A Distraction-Free Handheld Linux Computer for Coders

There are a million ways to use a tiny single-board computer in a hobbyist project, but one of the most obvious might be to turn that little board into a full-fledged, pint-sized computer. Redditor stopdesign has done just that, and the result is a simple, yet beautiful handheld computer that I absolutely don’t need, yet cannot imagine living another day without. The goal of the project was to create a distraction-free coding computer that can be used anywhere and everywhere. But since it runs Linux, it could just as easily be repurposed for other tasks.

The case (which appears to be 3D printed) folds open like a laptop. The top half of the open case has a sizable LCD display, while the lower half has a keyboard. The keyboard doesn’t look like it would be a dream to type on, but it is only intended for thumb typing. And compared to other devices of a similar size, the physical keys would be a big improvement over the touchscreens typically used.

Inside the case, there is a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W to power, well, basically everything. The rest of the build is effectively just adding a really nice interface to an otherwise bare circuit board. Since nothing much else is needed, there is plenty of free space in the case for a large, 8,000 mAh rechargeable battery to keep the system up and running for extended periods of time.

Looking ahead, stopdesign is planning to upgrade the computer. A memory boost might be in the cards for this little machine, and stopdesign also mentioned the possibility of designing some hot-swappable keyboards to support different tasks, like gaming or making MIDI music.

The build is pretty simple for those who want to make a similar computer, but if you would rather have someone else do all the work, a crowdfunding campaign may eventually emerge. Be sure to stay tuned to Hackster News for updates on this one.