The Ultimate Digital Survival Tool for Modern Travelers

It’s true that our electronic devices have never been more portable than they are today. Even so, taking everything we need along with us on the road can be a huge pain. We often find ourselves lugging around laptops, tablets, and phones for computing, portable disk drives to store our data, a travel router to link everything together, and a hefty power bank for when no electrical outlets are available. When you think about it, our digital lives really aren’t that portable after all.

Yiling Cao is hoping to change that with the release of Photonicat 2. It is a single device that acts as a mini PC, a portable router, network-attached storage (NAS), and a large power bank. It is expandable to suit each individual’s needs, and can be upgraded with an optional 5G board that provides internet access wherever cellular signals can be picked up.

Photonicat 2 is built around an 8-Core Rockchip RK3576 CPU, and has either 4GB or 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The Debian Linux operating system runs on an internal eMMC drive that is up to 128GB in size. Network connectivity options include Wi-Fi and a pair of gigabit Ethernet ports. There is an HDMI port for video output, and a USB connector for peripherals. An additional hard drive can be added for more storage space, and the system is powered by four 18650 battery cells that can keep everything up and running for 24 hours.

The idea for Photonicat traces back to Cao’s own frustrations as a frequent traveler. Relying on phone hotspots proved unreliable, and off-the-shelf travel routers lacked the flexibility, battery life, and openness he wanted. Rather than compromise, he began building a device that could deliver always-on connectivity, support tools like WireGuard and Tailscale, and still be powerful enough to double as a general-purpose computer.

That philosophy carries over into Photonicat 2, which represents a substantial leap over the original model released two years ago. The new RK3576 processor delivers roughly three times the performance of its predecessor, enabling everything from gigabit-class routing to light virtualization and homelab experimentation. A built-in NVMe slot supports compact 2230 SSDs, turning the unit into a fast, portable NAS for backups or media.

The device’s large battery capacity allows Photonicat 2 to function as an uninterruptible power supply in a car or mobile office, while bi-directional USB-C Power Delivery enables both fast charging and the ability to power other devices. Passive cooling handles everyday workloads silently, with an internal fan kicking in only when sustained performance is required.

Unlike many closed consumer networking products, Photonicat 2 is fully open source. It runs a mainline Linux 6.12+ kernel and supports Debian, OpenWrt, and even Android through publicly available build scripts. A small built-in screen displays system status and can be customized using simple JSON files, while extras like an accelerometer and beeper enable advanced power and alert behaviors.

The Kickstarter campaign was fully funded late last year, but you can still Late Pledge for rewards. The bare PCB is sold for $114, while completely assembled systems start at about $200.