Custom Hardware Device with Camera

Build Brief: "Video Message Boxes" for Two Kids What I'm looking for I want two identical desktop devices — one for my son (Los Angeles) and one for his best friend (New York). The two 5-year-olds want to send each other short video messages back and forth, and re-watch a growing library of all the messages they've traded. I do not want to hand them a phone or tablet. These are dedicated, single-purpose devices that live on a desk in each kid's bedroom. Think "a little video mailbox that only the two of them share." Nothing else. The kids are pre-readers, so the device must be operable with big physical buttons and pictures, not text menus. Parents set it up once and can see every message from their own computer/phone. Core features (must-have) Record a message — kid presses one clearly marked button to record a short video (with a countdown or a "you're recording" light so they know it's rolling). Cap each clip at ~60 seconds so files stay small. Send — after recording, the kid sees a preview and presses a big green Send button, or a red Redo/Delete button. Once sent, it goes to the other kid's box. Receive + notify — when a new message arrives from the friend, the box shows it's there (a light and/or gentle chime; the newest unwatched message front-and-center). Browse the whole library — the kid can page through every past message from both kids (their own sent messages and the friend's), newest first, and replay any of them. Each message is visually tagged by who sent it (use a photo/color of each kid, since they can't read names yet) plus the date. Navigate with Previous / Next buttons and a big Play button. Parent-accessible storage — every video is stored in a shared cloud folder (Dropbox or Google Drive) that both sets of parents can open from their own devices, organized by sender and date. Nothing auto-deletes. This shared folder is also how the two boxes exchange messages. Behavior details Turnkey and locked-down. Boots straight into the app on power-up (kiosk mode) — no visible operating system, no desktop, no way for a kid to exit into settings, a browser, or anything else. Recovers automatically after a power cut or reboot. Only these two devices talk to each other. No other contacts, no phone number, no open internet, no app store, no third parties. Works offline gracefully. If Wi-Fi drops, recorded messages queue and upload automatically when it reconnects. The library plays from local storage so replay is instant and works even when offline. Store locally + in the cloud. Each box keeps a local copy of all messages for fast playback, and the shared cloud folder is the source of truth and the parent access point. Hidden parent settings. A parent area (behind a PIN or hidden gesture) for Wi-Fi, cloud login, and volume limit. Invisible to the kids. Volume limit on playback to protect little ears. Hardware (suggested — builder can propose equivalents) Raspberry Pi 5 or Pi 4 (needs enough headroom for smooth video + touchscreen). Camera + microphone at kid face-height. Either a Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 paired with a small USB microphone, or a good USB webcam with a built-in mic (simpler). Builder's call — I care about clear picture and clear audio. Display — a ~7" screen for viewing the preview and browsing the library. A touchscreen is fine as a bonus, but the core actions must work via physical buttons so a 5-year-old can't get lost. Large physical buttons — arcade-style (30mm+), color-coded, ideally lit, with simple icons: Record (red) Send (green) / Redo (used after recording) Previous / Next / Play for the library (Builder can consolidate sensibly — e.g., combine "redo" with the record flow — as long as it stays dead simple.) Speaker — small powered speaker for playback. Status light — for "recording now" and "new message waiting." Enclosure — sturdy, kid-proof, desk-mountable (screws down or has a heavy non-tip base), with cables exiting cleanly out the back. Not portable, no battery — it stays plugged into USB-C wall power and is always on. (If you don't do enclosures, a laser-cut or 3D-printed shell is fine, or coordinate with a separate maker — see notes.) Two complete units, identical. Explicitly out of scope Live/real-time calling, text messaging, drawing, games, music, web browsing, portability, GPS, any third-party contacts, any account the kid has to log into. If it's not in the must-have list above, I don't want it — simplicity is the whole point. Deliverables Two assembled, tested devices, each verified to record → send → receive → browse-and-replay end to end between the two units. Configured software, flashed and ready, with the source code and setup docs handed over to me so it can be repaired or re-flashed later. Parent setup guide (plain English): connecting Wi-Fi, the shared cloud folder, adding the kids' photos, setting the volume limit. The enclosure, or coordination with an enclosure maker if you don't build those. Skills this needs Raspberry Pi / Linux, Python, a bit of video handling (e.g., picamera2 / ffmpeg), a cloud storage API (Dropbox or Google Drive), basic electronics (GPIO buttons + LEDs), and enclosure fabrication (or a partner for it). Questions for you (please cover in your quote) Which cloud provider do you recommend for the shared folder, and why? Proposed button layout and screen size. Rough parts cost per unit and labor estimate for two units. Timeline. Anything in the must-haves you'd push back on or simplify.