$130 wireless touchscreen hacking platform from Kodak | Hacker News Reader

$130 wireless touchscreen hacking platform from Kodak

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28 pointsstcredzero19 comments

I used to use things like this to make kiosks. It's not multitouch. The touch display tech can best be described as "janky." It's essentially just using your finger as a mouse. No comparison to what Apple does. Nobody who has used an iPhone will still consider non-multitouch touch screens "good enough."

Compared to the control systems on lots of existing equipment, it's still a big potential improvement. It's not an iPhone replacement. It's a high resolution display with touch interface enabler.

A lot of restaurant POS systems would fit nicely on such a device. For that purpose, you don't even need to have them battery powered. Just make each waitperson's "login" very rapid. (4 digit PIN?) Scatter these things throughout the place.

the key word is "potential." I don't see an obvious way to make this much better than existing industrial touchscreen. Also, there are plenty of touchscreen kits that don't require taking things apart and figuring out your own operating system.

I don't see an obvious way to make this much better than existing industrial touchscreen.

There's some nice demo/sales potential, in that it looks a faux iPad. If it's nice close up, then that is one advantage.

Also, there are plenty of touchscreen kits that don't require taking things apart and figuring out your own operating system.

Part of the fun!

In any case, if entire systems this capable are end-consumer commodity items for only $129 now, that fact alone is interesting. It's only a matter of time before someone has a platform at this price point capable of supporting a browser-centric system. For $129, I think a lot of DIY folks would be willing to forgo multitouch and be tethered by a thin power cord while on the couch.

Anyone taken it apart to see what hardware is on the inside? If anyone gets this running with Linux/BSD and a compiler, I'll get together a keyboard attachment along the lines of: http://adamsolove.com/index.php?id=3

Odds are, this can be subverted into a programming platform quite easily.

http://boingboing.net/2010/01/06/kodak-picture-frame.html

This has serious repercussions on the notion of iPad as an industrial equipment control device:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1160975

It has wireless. It's 1/4th the price, and while the touchscreen might not be as capable, it's probably good enough.

So how do I root it?

It probably doesn't have ten hours of battery life.

You probably don't need 10 hours of battery life for industrial control applications. Just add some Li-poly modules and a docking station.

If I may suggest a couple of Android alterantives in $200 price range:

http://bit.ly/bePvIF

http://bit.ly/cUywzo

The nice thing about them is that you can get right to application development without inventing your own OS.

Archos has questionable quality reputation, and I don't know anything about the other device, so buyer beware.

Here's the actual url instead of the shortened one that was submitted: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030MIU16/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

You can get it for about $100 at Provantage: http://www.provantage.com/kodak-1338813~7EAK90Q0.htm

Ok, I'll take a run at it. Two on order from Provantage. But it isn't hacking until I can replace the software.

(And a special thanks to Amazon for that special discount that can only be shown in a shopping cart. Sorry, that $1.18 didn't make you competitive, even with my prepaid Prime shipping. On the other hand, Provantage doesn't really have any of these and is going to go looking for them, so they may fail.)

It has Wi-Fi, but it also has a wall-wart power supply. It won't replace the iPad unless you duct tape a battery to the back of it.

Just make the back thicker and add Li-poly modules. It's a suggested hacking platform, you know!

Anyone know of any touchsreens in the 5-7" range that cost <$50 in bulk, or where to look for them?

Some of these are quite cheap, from $1 to $27, in bulk. http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/touch_screen/--4401---------...

Thanks, but at first glance, I don't see any touchscreens...

My mistake, they're all touchscreens. I didn't see the word "touchscreen" in the description.

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