With the large variety of tablets available in the market today, it is hard to choose the right device. Michael Castor, an Ohio-based inventor, decided to make his own tablet that meets his needs and has the specifications he wants.
The device is called the PiPad and is a 10.75-inch tablet complete with touchscreen, USB portal, audio jack and apps. The tablet is powered by a Raspberry Pi computer and uses the Linux-based Raspbian operating system, allowing it to run any app made for the Linux OS. The tablet may be a DIY item that can be made at home, but it’s not cheap and will set you back $350.
The casing for the device is made of from Baltic birch plywood and carbon fiber. The device is 10.75 inches long, 7.5 inches wide and an inch thick. For a comparison, the iPad Air has a thickness of 0.29-inch and a 9.7-inch touchscreen.
PiPad also has a web browser and can run any app made for the Linux operating system. It uses a Raspberry Pi B model processor and features a 10-inch capacitive touchscreen. USB and Ethernet ports along with an audio jack allow users to watch their favorite movies, videos and listen to their music.
The battery on the PiPad is a 10,000 mAh capable of 6 hours of run time. Castor spent months designing the PiPad and looking for the right parts. The construction, however, only took two weeks.
The PiPad received a lot of praise from developers and consumers alike at the Maker Faire in New York. Castor also revealed his creation to Raspberry Pi founder, Eben Upton, who really appreciated the device and signed the back case of the PiPad. Castor hopes to improve the device and future versions of his creation may include a camera and infrared sensors.
