Got some ideas you want to done on your next tablet computer? Forget waiting for PC makers to make it happen – build one yourself with the Beagle Embedded Starter Kit, an open-source modular tablet that you can customize to your heart’s content.
Available from Liquidware, the kit is designed for embedded developers who want to code their own tablet-based systems from scratch. Whether you want a tablet to interface with your collection of RC racers or to act as monitor for your amateur spy gear, it lets you set one up without the restrictions built into commercial, off-the-shelf tablets. Assuming, of course, you’ve got the technical chops to get it done.
The Beagle Embedded Starter Kit consists of three main parts, consisting of the BeagleBoard Rev C4 (a 1GHz single-board computer from Texas Instruments), BeagleTouch 4.3-inch OLED touchscreen module and BeagleJuice battery module. All three are are designed to snap or mount together for easy assembly, freeing you from having to bother with a mass of wires and small components, which are usual accompaniment to building your own rig.
A Type B-mini USB port is available on the setup, so you can play around with extra peripherals. For storage, the system comes with an SD slot, along with a 4GB pre-formatted SD card with Angstrom Linux on board (it can also run Android, by the way). According to Liquidware, using the kit for development will let you focus on prototyping your custom applications, instead of spending just as much time fiddling with the hardware part.
Obviously, the Beagle Embedded Starter Kit isn’t a “screw it on and go” type of kit. But if you’ve got the drive and the programming skills to build your own tablet, this sets you up on the easy path to actually getting it done.
[Liquidware via Gizmodo]