Orion PDA is a pocket-sized computer with a keyboard, sunlight-viewable display, and solar charging (crowdfunding)

The Orion PDA is a modern handheld computer with a very retro-inspired design. that makes it look like a cross between a souped-up beeper and a pocket-sized laptop with a keyboard, display, and clamshell design.

It has a 3.16 inch sunlight visible black and white display, a thumb keyboard, a low-power microcontroller for brains, a relatively simple set of software features… and one surprising piece of hardware: a solar panel on the back that lets you charge the Orion PDA. While it’s a DIY project that’s still a work in progress, the developer is also hoping to launch a crowdfunding campaign for folks who want their own eventually.

The latest prototype is fully functional if you don’t count a driver display issue that leads to flickering – but work is underway to fix that.

Orion PDA hardware features include:

• Sharp LS032B7DD02 Memory LCD display (3.16 inches, 536 x 336 pixels, 1-bit black and white)
• ST Micro STM32U575 microprocessor (Arm Cortex-M33 @ up to 160 MHz)
• Cirrus Logic WM8904 DAC with 3.5mm audio jack, built-in speaker, and digital MEMS microphone
• Clamshell design
• QWERTY keyboard with function keys and rubber domes
• Solar Panel for charging
• USB Type-C port for charging, data, and firmware updates
• SD card reader
• Expansion port

There’s also an expansion port designed to let users add functionality through optional modules. WiFi and LoRa modules are already under development.

A recent demo video shows the Orion PDA function as a music player and a device for note-taking with a basic text editor and voice note app. There’s even a video player that lets you watch movies in black and white (or black and gray really… but just black and gray, not multiple shades of gray. This is a 1-bit screen, after all).

The screen is not only easily visible in direct sunlight, but it may actually look better in sunlight than it does indoors, since there’s no backlight for illumination, and no front lights like the kind you find on some eBook readers.

After the display driver issue is addressed, the developer hopes to manufacture a batch of 20 or 30 units to send to beta testers before launching a crowdfunding campaign in hopes of producing and a larger batch and shipping them to backers.

There’s no word yet on how much the Orion PDA will cost or when it will be available, but you can sign up for notifications on the project website or keep an eye on YouTube or Discord for the latest updates.

via Hackster