There’s yet another portable computer format out for your money. The RootBoard follows what several others have already done by sticking a Raspberry Pi board into a custom shell. This cyberdeck format is cool as hell and, if you happen to agree, there’s a Kickstarter campaign for you to check out.
If nothing else, it’s more convenient than performing the build yourself (though the Typeframe PS-85 is an option if you’d prefer something more DIY). The base price for a RootBoard via the ongoing crowdfunding campaign is just R1,900. Plus, it’ll ship anywhere, so it should make it here.
RootBoard access
There is a slight catch, though. The whole ‘sticking a Raspberry Pi board in’ thing? You’ll have to do that yourself, using one of several compatible boards (that you’ll also have to buy). Since you’re likely to have one sitting around, having never gotten around to building that… whatever that thing was, it shouldn’t be too much trouble. Right?
Buyers need to supply their own RaspBerry Pi Zero, Zero W, or Zero 2 W, plus the memory card needed for the operating system. The battery also has to be supplied by prospective RootBoard owners. The other bits are whole and assembled.
That means that casing, QWERTY keyboard (a compact one, naturally), and 3.5in display are present. Various ports are also layered down the admittedly good-looking case’s sides. Getting it up and running only calls for the main board’s primary operating system. After that, what you use it for is up to you.
Whether that’s Edward Furlong cosplay or running some actually useful software is entirely on the user. The RootBoard’s creators reckon it’ll connect to “ESP32, Raspberry Pi Pico, Arduino, STM32 sensors, or IoT devices”. Of course, you needn’t wait for this if you already have the RaspBerry Pi board. The other components exist, even if they’re not quite as slick. If you’re lazy, though, the fully funded Kickstarter has another 23 days to run.
