We are evaluating two possible hardware solutions for Sherig-in-a-Box: The SMILE Plug and the Raspberry Pi.
The Raspberry Pi is very affordable ($35) and can easily be upgraded to meet the requirements by adding a Wi-Fi USB dongle, a power supply, and a case.
The SMILE Plug was designed to run the SMILE Consortium software. Nevertheless, its specs (headless computer, 2 Ethernet ports, enterprise WiFi, small form factor, no moving parts) makes it an attractive option for our project.
1New versions of the Raspberry Pi allow automatic throttling of the CPU without affecting the warranty
2The lack of audio & video helps by making the hardware less attractive to re-purpose in the school environment
3Price includes unit and a 64 GB micro-SD card
4Price includes unit, case, WiFi USB dongle, case, and power supply
5Based on 500 schools (see Annual Education Statistics 2012)