4 ms·

Please can somebody build a case for the Pi Zero in the form factor of the Psion 5? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

by cstross 11y ago

Please can somebody build a case for the Pi Zero in the form factor of the Psion 5? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_5 (The patents on the folding keyboard will probably have expired by now -- the design dates to 1994-95 -- and with a 30mA draw the Pi 0 is within spitting distance of the sort of power the Psion 5's twin AA cells delivered. Add an e-ink display and a wee USB bluetooth peripheral for i/o (wifi too, if it can be done within battery limits) and it could be the second coming of the form factor of the Sharp Zaurus Z-1 Netwalker (only with a better keyboard and more usefully open software stack): http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/27/sharps-5-inch-pc-z1-netwalker-honors-the-zaurus-legacy/ http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/27/sharps-5-inch-pc-z1-netwa...

jacquesm 11y ago
Now there is one design that should make it to thingyverse.
yasth 11y ago
Were you to want to, you'd have much much more space and could just convert a lot of the body to li-ion which is probably a better use than really trying to get it last that long on AAs. (Also there are probably better processors, unless you really need the graphics performance (though not all the time of course), it really is true that the RPi is a GPU with a CPU accessory, shame it is so hard to do compute with the GPU) Anyways for your needs I'd look at the CHIP, which is much like the rPi 0 except it has WIFI and BT connectivity, plus built in power control and charging circuitry (and costs $9 (or $8 if you are fast)) [1] A hackish job is probably possible, the hard part would be sourcing the display. [1] http://makezine.com/2015/11/28/chip-vs-pi-zero/ http://makezine.com/2015/11/28/chip-vs-pi-zero/
Joeboy 11y ago
I would love there to be a modern Psion Series 5. I'd just stick an android device in the nice clamshell case though.

by cstross 11y ago

jacquesm 11y ago

Now there is one design that should make it to thingyverse.

yasth 11y ago

Were you to want to, you'd have much much more space and could just convert a lot of the body to li-ion which is probably a better use than really trying to get it last that long on AAs. (Also there are probably better processors, unless you really need the graphics performance (though not all the time of course), it really is true that the RPi is a GPU with a CPU accessory, shame it is so hard to do compute with the GPU) Anyways for your needs I'd look at the CHIP, which is much like the rPi 0 except it has WIFI and BT connectivity, plus built in power control and charging circuitry (and costs $9 (or $8 if you are fast)) [1] A hackish job is probably possible, the hard part would be sourcing the display. [1] http://makezine.com/2015/11/28/chip-vs-pi-zero/ http://makezine.com/2015/11/28/chip-vs-pi-zero/

Joeboy 11y ago

I would love there to be a modern Psion Series 5. I'd just stick an android device in the nice clamshell case though.