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Cyberdeck: The Hardware

2021-02-11T22:11

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I wanted a Cyberdeck.¹ My goal was to build a portable machine for the purpose of writing. Something with Vim as the editor and a nice keyboard. It also needed to be portable and rugged enough to be used on the couch next to my toddler.

This plan was made possible by the discovery of the Termux software. A unix-like userland for Android.² I could run Vim directly on my phone.

Well, the parts I ordered to attach my phone to the back of my keyboard arrived a few days ago and I've put them together. I used camera tripod mounting gear. I attached (what seems to be called) a hot cold shoe to the back of the keyboard. To that I connected a ball joint and a camera mount. Doing it this way allows it to easily disassemble for travel, or continue to be used in keyboard-only configuration.

The hardware has mostly lived up to my expectations. The ball-joint was a little weak but a piece of leather in the joint mechanism improved the grip when it was locked down. The shoe connector is a little sloppy too, but I think that can probably also be fixed with a piece of leather. The bigger problem is that it's a little back heavy which gives it a tendency to tip back when used on my lap. I can probably solve this by replacing the wooden bottom cover with a steel one which will shift centre of gravity further forward.

There isn't a lot more that should be said about the hardware, so I'll leave you with pictures.

Hot Cold Shoe mount

Back with bracket assembled

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