Challenged to build a Raspberry PI Laptop – Part 1

Challenged to build a Raspberry PI Laptop – Part 1

Today I got a challenge from Lewis Richards (@Stroker on Twitter) – A selfie with a Raspberry PI Laptop that I have built. Okay – Challenge accepted. Turning a Raspberry PI into a laptop is not a new thing but does look like an interesting project to undertake. If you don’t want to build your…

Max Hemingway

November 8, 2017

1–2 minutes

Open Source, RaspberryPI

Today I got a challenge from Lewis Richards (@Stroker on Twitter) – A selfie with a Raspberry PI Laptop that I have built. Okay – Challenge accepted.

Turning a Raspberry PI into a laptop is not a new thing but does look like an interesting project to undertake. If you don’t want to build your own you could buy a Raspberry PI-Top and use this pre-built case to save a build.

Awesome DIY Raspberry Pi Laptop http://flip.it/QqZz8N @Max_Hemingway I want to see a selfie of you with one of these you’ve built!

Tweet: https://twitter.com/stroker/status/928259932373299200

However my challenge is to build one so I am currently working through the best way to do this and what functions and features I want to build in.

Current thinking around parts and screen are:

Things needed

Power supply – battery/mains and ability to charge the batteries
Raspberry PI 3 (inbuilt networking)
Cooling
Screen – 7 inch – Touchscreen
Keyboard – thin USB
Case
Mouse
Operating System
Applications

Requirements

I like the addition of other boards such as the arduino for connectivity as well as the Raspberry PI
Access to the ports on the Raspberry PI
I’m more into an external mouse but happy to include a form of track pad.
Suitable cooling for the laptop
Future expansion for the device or ability to swap items out
Portability of the device and solidity of the case
Do something unique/original for the build

Thinking about what else I can get into the device to add functionality and would welcome any suggestions to add to the device.

I will blog more parts to this build as I go through the design,build and get the relevant parts together.

5 responses to “Challenged to build a Raspberry PI Laptop – Part 1”

Max Hemingway

November 8, 2017 at 4:06 pm

So have my first feedback for features: –

Will Kelly @wkelly24

Hi Max. Some type of LED solution to indicate battery lvl. I don’t think a specific display is needed for this, but some type of indicator.

– Adding this to the list

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Steve

November 9, 2017 at 12:35 pm

Hi Max, excellent project, have tinkered with this but cheated using a Motorola Atrix Webdock to provide most of the components.

What about adding Google AIY capability?

You may have inspired me to do something a bit more from scratch.

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1. Max Hemingway
  
  November 9, 2017 at 4:19 pm
  
  Thanks Steve. Glad I have inspired you do try something. Google AIY is a good call. Wondering about a dual with Alexa to provide additional capability :). Also need to consider complexity though and sticking too much into the device. The housing will be interesting as to the type of case to get/make. That will be part of the limiting factor
  
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Max Hemingway

December 3, 2017 at 4:46 pm

Update: – I am awaiting parts to be delivered for this project

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Challenged to build a Raspberry PI Laptop – Part 2 | Max Hemingway

July 26, 2018 at 10:05 am

[…] been a while since I wrote my first blog post on this (Challenged to build a Raspberry PI Laptop – Part 1) following on from the challenge I had been set by Lewis […]

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