No, this isn’t a Blackberry device, although it does have the same appeal. The PicoCalc by Clockwork Pi is a pocket-sized computer disguised as a calculator, powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico, and built for anyone who loves the charm of old-school computing. With its compact form, rubber QWERTY keyboard, and retro-inspired software, it feels like something plucked straight from the golden age of personal computing. It’s the kind of gadget that makes you want to tinker, program in BASIC, and rediscover the simple joy of making a machine do exactly what you tell it to.
Clockwork Pi has a history of making delightfully geeky handhelds, from the GameSHell to the DevTerm. But while those devices leaned more modern, the PicoCalc is a true throwback. It’s powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico or the newer Pico 2, with a modest 133MHz dual-core ARM Cortex-M0+ processor, just 264KB of RAM, and an optional overclock to 200MHz. That might sound tiny by today’s standards, but it’s right in line with the legendary machines it draws inspiration from—like the Apple II and Commodore 64. This is computing at its most fundamental, a machine that forces you to strip away the fluff and focus on the code.
Designer: Clockwork Pi
The device itself is an odd but beautiful mix of retro and modern. It has a 320×320 4-inch color IPS display, a rubber QWERTY keyboard, and even dual speakers. Despite its name, it’s much more than a calculator—it’s a programmable microcomputer that fits in your hands. Whether you’re coding in BASIC, tinkering with Lisp, running a UNIX System 7 clone, or just playing MP3s and retro games, the PicoCalc lets you dive into the raw fundamentals of computing. This isn’t about maximizing power—it’s about embracing limitations and rediscovering the roots of digital creativity.
For a small machine, it packs some clever hardware tricks. The custom carrier board includes 8MB of pseudo-static RAM (PSRAM) to offset the Raspberry Pi Pico’s limited memory, and it supports full-size SD cards for storage. There’s even an STM32 coprocessor onboard, adding extra I/O possibilities for the hardware hackers out there. And if you want a little more power, you can swap in the Raspberry Pi Pico 2, which upgrades the processor cores, doubles the RAM, and increases onboard storage. The GPIO pins from both the RP2040 and STM32 chips are exposed, opening the door for interfacing with sensors, robotics, or whatever wild experiment you can dream up.
Software-wise, Clockwork Pi is aiming for a blend of nostalgia and experimentation. Interactive BASIC and Lisp environments are included, giving you a direct pipeline to old-school computing methods. You can also program in C, C++, Python, Lua, Golang, JavaScript, and Rust. It even supports the Raspberry Pi Pico Software Development Kit (SDK) and Arduino IDE, making it a highly adaptable tool for DIY projects and experimentation. However, Clockwork Pi doesn’t have the best track record for software support—previous devices shipped with partially functional Linux builds that rarely saw updates. Hopefully, the PicoCalc’s simpler nature means a smoother experience out of the box.
One of the best things about the PicoCalc is its price. At just $75, it’s significantly more affordable than Clockwork Pi’s other handhelds, making it an easy impulse buy for anyone who loves retro computing. The fact that it’s an open hardware project also means the schematics will eventually be available, so tinkerers can modify and improve upon the design.
This is the kind of device that reminds you why you fell in love with computers in the first place. It strips away the distractions and brings back that sense of discovery—of typing out a program, watching it run, and tweaking it until it does exactly what you want. Whether you’re a hobbyist, a programmer, or just someone who misses the golden age of computing, the PicoCalc scratches an itch that modern devices often ignore. And yeah, I really, really want one.
