The PocketMage resurrects the PDA with an e-paper screen

# The PocketMage resurrects the PDA with an e-paper screen Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/963281/pocketmage-pda-e-paper-oled-clamshell-crowd-supply](https://www.theverge.com/tech/963281/pocketmage-pda-e-paper-oled-clamshell-crowd-supply) [](https://www.theverge.com/authors/andrew-liszewski) Andrew Liszewski is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid\. Personal digital assistants like the iconic Palm Pilot were one of many devices we thought went extinct with the arrival of the smartphone\. But similar to[Canon resurrecting a nearly decade\-old digital camera](https://www.theverge.com/news/774095/canon-powershot-elph-360-hsa-kendall-jenner-reissue-price-specs)to appeal to[point\-and\-shoot fans](https://www.theverge.com/tech/649145/canon-powershot-g7x-iii-tiktok-how-to-buy), Talisman Design is crowdfunding a clamshell PDA called the PocketMage that combines a tactile keyboard with both e\-paper and OLED displays in a pocketable device\. There are two different[preorder options for the PocketMage on Crowd Supply,](https://www.crowdsupply.com/talisman-design/pocketmage)plus you get your choice of parchment \(gray\) or royal purple accent colors\. The $235 version comes fully assembled, while the cheaper $185 version requires you to build it yourself\. However, the DIY PocketMage only requires a screwdriver to put together\. Soldering skills are not needed, but patience is\. Orders placed now aren’t expected to ship until March 2027 at the earliest\. Powered by an ESP32\-S3 microcontroller with just 2MB of RAM and 16MB of storage \(expandable with a microSD card\), the PocketMage is geared toward simple productivity tasks, but is a bit more capable than the earliest clamshell PDAs from companies like Casio\. The open\-source device comes with apps including a calendar, journal, dictionary, and a Markdown text editor for writing or taking notes\. Additional apps like a calculator, ebook reader, and web browser are[already available](https://pocketmage.org/bazaar/)\. The PocketMage’s primary display is a 3\.1\-inch, 320x240 e\-paper screen that forgoes touchscreen functionality for a capacitive touch bar on the side that can be used for scrolling\. Above the PDA’s tiny QWERTY keyboard is a smaller 1\.8\-inch, 256x32px OLED screen used for functions like menus that require a higher refresh rate than e\-paper offers\. There’s also a basic piezo speaker, a 1,200mAh battery good for about a week’s use between charges, Wi\-Fi, Bluetooth, and a USB\-C port compatible with peripherals like a larger keyboard\. For tinkerers and developers, the PocketMage even includes a powered expansion port for expanding its capabilities with custom hardware\. **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Andrew Liszewski