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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.
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.