Smart Home Blog

I found very interesting DIY project of kitchen PC. It includes an ELO 19″ 4:3 touchscreen, Intel Core i5 processor based PC, iPhone-like user interface and a bunch of useful applications such kitchen database with barcode scanner, cooking timer, todo list etc. Additionally Twitter client, iTunes, Skype, Google Maps, weather app are available for users. Also PC allows to watch TV (DVB-T) and works as digital photo frame in standby mode.

The kitchen PC runs Windows 7 and uses Active Desktop feature to set custom UI. The budget of the kitchen PC is about €1000. Thanks to the author you can download all used applications including UI, graphics and kitchen database.

Well, the project looks pretty cool. But … It’s overpriced I think. First of all in my mind the nVidia Ion with dual-core Atom would be more appropriate choice. It’s cheaper, more compact and energy efficient but offers the same possibilities – run rich GUI or watch HD video. I’m also would like to see Linux as OS instead of Windows. Cause it’s more reliable and it takes less resources. So, you don’t need the strong processor and big amount of RAM to run applications included into the kitchen project. In any case, that project demonstrates how attractive a kitchen PC can be and it gives a basic ideas for your own project as well.

eStarling offers photo frames with social services integration. To access Gmail, Facebook, Picasa, Flickr and Twitter (that list will be expanded soon) the frame sports Wifi 802.11b/g/n adapter and Ethernet jack. With 10.2″ 800X480 16:9 touchscreen display you’ll enjoy hight quality photos viewing and easy access to the control and setting. If you’ll be tired from online the frame still can display photos from the internal memory (2GB) or SD card.

Another good feature of the eStarling photo frame is that. If your photos has aspect ration 4:3 they can show together with a side pane which displays local weather reports, time and date, and the next photo preview.

The eSharling digital photo frame is available at MSRP price $249.99. It’ll be a good present for all online services and photo fans.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

Nokia N810 can be a good choice to control LinuxMCE based home automation system. It’s compact and not so expensive. See the demo video below which demonstrates the Maemo Orbiter in action.

Nokia already announced the next generation of its internet tablet N900. So, I started building of LinuxMCE Orbiter for Maemo 5.

Marmitek released its new EasyTouch Panel10 – wireless 10-inch color touchscreen panel. It can be used as X10 remote control, i. e. without controller or PC. The interface of the EasyTouch Panel10 is completely customize. User can choose any background, buttons or images. Each button can be associated with desire action which should be performed when it’s pressed.

The EasyTouch Panel10 uses two AAA batteries. So, it can be mounted anywhere in your house without additional wiring. The panel needs Transceiver Module TM13 to communicate with X10 devices.

The EasyTouch Panel10 is available in Belgium at €199 and in UK at £179.00, which is reasonable price to add more comfort and hight-tech to your DIY X10 installation.

Toshiba presented its new device – JournE Touch Tablet. That 7-inch screen touch webpad uses ARM processor and runs Windows CE 6.0 Pro. It has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g adapter, 1GB Nand Flash internal memory, built-in two 0.5W speakers and SD*, MMC, MS and MS Pro, xD memory card slot. The docking station offers HDMI TV out and charging. Device should be released in Q4 2009 for estimated price €249.00.

Well, the JournE Touch Tablet looks very nice. Personally, I’m not going to use it to serf Internet of watch video. In my mind the latest Nokia’s Internet tablet N900 is much much better for that purpose as well as N810. But the JournE Touch Tablet seems the best option for control panel of home automation systems such LinuxMCE. Currently the LinuxMCE users can use used WebDT 366 with custom image and Linux-based Orbiter as a main control panel. But JournE Touch Tablet is a cheaper option and it’s new! Sure the LinuxMCE Orbiter for Win CE should be updated to be run Windows CE 6.0 or maybe the device cab be re-flashed with Linux image. Will see how it’ll be when the JournE Touch Tablet will be released.

Demo video of the JournE Touch Tablet and quick spec can be found after jump.
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