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A Costly Potato: After spending 12 years on the market, the Raspberry Pi single-board computer (SBC) has inspired a lot of DIY computing projects. The newly released Hackberry-Pi_Zero is one such device, bringing Raspberry capabilities to the world of portable hacking – but it's not cheap.
ZitaoTech, a Chinese student currently based in Germany, has created a new Raspberry Pi-based device he named HackberryPi Zero. The handheld Linux terminal is only compatible with the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W SBC, a small Raspberry system-in-a-package (SiP) design originally launched in October 2021. Basic features include a 4" 720 x 720 TFT display, along with the "original" BlackBerry keyboard as the device's main input peripheral.
The project's official GitHub page states that ZitaoTech designed and built the HackberryPi Zero as a learning tool and a fun "toy" for wannabe hackers. The device's feature list includes a Nokia BL-5C dual swappable battery design, which lets users replace a battery in a matter of seconds without losing power. Rechargeable Nokia BL-5C batteries are easy to come by, and they last between 3.5 to 5 hours in either desktop or command line mode.
Interested buyers can choose between two different BlackBerry keyboard models (Q10 or Q20), and a mouse is included, of course. The "cyberdeck" can easily connect to a computer and has a fully customizable keymap (through the Vial open source tool). The three USB 2.0 ports included in the device can be used to add wireless (4G) connectivity or any other Linux-compatible USB peripheral.
The HackberryPi Zero handheld can be fully recharged in 3 hours, ZitaoTech says. Additional expansion features include an onboard Stemma I2C port that can connect to compatible I2C sensors, and a TF card slot for connecting external microSD cards. Users have plenty of compatible operating systems to choose from, with ZitaoTech suggesting Kali, Raspberry Pi OS, or RetroPie, among others.
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The HackberryPi Zero is currently available in two different models, with a BBQ10 Keyboard or a BBQ20 Keyboard . The price is $125.88 or $126.88, which is quite a lot for a fun little toy. The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W compact SBC costs around $15; it's hard to imagine paying $100 more for a portable hacking device that lasts 5 hours at best will attract a lot of customers.
As part of the deal, ZitaoTech provides a fully assembled HackberryPi Zero and a 16GB card with a pre-installed operating system. Nokia BL-5C batteries are not included, but they can be easily purchased online for a few more dollars.