The kitchen computer - are we there yet?

[Jensen G]

I love my iPhone and I love my Mac, but there is definitely a need that has yet to be fulfilled. I find in-house information sharing to be pretty tough and non-interactive between me and my partner. What I really want is some sort of mini-computer that sticks on my fridge or another frequent-use area to show our calendars, to-dos, maybe devote some virtual space to a photo, etc. Basically, widgets in my kitchen.

I know there's no apple device that can do this and maybe never will be (Apple tablet as envisioned by many might be too expensive for this kind of thing). Is there anything else out there? Can't stand Windows, but might consider a propriety *nix OS or something similar.

It just seems like such a basic thing to have in this age of technology. I remember hearing about this kind of thing several years ago but have seen nothing in the last couple years..

 

[sushi]

You could always get an iMac and use a VESA mount, or get a Mac Mini with an ACD with VESA mount.

Another route might be an Apple Laptop that you put on the counter with a stand so that spills won't bother it.

 

[Jensen G]

My personal criteria include the following

• inexpensive (under $500, hopefully well under)
• touchscreen made to be used vertically without a keyboard
• OS designed or modified to do simpler things. . . e.g. how the iPhone OS is designed to be simpler and easier to use than Mac OS
• widgets or apps designed with vertical/touchscreen use in mind

Sort of like how I (personally) opted to go for a Roku Box for online media instead of hacking a mac mini to do many of the same things...I'm looking for an out of the box experience that both me and my less tech savvy girlfriend can use immediately.

 

[arkitect]

I guess you read this thread?

 

[techound1]

This violates a lot of your criteria, but we use a hackintoshed dell mini 10v for our kitchen machine. I'm currently modding a slide-out tray for under-cupboard storage so it tucks out of the way. It can access either of our computers via screen sharing, so we can reference anything on either machine or surf the web.

 

[Rooskibar03]

I've never played with one personally and of course you must be on their service, but the Verizon Hub looks like a possible solution.

 

[tdgrn]

You might want to look into a Net top. Asus makes an EEE touchscreen AIO computer that is pretty cheap. (Don't know how much they were, I know they were though)

 

[Demosthenes X]

There are some digital picture frames that offer widgets like you've described...

Better, though, would be a proper computer. Remember those fridges that had TVs built in? Why not a touch-screen computer with a simplified OS? Keep track of appointments, email, recipes... if it could connect to your phone line and display messages/call ID, all the better.

Verizon's Hub is a good start, but it needs improvement, based on my reading...