'Ah, Q. Have you got the latest in typing technology for me to write a strongly worded email to Scaramanga?' That's how I imagine a conversation between Roger Moore and Desmond Llewelyn might have gone had this Cyberdeck Briefcase Laptop been around in the 70s. It looks just like it's dropped out of Live and Let Die and is oozing with more nostalgia than the stack of Pogs in the corner of my office.
I love my Apple MacBook, but it stands out like a sore thumb in my Retro-themed office. While the concept of the Cyberdeck, a custom-built laptop with a retro theme, isn't new, this briefcase laptop scratches that retro itch in my brain in just the right way. It gives off the look of the ultimate spy gadget, all while using Raspberry Pi boards to bring it to life.
Designed by rawkout1337 and showcased over at Yanko Design, the Cyberdeck 1.1.0 looks perfect for fans of The New Avengers or The Saint and folds down into a clunky briefcase with the same color scheme that you might find in a '70s kitchen. It's certainly one for the DIY nerds amongst you, built with Arduino microcontrollers and some oddly-placed components like a trackball situated next to the screen. It definitely promotes that 'hands-on spy' approach, I'll give it that!
Despite looking incredibly retro, the Cyberdeck 1.1.0 has a WiFi antenna, mouse buttons on the face behind the trackpad, 2x USB 3.0 ports, and a USB-C port, as well as an SD Card slot. It also boasts a touchscreen, too - talk about not judging a book by its cover, huh?
Admittedly, it does look a little like a sandwich toaster when folded up, especially with the metal travel handles. Still, who doesn't like toasties? If anything, that makes it more appealing to me! It's nice to know that people are making laptops with mechanical keyboards that, while not as sleek as the likes of Apple, prove that you don't need something to be mm thin to look cool. And while I probably wouldn't be able to fit anything else in my hand luggage when working abroad, it would be worth the looks of all the other people on the plane to pull this bad boy out and write some articles like I'm tracking down a submarine in the ocean thousands of feet below. All I need now is a sharp suit, and I could be the next Roger Moore. Now, where did I leave Miss Moneypenny?
