The DragonBox Pyra is an upcoming Linux-based handheldcomputer equipped with a keyboard and gaming controls. The project entered prototyping stage in 2015. Pre-orders began on 1 May 2016, with a final release date still undefined.[1] In August 2020 the first production model had been shipped, but only to developers, as the software wasn't ready.[2][3]
History
Pyra prototype with Debian, running a browser (3 May 2016).
The Dragonbox Pyra is the spiritual successor of the OpenPandora device, and shares some of the original Pandora team members. The Pyra is designed and developed in close connection with the OpenPandora community, taking their feedback and experience with the Pandora into account. The OpenPandora GmbH, residing in Germany, organizes design, prototyping and the production in Europe (Greece and Germany).
The Pyra was presented officially at the FOSDEM 2014 in Brussels.[4] In 2015 several working developer prototypes of the Pyra have been produced and were given to software developers for evaluation and software creation. Development and fine tuning of the final specifications is still ongoing.[5]Preorder of six Pyra variants (4 GB RAM and 3/4G mobile options) became possible on 1 May 2016.
Like the predecessor OpenPandora, the Pyra includes features from several architectures making it a cross between a handheld game console, a subnotebook, a PDA, and a smartphone.
The Pyra design aims for modularity and openness in software and hardware alike. For instance the PCB is separated in three parts: CPU board (CPU, RAM and storage), mainboard (ports, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) and the display board. The replaceable CPU board allows future upgrades of CPU and RAM. The Pyra is assembled with screws (not glued) and is therefore repair and modification friendly.
It was announced that the hardware schematics will be available (final license undecided), which make the Pyra a kind of Open source hardware.[6] For compliance with the Free Software Foundation's "Respects Your Freedom" certificate the closed source SGX GPU driver was identified as the only remaining software roadblock ("would be good to have free drivers, but we can't achieve this for the GPU" but the device may or may not run without a 3D driver, possibly free 2D driver is available or either could be made).[7][8] The certification is not only about bundled software, using proprietary software, or recommending it, such as non-free (including emulated) games, but also about naming, e.g. Linux vs. GNU/Linux. In November 2016 a pre-release version of the Pyra schematics was made available under a CC BY-NC-SA license.[9]
Dual SDXC full size slots + one microSD slot underneath the battery Micro-USB3.0on-the-go (OTG) port Full-size USB 2.0 host port Full-size USB 3.0 host port (only 2.0 speed until a CPU upgrade) with optional eSATA adapter (full SATA speed) HDMI output through Type D (micro) port
^Pyra on pyra-handheld.com "Full schematics will be available: You could. i.e. design your own custom mainboard and use Pyras CPU board to run it." (1 May 2016)
^Michael Mrozek (20 November 2016). "Power, Memory and Schematics". pyra-handheld.com by. As promised, the Pyra will be more open than the Pandora and Nikolaus had some time to clean up the schematics! Attached to this post are the schematics for the current revision (5.1.3) of the Pyra. Unless a bug is found, these won't change anymore.[...] License is CC-BY-NC-SA
