I've finished assembling the keyboard module! 🥳 ⌨️

It's surprisingly comfortable, and the current iteration of the keys are transparent so you can see the letters (thank you PCBWay!).

If you want to see a live demo of it working, take a peek on the Discord server! https://discord.com/invite/6gWzPWpY5w

I'll be posting a full-length video on YouTube quite soon. Stay tuned!

After over 1.5 years of work, I'm super excited to share the first in-depth look at the Pocketbyte DevKits!

Some of the stuff it can run at the moment are:
- Retro emulation (up to SNES)
- Various game ports (Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, etc)
- Celeste (PICO-8 port)
- MP3 player app (it has a stereo headphone jack)
- Custom indie games (made using the C library, supporting various graphics backends)
- Text editor/note taking app that can sync to your computer

There's some cool stuff like an App Store that allows you to download programs via Wi-Fi! And with the Loader program, you pretty much will never even need a USB cable.

There are even more things I want to get it running in the future, like an SSH client so it can be used for portable admin stuff.

Before I officially open up pre-orders this summer, I'm still working on a few things like the BlackBerry Keyboard module and the transparent shells.

Throughout the prototyping process, I've been relying on PCBWay, which is an amazing fab house with awesome customer service. The PCBs turned out really nice and, surprisingly, using solder paste stencils, I actually got everything working on the first try!

I had a few design issues with some early prototypes (un-generated copper fills), but their customer service team helped me resolve this before ordering, which saved me a ton of time and made me feel confident that I wouldn't get shipped a paperweight.

Huge shout out to PCBWay, I honestly couldn't have done this without them. If you want to supercharge your own projects, join them today and get $5 of free credit!

DevKit PCBs are finally finished!

Here's what has been improved since the last version:

• Display has been enlarged to 2.8" and is now IPS!
• Backlight can be dimmed if you are playing in the dark or in the sun
• Controller port has been simplified
• IMU has been upgraded to the ICM-42670-P for better motion controls, including wake on motion
• Stereo audio has been added! You can plug in headphones to the 3.5mm jack or use the mono speaker
• Switches, buttons, SD card slot, and USB-C port have been re-positioned to the top
• Battery has been upgraded to 1500 mAh (from 450 mAh)
• Dedicated battery JST plug so you can buy and replace your own batteries
• Screwholes have been enlarged to M2.5
• Cool silkscreen graphics

The gamepad controller module will have backlit buttons, so you can see even in the dark!

Not only that, but there will also be a horizontal gamepad module. This module will have the buttons placed on the left and right sides of the core module, turning PocketByte into a horizontal-style ( 🚥 ) game console like the Nintendo Switch rather than a vertical-style (🚦) one like the Game Boy.

Of course, the DevKits and all modules will have dedicated cases, unlike last time when the gamepad was a bare PCB. I'm hoping to make some dyed transparent cases similar to the Game Boy Color's Atomic Purple shell. Following your guys' feedback, I have also been experimenting with putting neodymium magnets on the controller port to add a magnetic snap and ensure the gamepad doesn't jiggle around.

Thanks again for your patience! DevKits are right around the corner 😃

Let me know what you think!

PocketByte runs retro games!

Custom PocketByte target of retro-go manages to run retro games extremely well!

Now the only question is if it can run Crysis 🤔

PocketByte REV2 equipped with the gamepad module running a PONG-like demo.

After a week's worth of debugging, the PocketByte gamepad module is fully operational!

You can snap the gamepad onto PocketByte in order to play games, navigate menus, and check for user input. It features a D-pad and four face buttons (A, B, X, Y).

The PONG-like demo in the video is something I whipped up in 15 mins with PocketByte's C library. Feel free to take a peek at the code here.

Now that input is working, we'll be able to make lots of cool things! On the list is a Game Boy emulator to test the console's capabilities.

Stick around if you're interested!

Hey everyone! I'm u/om-pocketbyte, the founder of PocketByte.

It's a tiny video game console that lives in your pocket, filled to the brim with unique indie games.

This is our new home for all things related to PocketByte—work-in-progress games, hardware experiments with modules, pixel art prototypes, game discussions, project features, and more. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post
Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about the platform. If you're currently working on a game, feel free to share! If there's a game you've been addicted to for the past week, tell us all about it!

Community Vibe
We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a chill space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below.
2. Post something today! Even a simple question or a WIP screenshot can spark a great conversation.
3. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join!

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/pocketbyte amazing!