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Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

0x0f0f0f.github.io

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Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#31

Post by Mediterraneo10 »

cr0sh wrote: post #12

Definitely going to be following this, as it's something I've thought of doing for my "next" phone - for basically all the reasons you've stated. I'm sick and tired of not being in total control of my current phone. I've thought about rooting it, but even if I did (it's a Samsung S7 from T-Mobile - which has a different processor and other stuff than the S7 that is easily rootable - and there are other "games" Samsun…

Have you considered buying the coming Librem phone instead of trying to build something on the basis of a Raspberry Pi? The Librem will be capable of running ordinary Linux.

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#32

Post by floren »

pergadad wrote: post #26
stamps wrote: post #2

Excited to see the final build. The author provided a list of _obscure_ handhelds that you could try and get your hands on. On that list there is the Pyra[0] which is very near completion. It has some interesting features such as a replaceable CPU board (nonstandard) for future upgrades. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/

Hmm I don't understand this. Why pay 600€ for a handheld with a 1.6ghz dual core if I can buy a netbook/13" with better specs for less? What is the use case for this device?

In 2011, it was a pretty good deal.

Edit: apparently it was presented in 2014... when, yes, dual core ARM would have already been pretty sub-par.

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#33

Post by stamps »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #27
stamps wrote: post #2

Excited to see the final build. The author provided a list of _obscure_ handhelds that you could try and get your hands on. On that list there is the Pyra[0] which is very near completion. It has some interesting features such as a replaceable CPU board (nonstandard) for future upgrades. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/

Do you have a source for “near completion”? I was under the impression the project was dead. It’s been “coming soon” for nearly a decade.

It definitely has been a long time.

From the forums you can see the updates that the creator has provided.

Here is the most recent thread which details the case molds and shows a assembled unit: https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/even-more-to-see-he...

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#34

Post by stamps »

qwerty456127 wrote: post #24
stamps wrote: post #2

Excited to see the final build. The author provided a list of _obscure_ handhelds that you could try and get your hands on. On that list there is the Pyra[0] which is very near completion. It has some interesting features such as a replaceable CPU board (nonstandard) for future upgrades. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/

Pyra is near completion? I thought it was abandonned (I have been waiting for almost 10 years already). It looks like an almost-perfect handheld device, what it should actually be (according to my vision). The only thing missing is an RJ-45 NIC port (which would make it really useful for admins) but a USB-attached one will probably do just fine.

See my post above.

Here's the latest thread from the forums:

https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/even-more-to-see-he...

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#35

Post by stamps »

pergadad wrote: post #26
stamps wrote: post #2

Excited to see the final build. The author provided a list of _obscure_ handhelds that you could try and get your hands on. On that list there is the Pyra[0] which is very near completion. It has some interesting features such as a replaceable CPU board (nonstandard) for future upgrades. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/

Hmm I don't understand this. Why pay 600€ for a handheld with a 1.6ghz dual core if I can buy a netbook/13" with better specs for less? What is the use case for this device?

I think the use case is mainly targeted at handheld computing/gaming.

It's definitely a more boutique device.

My guess would be it's for the crowd looking for repair ability and control over the device.

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#36

Post by azinman2 »

cr0sh wrote: post #12

Definitely going to be following this, as it's something I've thought of doing for my "next" phone - for basically all the reasons you've stated. I'm sick and tired of not being in total control of my current phone. I've thought about rooting it, but even if I did (it's a Samsung S7 from T-Mobile - which has a different processor and other stuff than the S7 that is easily rootable - and there are other "games" Samsun…

If you’re rooting your phone, you’re only further opening up yourself beyond the limited protects android already gives you.

I wouldn’t underestimate how hard it is to build a decent capacitive touch keyboard independent of the screens sensors (which is also a non-trivial matter), along with the rest of the software stack. Good luck to you... I wish there were good alternatives out there...

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#37

Post by wwweston »

pergadad wrote: post #26
stamps wrote: post #2

Excited to see the final build. The author provided a list of _obscure_ handhelds that you could try and get your hands on. On that list there is the Pyra[0] which is very near completion. It has some interesting features such as a replaceable CPU board (nonstandard) for future upgrades. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/

Hmm I don't understand this. Why pay 600€ for a handheld with a 1.6ghz dual core if I can buy a netbook/13" with better specs for less? What is the use case for this device?

The handheld / pocket form factor is just a different device category, the kind you can have always on you.

It's more competition for your phone than your netbook.

Of course, it arguably suffers there: 600€ will buy you a lot of phone right now (def more processor). So there's there's a reasonable question regarding whether the keyboard + controls and more open nature add enough value. The answer is probably "no" unless handheld gaming and tinkering is your thing.

Re: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ full keyboard handheld

#38

Post by groundlogic »

0x0f0f0f wrote: post #18
groundlogic wrote: post #17

Nice project. The stumble block for these kinds of projects is often the keyboard. It seems tricky to get something nice to use without using keyboards from other products - and then being a slave to that mini keyboard's dimensions and availability. This project made something that seemed like it could be nice (the page was missing a final photo of the project all put together), on a custom PCB with off-the-shelf swi…

The keyboard is working fine and since it's powered by a Teensy 3.2/LC it can be plugged into any USB host, I'm still waiting to get the keys printed in order to put the working build in the case. The CardKB project is also interesting if you want a keyboard with soldered keys, only "downside" is I2C bus.

CardKB is a chinese project, right? I can't seem to find the single original source for this thing, just lots of pages talking about it, like:

https://m5stack.com/products/cardkb-mini-keyboard

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