PennyOS
A pocket computer for the Beepy, with no API keys on the device.
What it does
PennyOS turns the Beepy, a palm-sized Linux handheld with a BlackBerry keyboard, into a pocket computer: eighteen apps on one 400 × 240 black and white screen. The work happens on your own server, and the device holds no API keys.
- Eighteen apps, one letter each, grouped by what each one needs: nothing, the internet, or your server.
- Works offline. Notes, Journal, the vault mirror and every cached page read with the radio off.
- Ask runs Claude Code inside your Obsidian vault on your own server, and draws the answer as it streams.
- Keeps no service credential on the device. Mail tokens and search keys stay on your server, behind a gate that runs a short list of fixed commands.
- Encrypts the card with LUKS2 and Adiantum, and asks for a PIN at every boot.
- Four Home themes: grid, os8, win95 and terminal.
Requirements
A Beepy by SQFMI with a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, a microSD card of 16 GB or more, Raspberry Pi OS Lite (Bookworm) and Python 3.11 or newer. Optional: an always-on Mac or Linux server with SSH holding an Obsidian vault, Tailscale to reach it away from home, and Even Realities G2 glasses with the Penny app for Link. The source is shared by request.
Changelog
- 0.36.0
The grid theme gets the Space menu it was missing, plus fixes from a review of the week's releases.
- 0.35.0
Secure delete and a free space wipe, under Settings > Lock and card.
- 0.34.0
The PIN screen matches the Home theme.
- 0.33.0
The standby face matches the Home theme.
The apps, and the key that opens each
- aAskClaude, run in your vault, drawn as a page.
- qChatA local model on your server, answering from your wiki.
- nNotesPlain text files, saved on every key, synced to your inbox.
- jJournalOne page a day, behind the PIN.
- vVaultYour wiki, read only, from a mirror on the card.
- fFieldThe first twenty minutes in a city you do not know.
- rNewsYour feeds, readable offline, read state shared with glasses.
- mMailYour inbox, read only. The account lives on your server.
- wWeatherNow, the week, air, sky and ground, for any saved place.
- gGlanceWhat is overdue in your vault, in three lines.
- kKeysThe keymap card, on the device.
- cClockThe face the screen wears when you are not typing.
- xSettingsSeven groups, plus About, Reboot and Power off.
- oSearchPublic records lookups, run on your server.
- tStoreWho owns and who is leasing a storefront. San Francisco only.
- iLinkPair with G2 glasses: type on the Beepy, read on your face.
- pSolitaireKlondike, draw one, keyboard only.
- uUsageYour Claude limits and token counts, from your server.