SleekPortable

A handheld UMPC designed for serious use

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Rationale

The lack of portable computing options that ain't heavy laptops or anti-repair - design tablets is lacking.

• Espechally when it comes to devices with actual keyboards that people can type almost blindly on.
  • Shure, one could take a Pi 400, strap a screen and battery bank to it but that's hardly compact anymore!

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Goal

Be compact

It needs to be portable as in "fitting into pockets"...

• The maximum feasible size for jackets is 12cm overall depth and an ultrawide form factor (See VAIO P11Z), but that's not an option besides Cargo Pants and deep-pocket Jackets.
• The maximum feasible size for Pants is that of the GBA SP [with a bit of wiggle room in terms of depth] as it's pretty chonky...

The exact case is to be determined. Some Comparisons have been noted down here.

Be useful

It needs to be able to run a useable Linux OS.

• _OS/1337 may be fine for some, but ideally it should be capable of more.
  • If in doubt, it needs to be able to fit a Raspberry Pi Zero W (2) for it's compute needs.
    • But generally any SBC in it's form factor should work.
• Make it a simple yet nifty system.
  • Not just for "red teaming" networks with Kali Linux.
  • Make it a nice PDA-esque system for efficient use on the go.

It needs to have sufficient connectivity.

• MicroSD (Boot Storage)
• USB (Additional Hardware)
  • Using the "Cartridge Slot" at the rear/underside for connectivity next to some ports.
  • internal parts?
    • Keyboard
    • Trackpoint + buttons
    • Hub to connect all of the external and internal ports
• 3,5mm TRRS (CTIA-Compliant) Headset Jack
  • OMTP compatibility with passive adapters.
  • Optional Switch for AV-Out?
• USB-C Power Delivery [at least 5V @ 3A max.] for charging.
  • Port at the underside for a dock
    • Hardware switch: Power/charging only or power + data (i.e. for a Dock similar to the GPI Case 2 and Analogue Pocket).
• Nice to Haves:
  • 100Mbit/s Ethernet [via USB]
    • Power over Ethernet as either a port on the dock and or cartridge similar to some Pi0 accessories.
  • Cartridge Slot
    • The design and pinout is to be determined.
      • Some comparisons are noted down here.

It needs to make sense.

• It needs to have useful features
  • hot-swappable batteries
    • it needs to have sufficient battery runtime anyway.
• It needs to be affordable
  • If it's as expensive as a Laptop + Smartphone, then there's no reason to use it.

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Acknowledgements

This project is inspired by various devices beloved by many.

• GameBoy Advance SP
  • For being a compact handheld that feels great and just is super pocketable.
    • It's dimensions & form factor is the design inspiration
• PDAs & early Smartphones
  • Nokia Communicator - series
  • BlackBerry Curve
  • Palm Treo 600
  • Cybiko, a PDA aimed at Kids which used a patented mesh networking technology in the 915 MHz ISM Band, predating DASH7, LoRa(WAN) & Meshtastic/MeshCore for over a decade.
• Anbernic RG34XXSP
  • Obviously a copy of the GBA SP's design, but with a more modern ARM SoC used to play various Retro Games from microSD cards.
• Retroflag GPi Case (2), a popular case for Pi Zero W & CM4 W SBCs in the form factor of the original GameBoy.
• Sony VAIO P
  • For showcasing what a Netbook can do if budget isn't holding it down.
    • Unfortunately it's garbage iGPU made it age worse than the original Eee PC
• solder.party KeebDeck
  • A tiny, opensource Thumb Keyboard inspired by the Blackberry Bold 9700 keyboard and it's diminishing stockpiles of replacements.
• Xbox 360 Chatpad
  • Another tiny Keyboard used mostly for Text Chatting on Xbox Live and typing in Text on the Xbox 360 instead of the on-screen keyboard.
• dreamGEAR MiniKey
  • A discontinued, tiny USB Keyboard originally marketed for use on the PlayStation 2 for entering game cheats.
• violence.works VT-69 Terminal
  • A stupid terminal that is portable and provides the ability to also host a Pi Zero (W).
• Pagers like the iconic NTT Pocket Bell, BlackBerry 950, RockSTAR Burst & GroundControl RockSTAR [the latter ones using the Iridium 9602 Module].
• Flip Phones like the iconic Motorola RAZR.
• Marcin Plaza's upcycled foldable Phone because it's cool.
• Iridium 9555
  • Your Chonky Brick Satellite Phone that only got beaten by the Iridium 9575 & Iridium Extreme PTT.
  • Designed to be rugged and just work globally!
• Waveshare GamePi20
  • A compact case for the Raspberry Pi Zero (W) to turn it into a Handheld similar to the GameBoy micro.