OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/21618/The_Return_of_the_Kitchen_Computer Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2009, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:09:44 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com Don't count out Audrey! http://osnews.com/thread?367037 http://osnews.com/thread?367037 The H316 (I had to look up the old article!) was like a lunch counter from the Death Star!!!

The next best "kitchen" computer was the 3Com Audrey. It was about a decade ahead if it's time and got the lumps to prove it. At the time home wireless and fast internet were scarce so it wasn't that useful. It's form factor is perfect, but it needed more features to work... like all the things a netbook can do! I wonder if anybody's modded an Aspire One into that chassis and screen, it would rock.

There's a newer version of the same idea in the Verison "home base". Even the TV commercials show similar "Audrey" features. It connects to your POTS line to be a "visual voicemail" machine which is the one thing Audrey was always missing.


The time has definitely come for ubiquitous home computers that are simple and reliable, and don't need to worry about OS or even data backups, just like those Toasters that run BSD and can openers.

Of course I'm still holding out for the "whole touchscreen" LCARS PADD from ST:TNG also. The kitchen version would be sealed up and dishwasher safe!Edited 2009-06-04 20:27 UTC Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (mabhatter) Comments My wife used to keep her iMac in the Kitchen http://osnews.com/thread?367039 http://osnews.com/thread?367039 For recipes, browsing while doing other things...

In our new house, there isn't as good a spot for it as there was in our old house... so now she has a laptop and just takes it where ever she goes. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Tuishimi) Comments RE: Don't count out Audrey! http://osnews.com/thread?367041 http://osnews.com/thread?367041 LCARS... you are funny!

I would only do that if you could also invoke a voice interface by saying "COMPUTER!" ... and it would also have to have Majel Barrett's voice.

...or maybe that sexy voice from ST:TOS when the enterprise went back in time, ended up in Earth's atmosphere... Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:43:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Tuishimi) Comments Regarding Be's kitchen computer http://osnews.com/thread?367042 http://osnews.com/thread?367042 My husband, JBQ (now at Google), worked on that BeOS-based model with Benoit Schillings (now at Trolltech/Nokia) back then at Be, Inc. While it was a prototype, I think he's very proud of the work the two of them did in a very short amount of time. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:49:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Eugenia) Comments Ah, like Talkie Toaster http://osnews.com/thread?367043 http://osnews.com/thread?367043 "... it has all the audio and video chips as well as codecs necessary to play audio and video."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRq_SAuQDec

Sorry, couldn't resist :-) Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:52:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (boblowski) Comments Don't forget the iPod fridge http://osnews.com/thread?367044 http://osnews.com/thread?367044 A real thing:

http://www.gadgetreview.com/2008/09/gorenje-ipod-fridge.html

iPod is a more powerful computer than any of those historical attempts. This device does not double as a cutting board, but it can store milk and eggs (not to mention beer)...

P.S. I keep a first-generation Asus Eee in the kitchen. Perfect for recipes. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:58:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jrlah) Comments RE: Don't forget the iPod fridge http://osnews.com/thread?367049 http://osnews.com/thread?367049 Don't forget the touch netbook from Always Innovating.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10185351-1.html

It's magnetic so you can stick the whole thing on the fridge to get it out of the way. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:50:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (leos) Comments How about the one that already exists? http://osnews.com/thread?367064 http://osnews.com/thread?367064 There already is a Kitchen Computer, and it is built into the refrigerator.

http://www.pointlessbutcool.com/gadgets/digital_multimedia_side-by-... Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (DrillSgt) Comments RE: Regarding Be's kitchen computer http://osnews.com/thread?367088 http://osnews.com/thread?367088
My husband, JBQ (now at Google), worked on that BeOS-based model with Benoit Schillings (now at Trolltech/Nokia) back then at Be, Inc. While it was a prototype, I think he's very proud of the work the two of them did in a very short amount of time.


Didn't that become the BeIA platform in the Sony evilla (thanks to the googles)

That was another early attempt at a low-power all-in-one subdesktop. [Internet Appliance] It wasn't until ATOM that the whole thing finally took off in the eeePCs. Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (mabhatter) Comments HP http://osnews.com/thread?367139 http://osnews.com/thread?367139 When I first saw the HP Touchsmart, I thought "Kitchen PC". The interface may need some more polish, but a touchscreen iMac like computer with a TV tuner and media software is what I always thought of as a kitchen PC.

It even has a remote. It just needs a membrane keyboard.

I think the kitchen PC is here. Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:52:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (benjamin_m) Comments Is it really kitchen computer? http://osnews.com/thread?367273 http://osnews.com/thread?367273 Believe me or not, but for me it suits better to the toilet. Well... I mean the design today looks more like from modern toilet - something between cash-machine and sink. Very sophisticated connection.

But to be honest, I don't know why I have so much sentiment to this brand. For sure they are producing one of the best controllers on the market right now. Maybe they shouldn't experiment with the "kitchen tools" again?

But you know, there is a connection between cooking and computers, at least between cooking and software engineering. I have to agree with RMS ;-) And maybe this idea of kitchen computer is not so bad ;-) Lol. Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:52:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (wawrzyn) Comments um http://osnews.com/thread?367339 http://osnews.com/thread?367339 Do you REALLY need a computer for recipes?
Does ANYONE really use recipes that much (or even cook that much anymore)?

Internet "appliances" abound.
They're called "older computers with linux on them".

Stick one in a corner and voila!
Instant surfing/email/webradio.

Amazing. Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:47:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (solarcontrol) Comments