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I am looking to build (or have manufactured) around 500 iPad like touch screen tablets.

The tablet should do the following:

  • When the tablet is powered on it simply loads up a website, say mine.example.com.
  • It cannot load any other website or do anything else.
  • It is simply a single website screen.
  • It has no interface beyond the website.
  • It doesn't need jacks, usb ports etc.
  • It should have enough processor power to run videos but nothing beyond.
  • It doesn't even need storage beyond say 10 MB.
  • It will of course need network connectivity. This should preferably be provided via a 3G SIM card, or else via Wi-Fi.

I have four questions:

1: What would be the cost involved to build/have-manufactured each such device?

2: Are there any manufacturers who would be willing to take such a small order of 500 pieces?

3: What would be the cost difference between 3G and Wi-Fi options?

4: What would be the cost difference between capacitive and resistive touch screen options?

I would also greatly appreciate any input on the hardware specs that would be perfect for this kind of device.

As a reference, what I need is an even more stripped down version of this: http://techcrunch.com/2008/07/21/we-want-a-dead-simple-web-tablet-help-us-build-it/

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In order to answer your question, we would have to do a lot of work and research that usually an engineer would get paid good money to do. I am not sure this is the best place for a question like this. I will answer to #2 though... There are manufacturers who will be willing to take an order for 1 piece, but as with anything like this, the economics of scale cause it to be cheaper per item the more items you are wanting built. – Kellenjb Dec 22 '11 at 19:56
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Potentially this question could be a fit if it was approached more from the aspect of teaching someone how to determine cost estimates for a project, but that has already been asked before here: electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/8807/… – Kellenjb Dec 22 '11 at 19:58
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The practical answer is that what you want is not a custom tablet but a custom build of a generic tablet's operating system software. That's entirely do-able with android tablets, either by buying them retail and hoping no one else reflashes them, or trying to talk a manufacturer into selling you a batch of devices with a locked bootloader and your own custom key for signing your authorized builds (as a lot of cell phone carriers sadly still do). If you go with the later route, do the world a favor and make a written promise to release the key if you abandon the product line. – Chris Stratton Dec 23 '11 at 0:37
@V-A - Search the internet and eg ebayfor WM8650 and possible also VIA. Via make a low cost tablet of which has sold a vast number - but it has also attracted many matginal or just plain bad imitations and even 'the real thing' may have trouble in a real Android envirnment. BUT it appears to be a potentially suitable starting target for you - especially so as you value isolation from other syste,/ The usual versions are 7 inch but I understand people may do 8 9 `0" as well> An excellent typical discussion of issues encountered here. – Russell McMahon Dec 24 '11 at 9:32

closed as off topic by Majenko, Kellenjb, Brian Carlton, W5VO♦, AndrejaKo Dec 22 '11 at 20:32

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1 Answer

up vote 1 down vote

Presumably you want something cheaper than you think you can buy or you'd just buy something. What is your "hoped for" price, or an acceptable price per unit?

You don't say what screen size you want.
If it's unimporant yo you, then the following is a complete answer.
If it's important to you, as I imagine it is, then the following answer is useful.

  • Android!

There are many Android implementations on many platforms. Prices for pocketable smart-phone size units are well under $US100 equivalent here (NZ).

The functionality of cheap units is more than you need except for screen size. So, finding the cheapest unit that has a screen size that is acceptable, that runs Android and that has WiFi is the /a end to your quest.

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Thanks. Sorry about not mentioning the screen size. The screen size would be between 8 and 10 inches. And the hoped for price is under 100 USD. It's promising that you say there are many implementations available. If you could name a few, it would help me a long way in my research. thanks again. – Æ - Dec 22 '11 at 21:34
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@V-A - You need to learn how to use Google or other search engines. | 2 here at $120, 8 under $200, One here at $113 with free shipping – Russell McMahon Dec 22 '11 at 22:47

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