfeet]

Nope, too expensive for too small a screen for a kitchen PC. As someone who has actually set a few of these up for customers I would recommend something like the HP or Gateway all-in-ones. You can get them anywhere from 19-24 inches, they have both AMD Fusion and Intel i3 units (Personally I like AMD Fusion as the price is lower while having excellent hardware acceleration for video and very low heat generation) and you can basically choose from units starting at around $350 going all the way to $800 just depending on what features you want.

so I'm sorry but the iPad isn't a good choice in this situation. Not saying there is anything wrong with it, in fact I recommend them myself for doctor's office and warehouse inventory as you can't really beat the size in those applications, but in a kitchen you want something big enough you won't have to go past the stove when you are cooking and with large enough icons you can just pop them with a knuckle in case your hands are a little messy. Just not the right device for this situation IMHO. If he wants to look at them last I checked Tigerdirect had a large selection although with the shortages of Fusion chips most of theirs are Intel i series just as this really nice Gateway for $699 which would give him a nice 23 inch 1080p with enough hard drive space you could load it with movies (great when you are stuck in the kitchen) and with built in Wifi and webcam it would be easy to integrate into his existing system and do video chat as per TFA.

HP TouchSmart 610

[leonbev]

I'd vote for an HP TouchSmart 610 myself, since it comes with a TV tuner and a remote controller. It also has a built-in Blu-Ray player and comes with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse along with a touchscreen. I'd think that I would fit into a kitchen fairly well.

The only downsides I see is that TouchSmart's aren't cheap, and they do not have official Linux support. That said, I see them on sale all the time.

Hate to agree with everyone else

[Grayhand]

An iPad is the elegant solution. You could even get creative and route out a place for one in a cabinet door so it was at eye level then use the adapter to keep it plugged in so you'd never have to charge it. They are instant on and if you have wifi set up you can download movies and music. Add in some bluetooth speakers and you get decent sound. Honestly you'll spend a nearly a grand getting a set up that will be bulky and take up counter space. Yes there are cheapie computers but they are large. I'm talking a nice machine that has a small foot print. I used to use Shuttle boxes which are around the size of a toaster but it's a build it yourself. Then you end up with a monitor and cords and it's not very portable. You even get Facetime with an iPad so you can do video calling. It's $500 bucks and you avoid a lot of grief and expense. If you leave it plugged in the battery life isn't an issue so it could easily last you five years with no maintenance.

Instructables to the rescue!

[ArhcAngel]

Here ya GO. Be sure and pick a spot where you can get at the reset button.

Got a Touchscreen PC for the kitchen 3-4 yrs ago

[Anonymous Coward]

We have an HP TouchSmart PC in the kitchen, where the microwave used to be. No cable, just ethernet & it's used primarily for seaching for recipes. Can't user her iPad, as the grandkids commandeer that when we get home! It's also good for measurement conversion, Calorie counts, Product warnings/recalls, etc. There's a wireless mouse/keyboard & it's stayed clear of the flour/sugar problem we likely would have had by having it up higher than the countertop. With our own PC's elsewhere in the house - it's convenient just for what it was purchased for. If you want it to be static - get a PC, if you wish to have portability, then a tablet. Depends upon your expected usage & whether you're already WiFi or not.

Yeah go with a tablet - iPad is a good choice

[Gimbal]

I have a tablet, namely an iPad, which I use in the kitchen on occasion. I would recommend a few apps for that: The All Recipes app; the Epicurious app; the Food Guru app. I'm sure that there must be apps about wine selection, and maybe even about beer, too.

For browsing, I'd recommend iCab. Atomic Web Browser is another good one. (iCab, as one of its many features, can synch its bookmarks with Dropbox, which I don't know if Atomic can, as of yet.) Either of those offers some more features than the conventional Safari mobile browser, in a pretty reliable browser platform. (App crashes seem like less of a concern, on the tablet platform, I think)

You can also take it outdoors with you - weather permitting, of course. There's pUniverseHD for iPad, when it comes to stargazing after dinner ;)

As far as TV, then, there's Netflix on iPad - it's close enough for my tastes ;) If you're into sports - Olympic sports, namely - Universal Sports has also put together an app for the 2012 Olympics kicking off in July. In the more "mainstream sports", and for existing cable subscribes - as I recall - there are apps from ESPN, also. Then there's RedBull TV, for the extremophiles in the family. If you're an existing cable subscriber, there are apps from HBO and I think from Cinemax, as well.

Lastly: For hanging it from the kitchen counter, Belkin makes a nice little temporary mounting bracket, and I'm sure there are more permanent options available. The major technology retailer, BestBuy, carries the Belkin bracket, in their iPad section.

Entertainment and utility abound on the well supported mobile platforms, these days - enjoy!

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

[Theaetetus]

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.

I've had a Mac Mini with a touch screen in my kitchen for 5 years. It acts as a media server for the whole house, shows recipes and email and lets us watch tv shows on iTunes, Netflix or Hulu while we cook. It's totally obsolete - I can't even upgrade the OS anymore - but we don't use it for anything except that "main utility".

I expect your expectations are wrong.

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:Easy answer for Windows 8

[93 Escort Wagon]

I keep hearing that Windows 8 is going to have some added benefits

1. Download and install the Windows 8 Consumer Preview;

2. Realize that the Windows 8 Metro UI is the worst product Microsoft has ever made - worse than Bob or Clippy;

3. PROFIT from your new-found experience.

4. SELL Windows 8 product to unsuspecting eBay victim.

5. BUY an iPad or an Android tablet.

6. ASK wife if you can start sleeping in the bed again.

Not iPad -- no HD channels with Cable Card

[crow]

I'm surprised by the number of people suggesting mounting an iPad or similar tablet. Yes, this does make a lot of sense. It makes even more sense to have a mount where you can put the iPad while you're cooking, then take it with you when you're done--this is ideal if you want to have an iPad anyway.

The problem is that you can't currently watch HD channels on an iPad. There is an app for $18 that will let you watch SD channels, but apparently the processor in the iPad can't do HD MPEG-2, or at least the writers of the app in question haven't figured out how to do it.

So with TV being the primary function, you need something that can handle TV.

Another issue is how your cable company sends the channels. Are all the channels you care about set to copy freely? If not, then you can only use solutions that are Cable Labs certified (that probably rules out any tablet apps or Linux solution).

Now, having said all that, I think I need to find a mount for our iPad to put on a cabinet in the kitchen.