The first available Raspberry Pi powered tablet
With almost 4 million Raspberry Pis shipped, there have been a world of cool projects that people have created with them. But one thing that has been missing until now is an available Raspberry Pi tablet. The PiTablet can do everything regular tablets can do: Watch movies, surf the Internet, and play games. But since it is based on the open-source Raspberry Pi, it is completely customizable in a way that ordinary tablets aren't.
What is the PiTablet?
A complete PiTablet kit consists of:
- 10 inch PiTouch touchscreen monitor (www.PiTouch.co) - Our other Kickstarter project
- Raspberry Pi or other embedded computer (Beaglebone, etc.)
- USB Power Pack
- Infrared remote control
- WiFi module
- Cables to hook it all up
- And an acrylic case to hold it all together
Of course, not everyone needs the full kit, so there are lower-priced tiers with fewer accessories
Because the case files are open-source, you can easily create custom versions for each of your projects. Custom drone controller with touchscreen? Add a high-power antenna connector. Model rocket launch controller? Add an emergency-stop switch and terminals for the igniter wires. Quickly and easily swap cases without tools just by removing the two thumbscrews. Or remove the case altogether if you just want to use the PiTouch as a regular 10" HDMI touchscreen monitor.
Case files can be downloaded from:
Why is the funding goal so low?
All of the development costs for the PiTouch touchscreen (the most complex and riskiest part of the PiTablet) have been paid out of savings over the past year in China (prototypes, injection molding tooling, PCB fabrication, PCB assembly, etc.). At this point, there are no more funds needed for development or production. But rather than just building a small batch and placing it on Amazon at full-price, it is more convenient (and cheaper per unit) to do a large build all at once. Kickstarter backers get a large discount and the PiTablet gets lots of publicity - A win for everybody.
Risks and challenges
At this point, there is very little technical risk. The injection molding tooling, PCB, and firmware for the PiTouch touchscreen were developed over the past year in Shenzhen, China. Pre-release units have been shipped to several beta testers and the feedback has been extremely positive. The CAD files for the acrylic cases are finished, and several cases have been fabricated and tested. As soon as the campaign ends, the proper number of cases, PCBs, LCDs and cables will be ordered, and the 14-day window between the conclusion of the campaign and funds availability will be used to start assembling PiTablets for immediate shipment.
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Funding period
- (22 days)