Best cheap tablet for a wall-mounted room reservation calendar?
May 17, 2017 2:07 PM Subscribe
We're moving into a new office, and we'd like to have a small wall-mounted tablet that lives outside every conference room and displays that room's specific Google calendar. Recommendations?
Our whole office uses the Google business suite, and it would be great to be able to make reservations to a room's calendar remotely, and to easily see what's booked when you're standing at the door. We're installing power boxes at each door, so any tablet can be mounted and plugged in full-time.
However, that's the ONLY thing we'll be using the tablets for, so we want to stay cheap and super-simple while still having a fairly bright, non-angle-limited screen. We're considering a cheapo Dragon Touch Android tablet or a Kindle Fire. (Does Google Calendar work pretty well with the Amazon Fire OS?)
Any suggestions? Unforeseen things I should be worried about? I found an Auto Screen On app for Android that works from proximity sensors and might be nice to have for energy saving purposes; has anyone used that? Have you tried something like this and run into obstacles?
Thanks!
Our whole office uses the Google business suite, and it would be great to be able to make reservations to a room's calendar remotely, and to easily see what's booked when you're standing at the door. We're installing power boxes at each door, so any tablet can be mounted and plugged in full-time.
However, that's the ONLY thing we'll be using the tablets for, so we want to stay cheap and super-simple while still having a fairly bright, non-angle-limited screen. We're considering a cheapo Dragon Touch Android tablet or a Kindle Fire. (Does Google Calendar work pretty well with the Amazon Fire OS?)
Any suggestions? Unforeseen things I should be worried about? I found an Auto Screen On app for Android that works from proximity sensors and might be nice to have for energy saving purposes; has anyone used that? Have you tried something like this and run into obstacles?
Thanks!
If this is for display only purposes, you might consider a regular LCD with something like a Chromecast doing the calendar display. Whether by accident or mischief, something with a full blown touch interface can end up not doing what you want it to. It will be easier to mount a monitor to the wall and it's probably less likely to get stolen (if that's at all a risk for you).
posted by Candleman at 4:35 PM on May 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Candleman at 4:35 PM on May 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Seconding an LCD with Chromecast as a a better idea than a touch screen device.
My office has large LCD screens inside the rooms for video-conferencing, which display the room's Google Calendar when no one is using them. These screens are visible from the windows on the office doors. Not sure if that's something you've considered already, but putting it out there.
posted by redlines at 6:30 PM on May 17, 2017
My office has large LCD screens inside the rooms for video-conferencing, which display the room's Google Calendar when no one is using them. These screens are visible from the windows on the office doors. Not sure if that's something you've considered already, but putting it out there.
posted by redlines at 6:30 PM on May 17, 2017
If you want absolute cheap Android tablet, AliExpress is a good source. You're getting direct from China so it's definitely not the greatest anything, but can't beat the price.
There's also a Raspberry Pi setup if you have an old LCD to burn.
posted by msbutah at 8:13 PM on May 17, 2017
There's also a Raspberry Pi setup if you have an old LCD to burn.
posted by msbutah at 8:13 PM on May 17, 2017
This isn't cheap but the convenience makes up for it:
JOAN
I'm running about ten of them at work and it makes life a lot easier.
posted by crankylex at 8:45 AM on May 18, 2017
JOAN
I'm running about ten of them at work and it makes life a lot easier.
posted by crankylex at 8:45 AM on May 18, 2017
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posted by you're a kitty! at 2:17 PM on May 17, 2017