Qooq recipe and cooking tablet launched for French speakers only
By Laura June 
posted Oct 29th 2009 10:28AM
posted Oct 29th 2009 10:28AM
Cooking tablets and recipe readers have been pretty limited (and not very good) in the past -- but this one looks extremely promising. Called the Qooq, the 10.2-incher boasts -- in addition to a bunch of recipes, of course -- complete meal prep videos, instructions and advice on choosing ingredients, shopping lists, meal planners -- all which can be updated monthly via a subscription service. Specwise, we're looking at a glass touchscreen, Ethernet and USB ports, an SD slot, WiFi, and a built-in stand. The custom UI looks pretty attractive, but there are some drawbacks. The Qooq does not have a browser (though it's got built-in weather, digital photo viewing, and internet radio apps), and it's only available for French language speakers for now. If you do speak the language of love, you can get one of these puppies for €349 (about $513), with the subscription service running an additional €12.95a month (about $19).
[Via Red Ferret]
[Via Red Ferret]
What ever happened to the Crunchpad?? This kinda looks like it but with weired corners.
Chris
Where are the white knobs for this Etch-A-Sketch? Maybe they can make white icons, since it is a touch screen?
French only? Zoot alors!
You'd just be better off getting a Netbook...
Caus your netbook can handle splashes of water and greasiness during cooking? This device while expensive seems to be more lightly industrial and prepared for some kitchen abuse. Something I don´t see a regular netbook do. That aside the design also seems more sensible to me for in a kitchen. I can´t imagine working with a keyboard-touchpad while cooking. Now.. regarding the monthly fee, I can imagine serious cooks like this. Suppose this gets updated with 50 to a 100 recipies a month it isn´t that expensive since an avarage cooking book goes for 20 euro atleast. So I think the concept isn´t bad, what does worry me, what happens witht he device when the producer gets bought over/goes broke? Does the tablet take my recipies hostage?
"Caus your netbook can handle splashes of water and greasiness during cooking?"
You must be a messy chef, I've been using my netbook + evernote in my kitchen for nearly two years without a splash.
Messy cooks are good cooks. I don't trust any chef whose kitchen looks like a hospital.
Or a used ThinkPad tablet.
Christ... $19 a month just to use an internet connection you're already paying for, to download material that you can get at about 1,000 other sites for free? Not to mention it doesn't have a regular browser? Sign me up.
minitel?
SACRE BLEU!!!!
Wow. I just posted yesterday in a picture frame article about my wife wanting something like this dedicated to recipes and constructed to go in the kitchen (stand up to spills and such). Now if they could only get the price down below what a laptop computer costs it will be perfect.
This is the anti-Wii Fit board.
Man, put in an IR and RF transmitter for remote control access, a web browser, and I'll be happy to let that device into my home.
$513? seriously? I agree with the poster saying a netbook is a much better decision for that amount, because $513 is way way over what this should cost, even if it is mostly screen.
When my iphone contract expires in August I'm planning on keeping it in the kitchen as a multi-touch recipe tablet. This type of functionality (stationary to within a few feet, low vid and processor reqs) seems like the perfect way to make outdated technology useful again, not spend cutting-edge amounts.
Think of it as a ruggedized netbook. Whenever a normal laptop is sealed against moisture/dust etc, the price is generally doubled or even more. Insulating this netbook against water, flour, etc. will have the same financial effect.
It seems like if someone really wanted a cheaper tablet device to use in the kitchen (although I'm fine with my Nintendo DS) they would be looking at the Always Innovating Touch Book. It has a detachable touchscreen tablet top with a magnetic back -- which only seems practical for using in the kitchen by being able to mount it on your fridge. Oh, and it will run $300.
Video of fridge use: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZm6qM0KPpg&feature=player_embedded
Is there some huge kitchen tablet market that only the French know about?
Umm yeah.. what?
http://farview.wordpress.com/
Oh, Qooq. I get it.
Can it double as a cutting board?
ha!
I would've +'ed you but you laughed at your own joke.
Is it thin enough to cut cheese or cake a la MacBook Air?
SO useless.
It's okay.
Some Linux group will hack into it by the end of the month and be playing 'Gears of War' (insert popular gaming title here) by December (but in French).
This will go the way of OQO
This will be an ideal trojan horse platform for the delivery of (optional) targetted advertising in return for reduced upfront cost. "Madame Middle Class French Housewife, you just used you last onion, would you like to order some more? Plus, we have special on chopping boards too. [Touchez ici] to order now!"
"Your Cooking book is so high tech"
"Better to make you a sandwich with"
'Cause god forbid the British get their hands on it.
Je parle un peu de Francais, mais c'est TROP cher pour moi.
Oui, d'accord. Je pense Je suis pauvre quand Je vois cette ordinateur!
that's a crapgadget candidate
Is it dishwasher safe?
No biggie. Just walk up to the French guy, tell him to give it to you, he'll surrender and presto, you're the proud new owner.
Cool name and funky knobby legs... But that's about it for this device. The UI doesn't appear to be designed for kitchen use...too many small icons, buttons and tabs. In the kitchen, I'd want the ability to increase font size, color-code the measurements to better see the critical info, and use voice command to have the device either read me parts of the recipe or to pause, play, and rewind the cooking video if my hands are full. I'd agree with those that say a netbook can substitute for this device because this device doesn't go far enough to make it a truly useful cooking companion.
The subscription + limited functionality kills it. A kitchen-safe tablet is practically a no-brainer, but it's got to have a full browser to justify that price. Although with that hardware, someone could hack this into something really useful pretty easily, I imagine...
totally.. u'll have to hope someone hacks linux onto this when the parent company goes kaput. just put a browser on it and charge us for your website (if you think your content is that good).
Come on Ben (Heck, that is). Hook a brotha up!
c'mon .... Qooq looks more like kook to me...
I really hope it isn't pronounced "cock"...
Does it have recipes for Qooqies?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djJy7NNjIS0
Oh cock.
$500 device and $20 monthly subscription? Who is this thing for?
The best thing since sliced bread except for the price.
Who will bring this puppy to the U.S.? Me wants one with out the bloated price.