Arrington’s DIY CrunchPad

Last summer, Web 2.0 gadfly Michael Arrington wrote about the device he wanted: a low-cost tablet computer optimized for Internet browsing. He christened it the CrunchPad and invited the world to help him create it with a sort-of open source do-it-yourself approach. The device was to have stripped-down specs and minimal moving parts — and leave out the frills that would launch it into laptop territory. By January, he was onto the second prototype, and this one actually worked.

The device has a 12-inch touchscreen with a 4:3 aspect ratio (which is ideal for web browsing in my opinion). It is powered with a Via Nano processor, which has performed at par with the Intel Atom in our testing. 1 GB of ram (its more than we need) and a 4 GB flash drive to store the OS and browser and any cache. Resolution is 1024×768, which means the vast majority of websites are viewed in full width without scrolling. The device also has wifi, an accelerometer (so when you turn the screen on its side you can view more of a web page), a camera and a four cell battery. Total cost of the device, when we include estimates for the case, codecs and other miscellaneous items, is just over $200. Prototype B is actually much less expensive because the screen we used isn’t very good. The price estimate includes a much better, more expensive LCD.

Last week there was a new round of photos of the latest iteration of the CrunchPad designed and built by FusionGarage, and it looks like it’s come a long way. It’s slim and fast, and it has great battery life. It’s not a device that’s going to work for everyone. There are design decisions that I wouldn’t go for, but for those who want a low-cost, fast tablet for browsing, I don’t think it can be beat. At least until Apple comes out with a tablet. Still, it’s a good example of what can happen in this super-connected world. Maybe we’ll see more open source DIY hardware get into the mainstream.