PocketTerm35 Pi handheld

Waveshare has started selling the PocketTerm35, a handheld case-and-controls setup that turns a Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5 into a pocket Linux machine. (waveshare.com) The hardware wraps a 3.5-inch, 640-by-480 touch display, a 67-key QWERTY silicone keyboard, a D-pad, ABXY buttons, shoulder buttons, stereo speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack around a Raspberry Pi board. Waveshare lists support for both Raspberry Pi 4 Model B and Raspberry Pi 5. (waveshare.com) Waveshare’s documentation says the unit is meant to run Raspberry Pi OS, the Linux distribution maintained for Raspberry Pi boards. Raspberry Pi says `config.txt` is the boot-time settings file its systems read before Linux starts, which is why display fixes land there. (docs.waveshare.com) (raspberrypi.com) Right now, setup is not fully automatic. Waveshare tells buyers to copy a display overlay file into the boot overlays folder and add several lines to `config.txt`, including model-specific `dtoverlay` entries for the Pi 4B and Pi 5B. (docs.waveshare.com) That makes the PocketTerm35 closer to a Raspberry Pi project than a finished mass-market handheld. The pitch is portability for terminal work, development, and device access without carrying a laptop, monitor, keyboard, and battery pack as separate parts. (waveshare.com) (linuxgizmos.com) Waveshare is selling several versions rather than one fixed model. Third-party reports this month put pricing from about $88 for a bare kit without a Pi, storage, or battery to about $180 for a bundle with a Raspberry Pi 5, microSD card, and 5,000 milliamp-hour battery. (cnx-software.com) (lunar.computer) The bundled board choices are modest by 2026 handheld standards. Notebookcheck reported the Pi 5 package uses the 1-gigabyte Raspberry Pi 5, while the Pi 4 package uses a 2-gigabyte Raspberry Pi 4, both with a 64-gigabyte microSD card in the prebuilt versions. (notebookcheck.net) The case includes room for an optional 5,000 milliamp-hour battery and a power-management board that supports charging while the system is running. Waveshare also lists a CNC-machined aluminum front, a plastic rear shell, and a body measuring 168.5 by 93.5 by 37 millimeters. (waveshare.com) (cnx-software.com) For Raspberry Pi users, the appeal is not raw speed or a large screen. It is a self-contained Linux terminal with real keys, real ports, and a screen that fits in one hand — provided buyers are willing to do the last bit of setup themselves. (waveshare.com) (docs.waveshare.com)