Post #2489310

2026-04-22 17:46 UTC

I want to build a cyberdeck, eventually. I like cyberpunk. One of my pinned posts is about building our own cyberpunk dystopia. We’re already there, it’s just boring. Anyway. The point of that is that I wonder what a “cyberdeck” like build would be for someone with my, less-than-knowledgeable, capabilities would be. I like to this about the iPod touch. I like iPods. I’ve established this fact a lot. There’s a lot of love these days for the classic, click wheel iPods. There is not as much love the the iPod touch. I think that’s a shame! I can run a Bluetooth keyboard with it. It has a headphone jack! It has a (not-so-great but kind of vibe-y) camera! I could put together a quick “kit” that would be personal to me. I could make a little case for it. Headphones, folding keyboard, and an iPod. Couldn’t hack into the mainframe, though.

Replies (3)

@DoctorDeathray@retro.social 2026-04-22 17:59

So. What does my tech layout look like in our current cyberpunk dystopia? A lot more boring than it should. An M1 MacBook Air for portable and general computer stuff. Some recent-ish generation iPhone. I can’t keep up. A Mac mini m4pro for audio (and now some video) production. A circa 2020 iPad Pro with a super long crack in the screen, but it still works. These are boring things. My DAW is Logic, which is apple-only, so I’ve been in this eco-system since 2009. Well. OS8 to windows 98 to XP to Leopard. Anyway. Boring things work, but they’re not as *fun* for me. They work! I like the things I make! But my phone bits of kit are: A gen 1 iPod shuffle (my first iPod) A gen 2 modded iPod mini (pink) A gen 6 iPod classic A gen 7 iPod touch (maybe gen 6? It’s 32gb and I really want a larger capacity one when I can afford it) Nikon CoolPix BoxyPixel modded GBA. I don’t carry all of these things. Usually it’s just the MacBook Air, my phone, and maybe the GBA and camera. But what if that were different? How can I untether myself more?

Open ##2489311
@steven@zeroes.ca 2026-04-22 18:04

@DoctorDeathray@retro.social As somebody who's failed at this a few times, the hardest part is also the thing that makes it a cyberdeck: building and designing the case. I would put a bit of thought into a maybe a USB hub and a battery pack and a charging setup that makes you happy. But the case is 90% of the challenge and the software side really doesn't matter.

Open ##2489315
@mdhughes@appdot.net 2026-04-22 19:25

@DoctorDeathray@retro.social I've often used my iPad & a cheap BT keyboard stand (Zagg) as a "consumer cyberdeck". It's fine for writing, lasts for 8-20 hours on a charge. I still mostly use Editorial for writing, but it's getting old & crashy, & author only updates that or Pythonista every 5-10 years, if at all. At some point I'll find or write another app for it. The MacBook is "better" for writing, but it's MUCH too tempting to go screw around with.

Open ##2489319