Sep 12, 2025 07:00:00

'HackberryPi_CM5' project: Transforming a Blackberry smartphone with a physical keyboard into a portable Linux machine packed with Raspberry Pi CM5

A project called ' HackberryPi_CM5 ' has been published on GitHub, which repurposes an old Blackberry's physical keyboard and packs

a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (CM5) into a custom-designed body to turn it into a portable Linux machine.

GitHub - ZitaoTech/HackberryPiCM5: An ultra portable handheld Linux device using Raspberry CM5 unit as Core with 4' 720X720 TFT Touch display and the original blackberry keyboard
https://github.com/ZitaoTech/HackberryPiCM5

The HackberryPi_CM5 measures 143.5 x 91.8 x 17.6 mm, weighs 306 grams, and has an aluminum top and bottom.

The inside looks like this: It uses the CM5 for processor and I/O management, and also has an NVME SSD slot, an HDMI port, and multiple USB Type-A ports.

The back of the phone is equipped with a magnet similar to the iPhone's MagSafe, allowing you to attach various accessories. However, since it does not support wireless charging, you can use it in a unique way, such as attaching a mobile battery to the back and powering it with a short USB cable.

Other detailed specifications are as follows:

SBC	Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5
CPU	BCM2712, quad-core Cortex-A76 (ARMv8) 64-bit SoC @ 2.4GHz
Dual speakers	Dual Bluetooth speakers
2242 NVME slot	Supports 2242 SSD or Halio AI accelerator card
RTC Battery	CR927 battery slot for RTC function
Metal body	Aluminum front and back plates with 3D printed center section
screen	4-inch 720x720 high-resolution TFT, multi-touch compatible
USB port	2 x USB 3.0 ports
HDMI port	1x full-size HDMI port
Battery Type	5000mAh LiPo battery
Battery life	Approximately 5 hours during standby, 3 to 4 hours during normal use
Battery voltage measurement	I2C based battery voltage measurement
Backplate magnet	Accessories can be attached using magnets similar to the iPhone's MagSafe
Keyboard and Mouse Combo	Onboard combo, supports BlackBerry Q10, Q20, or 9900 keyboard
Custom Keymaps	Can be configured via VIAL
charging rate	1.5A to 2A via USB Type-C, fully charges in 2 to 3 hours
I2C port emblem	On-board Stemma I2C port for external sensors

The blueprints and other information are available on GitHub, so you can customize them yourself. For example, below is a publicly available 3D model of the HackberryPi_CM5, and you can use this data as a reference to modify the parts yourself.

You can see it in action in the video below.

Is the HackberryPi CM5 a portable, feature-packed, and powerful device? - YouTube


According to the creators, the goal of this product is to 'build a portable computer running Linux, allowing users to deepen their understanding of Linux and explore the architecture of the hardware, software, and Linux kernel.'