JPay introduces JP5mini Linux tablet

JPay is a private corrections service that already introduced a tablet aimed at the two million inmates in US prisons. Around 60,000 JP4 tablets are currently in use across US prisons, and the new JP5mini is now ready to join its predecessor.

Just like tablets designed for schools, these slates are built to withstand drops, shocks, scratches, also using a few unique design ideas. "All of our tablets are constructed out of clear, polycarbonate plastic to ensure no contraband is brought into the prisons through the device. The JP5mini was built with a secure boot loader so no other operating system could be installed, ensuring that an inmate doesn’t manipulate the system in any way." JPay CEO Ryan Shaprio told TechCrunch.

Priced at only $70 USD, the JP5mini tablet has low-end specs and features - a small 4.3-inch display, 32 GB of internal storage and no microSD slot, WiFi connectivity and restricted access to music, email, video chat, and other content. JPay uses Linux as the operating system for these tablets to allow manual monitoring and screening of all communication by prison stuff.

The JP5mini offers up to 35 hours of music playback and 12 hours of video playback on a single charge, which is quite good. Too bad music and streamed video are policed and censored before reaching the user.