Most portable computers are sealed boxes, which is exactly what makes them frustrating for anyone who wants to experiment with electronics. You can run code on a laptop, but try wiring a temperature sensor or an infrared transmitter directly to it, and you’ll realize that consumer hardware was never designed for that kind of access. A maker who goes by PickentCode got tired of that gap and built something to close it.
The CyberPlug 3.0 is the third iteration of a personal cyberdeck project, the earlier two having usability problems that sent PickentCode back to Blender to redesign. The final build packs a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, a 4-inch IPS touchscreen, a Rii K06 mini keyboard with a built-in touchpad, and a 5,000 mAh USB-C power bank into a 3D-printed hinged body that folds flat for handheld use or props open at a desk-friendly angle.
Designer: PickentCode
What separates this from a standard Raspberry Pi build is the pair of breadboards soldered directly to the GPIO pins, seated inside the case, and accessible through a removable back panel. Connecting a sensor no longer means hunting for a separate breadboard and a tangle of jumper wires. PickentCode plugged in a temperature and humidity sensor and had it reading live data within minutes, then built an infrared setup that records remote control signals and replays them as single-button macros.
The two form factors each have a distinct locking mechanism rather than just flopping into position. In handheld mode, twin magnets pull the two halves together. In desktop mode, a metal ring on the back grabs the MagSafe-style power bank magnetically, holding the whole thing at a stable upright angle. Both the keyboard and the power bank slide out independently, and the deck keeps working on a desk without either of them.
Extensions are where the project gets more interesting. PickentCode added a PWM-controlled external fan that reads CPU temperature and adjusts speed automatically, and a small speaker module that opened the door to YouTube and older games. Doom, Half-Life, and GTA: Vice City all ran on it, better with an external setup in desktop mode, though workable in handheld after some button remapping.
PickentCode frames this plainly as a testbed for learning electronics, not a replacement for a phone or a real computer. The 3D files are free on Printables, so the main cost is filament, time, and the components. For anyone who has ever stared at a sealed laptop wishing they could just plug something into it, that framing is probably the most relatable thing about it.
