DevTerm is a series of portable computer kits from ClockworkPi that resembles the RadioShack / Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 portable computers of the 1980s. With big chunky keys, a wide, yet short, display and a thermal printer, these kits start from $219 for a model powered by the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 with a further four models using custom "core modules" providing more powerful Arm processors.
DevTerm may look retro, but under the hood we have 21st century technology. With a ClockworkPi v3.14 mainboard designed to use SO-DIMM Computer on Module (CoM) boards, such as the Raspberry Pi Compute Module or other CoM boards, right now there are five supported CoMs.
Could the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 be used with an adaptor such as those from Gumstix? We do hope so. At this time, the choice of CoM includes boards from the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 1GB RAM and a quad-core Arm Cortex A53 CPU running at a1.2 GHz clock speed to a 1.8 GHz hexa-core chip with 4GB of RAM. The model featuring the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 is the lowest priced option.
The mainboard features USB-A and USB-C ports, microHDMI and modular connections for the keyboard, screen and battery. A slot to the left of the mainboard, which is a mini PCIe connector, is used with an "EXT module" to provide a cooling fan, camera interface, GPIO interface and additional USB ports.
Shipping is expected to start in April 2021.
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Les Pounder is an associate editor at Tom's Hardware. He is a creative technologist and for seven years has created projects to educate and inspire minds both young and old. He has worked with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to write and deliver their teacher training program "Picademy".
