Web Appliances

Just a passing thought but since so many web sites have http based apis for manipulating user data, and since the http and tcp is so ubiquitous: where are my cheap one-off hardware devices that can interface with them?

I'm thinking of standalone devices that are Tiger Electronics style cheap to do simple, relatively input free tasks, like for instance: tell me today's weather.

Sure: it makes more sense if you have a capable semi-mobile processor to let it do multiple configurable tasks ( ie. an IPhone ) -- but still -- just as there are now those little lcd picture frames, i would love a little lcd weather display, something that i can keep plugged into my stereo to stream KEXP, maybe a simple headline or RSS reader, maybe an astronomy picture of the day based picture frame.....

Am I crazy, or are there other simple web devices that would be nice to have around the home?