keyboard News - Page 2 of 9 - CNX Software

August 12, 2025August 24, 2025 by Debashis Das - 3 Comments

LILYGO T-LoRa Pager is an ESP32-S3 handheld with support for text messaging, AI motion detection, and NFC

LILYGO T Lora Pager (LoRa + ESP32 S3 Handheld AIOT Programmable Development Device)

LILYGO T-LoRa Pager is an ESP32-S3-based IoT handheld device that comes in an old pager form factor but relies on LoRa for text messaging, GNSS for positioning, NFC for contactless communication, and features AI-assisted motion detection with a BHI260AP IMU sensor. The device also includes a 2.33-inch IPS display (480×222), a QWERTY keyboard, a rotary encoder, an audio codec, a microSD slot, a battery management system, and a wireless charging pad. These features make this device suitable for portable, remote sensing, asset tracking, field communication, and edge AI projects, where GNSS, LoRa, and/or NFC functionalities are required. LILYGO’s T-LoRa Pager specifications: Wireless SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core 32-bit LX7 processor running at 240 MHz Memory – 512 KB SRAM, 8 MB PSRAM. Storage – 16 MB Flash Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.x Storage – microSD card slot for external storage Display – 2.33-inch IPS display (ST7796), […]

July 30, 2025July 30, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Matter-enabled Smart Mechanical Keyboard MK1 targets Smart Home users

THIRDREALITY Smart Mechanical Keyboard MK1 may look like a traditional mechanical keyboard, but it supports the Matter protocol to double as a Smart Home controller. I initially thought it was a ridiculous idea, but as someone who spends 8 hours or more a day in front of a keyboard, it could be quite convenient. Simply press the F1 to F12 keys to control lights, adjust air conditioners, smart shades, and more with minimal distraction. So let’s have a look at the MK1 in more detail. Smart Mechanical Keyboard MK1 specifications: Model Number – 3RMK01069M Wireless connectivity Matter over Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz only, 5GHz not supported) Compatible Devices – Apple Home, Home Assistant, SmartThings, and Google Home (and likely other Matter-certified hubs with Wi-Fi connectivity) Likely based on Bouffalo Lab BL602 chip (See Home Assistant screenshot below). Keyboard 87-key mechanical QWERTY keyboard Customizable display keys Yellow mechanical switches with “minimal noise” […]

July 16, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

FPGA-based Commodore 64 Ultimate keyboard PC is compatible with original C64 games

The last original Commodore 64 keyboard computer was sold in 1994, and since then, the Commodore brand and assets have been owned by various companies over the years, until YouTuber Christian Simpson (Perifractic) bought all assets earlier this year to revive the brand and launch the Commodore 64 Ultimate. The Commodore 64 Ultimate is based on an AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA coupled with 128MB RAM and 16MB NOR flash, and can emulate the original computer, giving access to over 10,000 games and programs made for the original C64 computer. The new computer is a mix of old interfaces with analog outputs for CRT TVs, cartridges, SID sockets, and disk drives, and more recent ones, such as HDMI, WiFi, USB, and more. Commodore 64 Ultimate specifications: FPGA – AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA System Memory – 128MB DDR2 RAM Storage 16MB NOR flash Internal microSD card slot Support for USB flash drives […]

June 19, 2025June 21, 2025 by Debashis Das - 3 Comments

CyberT. – A BlackBerry-like Raspberry Pi CM4-based handheld Linux computer with Kali Linux support

Designed by Carbon Computers, the CyberT. is a BlackBerry-style handheld Linux computer equipped with a 4-inch panel built around the Raspberry Pi CM4. It features a custom QMK-powered QWERTY keyboard, a BlackBerry-style touchpad, HDMI output, microSD card slot, stereo speakers, and an onboard battery management system (BMS), packed into a compact form factor. Compared to Clockwork’s uConsole, which features swappable CM3/CM4 SoMs, a 5-inch display, and optional 4G LTE, the CyberT. focuses on cybersecurity and portable development. While many Raspberry Pi CM4-based handheld devices like the RetroLite CM4 and ReBoi target retro gaming with joysticks or Game Boy-style enclosures, the CyberT., takes a cyberdeck-style approach and runs Kali Linux, or other Linux distributions like Raspberry Pi OS. CyberT. Beta Specifications: SoM – Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) Storage – MicroSD card slot for OS and data storage Display 4-inch 720×720 RGB TFT display (ST7701S controller, TTL RGB interface – […]

