Looking for a tiny, Linux computer that’s small enough to fit in a pocket, but which has a keyboard, display, and everything else you need for computing on the go? I guess you could spend $69 on a Pocket CHIP. but you could also just build your own.
That’s what a hacker that goes by the name of NODE has done, and he’s posted details of his DIY “Zero Terminal” for anyone that wants to build their own.
In a nutshell, here’s what you need:
- A Raspberry Pi Zero computer
- A 3.5 inch display (or a similarly sized screen)
- One of those cheap keyboard cases designed for the iPhone 5
You’ll also want a small battery… and a case. NODE made a 3D printed case and plans to release files that you can download and send to a 3D printer on your own, but right now the Zero Terminal is still a work in progress, so you may have to wait a while to get those files.
Or you can design your own.
This is hardly the first time we’ve seen someone build a self-contained computer by adding a screen and keyboard to a Raspberry Pi. But it’s one of the more polished looking pocket-sized PCs I’ve seen in a while.
Since the heart of the system is a Raspberry Pi Zero, it’s compatible with Raspbian and a number of other Linux-based operating systems. And since the idea is to repurpose a smartphone keyboard case, you can find plenty of models with nifty features including a slide-out function and backlit keys.
Add an HDMI output and you can also hook up the Zero Terminal to an external display and connect a keyboard and mouse to use it like a desktop PC.
via Hacker News
It looks like a Nokia N900 from 2009 running Maemo (Linux).
Very cool!!!!
[BTW, it looks like the C.H.I.P. has been on back order for 3 months now!?]
What’s that screen in the second and third image and how can I get one?
I didn’t really watch the video, but i’m guessing it’s a DIY monitor. Just the other day I watched someone on youtube make a monitor out of a laptop LCD panel. They just take out the panel and the trick is to find a controller board for that panel (ebay), then it’s just about building a frame that houses that board and the cables/battery/whatever you want to put in.
It looks a lot like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Eleduino-Raspberry-Monitor-Dispaly-Security/dp/B01G52QIIY/ref=sr_1_45?ie=UTF8&qid=1490416280&sr=8-45&keywords=pi+monitor
Or maybe the monitor included in this bundle:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MPWZQCC/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_16_w