MNT Pocket Reform

The Pocket Reform is a smaller verison of the existing MNT Reform that is being crowd-funded and seems like exactly the type of product I have been looking for. The price is steep though, compared to the cost of DIY-ing it…

MNT Pocket Reform is an extremely compact, fully featured mini laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, and reusable. Being fully open source hardware and software, it exemplifies MNT’s principles while providing abundant connectivity and a pleasant typing experience thanks to a comfortable, ortholinear mechanical keyboard and a micro-optical trackball. Pocket Reform features up-to-date Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and support for cellular modems, so you can go online anywhere.

Cyber Deck Design Inspiration

It looks like a major design decision surrounds the physical size of the keyboard…

Is thumb-typing sufficient if all the required keys are present, or are there touch-typeable keyboards available at a reasonably small size?

Cyber Deck Project

While traveling recently, I became frustrated with my aging 11" Thinkpad and the limitations of iPhones or tablets, so I have started looking into sourcing a customized computer for use on the go.

I’d like it to have the following items for practicality:

1. Full GNU/Linux OS
2. USB chargeable with battery
3. Medium book sized (like iPad Mini or A5 Paper) dimensions assuming a couple inches thick
4. Large internal storage
5. Full keyboard (especially things like system key, tab, delete, home/end, etc.)–size is negotiable though
6. Mouse or touchscreen
7. Yoga-style hinges for laptop, lay-flat, and tablet form factors

Most off-the-shelf options are too expensive for what they offered (GPD), out-of-date (original netbooks), or poorly reviewed. Modifying a second-hand tablet or netbook, or building something from scratch seems like a reasonable option to get everything I want.