The online community is calling out for a tablet based on an open platform they can alter freely. The upcoming Vivaldi tablet, based around Linux, may be the first to answer this call, and the community response has been so large they had to close pre-orders.
The problem with tablets is that none on the market can be tailored to fit the needs of each user. Apple and Amazon use locked platforms on theirs. Most Android tablets are difficult to alter.
What if you want to upgrade your tablet with new hardware? What if your workplace needs that’s based around in-house software? What if you want to customize a tablet to be ideal for writing, or email, or art?
Well, you may not need to wait for Vivaldi to open its doors again. The folks at Liquidware may hold the answer—and they allow for customization that’s all but unheard of in the current market.
Liquidware created various customized kits and parts that let users build their own tablets based around what they need. Want a 4.3-inch touchscreen tablet with Linux? They have have you covered. How about an Android-based full-sized tablet that you can test out different hardware with? They have a kit for that.
“It makes it easier for people who need, for instance, a seven-inch display with enough processing power to run certain operations,” said Idora Sopin-Vilme, from Liquidware.
Several different versions of the system were on display at the New York Maker Faire this year, at the New York Hall of Science in Queens on Sept. 29. On one of the tables, there was a smartphone-sized tablet with a keyboard and mouse plugged into it. It’s touchscreen was raised above exposed chips and wires. It had a Linux homescreen on its display. There was also a larger version nearby running Android Gingerbread.
“We basically wanted to make it easier for developers or DIY people to develop projects,” said Sopin-Vilme. “Do you need a custom board? Instead of developing it by yourself, we put all the pieces together.”
“It’s a whole lot better than taking your standard, fancy tablet and ripping it apart,” she said. “This is all exposed, so it makes your life easy.”
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