ShaRPIKeebo - A tiny Raspberry Linux computer with a keyboard, a daylight-readable screen, and a long-range transceiver

6 Jul, 2022

ShaRPiKeebo is probably the smallest Linux computer you’ll find with a physical QWERTY keyboard. Measuring just 6 x 11 x 1.5 cm and powered by a Raspberry Pi (RPi) Zero W or 2W, it features a 400x240-pixel, low-power, daylight-readable, black-and-white SHARP Memory Display, and a long-range wireless transceiver.

With a low-latency display, two D-pads, on-board power management, and support for Wi-Fi connectivity, this open-hardware, battery-powered nanocomputer is perfect for gamers, system administrators, software developers, students, makers, and any Linux geek.

Linux on a Raspberry Pi in the Palm of Your Hand

Who hasn’t dreamed of a computer the size of a calculator they could use to play games or carry out system-administration tasks when they’re on the go? Who doesn’t want a way to keep busy or stay entertained on a bus or a train or a subway? (A way that does not require balancing expensive hardware on their lap while repeatedly elbowing their neighbors…) Who wouldn’t enjoy leaving their bag or backpack at home more often? Scenarios like this speak to us, here at Morpheans, so we decided to make them a reality—with the ShaRPiKeebo nanocomputer.

As the culmination of the BlakRPi range of mini-computers we’ve been developing over the past four years, ShaRPiKeebo comes with the following…

Features & Specifications

2.7", 400x240-pixel, low-latency, energy-efficient LS027B7DH01 SHARP Memory Display
Built-in, QMK-compatible USB QWERTY keyboard with 56 keys
Can function as an external keyboard when attached to another device (such as a rack server)
Two four-button D-pads for gaming
Five buttons, controllable via (up/down) GPIO voltage detection
Four independently controlled LEDs, programmable using classic GPIO commands in C++ or Python
Long-range, 433-MHz radio transceiver (currently RFM95; working on upgrade to CE-marked RakWireless chip)
On-board battery-management and charging module that draws power through USB Type-C
A JST connector for a LiPo battery
UART and I²C available through GPIO for external 3.3 V modules (GPS, a 4G or 5G modem, etc.)
ISP programming port available for QMK-keyboard flashing or upgrades