Not satisfied with the current crop of Android tablets and the restrictions Google often places on its mobile OS? Finally, the Linux army has its own portable, touch-screen option.
As of this morning, PengPod, a spin-off of a Florida-based importing company, officially closed its crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo for its line of open Linux and Android-based tablets and mini-PCs on a stick.
It wasn't a barn-burner campaign like some of those seen on Kickstarter for things like the Ouya game console or Pebble smart watch, but it did raise more than $72,000 to meet its $49,000 goal and be able to start production.
PengPod offered up a 7-inch and 10-inch tablet as well as a flash-drive-size system on a stick. At the heart of the hardware is the Allwinner A10 system-on-a-chip that boasts a 1.2GHz Cortex A8 ARM core, HD video co-processing, 3D acceleration, and HDMI among other impressive specs, especially when considering that early supporters were able to snag a 7-inch model for as little as $99.
Wi-Fi, a front-facing camera, and the ability to dual-boot to Linux or Android with an SD card also come standard. The larger, higher resolution 10-inch display required a $185 pledge.
The PengStick with similar specs is an interesting, higher-end competitor to the Raspberry Pi at just $85.
The hardware isn't likely to blow anyone away, but that's not really the point here. The value and open nature of PengPod could contribute in very interesting ways to the development of the overall tablet market. Someday soon the home server could no longer be a box sitting in a corner somewhere, but a flat-screen or tiny stick on the coffee table.
Watch the video below to see the PengPod in action.