CutiePi Raspberry Pi tablet to launch in late 2019

Raspberry Pi has been getting quite the attention in the last few years, as the open-source project is offering a convenient way for DIY-ers to experiment with a small form-factor single-board computer that is really affordable and can be programmed to power robots, IoT home devices or mini PCs. A team of enthusiasts is even considering integrating the single-board computer into an open-source tablet called CutiePi that can eliminate the need for a separate display and power supply.

The CutiePi tablet measures only 209 x 124 x 12 mm and the case is supposed to be 3D-printable. It integrates an 8-inch touch display and comes with a special kickstand that also acts as a handle. For those familiar with the RaspberryPi projects, the included custom Compute Model 3 Lite carrier board might not seem too appealing, since there already is a more powerful Model 3B+ version out there. Still, the CutiePi tablet packs enough power thanks to the BCM2837 processor and 1 GB of RAM. Additionally, there is support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, plus users get access to USB-A and HDMI ports and microSD card reader. The tablet is equipped with a 4,800 mAh battery that can be charged via a microUSB port.

As far as software support goes, the CutiePi tablet runs on a version of Raspbian OS specifically customized for touchscreens, which includes a terminal emulator built on top of Qt and supports Raspbian PIXEL apps through XWayland.

CutiePie is expected to be released towards the end of 2019, but there is no pricing info as of yet. The team behind the project assured prospective buyers that the tablet will not be crowdfunded.