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Just found this posting over on the PocketCHIP subreddit. Apparently some former employees of the now-defunct Next Thing Computing have started their own SBC/handheld company called Popcorn. They seem to be working along the same lines as Next Thing, with a couple of CHIP-compatible boards in the pipeline (though for a lot more than the original $9). They're also working on a handheld linux terminal that looks like it could be pretty interesting, if they can actually get it built. I guess they're focusing more on the hardware design than flashy marketing, because it's simply called the "Pocket PC".
Specs aren't mindblowing, but they should be more than sufficient for the intended purpose of the device:
Pricing is higher than you'd probably expect, with the standard version pre-ordering for $200, and the LoRa-radio-equipped version asking $300. Still, considering most of these folks lost their last job because Next Thing was selling everything at a loss, I can hardly blame them for being more conservative with their pricing. You can get more info and gamble on a preorder here, if you're so inclined.
Specs aren't mindblowing, but they should be more than sufficient for the intended purpose of the device:
- 1.2 GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU
- 2GB DDR3 RAM
- 32GB eMMC Memory
- 4.95" Full HD 1920x1080px IPS LCD
- Internal microSD Card Connector
- 3200mAh Removable Battery
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 4.0
- Infineon OPTIGA TRUST M Secure Element
- Built-in Programmable USB Keyboard w/ Backlight:
- STM32F103C8T6 ARM Cortex-M3 MCU
- 25x RGB APA102-2020 LEDs
- 59x Silicone Buttons
- 4x USB-C Connectors:
- 1x Device Port w/ Power Delivery (PD)
- 2x Host Port (1x w/ PD, 1x w/o PD)
- 1x USB-to-Serial Converter for Console Output
- Debian 10 w/ Mainline Linux
- Compatible w/ Gadget OS & Buildroot
- Open-Source Keyboard & LED Controller Firmware
Pricing is higher than you'd probably expect, with the standard version pre-ordering for $200, and the LoRa-radio-equipped version asking $300. Still, considering most of these folks lost their last job because Next Thing was selling everything at a loss, I can hardly blame them for being more conservative with their pricing. You can get more info and gamble on a preorder here, if you're so inclined.
