PocketMage is a personal digital assistant designed to reclaim the utility of pocketable computing without the distractions of a modern smartphone. It bridges the gap between a dedicated word processor and a versatile development tool, centered around a full tactile QWERTY keyboard and a unique dual-display architecture.
By utilizing an ESP32-S3, PocketMage offers a high-performance, low-power platform with a massive community of existing libraries and support. Whether you are drafting a manuscript, managing your calendar, or interfacing with hardware via the command line, PocketMage provides a dedicated environment that stays out of your way.
By splitting the interface across two distinct screen technologies (e-paper and OLED) the device optimizes for both battery life and responsiveness. The main e-paper display handles static content and long-form text, while the secondary OLED provides high refresh-rate feedback for menus and dynamic interactions.
Write, Hack, and Stay Organized
PocketMage is a tool for those who want to focus on one thing at a time. For writers, it serves as a sunlight-readable typewriter that fits in a pocket, allowing for focused drafting in any environment. The physical keyboard ensures that notetaking is fast and accurate and the integrated Markdown text editor makes editing with formatting effortless.
For engineers and hackers, PocketMage acts as a portable IDE, terminal, and hardware bridge. The ESP32-S3’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, combined with the tactile interface, make it an ideal companion for writing your own on-the-go programs and scripts. An expansion port is even included for custom hardware add-ons!
PocketMage runs a completely custom (and open-source!) operating system based on FreeRTOS. It features a built-in software suite geared towards productivity, writing, and programming with the ability to side-load 3rd-party applications. Not just a digital organizer, PocketMage has a journaling application, a dictionary, and even a terminal. Community members are free to contribute by improving the operating system or creating their own applications!
Features & Specifications
Design
- Primary e-paper Display: Sunlight-readable and power-efficient. Perfect for long-form text, calendars, or static data that stays visible even when the device is idling.
- Secondary OLED Display: A widescreen, high-refresh display for real-time feedback, scrolling menus, or quick interactions.
- Tactile QWERTY Keyboard: A full, physical keyboard optimized for quick notes, terminal commands, and journaling without the friction of a touchscreen.
- Intuitive Scrolling: An integrated capacitive touch bar allows for intuitive operation without a full touchscreen.
- Modern Features: Hardware like USB Type-C charging, a microSD card reader, and Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth bring just the right amount of modernity to the PDA form-factor.
- Wizard-Inspired OS: A character-filled operating system that makes every interaction feel like magic. Designed for digital minimalism, the UI provides a whimsical but highly functional gateway to your notes, code, and apps.
System Specs
- Processor: ESP32-S3 Microcontroller with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Flash: 16 MB quad SPI Flash
- RAM: 2 MB quad SPI SRAM
- Displays: 3.1-inch, 320x240px e-paper main panel & 1.8-inch 256x32px OLED secondary display
- Input: Built-in tactile QWERTY keyboard, capacitive scroll bar, USB keyboard support
- Storage: MicroSD card slot
- Sound: Piezo buzzer for beeps and boops
- Time: Integrated RTC (real-time clock)
- Battery: 1200mAh LiPo with integrated charging and battery management
- Connector: USB Type-C
- Hardware Expansion: Expansion port with power, I2C, SPI, UART, and GPIO
- Dimensions: 100 x 73 x 21.7 mm (3.97 x 2.87 x 0.85 in)
Open Source
All hardware, software, and documentation is currently released under the Apache-2.0 Open Source Hardware license. Contributions in the form of OS improvements and 3rd party software are welcomed and encouraged! Hardware contributions can also be made in the form of add-on modules. You can find everything in the PocketMage GitHub repo.
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About the Team
