ePiPod: New project transforms Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W into Apple iPod throwback

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (curr. $21.99 on Amazon) has been around for a while now. Nonetheless, people are still finding new ways of leveraging the Pi Foundation's 65 x 30 mm single-board computer (SBC). For example, a developer who posts as drhatch on Hackaday has created the ePiPod, a project that builds on the much older PiPod project.

As its name implies, the ePiPod expands upon the PiPod by introducing an E Ink display. Specifically, the project calls for a 2.13-inch and 250 x 122-pixel panel sourced from Waveshare, which it sells for $6.99 per unit. Although the E Ink display is slower and only supports monochrome, it consumes significantly less power than the LCD equivalent inside the PiPod.

As a result, the ePiPod should last up to 150% longer than the PiPod between charges of the same 1,200 mAh battery. With that being said, the former is still rated for a mere 5 hours of battery life. Moreover, the project calls for a 24-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a MicroSD card reader, a 3.5 mm jack and five buttons, among other components. On top of that, the ePiPod runs Raspberry Pi Bookworm Lite with its SBC downclocked to just 150 MHz to maximise battery life. Please see drhatch's Hackaday project page for further details.