May 5, 2025May 5, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

OneChipBook-12 is a Cyclone EP1C12Q FPGA development platform with a built-in display and mechanical keyboard

It may look like a netbook from 10 years ago, but the OneChipBook-12 from “8086YES!” is instead an Altera Cyclone EP1C12Q FPGA development platform with a VGA display (LCD form iPad 2), a PS/2 QWERTY mechanical keyboard, a battery, and a few ports. While the OneChipBook-12 is sold as a blank FPGA development platform “with no predefined functionalities”, the hardware is similar to One Chip MSX (1chipMSX), Zemmix Neo, and uMSX systems, which are modern MSX2+ clones, and that’s the main reason people are purchasing the device. OneChipBook-12 specifications: FPGA Altera Cyclone EP1C12Q240 (from the obsolete Cyclone I family) 12,060 LEs 239,616 bits RAM System Memory – 32MB SDRAM Storage – SD card slot (FAT16 file system supported) Display – 1024×768 VGA display Video Output – VGA, S-Video, and CVBS Output interface Audio – Stereo speakers, audio output jack (8), volume control knob (9) USB – USB Type-A port […]

April 29, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

IP67-rated Helios SK51 CAN Keypad adds five programmable RGB tactile buttons to CAN Bus applications

Helios SK51 CAN Keypad is a waterproof (IP67-rated) keypad connected over CAN Bus with five tactile silicone buttons and LED backlighting. Each button is fully programmable and offers a 24-bit RGB color option. In some ways, it reminds me of the T-Keyboard-S3-Pro mechanical keypad, but instead of relying on USB, the SK51 CAN Keypad works over a CAN Bus compliant with the SAE J1939 standard, and it’s designed for more demanding environments. Helios SK51 specifications 5x programmable buttons with integrated display, each with a status LED on top. CAN protocols SAE J1939 compatible protocol Transmit – Button status on press/release or 1s interval Receive Simple Mode: Set backlight & status LED colors, brightness, and flash Full RGB: 24-bit RGB per LED (16.7 million colors) CAN Termination – Not Fitted USB – USB-C for firmware update Supply Voltage – 6 to 35 VDC Power Consumption – 5 to 200mA, depending on […]

April 3, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

LILYGO T-Deck Pro – An ESP32-S3 LoRa messenger with e-paper touch display, keyboard, and 4G LTE or audio codec option

LILYGO T-Deck Pro is a LoRa messenger based on an ESP32-S3 WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.x SoC, and offered with a 3.1-inch e-paper display with touchscreen, a Blackberry-like QWERTY keyboard, a GPS module, speaker, microphone, and a 3.5mm audio, as well as IMU and light sensors. It builds upon the T-Deck Plus design, but replacing the 2.8-inch IPS display with a 3.1-inch e-paper display allows for a slimmer design and should offer longer battery life despite the smaller 1,400 mAh battery used in the new model. Two versions of the T-Deck Pro are available: one with a Simcom 4G LTE modem and a cheaper one with a PCM5102A audio codec. LILYGO T-Deck Pro specifications: SoC – ESP32-S3FN16R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller @ up to 240 MHz 2.4 GHz 802.11n WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE connectivity Memory – 8MB PSRAM Storage – 16MB SPI flash Storage – MicroSD card […]

March 14, 2025March 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

PicoCalc Kit is a Raspberry Pi Pico handheld terminal with a backlit STM32 QWERTY keyboard

ClockworkPi has made several Linux handheld terminals over the years such as the GameShell or DevTerm, but the PicoCalc Kit is quite different since it relies on the Raspberry Pi Pico board plus an STM32 microcontroller to handle its built-in keyboard. The PicoCalc Kit is based on the ClockworkPi v2.0 mainboard that takes an RP2040-based Pi Pico H board, connects to a 4-inch IPS display with 320×320 resolution and stereo speakers, integrates a backlit QWERTY keyboard, and ships with a 32GB SD card with an optimized BASIC firmware. PicoCalc Kit specifications: ClockworkPi v2.0 mainboard Compatible boards – Headers for Raspberry Pi Pico H/WH, and Raspberry Pi Pico 2 / 2W MCU – STM32 for keyboard and backlight programmable with the Arduino IDE or STM32 official development tools Storage – SD card slot Display – Screen connector (SPI) Audio 2x speaker connectors 3.5mm audio jack 67-key QWERTY keyboard (I2C) Expansion Connector […]