Update 32: polishing
Sunday. Finally polishing:
A) iterrating on case size until it gets annoying to assemble. (Image 2)
B) giving names (sku) to hardware components.
C) organization/refactoring/abstraction of components & pages in app.
D) usb and lan ports addition (sidepanel). Did you know that pi 4 and 5 have flipped ports (usb/lan)? Haven’t noticed that until now. Made some variations for this sidepanel. You can cover or expose them (image 3,4 & 5). It also acts as fixation for the inner & outer part.
E) Ordered some parts so I can continue . More of the Usb-c boards, binding posts etc.
F) Testing alot: ISO Flashing -> assembly -> Setup process in App
*** rambling start ***
As this is all not very visual i added the „forbidden shape“ graphic today (Image 1). I follow this since starting. There’s one shape I try to avoid. Almost all tech products that contribute to the current tech dystopia (monopolies, data harvesting, planned obsolescence & enshitification) have rounded corners.
The Speakers and turntables I have, from the “glorious age where things were built to last & to be repaired”, tend to have sharper edges. That’s why beatnik pi is a brick 🧱.
I try to avoid it in UX as well. So “non rounded” buttons for the app & website if possible.
Beside that I gave myself two other (design) rules i try to follow :
“It’s not allowed to pretend” (= has to be authentic).
-> eg. it should not look like a vintage device or analogue amp. Neither a receiver, turntable or speaker. It’s mainly a computer / raspberry pi (sbc) and it should look like that. (More precise: it’s a computer with a soundcard and it should look like that)
“It’s not allowed to shout / be loud”. (& take space)
-> eg. no flashy design, no big logo, no fancy color. It’s not trying “to be the eye catcher in the room”.
*** rambling end***
I hope you had a nice week, despite politics. I think in 2-3 weeks I’m finally done with the case. For the app I’m already drafting a prerelease (0.4). Exciting weeks ahead (despite politics).🎈
Original Post Date: Sunday, January 18, 2026
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